"The city that invented the restaurant, the café, the department store, and the art museum — and has been doing all four better than anyone else ever since."
Paris is the most visited city on earth — and the one that most consistently justifies the superlatives. The food is extraordinary: more Michelin stars than any other city, a bistro culture that has defined the global understanding of what a restaurant should be, and a café tradition that is the finest expression of civilised urban life. The art is unmatched: the Louvre, the Musée d\'Orsay, the Centre Pompidou, and the Musée Rodin are four of the greatest museums in the world, and they are all within walking distance of each other. And the city itself — its Haussmann boulevards, its river, its bridges, its parks — is simply the most beautiful urban environment ever created.
At a Glance
Where to Stay
The Best Hotels in Paris
Ritz Paris
The most famous hotel in the world — and the one that has defined the global understanding of luxury hospitality since 1898. The Place Vendôme location is unbeatable; the Coco Chanel Suite is the most storied room in Paris; and the Bar Hemingway — where the great man himself allegedly liberated the bar in 1944 — remains the finest hotel bar in the city. The recent renovation has restored the Ritz to its full glory.
Le Bristol Paris
The most Parisian of the palace hotels — warm, intimate, and deeply rooted in the city's culture of gastronomy and art de vivre. The garden courtyard is the finest in Paris; the Epicure restaurant holds three Michelin stars; and the rooftop pool, with its views over the Haussmann rooftops, is the best in the city. The service is the warmest of any palace hotel in Paris.
Hôtel de Crillon
The most architecturally magnificent hotel in Paris — a former royal palace on the Place de la Concorde, redesigned by Karl Lagerfeld and reopened in 2017. The Brasserie d'Aumont is one of the great hotel restaurants in the city; the Sense spa is exceptional; and the rooms, with their views over the Place de la Concorde and the Tuileries, are among the most beautiful in Paris.
Where to Eat
Paris's Essential Tables
Guy Savoy
The finest restaurant in Paris — and the one that most consistently delivers the transcendent experience that three Michelin stars promise. Chef Guy Savoy's artichoke soup with black truffle and mushroom brioche is the most famous dish in French fine dining; the room, in the Monnaie de Paris overlooking the Seine, is the most beautiful in the city; and the service is the warmest of any three-star restaurant in France.
Le Cinq, Four Seasons George V
The most glamorous dining room in Paris — a gilded, flower-filled salon in the Four Seasons George V that serves three-Michelin-star French cuisine under Chef Christian Le Squer. The cheese trolley is the finest in Paris; the wine list is extraordinary; and the experience of dining in one of the great hotel restaurants of the world is irreplaceable.
Septime
The most influential bistro in Paris — and the one that defined the neo-bistro movement that has transformed French dining over the past decade. Chef Bertrand Grébaut's market-driven tasting menu is the finest expression of contemporary French cuisine in the city. Reservations open three weeks in advance and disappear within minutes.
Café de Flore
The most famous café in the world — and the one that has been the intellectual and artistic heart of Paris since the 1880s. Sartre, de Beauvoir, Picasso, and Hemingway were regulars. The croissants are excellent; the café crème is perfect; and the people-watching, on the terrace at the corner of Boulevard Saint-Germain, is the finest in Paris.
What to Do
Essential Paris Experiences
The Louvre — Before It Opens
The world's greatest museum — and the one that most rewards an early start. Book the first entry slot of the day (9am) and head directly to the Denon Wing for the Winged Victory, the Venus de Milo, and the Mona Lisa — all before the crowds arrive. The Richelieu Wing, with its French sculpture and Flemish masters, is the most undervisited part of the museum and the most rewarding.
A Morning in the Marais
The most beautiful neighbourhood in Paris — a medieval warren of hôtels particuliers, art galleries, and the finest falafel in the world. Start at the Place des Vosges (the oldest planned square in Paris), walk through the Marais to the Centre Pompidou, and end at L'As du Fallafel on the Rue des Rosiers. The Musée Picasso and the Musée Carnavalet are both essential.
Seine at Sunset — Private Boat
The most romantic experience in Paris — a private boat on the Seine at sunset, with Champagne, as the city's monuments are illuminated one by one. The Eiffel Tower's light show begins at nightfall; the view from the water, with Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and the Musée d'Orsay reflected in the river, is the finest in the city.
Versailles — A Full Day
The most extraordinary palace in the world — and the one that requires a full day to do justice. Book the first entry slot, spend the morning in the State Apartments and the Hall of Mirrors, and the afternoon in the gardens and the Grand Trianon. The Musical Fountains show (April–October) is one of the great spectacles in France.
"Paris is the only city in the world where you can eat three Michelin-starred meals in a day and still find room for a croissant at midnight."
Alyssa Ross · TastesOf