Visiting Paris for the First Time

After college I had found myself carried away in books about Paris. The Travel Channel’s Passport to Paris had me dreaming of one day setting foot in what I only knew (via Instagram) to be a dreamy place of light, history, architecture and patisseries. And so I continued to revisit Paris every year through books. It wasn’t until the summer of 2018 that I’d set foot in Paris. It was a long flight with our 8 month old baby, and personally hard for me to get any sleep, because the anticipation was high. But if you find yourself visiting Paris for the first time, make it a longer trip, it’ll be worth it. There is so much you can do and instead of feeling rushed to do it all, spend at least a week if not longer to take it all in at a slower pace. Here is how I recommend spending your days in Paris when visiting Paris for the first time.

Stay long and wander the streets

We had planned to spend 10 days in Paris and then return after visiting a few other countries in Europe. And if there is one thing I could recommend about Paris, it’s that you must stay for a long trip. Of course any length of time you get is a gift, but a long trip provides time to wander. And when in Paris, it’s best to be a flÂneur. That’s exactly what we were. In between the museums and churches, we spent much of our time walking and resting at cafes or parks. Wandering the streets of Paris when going from one destination to the next makes each turn feel like a surprise is waiting just around the corner.

Stay in different neighborhoods

The next recommendation I’d give is to book reservations in different neighborhoods. Each space we stayed in was at least 2 nights long, sometimes 3 and it gave us the opportunity to slowly get to know the area while also being able to take a break from exploring during the middle of the day. If I had to pick 2 neighborhoods to stay in, I’d pick Montmartre and Le Marais. Two nights in Montmartre is a perfect amount of time, because it’s a smaller area. Although we didn’t stay in Le Marais, we spent lots of time wandering the streets and returning to the same spot for crepes.

Make Paris yours and take it slow

My third recommendation is to make Paris yours. Paris is big and there are so many things to do. And I think the best way to make it yours is to explore it at your pace, to revisit spots that you loved, to spend time outdoors or in museums, and to take in the excitement and quaintness of it all. It’s easy to feel rushed or to feel like you need to cross off a list of Instagrammable spots just to get the photo. But if you have time, it’s best to take it slow.

My list of recommendations is meant for a longer stay, and some spots may be considered touristy, but if you are a fan of Earnest Hemingway or you’ve read A Moveable Feast, then a stop at Cafe de Flor is a must. I won’t say I was pleased with the food I ordered, but I would go back again just because of the literary icons that stepped foot inside and because it’s a nice spot for taking a break from walking and drinking a cafe au lait. And even if Angelina Cafe is also touristy, I would still vote that their macaroons and hot chocolate are the best, and we definitely visited at least 3 times while we were there.