The Best of Paris: My Guide to the City of Lights
My favorite city in the world after NYC, Paris is actually as magical as they say. There is something there for everyone— knockout food, amazing wine, stunning architecture, art for days, famous sights, shopping, design, oh là là! Speaking personally, it’s also one of my favorite cities to travel alone because it’s easier to soak it all up at your own pace, but it is special in different ways when you come here with loved ones. I’ve now been to this special city once on my own, once with family, and once with my love— and all have them have been wonderful in such different ways, so Paris is truly a city you can easily solo travel to, come for romance, or with friends + family and be sure to have a great experience regardless.
I had over 2000 photos from my visit in spring of 2017, so you can imagine how difficult it was to narrow things down, then I just shot a ton of film images as well— yet I still feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of what I want to capture there! I’ve included a bunch of galleries and slideshows in this post for you guys to hopefully transport you there!
Anyhow, I wanted to create this post for you guys because I have sent these recommendations to about 15 of my friends now— everyone has said how helpful this guide was because it’s honest, written from a local city-girl perspective, and it’s organized by arrondissement (district/neighborhood— Paris has 20 arrondissements), so it’s easier to plan a more efficient trip rather than having you bounce between 6 neighborhoods unnecessarily in a day.
I’ve also created a little easy shortcut for you guys here, to jump to each Arrondissement for reference, since there are a LOT of photos breaking the sections up:
North of the Seine (River)
Montmartre is like an entirely separate world, at the top of the hill. It’s a nice eagle eye view of the city of Paris, has the famous Sacre Coeur Basilica, and a ton of picturesque winding streets that make you feel like you’re Amélie. I’d recommend taking the train up (the 12 line on the metro gets you right up there), as it’s a steeper hike up. My must-sees in Montmarte:
Sacre Coeur: The “Sacred Heart” basilica, it is a stunning church. Even admiring the structure from the outside on the many steps leading to the church is a sight enough to not be missed. If cathedrals / churches are your thing, entrance is free, and open from 6am-10:30pm every day. After your visit, walk around Rue du Mont-Cenis and Rue Norvins for all the yes, slightly kitchy and touristy, but still cute cafes, creperies, and shops.
La Maison Rose: the Insta-famous pink + pistachio green cafe. I hear the food is only okay for the prices, but it is indeed beautiful on the exterior. I think the little street leading up to it (Rue de l’Abreuvoir) is even better though. Pastel colors and cobblestones galore— when you’re there in the spring, you’re ambushed by #wisteriahysteria that makes you feel like you’re in London.
Rue Lepic / Rue des Abbesses: Just keep walking down and all around those windy roads— there are a ton of cute shops, patisseries (bakeries), cheese shops, wine shops, and small businesses. If you can do cheese, don’t miss Butte Fromagere— it’s one of the best little cheese shops!
*Place des Abbesses Christmas Market: Obviously only available during the holiday season, this cute little market is easy to access (12 Metro to Abbesses pops you right out in the middle of the market), and has all the essentials. Vin chaud (mulled wine), marrons chaud (roasted chestnuts, my fave!), escargot, all kinds of food cooked in massive pans, toys, and random gift stands
Bleu Noir Tattoo Shop: This might feel a bit random, but this chic, very well-reviewed tattoo shop was a fun little place we stumbled upon on our last visit. If you’re looking to take home a permanent little Parisian souvenir 😉
The 9th arrondissement (including Saint Georges + Pigalle areas) is the land of shops, nightlife, and good restaurants— definitely a younger, hip crowd the further north you go.
Galeries Lafayette: kind of like the Parisian Saks 5th Ave— a massive department store with everything. Worth a whirl if it's rainy, and the interior is beautiful.
Opera National de Paris: the opera at Palais Garnier is an 19th century Italian-style opera house that houses ballets and well, the opera.
Nightlife: the classic Moulin Rouge is the iconic cabaret, but there is little local spot called Le Bar a Bulles that serves up tapas and cocktails (and has a rooftop!) right behind the Moulin Rouge. Dirty Dick and Baton Rouge are some popular cocktail bars. Also, I highly recommend going to the cheeky ‘speakeasy’ bar, No Entry (pictured above), that is located below the popular Pink Mamma restaurant for cocktails and a super gorgeous lounge space.
Eats: Juicerie, a juice bar, has locations all around, but a spot nearby. Then for the gluten-intolerant, Helmut Newcake is a gluten-free patisserie with gluten-free croissants that are the only ones I’ve had to actually do it well. There’s the classic French restauarant, Buvette, where most go for the Croque Monsieur. In Pigalle, Big Mamma is the very Instagrammable bar / restaurant that serves up modern Italian fare, then Bouillon Pigalle (pictured above) is a cute + bustling French bistrot with mostly communal seating that has all the French food classics and wine for CHEAP— you can get a steak frite + litre of wine for under 30 euros… granted you get what you pay for in terms of quality but it’s a solid place for classic food on the cheap!
The 1st arrondissement is home to the Jardin Tuleries, Museé de l’Orangerie, the Louvre, the main highlights of Rue Rivoli and Rue Saint Honoré (hello, shopping!), Galeries Lafayette (more shopping!), Palais Royal, and Place Vendôme.
Jardin des Tuileries/ Tuileries Garden: Probably my favorite gardens in Paris. Grab a hot chocolate from the notorious Angelina right outside the gardens on Rue Rivoli (TIP-- don't wait in line for seating, just walk straight into the cafe and there's a separate bakery inside there where you can get a hot chocolate to-go!) and walk around. It’s honestly pretty, no matter what season you visit.
Musée de l’Orangerie / Orangerie Museum: At the west end of the Tuileries, is home to Monet’s famous water lilies and contemporary arts. It’s 9€ for entry (free for 18 and under), and a perfect place for a rainy day pit stop.
The Louvre Museum: On the east end of the Tuileries is the famous Louvre. Not much explanation needed here, but in case you live under a rock, it’s the home to the “too-crowded around with cellphones to even see” Mona Lisa, with over 650,000 feet of art. You could spend 2 days here and not cover it all, but it’s truly beautiful and I think a must. Don’t forget to take a cheesy tourist picture near the glass pyramid entrance! 9€ for entry, 6€ for entry after 6pm on Wednesdays or Fridays (and is open til 9:45pm)
Place Vendome: an absolutely stunning square- the detailed architecture of the buildings there are a personal favorite.
Rue Rivoli + Rue Saint Honore: go wander. Feels a lot like chic SoHo in NYC with all the beautiful stores of things you probably can’t afford but it’s so fun to look anyway— but there are also a ton of little local shops too, and it’s a great place to go gift shopping.
Eats: Maisie Cafe on Rue du Mont Thabor (right near Place Vendome) has delicious + allergen friendly foods, juices, and more (pictured above). There is also a Wild & the Moon location here, for a healthy + allergen-friendly eats, and a Helmut Newcake on Rue Rivoli if you’re looking for gluten-free bakery goods! If you're looking for a beautiful $$$ restaurant to splurge at, Clover Grill is consistently a popular destination. L’as du Fallafel from what I remember from my first visit to Paris was the best, spiciest falafel I have ever had.
The 8th is kind of like 5th Ave in NYC, with the Champs-Élysées that leads up to the historical Arc de Triomphe. While I don’t have many food/shop recommendations around this area because I find that most of the restaurants around there are touristy / overpriced and the shops are mainstream chains, I would not miss walking down that big avenue— I love it at night in particular, when it’s all lit up.
Grand Palais + Petit Palait: the Grand Palais has some cool expos (a Michael Jackson one is going on right now!) and is a gorgeous building, and the Petit Palais is also such a stunning museum (I think 15€ for entry)
Champs-Élysées: the 5th Ave of Paris with endless shops. From Ladurée macarons, the flagships of stores like Louis Vuitton and other French design houses like Dior, along with the classic chains like Zara (they’re so much better in Europe!) and H&M (also better in Europe).
Arc de Triomphe: the famous arch— not only is it one of the most stunning structural designs I’ve seen in person, but I am 100% convinced it’s the best birds-eye style view of Paris. Why go up the Eiffel Tower when you can go up the Arc de Triomphe (view pictured above!)and see the Eiffel Tower and the incredible buildings and street mapping of Paris? It is 12€ for entry.
Hotel Flanelles: We stayed at this hotel most recently— it’s a small 4-star hotel. The design was beautiful (pictured above), the staff was very accommodating, it has a sauna (dry + wet) you can reserve by the hour, and a lovely lounge to relax in. The rooms (we stayed in a standard) were quite small for the price, but not out of the ordinary in Paris. There isn’t much around the hotel to see or do, but it is very conveniently located mere blocks from the Arc de Triomphe and many metro train lines.
Hotel & Spa Royal Madeleine: Located on the opposite (east) side of the 8th arr. we stayed at this hotel for our last night in Paris and really loved the location but also the hotel itself— very comfortably sized room, a beautiful lounge / lobby space, and they have a very cool design-centric bar in the hotel that we promised to visit the next time we are here.
Honor Cafe: Located in a little outdoor courtyard, this coffee stand is super cute and has great coffee (oat milk latte was great!)— they also have very small select indoor seating that you can clamber into if the weather stinks.
West Paris
A few but major spots:
Trocadéro: take the 6 or 9 Metro lines and you’ll pop out right at Place du Trocadero. Cross the street and head to Palais de Chaillot across the esplanade into the Jardins du Trocadéro for a beautiful vantage point of the Eiffel Tower
Carette: Right a street over from the Metro entrance, Carette is my favorite little cafe at heart in Paris. Yes, it may be on every guide to Paris but it’s a classic and I’m convinced it’s one of the best classic croissants. Their espresso is also fantastic, and my friend Steph said they were the best macarons she’s had (better than Ladurée!)
Again, a few but major spots:
Tour Eiffel / Eiffel Tower: need I say more? Should you choose to actually go in the tower, the ticket prices vary depending on how you want to go.
Parc du Champs de Mars: one of the most beautiful lawn / gardens in Paris, of course complete with the best close-up view of the Eiffel Tower. I’m a sucker for it in the springtime, with colorful blooms like magnolias and marigolds everywhere, but it’s pretty any time of year. If coming during temperate weather, pack a picnic and eat on the lawn for a free, world-class view.
Les Invalides: the army museum, I went during my first visit to Paris. It’s an amazingly extensive exhibit, especially if you’re a history buff! 12€ for entry.
Le Narcisse Blanc: the most epic hotel I have ever stayed at in my life, this 5-star hotel is actually immaculate and made of Parisian dreams. Read all about my stay and tour the hotel in my blog post here!
South of the Seine (River)
This district is home to the stunning Luxembourg Gardens, Odeon neighborhood, lots of university buildings (the Sorbonne), and some sleepier streets for some hidden gems of shops. Simply wander all around, but particularly on Boulevard Saint-Germain and Rue du Four.
Luxembourg Museum + Luxembourg Gardens: to be honest, I know nothing about the museum because I have never been (but here is the website), but I have spent hours on these garden grounds. In the spring, you’ll see some of the most beautiful tulips you’ve ever seen, but regardless of season, the garden grounds are magical to wander and get lost in.
Le Bon Marché / 24 Sevres: a high-end department store of sorts, it is a dreamy place to go wander.
L’Avant Comptoir: fast casual tapas place that is a local favorite, by chef Yves Camdeborde, who is nicknamed the chef of “bistronomy”. Open noon-11pm, there are no reservations, but you can get crepes, sandwiches, and waffles for silly affordable prices for top-tier ingredients.
La Maison d’Isabelle: What people are currently calling the home of the best croissant in Paris.
Northeast Paris
Best known for where Notre Dame is, but it’s some of the prettiest nooks and crannies of the city with the bridges all around the Seine.
Notre Dame: The famed Notre Dame, it is truly stunning on the inside and the outside. I couldn’t stop staring at the stained glass, the architecture, and insane detail. Make sure you stick around to listen to some of the church bells, as they are magical. Entrance is free, and open from 7:45am-6:45pm.
Saint Chapelle: the sometimes overlooked chapel in favor of Notre Dame, I actually loved Saint Chapelle even more dare I say. There are over 1000 stained glass windows and it’s dazzling.
Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole: this is a super classic French café that I actually found through Instagram— no idea how the food is, but the exterior is so stunning at night and also during spring with the florals all about.
The Bridges: walking across the bridges at night when the Seine is illuminated is the best. Make sure you walk across the Pont Neuf and the Pont des Arts (the one where everyone used to put the love locks). Head down to the walkways down below right on the river too, as there are staircases all around.
My. Favorite. Part. of. The. City. I could honestly just stay here for an entire month, and I’d be totally cool with it. A lot of people describe it as the SoHo of NYC, but it feels more like NoLita and the West Village to me— the best small shops in all of Paris (everything from high end designers to smaller mom/pop style stores, including clothes, jewelry, food, wine, home goods, bakeries— everything!).
The neighborhood is shaped kind of like a triangle, and you should just walk up and down every street you can, you won’t be sorry. Also have so many recos that I need sections within sections here. I don’t even need to describe some of the stores though because I would just say the same things of “amazing, beautiful, adorable, bury me here, you must go.”🤣
SHOPS
Rebours Shop: where an insane aunt (me) got her niece a 42€ recycled, eco stuffed giraffe 🙈… but they had an amazing, amazing design shop with stationary, ceramics, fun gifts, clothing, and more. Take all my moneys.
Madeline and Gustave: an eco design shop with tons of plants and interior goodness. I got a couple cute bud vases here and actually one of my favorite necklaces as well. They also have coffee. Basically, this is me as a retail store. Look at the Instagram.
Les Mots à la Bouche: quaint little bookstore called “Words in the Mouth” and definitely a very interesting variety of books (warning, explicit books were everywhere so maybe keep the kiddos away)
Merci Merci: this feels a little like the ABC Home (in NYC) of Paris. Home goods, elevated to an aspirational level, but dang is it beautiful to look around in.
Fleux: A little bit of everything here— home goods, gifts, kitchen goods, leather goods, all the goods, and UPDATE now they have multiple locations specializing in the different sections of goods!
SIGHTS
Square du Temple: grab a coffee from The Broken Arm and go sit in this little park. In the spring, it’s particularly lovely with all the flowers!
Place des Vosges: a beautiful little square that is the idyllic place to take a coffee and a book to sit for hours. Or take pictures for hours like I did.
Lafayette Anticipations: a super modern, small art exhibit space (also where Rebours and Wild & the Moon are).
COFFEESHOPS
The Broken Arm: very small coffeeshop (they have oat milk fyi!) by Square du Temple and is also attached to a very high-end boutique. Excellent strong espresso, an offering of little bites, and a ridiculously good-looking / trendy staff.
Fragments: a cute little coffee shop/cafe close to Place des Vosges. Grab a pastry and go sit in the park!
Fringe: Cute small spot with limited seating, but great coffee and a variety of classic cafe eats.
HEALTHY/ALTERNATIVE EATS
Wild & The Moon: 100% organic, gluten-free, vegan, this coffeeshop / juicebar cafe is wellness heaven for all us wellness nerds out there— probably the best variety of juices (they even had a CBD-infused juice!), adaptogens, and bowls I’ve seen in Paris. Oh, and all their packaging is 100% biodegradable. Overachievers, dang 🤣
SEASON: While I didn’t get to try this place out, I’ve heard great things and its menu looks AMAZING— especially for gluten-free and vegan options. A lot of Aussie-cafe style menu options like açai bowls and avocado toast, but naan, vegan lasagna, shakshuka, and all kinds of pancakes.
Big Love: Owned by the Big Mamma Group (same owners as Pink Mamma and No Entry), this is a muuuuust for a cozy spot with amazing gluten-free pizza and other Napoletana dishes with great wine. Definitely recommend lining up early to put your name down, as there is usually a hefty wait, but it’s worth it.
Le Potager du Marais: this is a vegan restaurant with takes on classic French fare. I haven’t been, but heard great reviews of this place!
Hank Restaurant: also all vegan, it’s full of burgers and pizza and had a line out the door. We didn’t end up getting to try it, but it’s staying on my list as it looks awesome!
MORE RESTAURANTS + FOOD / WINE SHOPS
Robert et Louise: an institution, you have to make reservations to ensure a spot. I ate there solo my 2nd time in Paris and it was the best steak frites and red wine combo of my life— it’s not a fancy shop, but a cozy, classic Parisian restaurant. UPDATE: I took Justin there as a surprise lil last romantic meal— we got seated in the cellar, which I never had been to, and we both consider it to be one of our favorite date night meals ever— the food was even better than I remembered, our waitress was so wonderful and didn’t rush us as we lingered there for a few hours over lots of wine and food for our last night in Paris 🙃
Glou: We just happened upon this wine bar / resto a few blocks away while waiting for our dinner reservations at Robert et Louise, and it was a perfect chill place with an excellent variety of wine.
Bellota Bellota: they have multiple locations, but we just accidentally stumbled upon this little meat + cheese shop. They also have sandwiches. Seriously some of the best charcuterie I’ve ever had— the Iberico ham they slice right in front of you is UNREAL.
Bouquet des Vins: this tiny little wine shop also has a table I believe you can do a wine tasting and charcuterie/cheee board at. The staff was super helpful with picking a bottle of wine for us, and dang… good wine is so much cheaper in France because you’re not far from the best grapes!
This is a bit north of the Marais, but continues with the cute little streets that get a little more city-like as you walk through. A ton of other little shops, so I recommend just walking all around— but here are some highlights below:
EAT/DRINK
Republique of Coffee: great coffee (they offer only a soy/almond blend for milk alternative!), amazing brunch food. Love the huevos rancheros bowl full of veggies and nourishing ingredients, their pancakes look amazing, and there are lots of vegan / gluten-free choices.
O/HP/E: gorgeous cafe with tons of beautiful ceramics, kitchen + home goodies, pastries, and gifts galore. There are plants hanging atop the coffee bar and is so beautiful! I’ve gotten mugs and multiple gifts here before and they have oat milk too!
Holybelly: people line up 30 minutes before opening, and I suggest you do the same on a weekend or you’ll be facing a very long line and a 1-2 hour wait (they don’t take reservations). It’s my must-go brunch place in Paris! It’s kind of like an Aussie-style cafe with their healthy and more indulgent offerings, delicious coffee (yas, oat milk here too!), and the staff and little flourishes are full of cheeky humor.
10 Belles: cute little pit stop for some very good coffee + espresso drinks, and some pastries.
Early June: a beautiful wine bar / shop that’s on my list for next time— they offer wines, craft beers, drinks, and small seasonal plates to share.. Only open Tues-Sat from 5pm-midnight.
Cafe Mericourt: we stopped here for breakfast and loved the food— we got the shakshuka, but there are plentiful gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian options, along with great coffee (minus the cold brew that was absolutely terrible). Also a very cute, but slightly crowded interior, and is located on a fun little street with lots of small specialty food shops, a record store, and more.
Cafe Oberkampf: a little further up the street and sister to Cafe Mericourt, this is smaller spot that we stopped at for coffee (they have a similar but more limited menu). And yes, they have all the alternative milks!
Peonies: an adorably pink and green coffee shop with great small breakfast dishes (many healthy options too!), and so many flowers all around. Hint hint, it great for the gram.
BAKERIES
Liberte: a very popular local bakery. I didn't get to eat any of their pastries because they’re classically gluten-filled, but there's always a little line and it smells divine from 5 blocks away.
Boulangerie Mamiche: a classic bakery known for their babka and variety of classic baked goods, I always see it super busy with a line out the door, and is apparently a local favorite— they also have another location in the 9th Arr.
WANDER
Rue Legouvé: Just a cute little street that if you’re in the neighborhood near Holybelly and O/HP/E, walk down (but don’t go out of your way for it, it’s not anything extraordinary)— but it’s a personal favorite area of mine and it makes you feel like you’re in a little nook of Paris.
Canal Saint-Martin Pont d’Amélie: beautiful little canals and bridges around here. Walk all around the Quai de Valmy (the street that lines the canal) and get lost. There are a bunch of cute little shops up north of the bridge on the west side of the riverbank too!
The 2nd arrondissement actually reminds me a bit of Murray Hill in NYC- not exactly cute, filled with bars and restaurants that are whatever but cater to young crowds at night, but this area is also filled with a ton of hotels as it is an extremely convenient and more affordable area to stay in. Easy access to a lot of trains that will get you wherever you need to go, and I actually love staying in this location for that reason!
The Hoxton: This hotel group has locations all over the biggest cities in the world, but this location is Paris is particularly charming— gorgeous open lobby with floor to ceiling windows that houses a cafe and upstairs seating.
Hotel Panache: a very cute hotel in design and exterior (I didn’t love staying there last time, the rooms are very small and not as maintained as hoped), but I love the cafe / restaurant inside! Breakfast is great there, as they have a variety of goods, including gluten-free pastries from Noglu, and then I’ve heard great things about dinner there too.
La Creme de Paris: While I probably wouldn’t call this the ‘must-go’ for crepes and ice cream in Paris, it’s an easy crowd-pleasing place to get your sweet tooth fix— plus the interior is very old-school pop diner and very cute to have dessert in.
L’Appartement Sézane: If you want to die in interior and clothing heaven, go here. We in NYC are lucky to have a Sézane open up in SoHo, but I shopped this women’s clothing brand online before it even did and the Paris apartment is the OG and I think better than the NYC store.
Galerie Vivienne: cute little interior shopping gallery with beautiful architectural detail.
Noglu: a famous gluten-free bakery that makes me not feel bad about missing gluten in Paris! Their goodies are in a lot of hotels and restaurants in Paris. Try their carrot cake or madeleines, and they have gluten-free mini croissants too!
I literally have 2 things on my list because I didn’t see much of these areas and it’s not as densely populated with sights to see (as far as I know). Passager is a cute cafe on my list still (looks great for brunch, coffees, and to hang for a bit) in the 11th, then Rue Crémieux is the Instagram-famous little cobblestone street with the crazy colorful houses.