In the Untapped Mailbag, we got a request for some suggestions for a first time visit to Paris, one of our favorite cities in the world! Here are some of our all time favorite spots in the City of Light:
When in Paris, you must make an obligatory trip to see the Eiffel Tower, but first read all about the famous landmark’s secrets in our Untapped Guide to the Eiffel Tower. We also love the covered passages built in the 1800s. They’re full of Paris history and quirky finds.
Beyond the major museums, we recommend visiting the small museums that artists have donated to the city of Paris, like the Musée Rodin, the Musée Zadkine, the Musée Delacroix and more. Here are our Top 5 Museums that Used to Be Artist Studios in Paris. Or if you’re more into French literature, check out the homes of 4 famous French writers. As for the American writers, you can party like a Fitzgerald in Paris or follow our map of Hemingway’s Paris.
For delicious craft beer in the colorful neighborhood known as “Little Africa” head over to La Brasserie de la Goutte d’Or. And while you’re in the neighborhood, you might want to check out this spontaneous street art in Montmartre.
Take in a film in a pagoda at La Pagode Cinema or visit Pagoda Paris, an art gallery housed in a huge red pagoda that exhibits work by Asian artists. Explore the ruins of France’s colonial past at the Jardin d’Agronomie Tropicale or visit one of Paris’s charming neighborhood parks, le Parc Monceau, and learn about a wealthy Jewish family living in Paris in the early 1900s at the Musée Nissim de Camondo.
The Grands Magasins are your one-stop-shop for Parisian fashion and they played a very important role in changing the way we shop. In tandem, the passages or arcades of Paris are a must-visit. For incredible pastries, go to Sadaharu Aoki and check out our list of the best macarons in Paris.
In the evening, have a glass of wine and listen to some gypsy jazz in the Latin Quarter or take in a concert at Le Trianon in Montmartre.
And there’s lots more in the Untapped Paris archives! Have a great trip!
Want us to track down an obscure piece of history? Or just want to share something awesome about your city? Write to our Mailbag at [email protected] or through our contact page.