There is something about Paris. Is it the tales that it is supposedly the most romantic city on earth?

I wouldn’t consider a place can bring you romance if you don’t feel it on the inside. Romance comes from people, not places.

Even though I do not find too much romanticism in Paris, I did discover a whole new world there, a lot of history mixed up with the modern.

Was it worth visiting? Definitely. I wish I could spend some time there as a regular citizen, and not like a tourist. Because the touristy part is never the true face of a city. Don’t get me wrong, I did visit all the touristy places possible, but I still cannot claim I have seen the true Paris.

I will start with a couple of things I found disappointing. The first one being Camps Elisis. For some reason, I had this boulevard all drown in my head and I genuinely thought it is a small, narrow street with many cafes and shops on both sides, with flowers and restaurants and the little metal tables and chairs. Well, it was not. It is much more modern with a huge road separating the two sides of the street and large amounts of traffic.

And the second and I swear – last thing I shall mention is the lack of information in English. I know, it is a petty complaint, but I would have enjoyed some of the museums, especially the Louvre much more if there were explanations in English apart from the audio guides.

From here the positives start!

Arc de Triomphe, The Eiffel tower, Notre Dame de Paris, Versailles  and my absolute favorite – Sacré-Cœur.
The view and the feel of Arc de Triomphe, the atmosphere the Eifel tower bring to the entire city, and the closer you get to it, the more magical it gets.

But my favorite part of the touristy visit was Sacré-Cœur. Because of the fact that the basilica is on top of a heel, surrounded by silence, flowers and trees, and because of the special atmosphere of religion and kindness in the air, it quickly became the tip of the iceberg for me. And I am not going to lie – the view from the courtyard was also astonishing, as one is capable of seeing the entire city from up there.

And of course, this trip wouldn’t have been even half as amazing as it was, without my Air B&B hosts Cathy and Serge.  And I am attaching a link to their page, in case you decide to stay with them during your visit. They are the kindest, most adorable people, and you will get the Frenchest breakfast possible! 🙂

-K.