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The 25 Most Beautiful Places in Paris

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(photo via Jag_cz / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Slide 1 of 25: Who needs a reason to visit the Panthéon? Its gorgeous neoclassical architecture is lure enough. Don't forget to look up.
Slide 2 of 25: We make this a stop on every trip to Paris, and sometimes, we don't even go inside. Musée Rodin is a light-filled estate with a serene garden filled with sculptures like The Thinker and The Gates of Hell. It's as intimate and personal (and relatively uncrowded) a museum-going experience as you'll get in the city.
Slide 3 of 25: Despite its macabre history (it was the site of guillotine executions during the French Revolution), this public square is now one of the most majestic spots in Paris. Landmarks like the Luxor Obelisk and mermaid-filled fountain only add to the glamour.
Slide 4 of 25: This ornate, Beaux-Arts–style bridge connects the Left and Right Banks of Paris, and is one of the biggest tourist photo-ops in the city. We get it: With all those gilded statues and river views, the selfie urge is real.
Slide 5 of 25: One of the most famous green spaces in Paris (and even greener during the spring), Jardin du Luxembourg is a favorite spot for locals to stroll and relax. While the overall vibe here is quite grand and regal, there are still intimate corners to be found.
Slide 6 of 25: Palais Garnier is one of the most opulent Beaux-Arts buildings in Paris. Prepare to be dazzled by the grand marble staircase, gilded chandeliers, and frescoed ceilings.
Slide 7 of 25: When you think of French Gothic architecture, chances are you think of Notre-Dame. The cathedral's iconic facade and rose windows draw massive crowds (also, free admission), so plan on getting there on the early side, ideally before 10 a.m., or come for Catholic Mass (you can skip the tourist line).
Slide 8 of 25: Open since 2014, this spectacular museum is home to some of the city’s best contemporary art. But we think the sailboat-shaped building—designed by Frank Gehry—is a masterpiece in and of itself.
Slide 9 of 25: Once the home of a refined, art-collecting couple, Musée Jacquemart-André now serves as a museum with works from Rembrandt, Bellini, Botticelli, and more. The 19th-century mansion is just as much of a draw, with grand marble staircases and gallery walls that redefine #apartmentenvy.
Slide 10 of 25: Okay, let’s be real: When you visit Paris, you kind of expect to nab some epic photos of the Eiffel Tower. So you might as well head straight to Place du Trocadéro, an elevated, open space with a stellar view of Paris’s most iconic landmark.
Slide 11 of 25: Pretty much everything in Paris is next-level beautiful, so it’s no huge surprise that its cemeteries skew more divine than dismal. Spend an overcast afternoon walking across Père Lachaise’s 108 acres, then pay your respects at the graves of Gertrude Stein and Oscar Wilde.
Slide 12 of 25: Paris is one of the world’s best cities for street art, as evidenced by the hilltop neighborhood of Butte-aux-Cailles. The 13th arrondissement area has leafy alleyways-turned-canvases splashed with colorful graffiti and witty stencil pin-ups by Paris icon Miss.Tic.
Slide 13 of 25: As if the views of the Arc de Triomphe aren’t stunning enough, the views from the Arc de Triomphe are even more incredible. It's a pretty claustrophobic climb to the top, but the fresh air and 360-degree views of Paris are well worth it.
Slide 14 of 25: Musée de l'Orangerie—located at the far end of the Tuileries Gardens—strengthens the case that Paris’s smaller museums are just as important as, say, the Louvre. Plus, it’s the only place you can stand in awe of Monet’s famous Nymphéas (Water Lily) murals.
Slide 15 of 25: Second in height only to the Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Coeur is a towering Romano-Byzantine basilica one very steep climb up into Montmarte. Everything about it—its architecture, its views from the hilltop—inspires awe.
Slide 16 of 25: Featuring cliffs, lakes, and waterfalls, the 62-acre Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is an au natural alternative to Paris’s more manicured, rigidly formal parks. Traipse up rocky elevations to catch amazing views of the city, including the aforementioned Sacré-Coeur.
Slide 17 of 25: Photos of Sainte-Chapelle are apt to take your breath away, but they hardly do justice to this Gothic chapel on Ile de la Cité. After struggling your way up the narrow spiral staircases to the upper chapel, that first glimpse of the 50-foot stained glass windows is an experience you’ll never forget.
Slide 18 of 25: A vast collection of Impressionist artworks is the focus at the Musée d’Orsay, Paris’s second most-visited museum. But don’t forget to look past the artwork for a moment to admire the arched ceiling, a reminder of the building’s past as a train station.
Slide 19 of 25: This perfectly manicured park also has the advantage of a perfect location—turn one direction and you'll find the Louvre, turn the other, Place de la Concorde. Walk the entire length to really admire the formal French garden design of the 17th century.
Slide 20 of 25: This little throughway in the 12th arrondissement might just be the most charming street in all of Paris. Just beware the fashion influencers and Instagram celebs trying to take advantage of those pastel-colored backdrops.
Slide 21 of 25: On the the famed Boulevard Haussmann, Galeries Lafayette is a department store known for its upscale French products and stunning neo-Byzantine stained-glass cupola. If you can swing it, visit during December to see one of the world’s grandest Christmas displays.
Slide 22 of 25: Open for more than a century, Hôtel Plaza Athénée is one of the most elegant, fashionable, and surprisingly playful hotels in all of Paris. Its signature red awnings are best enjoyed with a side of Michelin stars, at restaurant La Cour Jardin's ivy-covered terrace.
Slide 23 of 25: The Louvre is famously crowded—it is the most-visited museum in the world, after all. But even if you aren’t willing to fight a hundred camera-wielding tourists to see the Mona Lisa, at least stroll past the museum to see I.M. Pei’s famous glass pyramid.
Slide 24 of 25: Not only is this 6th arrondissement neighborhood the cocoa capital of Paris, but it also happens to be extremely picturesque, with cobbled streets and pretty French balconies everywhere you look.
Slide 25 of 25: The River Seine is essentially the beating heart of Paris, bordering half of the French capital's arrondissements. We’re partial to views of the river at dusk, but thanks to a few recent additions—a floating hotel and pedestrian-only walkway, for starters—the watery pathway is pretty damn gorgeous around the clock.

Panthéon

Musée Rodin

Place de la Concorde

Pont Alexandre III

Jardin du Luxembourg

Palais Garnier

Cathédrale Notre-Dame

Fondation Louis Vuitton

Musée Jacquemart-André

Place du Trocadéro

Père Lachaise Cemetery

Butte-aux-Cailles

Arc de Triomphe

Musée de l’Orangerie (and Monet’s Water Lilies)

Sacré-Coeur

Parc des Buttes-Chaumont

Sainte-Chapelle

Musée d’Orsay

Jardin des Tuileries

Rue Crémieux

Galeries Lafayette

Hôtel Plaza Athénée

Musée du Louvre

Saint-Germain

River Seine

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