Live like a Londoner and party like a Parisian
"Darn tourists," we sighed, walking up the busy cobble stoned rue Mouffetard to our quaint 17th century studio apartment in Paris' Latin quarter. We'd only been there a couple of days, but my fiancé and I already felt like locals.
It's not too late to soak up some culture this fall with a last-minute European getaway. Read on for tips on how to rent an apartment for your trip.
European apartment rentals: Livin' la vida local
Why rent an apartment instead of a hotel room? If you truly want to immerse yourself in the culture of a town or city, living among its inhabitants can give you that authentic experience.
"Of course, you are still a tourist, but renting an apartment can mean you are in more of a neighbourhood rather than in a tourist-heavy area," says Toronto editor Jessica Padykula who spent six weeks in a Paris apartment last spring. "Plus, you can cook your own meals!"
Being able to whip up breakfast or pack a lunch with food from the local market before heading out is another way to save money, too.
Start with a list of criteria to help tailor your apartment search. Is it important that you're close to certain tourist attractions or public transit? Will there be parking for your car rental? Do you want to be able to do laundry? Are you looking for a kid-friendly environment?
"My main tips would be to start with size -- because a lot of European apartments are super-tiny -- [then consider] cost and location," recommends Padykula.
How to find a European apartment rental
Try typing "apartment rental sites" plus the name of your destination into a search engine. We found our London apartment through a hotel website -- their rooms were all booked, but they happened to rent out a one-bedroom condo.
Our cosy Paris digs resulted from a simple Google search of "Paris apartments." That's how we discovered Ah Paris, an efficient apartment rental site launched by John Fay in 2003.
Padykula found her apartment through Craigslist under "sublets/temporary" and used her criteria to narrow her search.
Click to continue...
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Why rent an apartment instead of a hotel room? If you truly want to immerse yourself in the culture of a town or city, living among its inhabitants can give you that authentic experience.
"Of course, you are still a tourist, but renting an apartment can mean you are in more of a neighbourhood rather than in a tourist-heavy area," says Toronto editor Jessica Padykula who spent six weeks in a Paris apartment last spring. "Plus, you can cook your own meals!"
Being able to whip up breakfast or pack a lunch with food from the local market before heading out is another way to save money, too.
Start with a list of criteria to help tailor your apartment search. Is it important that you're close to certain tourist attractions or public transit? Will there be parking for your car rental? Do you want to be able to do laundry? Are you looking for a kid-friendly environment?
"My main tips would be to start with size -- because a lot of European apartments are super-tiny -- [then consider] cost and location," recommends Padykula.
How to find a European apartment rental
Try typing "apartment rental sites" plus the name of your destination into a search engine. We found our London apartment through a hotel website -- their rooms were all booked, but they happened to rent out a one-bedroom condo.
Our cosy Paris digs resulted from a simple Google search of "Paris apartments." That's how we discovered Ah Paris, an efficient apartment rental site launched by John Fay in 2003.
Padykula found her apartment through Craigslist under "sublets/temporary" and used her criteria to narrow her search.
Click to continue...
Page 1 of 3
