Paris, France

I. Itinerary

Our trip to Paris was planned to see all the landmarks within 24 hours (not a joke, we came at 4 pm and had to leave at 4 pm of the following day) and we intended to execute the plan. If you haven’t decided yet whether you want to go to Paris or not, watch this short video and the croissant will definitely persuade you. As stated before, we had only 24 hours to see everything and everyone in this huge city. Let's get down to business without postponing.

1. Arc de Triomphe

Right after the airport, we took the bus to Porte Maillot and from there headed to the Arc de Triomphe. The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile is one of the most famous monuments in Paris and the most famous such arch in the world. It is located on Place Charles de Gaulle, formerly called Place de l'Étoile, preserved only in the name of the arch. This is the northwest of the city, at the end of the Champs Élysées. The Arc de Triomphe was created in honor of all those who fought and died for France during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. The name of all the places where the French won, as well as the French generals of that time, are written on the outer and inner surface of the arch. Under its arches, there is the tomb of the Unknown Soldier from the First World War.

2. Eiffel Tower

Then we headed to the Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris. Do you know that it’s the most visited and the most useless landmark in the world? No, really, it has no specific aim but visiting it and its merchandise are doing great business for the city and country. It was a must-visit point for us to take pictures nearby in the daylight and show off on the Instagram, of course. We headed from Champ de Mars to Eiffel Tower, went round the Tower, took A LOT of pictures of it and with it and headed to Trocadéro. I think it was the best place to take pictures with Eiffel Tower from. We spent a whole hour there and took a walk on the embankment to the side of the next point in the list.

3. Pont Alexandre III

Pont Alexandre III connects the two banks of the Seine and is located just between the Champs Élysées and the Dôme des Invalides. The bridge was presented to France by the Russian Emperor Nicholas II and, decorated with elegant lanterns and sculptures, is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful bridges in Paris.

4. Place de la Concorde

Place de la Concorde is a truly vast square, an outstanding monument of urban planning of the classicism era. The decision to base the square was made by Louis XV in 1775 and entrusted to the architect Gabriel. Initially, the square was an octagon surrounded by a moat, at the corners of which eight allegorical statues stood, symbolizing the main cities of France. In the middle was an equestrian statue of Louis XV by Bouchardon and Pigalle. On the north side, the elegant buildings of the Naval Ministry and the Hotel de Crillon were erected. Place de la Concorde is one of the most beautiful places in Paris. But there is something that makes it different. From any point of the square, a beautiful view of Paris opens up, it is not built up around the perimeter with houses - that's what makes it special.

5. Place Vendôme

Place Vendôme is located in the historical center of Paris. It is one of the five "royal squares" built by Louis the Great. She was supposed to show the greatness of the French monarchy. Today, there is a tall column of Napoleon in the center, and mansions in the classical style are located along the edges. Also here is one of the most luxurious hotels in the country - "Ritz".

6. Louvre Museum

The most famous museum on the planet, the symbol of Paris, the pride of France... that's right - it's the Louvre Museum (Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France). And yet... imagine 22 football fields at once; fill this space with tens of thousands of sculptures, paintings, jewelry, ceramics and decor - everything that mankind has produced over the past 5 thousand years; imagine that every day two infantry divisions (25-30 thousand people) march through this territory. So this is the Louvre. What you should also know is that there is not entrance fee for student. Amazing, right? But we didn't go there. We had only 24 hours to see all Paris. Only visiting Louvre would take 24 hours (or even more), actually.

7. Les Halles

Les Halles is geographically located in the heart of Paris. It got its name from the huge market, which, even before the second half of the 20th century, occupied several square kilometers of its territory. Only in the 70s it was decided to demolish the buildings of the old market and equip a park in its place. Actually, it’s just a huge mall. So, visit it if you have free time.

8. Sainte-Chapelle, Concierge, Palais de Justice de Paris

Sainte-Chapelle is a palace chapel on the Ile de la Cité in Paris, built in the 13th century by order of Saint Louis to store the Crown of Thorns, a fragment of the True Cross and other holy relics acquired by the French sovereign. The chapel and the adjacent Conciergerie are the remains of the ancient royal palace of Cité, which was located on the site of the present Palais de Justice de Paris. All of them are located next to each other, so it’s three birds with one stone.

9. Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

The construction of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris lasted for almost two centuries, which, however, only benefited it. At the time of laying the first stone, French architecture was dominated by the Romanesque style, which was replaced by the Gothic during the construction process. The cathedral absorbed the best of both, resulting in its own unique look. It was assumed that the cathedral would be so large that it could accommodate all the inhabitants of Paris, that at that time numbered about ten thousand. Another design feature of the cathedral is that it does not have any internal walls. They are replaced by columns connected by arches, and the rooms are separated from each other by stained-glass windows. It is believed that one of the nails with which the cross for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was knocked together is kept in the cathedral.

The first part of the trip is ending here. If you have enough energy, you can also go to Eiffel Tower to see it in the lights and take more pictures.

10. Panthéon

We visited the next two points on the following day. Without haste, we went to Panthéon, which was originally designed as a church, but later turned into a temple. Panthéon is located at the top of Mount Saint-Geneviève, near the Sorbonne University and the Luxembourg Gardens, directed towards the Latin Quarter. Back in 507, this place was chosen by King Clovis for the basilica as a tomb for him and his wife Clotilde. In 512, Sainte-Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, was buried here.

11. Sacré-Cœur

We tasted some local pastry and headed to Sacré-Cœur. Literally, the name of the basilica is translated from French as "Holy Heart". Sacré-Cœur is located on top of the Montmartre hill, the highest point in the city. It's a very magnificent building which is worth attending.

II. Tips and features

Well, I definitely can recommend "Le Petit Bouillon Vavin"" (119 Bd du Montparnasse, 75006 Paris, France). We had a delicious dinner there and it was quite cheap. Probably, you will see a line on the street, but the line moves fast. It's worth waiting!

Also, keep all your documents, phones, and money in the inner pockets. I’m not sure whether this stereotype about pickpockets in Paris is true, or I was lucky enough, but someone stole my electric toothbrush from my backpack (who needs it, though?).

If you watched “Emily in Paris”, probably you would be eager to visit the restaurant from the series. It’s “Terra Nera” (18 Rue des Fossés Saint-Jacques, 75005 Paris, France), looks quite authentic and interesting.

If you watched “Miraculous: Tales Of Ladybug & Cat Noir”, you would probably like to visit the bakery from the cartoon. It’s “Boris Lumé Boulangerie” (48 Rue Caulaincourt, 75018 Paris, France). The famous bakery looks exactly like in the cartoon.

Don’t forget to try the local pastry! It’s soooo good and cheap enough. By the way, we took a lunch box with different salami and cheese. So, we did not have to spend money on the lunch. Paris itself is quite expensive, and I hope you will be able to save some money in your trip!