Ah, Paris, the city of l’amour, exceptional fromage and striped bretons; it’s the world’s most travelled to destination for good reason.
From full bodied reds to countless croissants, there are endless possibilities for every taste even before you add in shopping at Chanel in Paris or visiting the Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre to the mix.
Here are the best things to do in Paris.
1. Visit ALL the galleries: start with Le Louvre, Les Arts Decoratifs, Louis Vuitton, the Orangerie, Centre Pompidou and museum Palais de Tokyo for mind-blowing art and sculpture.
2. Bite into a chocolate chestnut tart and follow it up with a caffe latte at one of the many charming Rose Bakery locations.
3. Spot graffiti artist Space Invader’s famous graphics all over town.
4. Spend an afternoon wine tasting (and eating) in Le Bon Marche’s Food Hall.
5. Find some haute couture and book in a lunch with the fashion crowd at Hotel Costes.
6. Relax in stunning gardens galore including the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Tuileries.
7. Pack the rosé, champagne, camembert and baguette and have a picnic by Canal Saint Martin, the hippest hang-spot in town.
8. Take a boat ride on the Seine or cycle alongside it waving at tourists on the boat.
9. Bite into the pain au chocolat at Poilane, a family-owned Paris bakery institution since 1932.
10. Share the most divine tapas at Le Mary Celeste.
11. Let them eat cake! Channel Marie Antoinette with a day trip to the opulent palace of Versailles, less than an hour and a half from Paris.
12. Contemplate life at Places de Vosges.
13. Tackle the best crepes in town at Breizh in the Marais District and don’t be surprised when they are actually savoury!
14. Follow them up immediately with Nutella crepes at one of the many street vendors around the city.
15. Have a drink (but not too many) at Le Progres—the bar where John Galliano was infamously fired.
16. Embrace the bistrot salads at Le Balzac.
17. Devour the famously rich hot chocolate at Angelina’s and then maybe walk to the top of the Eiffel Tower to work off the calories.
18. Act like a true intellectual and hit up the late Karl Lagerfeld’s Book Store, home to art, design and architecture tomes of note.
19. Journey to the mecca of all flea markets, Porte de Clignancourt Les Puces, for all the vintage furniture you’ll be sad about not bringing home…
20. Take French Lessons at the Sorbonne. Or if you don’t have the funds, hit up duolingo instead and practice chatting up cute Frenchies on the Metro.
21. Buy the perfect delicate ballet flats at Repetto in the Marais, but make sure you watch out for dog merde on the street in a city that worships pooches.
Image credit: Mika Baumeister