Ahhh, the city of romance. The city for just couples right? NOOOOT! While it must be absolutely charming to go to Paris with a significant other, Paris is just as amazing on your own. Why? Well for starters that delicious French bread, wine on every corner, beautiful views…oh and did I mention the bread?
Paris is the most romantic travel destination around the world. Paris is known for its iconic attractions like the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Eiffel Tower. The city is also known for its vibrant markets, stylish fashion areas, and charming cafes. Spend your time shopping at the Champs Elysees, a day trip to Versailles Palace, and eating at the restaurants for enjoying tasty French staples and Asian dishes.
Paris is the stunning city you ought to visit soon. Every spot is Instagrammable. Whether you are up for a romantic getaway or for a solo trip, Paris should be on your bucket list for sure. Don't just add it to your bucket list, get ready to stroll around the drop-dead gorgeous city of France.
Regardless of the fairly bad reputation of the surrounding area, the Gare du Nord is one of the most beautiful in Paris. It is also Europe’s first railway station in terms of traffic. The railway station was featured in the movie, le Fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain, one of the most famous French movies abroad.
Why is Paris so amazing? Because a very early sunlit walk through its deserted streets, except for tradesmen setting up their market stalls, is an experience like no other, anywhere. Interrupt the walk only for coffee and a croissant.
Celebrate the special day with a lot of joy and sweet memories. To visit Paris this year, you have to get to some instant activities on your fingertips.
Here are some top Valentine's Day activities for you to make your day more special and sweet in France.
1. Candlelight Dinner in Île Saint-Louis
One of the best ways to see the city is to take the river cruise over the Seine. You could book tickets online and it costs only 10 euros per person for 1 hour. People say that the real essence of the city is not captured by its magnificent architectural wonders - it's captured by the river Seine. The Seine does not only run through Paris, but it also had an important part in its history.
Find a good place in town and book your private table with a good romantic environment to have an opportunity for a very romantic candlelight dinner in Paris. If you want your eve to be more romantic, you can also opt for cruise dinner at Seine River. Eat good, and make your memories together in a city of romance.
Tourists traps are more of less the same everywhere, so be aware of shady offers, unlicensed taxis, taxi-bikes. Paris is full of these parasites and unfortunately, tourists are still falling for it. A golden rule: a restaurant with a guy standing outside and trying to lure people in is not a good restaurant. And you’re not in a good area to have dinner.
If you don’t speak any French and want to book a restaurant, one of the easiest way is to use an app. You can get pretty good discounts as well. There are many things to do in Paris, but not a lot of them will be as memorable as a cruise on the river Seine. This is especially true at night when the lights of the city are lit and you can get a unique experience.
2. Dance, Swing, Whirl along the Pont des Arts
Paris is like a garden of the world where people come to feel the actual vibes of love, kiss, and dance. Learn some steps of the couple dance before visiting Paris. Not in the mood to dance? No worry, you can sit and take the pleasures to see the couples dancing on the edge of the river.
This can never be missed mind it because this dance is organized every evening and you can avail the chance of dancing on the romantic beats any eve in your Paris.
3. Plan a romantic movie in Opéra Bastille
Travelers mostly have a love of film. Traveling on Valentine's day with your partner in Paris would need to get a chance of a romantic movie in any of the good cinemas in town. Sit in La Peniche Cinema, and Gaumont Opera and have a good experience of watching a movie. You can also opt for the open-air cinema. Check whether are they planning to play a movie of your choice or not.
4. Visit the Trocadéro Gardens
Get a good offline map on your smartphone for the city and public transports. It would be a great idea to get into the very huge Aquarium in Paris. There are more than ten thousand species for you to get the wonderful views of your partner. You would also find a restaurant associated with the Aquarium so if you feel hungry, you can sit in the restaurant.
5. Moulin Rouge is looking your way
It is a perfect time to take the right sips and dance on the romantic, fast or thrilling beats in the nightclubs of Paris. A number of pubs are there in Paris looking your way. The reputed names are Frog Hope House, Ha’Penny Bridge Pub, Little Temple bar, or O Brien's. Sit on the Green Goose, and in the Quiet Man. You should also move to any of the good pubs and take the opportunity to de-stress and relax your nerves.
6. Hot Air Balloon ride in Parc André Citroën
It is the most romantic activity being in Paris. There are companies in which you can get your own self online or by getting there to book your ride. By the way, travel companies that are responsible for your package also can help you book the two seats in a very interesting air balloon ride.
7. A very famous Eiffel Tower visit
How is that possible if you visit Paris and miss to visit the Eiffel tower and take your memorable pictures there? It is the most romantic place to go in the world. In day time or even at night, you can visit the Eiffel Tower with your partner and make your golden memories along with the 20,000 golden lights of Eiffel tower.
The symbol par excellence of Paris is the Eiffel Tower, which is magnificent and truly a masterpiece of engineering design. In fact, it's practically impossible to think of Paris without the image of this magnificent architectural wonder springing to mind. The Eiffel Tower was named after its engineer Gustav Eiffel and it stands tall at an impressive 324 meters.
The Eiffel tower sparkles at the strike of every hour, after sunset for 5 mins until 1 AM. The best place to see the Eiffel tower is from Trocadero, that’s where these infamous steps are and you can take a picture.
8. Visiting Louvre Museum
Paris has a lot of history and with that comes a lot of museums. One thing that not many know is that many places in Paris are free to visit on the first Sunday of every month. Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, the Louvre is regarded as the world's most renowned art museum, boasting an unbeatable collection of objects that span the entire spectrum of art from the past to the present.
Avoid the crowds on a Walk-in tour that skips the line to see some of the most famous pieces of art in the museum. If you're in the mood for an experience with a twist, take a tour of the museum on an interactive treasure hunt for the family or the murder-and-mystery experience, or enhance your experience by taking the use of an interactive tour.
Louvre is the most visited art galleries in the world and is home to Mona Lisa. Louvre Museum is one of the most important in the world. Chalk out where you would like to go, and what you would like to see. This is a MASSIVE museum, and chances are you will not see everything.
The Louvre has a glass pyramid in the yard in front of it and is a famous castle turned now a museum in Paris. It contains so many famous paintings and sculptures such as Mona Lisa. It is a place to visit when you are in Paris but it will take you days before you see everything. On a guided tour you will see the most famous works that houses this museum, such as the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo.
Although, you should know that precisely because a visit to the Louvre is one of the best things to do in Paris, it's also one of the most crowded places. Lines for entry can be pretty long and excruciating, and they might take up hours of your day. We are not saying this fact should deter you from a visit to the Louvre - quite the contrary. The sights will be well worth it.
In order to follow Louvre essentials strategy, you need to do a bit of homework at home. All you need to do is to select 5-10 highlights for each collection (e.g.; 5 masterpieces in Greek Antiquities, 10 paintings in French art, etc.). The best way to identify them, is simply to use Google search with phrases like: the most significant objects in Greek Antiquities of Louvre, the most important Italian paintings in Louvre, etc.
Then you check 1-3 websites (the recommendations will be slightly different on each of them since of course there is no objective 10 best Italian/French/British paintings in Louvre–however, such lists take into account importance of the masterpieces based on how old they are, techniques used to create them and other distinguishing features, so the positions on the lists will most probably overlap), but the this should allow you to create your own list of 5-10 objects you would like to see in each section of the museum.
If you don’t have time to search your own Louvre essentials, you can use a museum map which features highlights of each collection from every floor and wing. You can try to pass through all the exhibitions focusing on the objects and paintings marked on the map. For instance, when crossing Egyptian collection, you stop by Tamutnefret’s coffin, The Seated Scribe and The sarcophagus box of Ramesses III and then switch to other galleries’ essentials.
This approach is a bit limited though, since the map often features only one item for each section which is not much. You can prepare 5-10 essentials for every section of the museum, or visit only few most interesting for you galleries and apply this strategy only for selected exhibitions. Another must-see museum is the Musee d'Orsay, which exhibits an important collection of Impressionist paintings.
9. Sit on the Romantic Cafes in Place du Tertre
Paris is all about romance. Every nook of the town owes romantic vibes for you, either you are strolling into the alleyways or sitting on the cafes, sipping warm coffee or tea of your choice. Get arms in arms with your partner and sit on any of the well-known cafés in Paris. We had perfect memories still in the pictures I had taken.
10. Visiting Luxembourg Gardens
Luxembourg Gardens are particularly exquisite. The flower beds at full bloom are the most beautiful. The fountains and statues are perfect. There are long rows of trees. It’s small enough to fit into downtown Paris yet big enough for a jog. The Senate building is amazing.
11. Get a view of Paris from Montparnasse Tower
Montparnasse is also the name of a very central metro station, so tourists are likely to have heard about it to some extent. It is indeed a landmark in Paris, since it’s the only high building in that part of Paris, and it’s high enough to be visible from other parts of the city. It’s actually a very good point to get a view of Paris, and other landmarks including the Eiffel tower.
Apart from the bar and restaurant and open deck at the top, the tower in itself is not very glamorous. However, it was the setting for a wacky movie called La Tour Montparnasse infernale. It hosted popular TV comedians and was aired several times on TV since the original theatrical release, so most millenials have been exposed to it.
Apart from the absolute abomination which is Tour Montparnasse, a huge tower isolated in the south east of Paris and which single-handedly wrecks the entire skyline of Paris, there are a few places which can offer some higher views of Paris.
12. Walk around Arc de Triomphe
Along with the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe is one of the main symbols of Paris. Walk Champs Elysee from end to end, from Place du Concorde to Place Charles de Gaulle, and finish the walk up to the terrace of the Arc de Triomphe for a panoramic view of the city. The Arc de Triomphe is at the end of the Champs Élysées avenue, meaning it can be seen from any place on the avenue, including from the also famous Place de la Concorde.
It is also at the center of the Place de l’Étoile, and is in the perspective from all avenues leading to that square. Across from the Champs-Élysées, there is the Avenue de la Grande Armée leading to the outer ring of Paris, and extending outside of the city to the tertiary business district of La Défense. There, the perspective ends with the Arche de la Défense, another arch of some kind.
You can visit the Arc de Triomphe and walk up the stairs to enjoy the view from the top. There is also a virtual visit (on the French-speaking part of their website). The monument in itself is adorned with sculptures and is quite impressive. The tomb of the Unknown Soldier is host to many national events, including a tribute to all French soldiers who fought in both World Wars, every year, on May 8th and November 11th.
On these occasions, and for most major events in France, a huge French flag is hung under the monument. It’s also used as a giant screen for illuminations on such occasions.
Truth be told, this will be quite a walk, and it might not be suited for those who don't like to walk more than five minutes. However, if you are trying to stay fit while travelling, you are already aware this is one of the best ways for doing so. You get a bit of physical activity as well as enjoyment that comes with beautiful vistas.
The Arc de Triomphe hill is a combination of a natural hill and a luxurious, opulent district with very large avenues which allows for better views in some rare places.
13. Feel free to walk through Montmartre
Montmartre is the bohemian neighbourhood par excellence. It's one of the mandatory places on the itinerary of every person visiting Paris for either a short or long period of time. In fact, Montmartre is so impressive that people who shaped history felt compelled to visit it. That's why, today, you can walk in the steps of Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso.
Feel free to walk through its cobblestone streets, climb to the top of the hill to visit the Basilica of Sacre Coeur or tour the Place du Tertre, where you will see the artists in action and sit on the steps to enjoy the view. Visit the lower area of Montmartre at night to see the legendary cabaret Moulin Rouge.
La Butte Montmartre is the highest hill in Paris, situated in the North of the city, a few buildings perched high up provide a large panoramic view of the city. The last active vineyard of the city, Montmartre Vineyards actually dates back to 800 years. Visit around October to be there for the grape-picking season.
14. Socialize in Rue de Rivoli
Imagine a perfect street that is lined with all the best opportunities for socializing. We are talking about restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, wine shops, etc. Really, every single shop you can imagine. This type of place doesn't have to be a dream - if you visit Paris, it can be a reality. Rue Montorgueil is the place where Parisians go to socialize while taking care of their day to day tasks.
Whether you are buying cheese, tasting wine, or sipping your favourite hot beverage, you can rest assured that Rue Montorgueil is the perfect place to do it in good company. It doesn't grace numerous lists of the best things to do in Paris for no reason.
15. Fulfill your shopping desire in Boulevard Haussmann
For shopaholics, there is no place better to fulfill their shopping desire than France. Home to the fashion capital of the world Paris, France offers budget, boutique as well as luxury shopping experience to its tourists.
Along with a few other metropolitan cities, Paris is known as the world's capital of fashion. People in Paris, both male and female, are known for their exquisite taste in all things fashion-related. That's why when visiting Paris, one of the best things to do is to take a look at the local style and try and copy it.
The good thing about the fashion here is that it oozes with elegance and grace while remaining fairly simple, making it the perfect style for all occasions. There are many places where you can shop - from local boutiques to big shopping centres, such as Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann. Although, make sure you don't get too carried away and blow your budget. You will need it for the remainder of your stay in the French capital.
The Haute Couture stores in Avenue Montaigne and Rue du Cherche-Midi and the Galeries Lafayette are undoubtedly a shopper’s paradise, with stores like Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Armani and Cavalli offering an unmatched shopping experience to tourists.
Just bear in mind that if you are packing for a winter trip, you will have to pack a lot of protective gear, like mittens and scarves.
But if you are travelling in summer, you will have no worries. Feel free to let yourself go and soak in the views. They are as good as it gets.
16. Point Zero
The traditional epicenter of the city, this place has inspired many quirky practices - from dropping a coin to kissing a loved one, performing one or all of these weird actions is said to assure one good luck.
17. Salvador Dali Sundial
Located above the Rue Saint-Jacques, the sundial is a curious looking piece that attracts a lot of attention and has many confused till date.
18. Le Passe-Muraille
A curious statue depicting a man stuck while passing through a wall, it is based on story from French literature called f Le Passe-Muraille by Marcel Aymé. The story goes to narrate about a man, M. Dutilleul who discovered he could walk through walls and got too cocky - getting himself stuck there forever.
19. Le Louxor
You can catch movies in the oldest movie theatre of Paris. Expect to catch contemporary movies or historic French films - on special occasions.
20. 59 Rivoli
Once an artists’ squat, today it is fully renovated to showcase and see art for free.
21. Flame of Liberty
For those of you who didn’t know, the Statue of Liberty was conceived by the French as present to America on their independence from the British. An evidence of this is the prototype of the statue in the Luxembourg Gardens. Another evidence sits before you - the Flame of Liberty is a sculpture that can be accessed by getting down at the Alma-Marceau subway stop.
22. Conciergerie
Almost half of the land of the island of Sete was occupied by the Conciergerie Castle - once the center of royal power, fortified with towers with loopholes, later one of the most magnificent palaces, and then an impregnable prison. His story begins in 508, when King Clovis decided to make Paris the capital and began to build a nest for himself. But only after several changes of the ruling dynasties did the castle really expand in the late 10th century.
Since for many centuries the court architects have contributed something to their construction, it is impossible to name a single direction. But what is surprising, all generations have enough talent to tap into the ready-made canvas so cleverly that the overall picture looks harmonious and complete.
The name of the castle is explained by the position of the concierge, which appeared at the court in 1193, and consisted in levying a tax on craftsmen, merchants and all sorts of cereal establishments in the palace area. Beginning with St. Louis, the palace is gradually changing, changing the military decorations more comfortable, and already under Philip Beautiful in Europe it was difficult to find a more luxurious government residence. True, in this form it lasted for a short time (XIII-XIV).
23. Enjoy the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris like a Parisian
The atypical Gothic cathedral Notre Dame de Paris, on the Ile de la Cité, is one of the most famous and oldest in the world. If you arrive early, you can climb the towers and the bell tower. The Cathedrale is considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. The Notre-Dame suffered devastating consequences in a fire that took place, while the entire world put in efforts and resources towards its renovation.
In early April, there bloom beautiful cherry trees around central Paris. Streets, parks and the area around Notre Dame are adorned with pink cherry blossoms. An unforgettable moment to visit the city. There are several nice restaurants in Paris and street food places like L’as du Falafel but the best thing you can do in Paris, especially during summer is to take your lunch to go and enjoy it in the beautiful parks and gardens of Paris.
It’s also nice to do a picnic, that’s what Parisians do.