Here is a list of my recommendations, from bars to restaurants to cafés to touristy fun!! I’ve narrowed it down to the must-see’s since the list would probably go on forever otherwise. Let me know if you have any other questions!!
Bars
- Frog & Princess – house-brewed Beers
-Métro: Mabillon
-9 Rue Princesse 75006
- Mojito Lab – fantastic Mojitos in every shape and form
-Métro: Bréguet – Sabin or Bastille
-28 Rue Keller 75011
- Bar Dix – Sangria!!
-Métro: Odéon
-10 Rue de l’Odéon 75006
- Urgence – cocktails served in Baby Bottles
-Métro: Odéon
-45 Rue Monsieur-le-Prince 75006
- Syphax – get wasted for under 10 euro!!
-Métro: Notre-Dame-de-Lorette
-26 Rue de Châteaudun 75009
Bakeries/Pastry Shops
- Pierre Hermé – BEST MACARONS IN PARIS
-Métro: Saint-Sulpice
-72 Rue Bonaparte 75006
- Sadaharu Aoki – Tarte Caramel Beurre Salé or anything Green Tea infused
-Métro: Saint-Placide or Rennes
-35 Rue de Vaugirard 75006
- Poîlane – Apple Tart
-Métro: Saint-Sulpice or Sèvres-Babylone
-8 Rue du Cherche-Midi 75006
- La Bague de Kenza – charming Algerian Pastry and Tea house
-Métro: Louvre-Rivoli
-136 Rue Saint-Honoré 75001
Cheap/Moderate Lunch & Dinner
- La Cuisine de Bar – they use the bread from their neighbor Poîlane to make delicious open-face sandwiches/bruschetta
-Métro: Saint-Sulpice or Sèvres-Babylone
-8 Rue du Cherche-Midi 75006 (right next door to Poîlane)
- L’As du Fallafel – best Falafels in Paris
-Métro: Saint Paul
-34 Rue des Rosiers 75004
- One of my favorite things to do with my friends was to go to Monoprix or Carrefour (local grocery stores) and buy cheese, cold cuts, and other sides, and then go to the closest bakery and buy a baguette.
- Pho 14 – Great Pho if you need your Asian fix. Also a great way to get yourself out to the 13th
-Métro: Tolbiac
-129 Avenue de Choisy 75013
- La Ferrandaise – delicious and moderately priced bistro – perfect for a family lunch
-Métro: Odéon
-8 Rue de Vaugirard 75006
Museums
- Musée d’Orsay – Impressionism – When I was there, there was a fantastic exhibit called Impressionisme et la mode
- L’Orangerie – My favorite museum because it’s small enough that you can see all of it and the art is gorgeous
- Musée du Louvre – Classic visit for the sake of visiting
- Centre Pompidou – Modern art
Touristy Fun!! (for yourself or to take your friends to)
- Eiffel Tower – lights up and sparkles at the hour for five minutes
- Place du Trocadéro – best view of the Eiffel Tower
- Champs-Elysées
- L’Arc du Triomphe – it’s at the end of the Champs-Elysées, so you can do those in the same day easily
- Place de la Concorde – on the other end of the Champs-Elysées
- Le Marais – Gay & Jewish Quarter
- Any of the bridges along the Seine for a beautiful view on both sides of Paris
- Jardin du Luxembourg
- Ile-St.Louis – get Berthillon Ice Cream – I recommend the Caramel Beurre Salé
- L’Opéra
- The Pyramids at the Louvre – go at night – they’re lighted up and GORGEOUS
- Montmartre – GET YOUR BUTT UP THERE because it’s quintessential Paris
- Place de Tertres – a square in Montmartre where artists gather and paint
Miscellaneous (Splurges and Other Tips)
- Rue Saint-Anne – Little Tokyo if you need your Asian fix
- Spring or Guy Savoy – Pricey restaurants but if you feel like splurging on your last day or if your parents are visiting, by all means make a reservation and go. They were both some of my most memorable gastronomical ventures.
- The métro is fantastic, but the best way to see Paris is to walk
- I love shopping on Rue de Rennes or Le Bon Marché because I find the big department stores like Galeries Lafayette too crowded and stuffy
- Go to as many museums as you can
- Visit Versailles or Chartres, just outside of Paris
- Get at least one wine tasting in
- TRAVEL TRAVEL TRAVEL – Paris is a fantastic central point to go all over Western Europe
- Don’t make eye contact with people on the métro
- Don’t walk alone at night
- Beware of pick pockets!!
- Observe Paris fashion and buildings and appreciate them for their beauty!!
Clubs
Check out my other post with My Favorite Clubs!!
Please feel free to contact me if you have any more questions or want more recommendations in a different category!!
I also depended on these two websites a ton while I was abroad, so maybe you’ll find them useful as well:
http://hipparis.com/
http://parisbymouth.com/
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