The Perfect Day in Paris, According to Locals and Tastemakers

There’s a reason why Paris is lauded as one of the most iconic, romantic destinations in the world. And it’s actually not just a successful marketing ploy—Paris is an example of how a city thrives when it embraces the artists and creators of the world. The streets overflow with ornately detailed buildings, sprawling outdoor cafes, well-made clothes (forget about fast fashion here), and museums bursting with some of the most exciting art created in the last three centuries. It’s easy to be swept away by the walkable atmosphere, the decadent food, and the old-world charm everywhere you look.

But the most common complaint usually involves the overcrowded tourist sites. It is true, for example, that the wealth of beauty afforded by the Louvre can get obscured behind the hordes of line-wearied visitors aggressively vying for the best selfie position. And because this summer’s Olympic Games will be drawing in more than 15 million visitors, those lines won’t be getting any shorter. But your experience doesn’t have to be centered around the Greatest Hits of tourist attractions; the city is so much more than its guidebook summaries. And if you forgo the cliches crafted in popular media, and instead seek out everything a vibrant city has to offer, you’ll find that there will never be enough time to tire of the city.

Whether you’ve already seen the highlights, or if you’re looking to do a mix of your Eiffel Tower whatnots with your dive bars and funky markets, we have the suggestions you need, based on our own personal travels through Paris as well as locals who are passionate about exploring another side to Paris. Here’s what to do in Paris, including less-frequented alternatives to the usual hotspots and hidden corners where few tourists roam.

See: The views from less-trodden parks. Featured in Before Sunset, the Promenade Plantée is Paris’s version of the NYC High Line, while the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont sits on a former gypsum quarry.

Touch: The personalized, acetate combs at Officine Universelle Buly. The old-fashioned apothecary offers the very best in water-based perfumes and beauty tools you didn’t know you needed.

Smell: Freshly-baked apple tarts wafting from Poilâne, an unassuming sourdough bread shop tucked away in the 6th arrondissement.

Hear: The sounds emanating from Au Lapin Agile, Paris’s oldest cabaret. During its heyday of the early 1900s, it became the hangout of artists like Picasso, Apollinaire, and Modigliani. There’s an apocryphal story that Picasso used to pay for his meals with drawings on napkins.

Taste: The famous falafel sandwich at L’As du Fallafel. A favorite of Lenny Kravitz, the Middle Eastern eatery in the Jewish Quarter is never not without a queue of local customers.

For better or worse, women like Emily Cooper and Carrie Bradshaw have painted an ultra-luxe portrait of the city. It would be very tempting to book a room at the Hôtel Plaza Athénée and gawk at the Eiffel Tower from your private balcony a la Bradshaw, or channel Emily by watching a performance of Swan Lake at the Palais Garnier. But if you’re visiting the City of Lights on a tighter budget, we’re happy to report that you can still indulge in luxurious moments without dropping hundreds of euros. For instance, did you know you can get one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower, for free, on the rooftop of the Galeries Lafayette? “One of the most unknown parts of Paris for typical tourists are the canals. Instead of dropping hundreds on a boat tour down the Seine, you can create your own more affordable slice of luxury by renting a boat to drive yourself down the Canal de l’Ourcq with friends,” says Gabrielle Pedriani, a PR specialist who has lived in Paris for over four years. “Not only can you take turns commandeering the mini ship, but you can bring all the wine and cheese your heart desires for a relaxing (and endlessly photogenic) apéro on the go.”

9 am - Start your day with a croissant at Boulangerie Moderne.
For a bit of set jetting, head to Thierry Rabineau’s 19th-century bakery, featured in Emily in Paris. Sometimes, luxury looks like a perfect croissant, with a fabulously flaky exterior and a buttery, just-burnt-enough bottom.

10 am - Take a stroll around Jardin du Luxembourg.
Skip the Tuileries and opt for this floral oasis, favored by locals. Smell the flowers, watch the sailboats go by in the fountain, and think about all the people who have roamed the gravel paths—the Medicis, Hemingway, and, of course, Emily Cooper.

12 pm - Window shop at Le Bon Marché.
You don’t have to spend any money to appreciate the world’s first department store. Spend hours riding along those criss-crossing elevators, then pop over next door to La Grande Épicerie for gourmet snacks. You’ll find everything from duck rillettes and cornichons to orange blossom biscuits and rose-flavored pastilles.

3 pm - Ogle at art at Musee d’Orsay.
While it’s certainly popular in its own right, d’Orsay isn’t quite as overrun as the Louvre. But that doesn’t mean it skimps on notable artworks. Featuring celebrated painters like Van Gogh, Monet, Degas, Cezanne, Courbet, and way too many others to list, the collection is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Plus, it’s housed in a historic train station. Head up to the fifth floor to see the giant clock window that overlooks the Seine. It doesn’t get more romantic than that.

7 pm - Eat endless fries at Le Relais de L’entrecote.
There’s only one meal on the menu here. For 30 euros, you get a green salad with walnuts, sirloin steak drizzled with a butter-based green sauce, and homemade french fries, which get topped up throughout your meal. The line of regulars will be long, but the wonderfully traditional service and mouth watering secret sauce make it all the more worth it.

9 pm - Get drinks at a five-star hotel without having to spend the night.
The Hotel Lutetia in the swanky Saint-Germain-de-Pres neighborhood has hosted some pretty iconic guests, from Pablo Picasso and Charles de Gaulle to Peggy Guggenheim and James Joyce. Take a peek at the art deco interiors at Bar Josephine, where you can enjoy cocktails alongside floor-to-ceiling art frescos. Or, mosey over to Hotel de Crillon and grab a drink at Bars Les Ambassadeurs, a gilded palace room overlooking the Place de la Concorde.

As much as Paris soars in exactly the ways you’d expect, it also boasts a rich underground—and we’re not just talking about the Métro. Whether you’re a literary lover who yearns to walk in the footsteps of your favorite authors, or an indie kid in search of art that’s a little more subversive than the Mona Lisa, there are endless opportunities for the alternative hidden among these Haussmann-lined streets. If you call yourself a hipster—or, when in France, un bohème—then you’re going to want to spend most of your time in the Marais, a pocket of cobblestone streets filled with vintage shops, natural wine bars, and high-end concept stores across the 3rd and 4th arrondissements. For some under-the-radar food, Septime owner Bertrand Grébaut recommends Song Heng for “the best pho in town,” while his partner, Théo Pourriat, is a fan of Passerina. “It feels like you're at an Italian friend's place, who’s offering pasta at midnight,” he says.

10 am - Wander around the Palais de Tokyo.
You never know what you’ll get at this sprawling center for contemporary art, which puts on everything from performance pieces to site-specific installations. Catch views of the Trocadero on your way out.

12 pm - Make a pilgrimage to Maison de Balzac.
In 1829, the renowned French writer Honore de Balzac created the shared universe of La Comedie Humaine, a sprawling collection of over 100 novels that is widely considered one of the greatest literary achievements of all time. Maison de Balzac is the author’s home, where he did much of his writing—books like Father Goriot and Cousin Bette. Located just over the river from the Eiffel Tower, it’s a peaceful oasis for a break from the throngs of the more crowded sites nearby.

2 pm - Pay your respects at Pere Lachaise cemetery.
It’s easy to spend hours on end exploring the cemetery’s chaotic hodgepodges of elaborate statues and tombs overflowing with ivy and drooping trees. Pere Lachaise houses some of the city’s most famed residents, such as Jim Morrison, Balzac, Oscar Wilde, Proust, Gertrude Stein, Moliere, Chopin, and Richard Wright, among many others. Pro tip: Instead of attempting to locate specific names among 70,000 burial plots, embrace your inner flâneur and see what you’re able to stumble upon.

3 pm - Grab a sandwich at Chez Alain Miam Miam.
Imagine a cross between a New York deli sandwich and a French crepe. At Chez Alain Miam Miam, expect hefty sandwiches stuffed with glorious cheeses like Comté or Cantal, caramelized onions, and high-quality ham—along with some cheeky back-and-forth with the owner, Alain Roussel.

4 pm - Pop into Merci.
Housed in a 19th-century building, this chic, three-story concept store—complete with its own restaurant and cafe—offers everything from home goods and stationery to clothing and accessories.

7 pm - Go on a natural wine bar crawl.
It’s no surprise that Paris has been leading the charge in the natural wine movement. Check out the offerings at spots like Aux Des Amis, Septime La Cave, and Bambino, where you can groove to the sounds of vinyl records on loop while drinking a wild Gamay.

10 pm - Hit up late night river parties.
While the Parisian stretch along the Seine tends to be its most tourist-infested region, if you know where to go late at night (we’re talking 2-4 a.m. late) you can stumble upon some uniquely local after-parties. Expect live music, drum circles, Romani dancing, and general boozery. Start with the Arenes amphitheater in Jardin Tino Rossi. Pont Neuf on Ile de la Cite also has its moments, while more regulated versions can be found along Promenade Marceline Loridan-Ivens and Promenade Edouard Glissant.

It’s never too early to expose your kids to the finer things in life: Monet’s Water Lilies, mille-feuille, the art of doing nothing. The City of Love also happens to be one big playground, with gardens to run around in at every corner. Whether you take your little ones to ride the carousel at the Hôtel de Ville or indulge in the hot chocolate at Angelina, they’re bound to feel like they’ve just stepped out of the pages of Madeline. And when it comes to food, there’s no shortage of options, from creperies to the most high-end McDonald’s you’ll ever encounter.

9 am - Breakfast at Mokonuts.
This homey little restaurant, owned by a French-Lebanese and Japanese-American couple, boasts exquisitely simple, globally-inspired dishes. If you can’t snag a table for breakfast, don’t fret: You can still grab a few sesame halva cookies on your way out.

11 am - Browse the aisles of Shakespeare and Company.
An iconic bookstore steeped in history—Browse the shelves for the latest best-seller while your kids hang out in the carefully-curated children’s section upstairs, which features mostly-English titles. Don’t miss the typewriter alcove.

1 pm - Row boats at Bois de Boulogne.
Located in the western reaches of Paris, Bois de Boulogne is twice as big as Central Park. Rent some boats and set out for the scenic Lac Inférieur, or if water sports feel a bit too daunting, take the crew to the nearby amusement park, Jardin d'Acclimatation, a low key alternative to Disneyland Paris.

3 pm - Explore the depths of the Paris Catacombs.
If your kids are into all things spooky—or frankly, anything a bit weird—take them to the world’s largest crypt, dating back to the 13th century. Wander through the underground labyrinth and discover over six million skeletons scattered across the walls, some of which are arranged quite artistically—Make sure you spot the skeleton heart.

6 pm - Try the famous chocolate mousse at Chez Janou.
The family-friendly bistro excels when it comes to Provençal-style dishes, but it’s most famous for the silkiest mousse au chocolat. Order one for the table along with some pastis for the adults—the restaurant boasts an extensive list of over 80 different varieties.

8 pm - See a movie at Le Grand Rex.
If your clan still has the energy, catch a flick at the historic Grand Rex, a striking, Art Deco theater from the 1930s. Just make sure your screening isn’t being shown in “VF” (Version Francaise).

Saint James Paris ($$$)
The only chateau-hotel in Paris, Saint James will make you feel as though you're a guest staying at some aristocrat’s private, neoclassical residence. It’s within walking distance from sites like the Arc de Triomphe and Bois de Boulogne. Before retiring for the night, make sure you stop by the very cozy Library Bar, where the walls are overflowing with leather-bound books.

Hotel Bienvenue ($$)
A charming boutique hotel without the ripoff rates. Located in South Pigalle, Hotel Bienvenue is an excuse to experience New Athens, an area once known for lively cabarets. Spend an afternoon or two taking in the greenery of the interior courtyard.

Oops! Design Hostel Paris ($)
Book a room at this quirky hostel if you’re looking to explore the Latin Quarter. It’s conveniently located next to three metro lines, so you’ll have no trouble getting to and from your pinned locations.

The Paris Métro is the easiest way to bop around the city, with one-way tickets starting at 2.15 euros. If you need to get to the outer reaches of the city, let’s say the Palace of Versailles, take the regional express RER train. When in doubt, or under rainfall, there’s bound to be a taxi on its way.

France uses the euro (EUR) and each euro is worth 100 euro cent coins. As of June 2024, $1 USD exchanges for 0.92 euros.

France uses Plug Type E, which is marked by two rounded pins, side-by-side, with a grounding clip at the top. France's standard voltage is 220–230V, with a frequency of 50 Hz.

The months of October and November, as well as March and April are arguably the best times to visit Paris, as the shoulder seasons of Autumn and Spring bring delightfully mild weather (averaging 60 degrees Fahrenheit).

“Paris Syndrome '' refers to the extreme culture shock tourists experience if the city does not live up to their expectations—allegedly most common amongst tourists from Japan, who are more likely to have been exposed to romanticized conceptions of the City of Love.

Want more Thrillist? Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat.