Where do I begin? I've been looking forward to this trip for ages! This travel guide kicks off all my European adventure posts. Paris was our first stop, followed by Athens, Santorini and London. Such a dream. Every city was a treat for its own reasons. I was excited to start our trip in Paris because we spent my birthday there. I visited as a teenager but was itching to visit again as an adult (with my husband!). Paris is truly a gem and I can't wait to dive into where we stayed, what we did, where we ate and more. Now let's get into my Paris travel guide!

PARIS TRAVEL GUIDE

Where To Stay

We stayed at the Hyatt Paris Madeleine. I primarily chose it because I'm a big fan of Hyatt's reward program and this seemed like a great location. I actually got our three nights for free with credit card points. If you want a blog post on how I did that, let me know in the comments or on Instagram! We booked a standard queen room. The room was a little tight but it was nice, well-maintained and the bed was comfortable. We found the staff to be very kind and attentive. They also offer a daily free drink at the bar between 5 and 7PM and they have lemon water and madeleine cookies available in the lobby throughout the day.

In terms of amenities, the hotel has a restaurant, bar, fitness center and spa. I could not find how to make a spa reservation - I was craving a massage when we landed. I think the spa was under construction or something when we visited so I wouldn't hold that against them. Concierge was very responsive to all our questions before our trip too.

All in all, I found it to be a really nice hotel option and I wouldn't hesitate to stay there in the future.

Transportation

In Paris, we primarily walked, biked and used Uber. Uber was incredibly fast and efficient. The pricing felt similar to what I’d pay in California. We used Uber to and from the airport and didn’t have any issues.

We mostly walked around the city but when we got tired, we tried out Lime for their electric bikes. They have tons of grab and go spots around the city. You just need to download the app and add a payment method. You scan the QR code on the bike to initiate or end the ride. You can also rent multiple bikes with one account by setting up a group ride.

The only issue we had was with the drop off locations. The map on the app and Google Maps pretty accurately showed where we could pick up bikes but it wasn’t clear where we could drop the bikes. The first time we used this service, we spent some time biking around and seeing if the app would allow us to drop off the bikes at various spots. Also, because people drop off individual bikes around the city, you won't necessarily find multiple bikes at one spot. Fortunately, we were always able to find a second bike nearby.

What To Do

Take an Evening Cruise on the Seine: I contemplated booking a fancy private boat but ultimately went with Bateaux Mouches. It was easy, affordable and didn’t require an advance reservation. It’s not the most glamorous but it allowed to see Paris at night and have an excellent view of the Eiffel Tower.

Snap a Photo of the Arc de Triomphe: Another historic must see in Paris. I didn't know for a long time that you can actually climb to the top. Supposedly that's the best spot to get Eiffel Tower photos too. We didn't make it over there, aside from our drive by on the way to the airport.

Take a Croissant Baking Class: This one of my favorite activities we did in Paris. We took a two and a half hour class through Maison Fleuret. We booked it via Viator. There was also a macaron class happening at the same time so I believe they have multiple offerings.

Stroll Around the Louvre: This is a classic and for good reason. We purchased tickets on their website when we arrived and saved a lot of time waiting in line. This is a massive museum so pace yourself and take breaks. They even have an Angelina cafe inside. My highlights were Napoléon III’s apartment, the Crown Jewels and the Greek sculptures.

Spend an Afternoon at Luxembourg Gardens: We only had a few minutes to explore and wished we’d set aside at least a couple hours. Luxembourg Garden is a large, thoughtfully designed park. It would be so nice to bring a book and refreshing drink and find a spot to soak up the afternoon.

Visit the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur: This iconic, domed church sits up in Montmartre and is known for its interior mosaics and stained-glass windows. It's free to visit but I believe you have to pay a small fee to enter the dome. 

Picnic in Montmartre: Pick up picnic supplies from a gourmet shop - we went to Le Gourmet (food hall) at Galerie Lafayette. We had our actual picnic on the steps near the outlook overlook of Paris. Note: there wasn't any shade. We found the view to be perfect and it was busy but still pleasant. Originally we wanted to do a picnic by the Eiffel Tower but this worked out better for our schedule. I'm sure an Eiffel Tower picnic would be equally as lovely.

Check Out a Show at Crazy Horse: This is definitely an adult activity and a little risqué. Crazy Horse is a well-known cabaret show in Paris. Our Uber driver said only Americans go to Crazy Horse and it's not authentic. Was it a little cheesy? Absolutely. Was it fun? Absolutely. Obviously there's Moulin Rouge and other cabaret shows in Paris too. Whatever you decide, I think seeing a show is a worthwhile experience.

Shop: Visit the iconic designer stores a la Chanel and Dior (Dior even has a museum and cafe). If department stores are more your thing, try Printemps and Galeries Lafayette. We even had dinner on the roof of Printemps our first night and it was a lovely experience.

Watch the Eiffel Tower Light Show: We are ending on a free and memorable activity. The Eiffel Tower light show is a must. It was hard to find out when the light show started and how frequently it ran but we found the first show seemed to be about 30 minutes after sunset.

Where To Eat

Pink Mamma: You know I have to start with one of the most trendy restaurants in Paris right now. Everyone said: go to Pink Mamma! It's funny because this is actually an Italian restaurant. It's also very difficult to get a reservation. I wasn't able to score a dinner or lunch reservation, however, they had just started offering afternoon tea when we visited. We tried out their afternoon tea on my birthday. It's a preset menu and you select your tea and another beverage. I'm not sure if they'll continue to offer it or if it was temporary. We thoroughly enjoyed it though!

Crêpe Avenue: Our first crepes of Paris were at this spot because it was close to our hotel. It ended up being a delicious spot and we found out later that it is our concierge’s favorite place for crepes. If we’d been there longer, I definitely would have gone back.

Café de Flore: Another trendy restaurant. Naturally. Café de Flore is a well-known coffeehouse and restaurant with excellent people watching. We went for some of the classics - French onion soup and croque monsieur. They are most famous for their hot chocolate and whipped cream.

Pierre Hermé: There are several locations. I stopped at this one while Joe waited in line for Cédric Grolet. I picked up some of their famous macarons (I recommend with the one that comes with fresh raspberries!). They had several other sweets that looked amazing too.

Cinq Mars: This was an unexpected find during our stay. I was researching restaurants near our croissant class and found this spot. It's an intimate restaurant. We went on a Sunday evening and showed up just before they opened for dinner service. There were already a few couples waiting. We were seated right away and the service was excellent. It's a small menu but everything was divine. Our favorite was the chocolate mousse we split for dessert.

Cédric Grolet Opéra: This one is a little bit of a cheat because we actually ended up trying Cédric Grolet in London. We waited in the line at the Paris location for 45 minutes and weren't even halfway through. While the London location was much easier, I recommend the Paris one because they have many more offerings. I learned later that the trick is to order online for pick up - check their website a couple days in advance. Also, check their hours. We weren't able to do the order ahead because they were closed a couple of the days we were there.

Café Carrousel: We came here for breakfast and it was the perfect quintessential Parisian experience. People watching. Siping hot chocolate. It's right by Tuileries Garden too. 

I hope you enjoyed my Paris travel guide! As always, please feel free to comment with any questions. I'm happy to offer any help I can so you can have the perfect trip. If you try out any of my recommendations, I'd love to know. Enjoy Paris!

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