You should visit Paris once in your life. Even if you are not a fan of the Eiffel Tower, Paris has so much more to it than the iron lady. The hustle & bustle of the city, the fresh croissant smell as you walk by bakeries and see long queues every time, the vibe of being around what is known as the City of Love. I am going to give you the perfect 4 days itinerary according to my experience. You are free to change things according to your liking. Read til the end & let me know what you think.
Day 1
If you are Emily in Paris fan or not, you must visit their set locations. The hit Netflix series has undoubtedly attracted many people from around the world to visit Paris & they are also on the map now. YES, you read that right. Emily’s home shown in the show has been marked in google maps so now it’s even easier to find.
I visited her building that is in a stunning location in 1 Place de l’Estrapade. This is right in the heart of the 5th arrondissement, also known as the Latin Quarter, in the central area of Paris. Just a couple of minutes walk away from Panthéon & Le Jardin du Luxembourg where she goes jogging in episode 2. Just across her building you will see Gabriel’s restaurant with the red color windows & door, unfortunately it was closed when I visited. It is known to be an amazing Italian restaurant called Terra Nera. And next to it you will see the Boulangerie where Emily buys her first croissant, called Le Boulangerie Moderne. It’s quite famous and has many branches across Paris.
After grabbing some lunch, I headed to Galeries Lafayette for the free rooftop view. It’s the only free rooftop Eiffel Tower view & always crowded if you are going in the summer (which i did). But nonetheless, the space is quite big so you will have space to take your pics.
Before heading back to the hotel, I stopped by Cafe De Flore, the infamous and oldest cafe in Paris. The cafe was the spot for celebs like Pablo Picasso and many more that used to be a regular visitor.
Later in the evening, visit the Eiffel Tower to see the sparkling lights that start every 1 hour and lasts for 5 minutes. I went Rue de l’Université, it’s away from the area of Eiffel Tower, the view is spectacular & the vibe is unmatched. It’s way less crowded and many famous proposals happen there as well and I witnessed one. Take your tripod & click away! Later you can walk around the area, grab some dinner & head home.
Day 2
I decided to climb the Arc de Triomphe. Was it worth it? Not really. What felt like a thousand stairs and very narrow & spiral staircase, the view from the top was great BUT the high barriers ruined the whole experience. They were pretty high and even if you are tall it will bother you. You cannot take nice pictures with those barriers behind you. It was pretty cloudy and rained so heavily that the experience was fun at the end.
Walk around Champs-Élysées & soak in the high fashion stores vibes and you will see long queues outside many of them as many brands are from France, it’s comparatively cheaper and with the tax return it gets even more cheaper. I only went to Sephora and bought some makeup and skincare and obviously it was cheaper than Dubai haha.
In the evening I went to Moulin Rouge without knowing what the show was and without any research. To my surprise the show was spectacular, you have to go with an open mind and understand their culture. The whole experience was magical. You are not allowed to take any photos and videos there so be mindful of that.
Day 3
Early morning croissant and coffee hits different in Paris, so after getting that I headed to the train station to catch the Disneyland train. It has been my dream to visit the park forever and this time I made it. It takes a full day and more to explore everything in the park so go in the opening time & do stay late because the fireworks IS THE BEST FIREWORKS you will ever see in your life. WHAT A MAGICAL EXPERIENCE!
Day 4
Sunrise photoshoot with the Eiffel Tower, yes I did that! I couldn’t resist hiring a professional photographer who took me around some spots for the shoot & I loved it. I wore a long red dress that I took with me especially for the shoot & I lived the dream.
Later went to Cafe Carette for their famous hot chocolate & croissant. If you haven’t tried it, you should. It’s the most amazing combination ever. Carette is also one of the famous cafes in Paris. After that took a stroll around in Louvre, Palais Garnier AKA Opera Garnier and visited the most beautiful Starbucks just around the same block as Opera.
Headed towards Montmartre when the heavy rain ruined it all. Going to Montmartre is a little difficult as you have to climb up & the rain made it slippery. Stayed in cafe for the rain to slow down but it was hopeless after almost 2 hours of wait. BUT don’t miss visiting Montmartre, it’s one of the most beautiful spots in Paris.
Later in the night, I had to see the night life of Paris before departing the next day so I went to a lounge/club area that was filled with college/school kids. I didn’t stay long and headed back to the hotel.
