A Perfect Day: Paris in One Day

For me, a day in Paris has to start with a croissant. I love to sit at Café de Flore, one of the most famous and historic cafés in the entire city. Albert Camus, Pablo Picasso, and Karl Lagerfeld were regulars here. Even today, writers, artists, intellectuals, and tourists meet at Café de Flore for a café au lait or a glass of wine.

On Rue Bonaparte, I pick up a small box of macarons from Ladurée and continue to the Bassin Octogonal in the Jardin des Tuileries. I grab one of the many green chairs around the octagonal basin and watch the activity in the park.

Not far from the Jardin des Tuileries are the Colonnes de Buren (officially Les Deux Plateaux). This modern art installation is free to access and consists of 260 marble columns with black and white stripes. The play of lines and perspectives offers a great spectacle and is definitely worth a photo.

Next, I head to one of my favorite restaurants in Paris, Capri Saint-Honoré. Here, you can sit outside and enjoy lunch away from the city’s hustle and bustle. The street in front of the restaurant has little traffic and is a popular spot for street musicians, artists, athletes, and walkers.

For me, Paris and shopping go hand in hand – even if it’s just window shopping. Rue Saint-Honoré runs parallel to the Seine and is lined with luxury brands. In addition to the high-end stores, you can also find art galleries and antique shops. It costs nothing to browse!

A stone’s throw from Rue Saint-Honoré is Place Vendôme, known for its elegant buildings and a Parisian icon: Coco Chanel. She lived in the Ritz Hotel on Place Vendôme for over 20 years until her death. By the way, you can also book the designer’s suite – for a mere 36,000 euros per night.

I walk across the Place de la Concorde to the Seine for a short stroll along the riverbank. A particularly beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower is from the Pont de l’Alma bridge. From the riverbank, I turn into the quiet and relaxed Avenue des Camoens. Especially in the late afternoon, there is a beautiful play of light and shadow here that attracts many photographers.

Enough walking, now it’s time to eat: I walk back across the Place du Trocadéro to Restaurant Bambini Paris, where I enjoy pizza and pasta on the terrace with a view of the – of course – Eiffel Tower.

Because I just can’t get enough of the Eiffel Tower, I treat myself to a crêpe for dessert and sit down at Place du Trocadéro. When the Eiffel Tower sparkles every hour on the hour and Paris gradually fades into the night, it creates a special atmosphere that makes me happy.

About

Gabriela Ferreira has been working at Lufthansa for 16 years and has been a social media manager since 2020. With roots in France and Portugal, Gabriela travels a lot in Europe – especially to her “heart city” Paris.