Paris, France: The City of Cities

Best For:  Charm, Culture, Culinary Scene, Shopping, and Nightlife

Best Time to Visit:  Year-Round

The Eiffel Tower

The first time I visited Paris, I stayed in the heart of the Latin Quarter, steps from the Sorbonne, surrounded by glamorous, cigarette-smoking, impossibly slender and fashionable youth.  Intimidated, I cautiously ate at the trendy cafés and shopped in the stylish stores of the 5th arrondissement.  This was the stereotyped Paris of my imagination.  The second time I visited, I stayed in the unpretentious Oberkampf.  I remember thinking the first time I walked to the metro stop, "there are real people in this city."  The district's shabby chic coffee shops and wine bars were inviting to this Midwestern girl.  Still, I can't tell you which experience was the better one.  Go to Paris, and go back several more times.  You'll find a different city waiting for you with each trip.   

Charm:  Many European cities are either known for their majestic and opulent landmarks or their quirky and unassuming neighborhoods.  Paris has both.  Visitors will be equally enchanted by the winding streets of the Latin Quarter as they are by the grand boulevards displaying the city’s classic sights.  Spend a significant amount of time just wandering and soaking in the beauty.  A twilight boat tour on the Seine is so dazzling, it can even make Paris skeptics fall in love with the city.

Rooftops of Montmartre

Culture:  First-time visitors will have a list of must-see sights to tick off their itineraries.  The Eiffel Tower, Cathédral Notre Dame, Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, and Sacré Coeur all give you that “wow, I’m really in Paris” feel and are an essential introduction to the city’s cultural history.  The remainder of your time sightseeing can be spent tailoring your trip to your liking.  Art and museum buffs have plenty of world-class options, including the Musée d'Orsay, which features 19th century impressionists.  History lovers will want to check out Les Invalides, home to Napoleon's tomb.  Those who love quirky and offbeat sights should consider visiting the underground maze of tunnels and skeletons in the Catacombs.

Culinary Scene:  Paris’s culinary scene gives French food fanatics the opportunity to sample dishes from all around the country.  If you choose your restaurant wisely, you will likely get a better version of the food than if you went straight to the source region.  Paris has the second highest number of Michelin star restaurants in the world, just behind Tokyo.  But not every meal is guaranteed to be great. Tourist traps abound, so don't be afraid to ask the locals where their appetites lead them.   

Louvre and Gardens

Shopping:  From the haute couture of the Champs-Elysees to the trendy boutiques of the Marais and the vintage shops in Saint-Germain-de-Pres, Paris has something to offer any type of shopper.  Bargain hunters will want to consider coming in January when the entire city goes on sale.  Très chic shoppers will remember to always greet store clerks with a “bonjour” and bid farewell with an “au revoir.”  

Nightlife: The city’s after-dark scene has a distinctly upscale feel.  Parisians prefer to sip libations in corner cafes, wine bars, and trendy nightclubs -- those visitors who prefer hole-in-the-wall bars or low-key pubs might have a bit more trouble finding a comfortable drinking spot.  If you’re committed to experiencing the Parisian scene, some good choices include the thriving Marais, chic Champs-Elysees, and unpretentious Belleville areas.  For a taste of vintage Paris, roaring 20’s style, try a cabaret in Montmartre. 

France has so much to offer beyond Paris that it gets difficult to choose where to go next.  Stay tuned for an upcoming blog post linking different travel interests to the French regions that offer them.

If you’re hopping on a plane or inter-Europe train after your stay here, Rome, Barcelona, and Vienna are Paris’s most comparable destination rivals.