en

Paris

It is well known that Paris is the Capital of Love. Those who have never been there will perhaps wonder why... now I'll explain it to you! 💋 From the moment you set foot in this city you can sense a strange feeling in the air..you feel the romance everywhere..even the street lamps have some sort of witchcraft that gives you this perception. Unfortunately, in recent years, after the latest bad episodes linked to terrorism, this atmosphere has gradually weakened, replaced by anxiety and fear on the part of both tourists and the inhabitants themselves. Luckily there are people who, despite everything, are not intimidated by these events and decide to visit anyway trying to forget what happened in the past years or at least... trying to get over it and not think about it... I really respect these people!! To be honest, I was there before all this happened... it was December 2013... New Year's Eve to be exact. In fact, I was undecided whether to include this page in the "Ideas for New Year" section or perhaps together with London since, as on other occasions, it was a combination of 2 trips! 😋 In the end, however, I decided to dedicate a page to it...precisely because it is a special city...almost magical, and precisely for this reason it continues to be, despite everything, one of the favorite destinations for tourists! 

Now I will list below the main attractions not to be missed for a TOP romantic weekend!! 
-The Eiffel Tower: oh well...classic and perhaps even obvious! Obviously I recommend going up to the top... I very lazily preferred to queue three times in a row and take the lift rather than opting for the stairs... 😲 Obviously here too they sell "skip the queue" tickets online which you can purchase in complete safety to avoid at least a good half hour (if that suits you) of waiting on your feet... and maybe even in the cold or in the rain!! Again, one of the sites I can recommend is GetYourGuide. 
-Les Champs Elysées: that is, the large and very famous tree-lined avenue full of branded shops, prestigious cafés and chic restaurants, which splits the city in two and ends with a beautiful Arc du Triomphe which acts as a roundabout. During the Christmas period all the trees are decorated and lit in a very suggestive way. 
-Montmartre and Sacre-Coeur: this is a Catholic limestone basilica which, located on a hill called "Montmartre", dominates the entire city. The view from up there is truly amazing, plus during the Christmas period you can find a market with many stalls selling typical products and souvenirs.
-Notre-Dame: well the famous Hunchback Cathedral is a must visit! Even the interior, although I am not a fan of the Gothic style, I can say that it is worth a look, especially to see the effect of the central rose window which reflects a thousand colors in the sunlight. Here too you can queue to go up the bell tower and see Paris from above even if... it has nothing to do with the view from the Tower!! Honestly, after the fire that occurred in 2019 I don't know if it's possible to visit it... especially internally! 
-Musèe du Louvre: we can also say that this is one of the symbols of the city... the famous glass pyramids that appear in the middle of the square. Famous above all for the famous portrait of "Monalisa", this museum is one of the most visited in the world. Obviously I recommend a peek... you will surely be disappointed with the Mona Lisa painting... at least that's how it was for me. Very small and behind glass... in front instead there were a myriad of people crowded together to look at it up close and steal some shots (since in reality you couldn't take photos). 
-Musèe d'Orsay: it is located right in front and this is also very important and well-known... I admit that I visited it years ago... when I was in Paris on a school trip. It has remained with me above all for its particularity... having been created inside an old train station, the entire entrance ceiling is glass and a large golden clock hangs. If you have time, this is also worth a visit. 
-Pigalle and Moulin Rouge: to conclude the itinerary, obviously a visit to the famous red light district of Paris cannot be missed. Here you will find sex shops galore, very particular shops and cafes... a bit whimsical let's say. And then there's him.. the famous Moulin Rouge.. obviously you can see it immediately given its shape and color from which the name derives.. 😋 I honestly admit that I have never been inside.. but, if I were to go back, maybe a little show why not ?

And here the list of the main attractions of Paris ends. Obviously even here a simple weekend is very short... if you can throw in a couple of extra days even better! ;) Let's say that it goes around well because the metro here too is very efficient (sometimes even elegant 🤪). In fact, as a hotel I opted for a very convenient one at the Lamarck stop... in the Montmartre area, basically, a simple 2*hotel but with a good quality/price ratio for being in the centre. It's called Hotel Roma Sacre-Couer. I highly recommend it... clean and with very artistic rooms, in perfect French style. Breakfast every morning is a buffet with fresh croissants and baguettes... basically mouth watering!! And then just a stone's throw from the metro and Montmartre with its artists' district... beautiful! Finally regarding New Year's Eve... I have to say a little disappointing! In fact, I was expecting who knows what fireworks and instead nothing! They explained to us that a few years ago they abolished them and in their place at midnight they create plays of light on the Eiffel Tower... very cute and suggestive èèèè!! But oh well... maybe for me New Year's Eve without fireworks isn't New Year's Eve! :P

Jessy lost in Paris :)
Jessy lost in Paris :)
New Year Eve 2014
New Year Eve 2014