Posts by author Mike Kirwan

Enchanted by maps at a young age, Michael's first voyages were of the unglamourous variety (think Florida, Subarus, and talking mice). It was in an Australian hostel, while sleeping on a bare mattress, that he discovered the value of quality budget travel. Following a six month sejour on Australia's Sunshine Coast, Michael finished his studies at Hunter College in New York and moved to Paris. In Paris, Mike edits and writes for The Paris Times and checks out cheap sleeps for EuroCheapo. When not walking the streets of Paris pretending to be Ernest Hemingway, Michael enjoys penning short stories and playing the didjeridoo.

Photo by Toni_Blay
A trip to Paris without at least one walk through the Luxembourg gardens is like eating a French meal without accompanying it with a glass of wine. While the gardens lie directly on Paris’s beaten path they still, somehow, reveal an authentic view of Parisian life. Despite the number of tourists here, parents still bring » Read more
Salle Pleyel
Salle Pleyel in Paris. Photo: Mario
There are a lot of great concert venues in Paris but few can match the fine-tuned acoustics of the new Salle Pleyel. Recently reopened after an extensive two-year renovation, the Salle Playel is crisply minimalist in design and optimal in sound quality. The music hall is located at 252, rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, in the glitzy 8th » Read more
La Grande Mosquée de Paris exterior
You have to stop by La Grande Mosquée de Paris. Joi
La Grande Mosquée de Paris, built in 1926, is a Paris must-see. Constructed in traditional North African design, the mosque is a stunning piece of foreign architecture planted among rows of typical French buildings. It serves as a reminder of both the French colonial past and France’s substantial Muslim community. Contained within the enormous structure » Read more