{"id":10764,"date":"2012-05-28T10:51:11","date_gmt":"2012-05-28T14:51:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/?p=10764"},"modified":"2012-12-27T12:38:46","modified_gmt":"2012-12-27T16:38:46","slug":"top-five-things-first-trip-paris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/2012\/05\/28\/top-five-things-first-trip-paris\/","title":{"rendered":"The Top Five Things To Do On Your First Trip to Paris"},"content":{"rendered":"

Visiting the City of Light<\/strong> for the first time can feel a little overwhelming. \u00a0Unless you plan to stay for the better part of a year, you know that it will be impossible to see everything. \u00a0But of all the wondrous sights, sounds, aromas, and experiences that Paris has to offer, what should you focus on for your first trip? \u00a0Here are our suggestions for the top five things to do on your first trip to Paris<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

1. \u00a0Visit the Louvre and the Musee d\u2019Orsay<\/strong>. \u00a0These two art museums offer an incredible breadth of art history between them, in addition to being breathtaking examples of repurposed architecture. \u00a0The d\u2019Orsay, which was once a railway station and still retains its Belle Epoque flair, is the smaller of the two museums and houses French artwork dating from 1848 to 1914. \u00a0The Louvre is, of course, the most famous museum in the world and displays over 35,000 pieces of artwork.<\/p>\n

Neither of these wondrous museums can be seen in a day, so don\u2019t feel the need to try. \u00a0Instead, plan a leisurely day for each, where you wander from exhibit to exhibit. \u00a0The Louvre in particular offers highlight tours so that you can see the \u201cgreatest hits\u201d of the museum. \u00a0But no matter how you plan your stroll through these museums, you\u2019ll certainly stumble across unexpected treasures.<\/p>\n

\n\t\"Paris'\n\t
Paris' Eiffel Tower and the Seine River<\/div>\n<\/div>2. \u00a0See the city from the Seine<\/strong>. \u00a0The Bateaux Mouches boat rides down the Seine are famous for a reason. \u00a0You get unparalleled views of the major sites of the city on a relaxing hour-long cruise. \u00a0The city is at its most beautiful at sunset, so try to plan your cruise for those early twilight hours.<\/p>\n

3. \u00a0Tour a cathedral<\/strong>. \u00a0If your time is short, you might want to choose whether you visit the iconic Notre Dame cathedral on \u00cele-de-la-Cit\u00e9, or the elegant Sacr\u00e9 Coeur Basilica atop the hill of Montmartre. \u00a0In either case, you are in for a uniquely Parisian treat. \u00a0These architectural gems are still in use as churches, and one cannot help but feel awed at the faith that built them. \u00a0Whether you choose to see Notre Dame\u2019s flying buttresses or Sacr\u00e9 Coeur\u2019s domes, you will have an opportunity for an incredible view of the city. \u00a0You can climb to the top of Notre Dame\u2019s towers for an up-close view of the gargoyles, as well as the panoramic view of Paris. \u00a0Sacr\u00e9 Coeur\u2019s placement at the top of Montmartre means that a simple seat on its steps will give you an incredible look at the city below you.<\/p>\n

4. \u00a0Ascend the Eiffel Tower<\/strong>. \u00a0Nearly 125 years ago, the Eiffel Tower was constructed for the 1889 World\u2019s Fair. \u00a0Though many at the time felt that it was an ugly addition to the Parisian skyline, it has come to represent the modern elegance of Paris, France. \u00a0Going to the top of this iconic tower will give you an unforgettable view of the city that you will be talking about for years to come.<\/p>\n

Millions visit the Eiffel Tower every year, so plan on visiting this icon early in the morning or after 6 p.m.\u2014the evening view from the Tower is particularly gorgeous\u2014in order to avoid the crowds, especially during the summer season.<\/p>\n

5. \u00a0Lose yourself<\/strong>. \u00a0The best experiences in Paris are often the ones that entirely unplanned. \u00a0For one of your days in Paris, take a walk through the streets with your eyes and ears open. \u00a0Many of the joys of Paris are found in small moments: a little boy enjoying a tarte aux fraises on the street, flowers blooming in a roadside florist booth, the inviting aroma of a cr\u00eaperie wafting down the avenue. \u00a0Giving yourself a day to simply wander through the streets with no particular purpose in mind is not only a very French way to spend your time, but it is also likely to provide you with your favorite memories of the city.<\/p>\n

A bonus thing to do on your first trip to Paris? \u00a0Stay in a Paris apartment rental<\/a>! \u00a0Not only will you get a taste of true Parisian living, but you\u2019ll also stay in a gorgeous apartment that no hotel could hold a candle to. \u00a0Here are three great places to stay on that first trip:<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll find this charming 2 Bedroom Vacation Rental \u2013 Les Halles \u2013 Paris (PA-4057)<\/a> not far from the Louvre. \u00a0The beautiful modern furnishings, built-in bookcases, hardwood floors, and light-filled rooms are all waiting for you!<\/p>\n

This cozy 1 Bedroom Vacation Rental \u2013 Sevres Babylone \u2013 Paris (PA-4259)<\/a> puts you close to the iconic Eiffel Tower. \u00a0Floor to ceiling windows stream sunlight throughout the book-filled living room. \u00a0You may have a hard time going home after staying here!<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll feel like a part of the city in this 2 Bedroom Vacation Rental \u2013 Montmartre \u2013 Paris (PA-2001)<\/a>, located near Sacr\u00e9 Coeur. \u00a0The plant-filled balcony looks out over the typical Parisian street. \u00a0Enjoy a cup of caf\u00e9 on the balcony and watch the world go by.<\/p>\n

What is your favorite memory of your first trip to Paris?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Visiting the City of Light for the first time can feel a little overwhelming. \u00a0Unless you plan to stay for the better part of a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[26],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10764"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10764"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10764\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12886,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10764\/revisions\/12886"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10764"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10764"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nyhabitat.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10764"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}