I’ll never forget my first time in Paris. It was mid-July and I was 25. I wasn’t as worried about skin cancer but I was concerned about lightening my hair and darkening my skin in the sun. I can’t tell you if Paris was hot or cold. I can’t tell you if it rained. All I know is that I loved it. I glided through the streets as if on pink roller skates, marveling at the beautiful buildings. People told me that Paris was dirty. Where? People told me that the French can be unfriendly. Who? But no one warned me that I would want to move abroad after visiting for just 5 days. That’s why I’ve put together the essential Paris travel guide. Because there are some things you MUST do when you go.

Paris is a feeling. I get chills thinking about it. You can’t NOT be romantic about Paris. I know, because I dragged Michael (and my Mom) there for my birthday this past January. It was freezing, I was wearing a mini dress, it started to rain… I didn’t care. Paris just sweeps me up in it’s magical entanglements. I think it fits the bill for almost any kind of traveler (and yes, there are different kinds). Whether you want to relax, explore, learn, feast… it’s all there, waiting for you.

This is the essential Paris travel guide, but I thought it would be best to break it down into 5 days so you can get the most out of it and see what a typical itinerary might look like.