Those who have seen Paris for the second or third time will surely look for alternative things to do in the French city. Here are five special things not to miss in Paris.
It seems the usual banal title and at first glance I could also agree with you, but since I'm not talking about museums, maybe I have some chance to make you think again.
I have been to Paris for a weekend and I must admit it was love at first sight, so you'll have to apologize if I am a bit biased in these 5 (special) things to do in Paris.
1. Take a take away crepes
We always hear that Paris is expensive, undoubtedly it is, but you also need to know where to go and if you are guided by a local, saving money in Paris is possible. In the Montparnasse neighborhood there is more than one place that makes take-away crepes, but on the advice of my Parisian I stopped at Café de la Place, on Rue de Montparnasse (famous for the different creperies) where the crepes is huge and expensive. 5.50 euros. Then you are full, trust me.
2. Visit the cemeteries
It is not because I have a taste for the macabre that I propose it to you, but simply because in Paris there are two that must be seen, respectively that of Montmartre and Montparnasse. I got lost in the second of the two in search of Baudelaire's tomb (in the end I found it, but it goes almost unnoticed), among those who are buried in Montmartre we find: Degas, Ampère and the son of the writer Alexandre Dumas.
3. Take a tour of the historic bars
Both Montparnasse and Montmartre are defined the neighborhoods of artists, from here have passed Hemingway, Dalì, Picasso, Miller, Pound and many others who have made Paris the city of many of their successes. They used to be in some bars that still exist today and it is worth at least passing by, you can still breathe that atmosphere of Paris in the 30s and, if you like, stop for a coffee, for once you can do it!
4. Walk or take the rental bike
The ville lumière is big, undoubtedly, and perhaps walking shouldn't be among the 5 special things to do in Paris, but when you are away for a weekend the most immediate means is definitely the subway. Fast, punctual and not excessively expensive (1.70 euros per ticket), but moving underground does not allow you to admire the beauties on the surface, and I am only talking about the structure of the buildings, the Parisians walking in a hurry through the streets, the people sitting at the bar , street artists and the most hidden glimpses. Walk, remember to pack a pair of comfortable shoes.
Paris is full of places for bike rental, you pay with your credit card at the machine, you select the number of the corresponding bike and with € 1,70 you can keep it all day. Some points of the city are uphill, so arm yourself with a lot of good will, but I assure you that the effort will be worth the candle. In addition to bicycles, electric cars can also be rented, the procedure is the same.
5. Visit the Shakespeare Library
You know the movie Midnight in Paris? Here, that's where you saw this bookshop, founded in 1919 and frequented by writers such as Hemingway, Pound and Joyce. A few steps from Notre Dame it is a jewel that deserves a visit, small and suggestive with small sofas where you can stop and read the books on display. I let myself be kidnapped, and you?
If you want to read more about the Paris bookshop, here is the post.
