Paris Unveiled: A Traveler's Guide to the City of Lights

Museums

There are over 140 museums to choose from, so there is something for everyone’s taste! Of course, the Louvre is a must-visit if you’ve never been, but make sure to visit others like Musée d’Orsay, Musée Rodin, Musée de l’Orangerie, Petit Palais, Invalides, and so many more. Whatever type of art you love, there is most likely a museum dedicated to it.

Landmarks

Paris has no shortage of landmarks, monuments, and famous sites you have to take in! The usuals include the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Arc de Triomphe & Champs-Elysées, Notre-Dame (which is still being rebuilt after a catastrophic fire) and the Palais Garnier. Be sure to also visit Saint-Chappelle, Place de la Concorde, the Panthéon, Pont Alexandre III, Sacre Coeur, and the Montmartre Cemetery (home to the final resting places of author Alexandre Dumas, painter Edgar Degas, and artist Gustave Moreau, among many others).

‘Flâner’

Along the lines of wandering through Montmartre Cemetery, do as the Parisians do across the city: ‘flâner’! Stroll along the famous cobblestone streets, cross the numerous bridges over the Seine (or walk along it!) or meander through the many covered passages across the city (from the Galerie Vivienne, Passage des Panoramas, and Passage Jouffroy are a few of my favorites).

River cruise

Some of the best views in the city come from rooftops (like the Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, or Sacre Coeur), as well as the Sacre Coeur, but a river cruise also provides some of the best sights. You can either take a scenic one or a lunch/dinner cruise. If the latter, a few to look into include Le Calife, Ducasse sur Seine, and Bateaux Parisiens.

Picnic

One of the best things you can do in Paris is to grab a picnic and lunch at the park or gardens across the city (some listed below). Grab a baguette or sandwich, sample some macarons, pop open a bottle of wine or champagne and just relax, taking in the sights!

Gardens

The most touristed ones include the Champ de Mars, the Trocadero Gardens, and the Tuileries. But if you want an amazing experience, head to perhaps the best in the city: the Jardin du Luxembourg! Another great place to take in nature in a beautiful setting are not gardens but the canals of Saint-Martin.

Shopping

Whether you’re looking for a specific designer (each brand has multiple shops across the city) or a department store (Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, Le Bon Marché, and Samaritaine are a few), there’s no shortage of places. If you’re looking to score some bargains, head out of the city to La Vallée Village (reachable by car, shuttle or Metro) or La Piscine in the city (you never know what they’ll have, but there’s always high-end brands). Remember to bring your passport to get the right paperwork to collect your tax refund at the airport.

Christmastime/December

If you happen to visit during the holidays, be sure to check out the Christmas markets across the city! The dates vary, with some opening end of November but others opening only 1-2 weeks before Christmas, so do your research on the dates you’ll be visiting. I recently visited and fell in love with the Hôtel de Ville Christmas Market, while the Tuileries one gave me claustrophobia from the number of people there. Others highly recommended (but that weren’t open yet) include Abbesses near Sacre-Coeur, Notre-Dame, and La Defense. There are also numerous other smaller ones across the city!

Day Trips

Versailles & the beaches of Normandy are perhaps the two most popular choices. If you want to visit wineries, head to the Champagne or Burgundy regions. You can also go wine tasting in the Loire Valley while visiting gorgeous castles as well! You can also head to the abbey & tidal island of Mont-Saint-Michel in the west, or check out the charming villages of Strasbourg & Colmar in the east. If you want to head to another country, the Eurostar runs to Brussels (1h30m each way) & Amsterdam (over three hours away, so a large portion of the day will be traveling).

Hot chocolate

Depending on how you like yours, the top three are considered to be Carette, Les Deux Magots and Angelina. I feel Carette’s is too watery; Le Deux Magots is sweet but not overly saccharine, and Angelina is just rich & decadent.

Desserts

In addition to the previously mentioned Cafe Angelina, check out Stohrer (the oldest patisserie in the city), Le Bon Georges (delectable chocolate mousse), and La Crêperie de Josselin.

Breads & croissants

Depending on what you’re wanting to indulge in, visit Le Grenier à Pain (delicious baguettes), Du Pain et Des Idées (buttery, flaky croissants), and Mamiche (for pain au chocolat tastiness).

Wine & bars

If you’re looking for wines, head over to ô Chateau or Les Caves du Louvre for incredible selections (and wine tastings!). If you’re looking for cocktails and a bar setting, check out Danico (listed on the World’s 50 Best Bars) and Little Red Door (also on the World’s 50 Best Bars list).

Restaurants

For some of the best onion soup in the city, head to Bistrot des Vosges. And no trip is complete without steak-frites, so a visit to L’Entrecote is a must. But if you’re looking for food with a view, you can’t go wrong with Kong or Les Ombres