Paris itinerary — 1 days

Originally built for Cardinal Richelieu and later home to the House of Orléans, this historic palace sits opposite the Louvre. Its Cour d'Honneur is renowned for Daniel Buren's playful contemporary installation, 'Les Deux Plateaux', featuring striped black-and-white marble columns of varying heights alongside Pol Bury's kinetic fountains. Beyond lies a serene garden bordered by neoclassical arcades with artisan shops and cozy bistros.

A masterpiece of Napoleon III style opened in 1875 to Charles Garnier's design: the Grand Staircase of white marble and onyx, a gilded Grand Foyer echoing Versailles, and an auditorium crowned by Marc Chagall's vibrant 1964 ceiling. The opera house inspired Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera. Self-guided visits let you explore the ceremonial halls and the museum-library.

A legendary cabaret at the foot of Montmartre hill, founded in 1889 by Joseph Oller and Charles Zidler. Famous for the iconic red windmill on its roof, it is the birthplace of the modern French cancan dance, immortalized by painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Today, visitors from across the globe gather here to enjoy the spectacular 'Féerie' revue, featuring acrobats, lavish sets, and dancers adorned with thousands of sequins and feathers.

Set in the 18th arrondissement, the charming hilltop Montmartre district (also known as "La Butte") is a former artists' village once inhabited by Picasso and Dalí, and home to the domed Sacré-Cœur basilica. There are sweeping views of the city from its steep, winding streets, while the iconic Moulin Rouge cabaret below draws tourists and nightclubbers. Retro-cool bars and eateries dot the edgy Lamarck area.

The white basilica crowning Montmartre, built 1875–1914 from travertine that turns almost blinding in the rain. Inside is one of France's largest apse mosaics and perpetual adoration — prayer before the sacrament has continued unbroken since 1885. Narrow steps lead to the dome, and the parvis gives you all of Paris.