Wanna travel to Paris for things other than the Eiffel Tower or Louvre Museum? From art to architecture- here’s our guide to the best things to do in Paris!
If you haven’t read the first part and would like to, go to Travel to Paris | Art, Architecture, Romance, Shopping – Part 1. And if that article led you here, welcome! Let’s continue!!
I covered my take on the major tourism spots between the 1st to 7th Arrondissement in the Part 1, and this time, I’d like to point out some of the farther spots. Because if you travel to Paris for non-touristy things (or less-touristy, at least), these less-visited apots are awesome and worthy nonetheless!
Travel to Paris – Tips, Art, Architecture, etc. Things to Do!
Montmartre, Basilica of Sacre-Cœur
Architecture, Art
Montmartre, as the name suggests, is a hill in the north of river Seine, known mostly for the Basilica of Sacre-Cœur. The Basilica is where you find lots of local street-artists and souvenir vendors.
Most tourists take the funicular up to the top of the hill to just get a view of the Basilica and take their picture on its steps. But if you’re up for a walk, don’t miss the walk up the hill. Montremartre is a historic neighborhood with a lot of character, so it’ll be beautiful to take your time with the walk up, be lost in the tiny cobbled streets and you’ll see many tiny cafés and stores. And these steps at the top of the hill that lead you to the back of the Basilica:
Parc de la Villette
Art, Architecture, Romance
Parc de la Villette is one of the largest open spaces in the middle of Paris, and would make a great spot for an evening stroll with the family, or for a date for a couple looking to move away from the typical tourism spots! It is a congregation of many cultural venues like pavillions, concert arena, an iMAX theater, symphony hall and a pop concert venue. But I love this place for its uniqueness. The park has 35 red follies in deconstructive architectural style. This made the park an award-winning project, designed by Bernard Tschumi. They were constructed to help visitors navigate their way in the park. Each folly is unique and interesting, and makes for interesting photography venues. Here’s two:
And here’s the other side of the park with the iMAX dome theater. Isn’t it cool?
Shilpa Ahuja the editor-in-chief of ShilpaAhuja.com, which she founded with the goal of inspiring confidence in the modern working woman through fashion. Other than defining the direction of the magazine, she also writes about fashion & beauty trend forecasts, industry analysis, and opinions.
Shilpa’s work has been published in the University of Fashion blog and Jet Airways magazine. She is also an artist, illustrator and cartoonist. She is also the creator of Audrey O., a comic series that represents the lifestyle of millennial women. She enjoys creative writing and world travel. Her art has been exhibited at Harvard Graduate School of Design and the Aroma Hotel, Chandigarh and been published in Chandigarh Times.
Originally from Chandigarh, Shilpa also has a degree in architecture and has worked in interior project management. She is also the author of the book “Designing a Chinese Cultural Center in India”. Shilpa has a Masters in Design Studies degree from Harvard University.
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