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Paris is the most densely populated capital city in Europe, and the thrilling proximity of everything means that, even when you are just walking around, the vibe can switch in an instant. I like to think of the city as made up of dozens of villages, each with wonderfully distinct demographics and personalities. Indeed, Montmartre, Belleville and Batignolles were once separate municipalities before being subsumed by the city proper in the 19th century. 

Visitors should reflect on where to stay and which side of the river suits their needs better, as the experience can vary massively. That said, if you are limited by budget in what can be an expensive destination, basing yourself in a lesser-known neighborhood is a good idea for many reasons, especially since it’s easy to get around Paris by foot, bike or metro. 

Above all, don’t try to squeeze everything into your first trip, tempting as it might be in an age of bucket lists. There are a million things to do in Paris â€“ and a whole bunch of them are free – and one of the most important is to relax, watch the world go by and saunter along the boulevards. Choose a couple neighborhoods to visit, keep your itinerary flexible and use whatever attractions are left over as an excuse to come back to this endlessly inspiring city.

1. Eiffel Tower and Western Paris

Best for monuments, museums and textbook selfies

Perfect for fulfilling all of your Emily in Paris dreams, this genteel neighborhood is filled with prime views of Paris’ iconic tower, grand Haussmannian buildings and renowned museums like the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, with treasures from the world over, and the Musée Marmottan Monet, the world’s largest collection of works by the famed impressionist painter.

The area is very much on the beaten path for tourists by day, but few can afford to actually stay here (the majority of hotels are high end). You’ll be hard-pressed to find budget eating options either, and the nightlife is practically nonexistent. It certainly is peaceful though, particularly in the Bois de Boulogne, one of Paris’ great green spaces. If you’re in search of a refined romantic getaway or family trip, this could be the place for you.

Save: € This massive year-round campground is on the Bois de Boulogne's western edge, by the banks of the Seine.

Spend: €€ Museum-worthy art and designer furniture at this family-run spot evoke an elegant Parisian home.

Spend more: €€€ The only château hotel in Paris offers a bonanza of luxuries befitting a countryside estate.

2. °ä³ó²¹³¾±è²õ-ɱô²â²õé±ð²õ and Grands Boulevards

Best for luxury shopping and five-star living

Life here throbs at a jet-setting pace, thanks to the wealth of luxury hotels, world-famous department stores and fancy A-lister nightclubs. The grandiose Arc de Triomphe and the glitzy °ä³ó²¹³¾±è²õ-ɱô²â²õé±ð²õ (currently undergoing an ambitious green renovation) are big draws, while the stunning Palais Garnier, inaugurated in 1875, is one of the world’s most beautiful opera houses.

This is the place for the kind of five-star living that only Paris offers. Fashionistas and influencers will regale themselves at shopping highlights like the Galeries Lafayette, while and the Grand Palais hold blockbuster exhibitions on fashion and art, respectively. By night, this neighborhood can be a hot spot for buzzy bars and clubs – just make sure to dress the part.

Save: € This rare affordable hotel opened in 1846 in one of the city’s historic covered passageways.

Spend: €€ The hip lifestyle hotel has a restaurant, bar, fitness room, rooftop deck and podcast recording studio.

Spend more: €€ This boutique address offers art deco–inspired rooms by one of Paris’ coolest designers, Dorothée Meilichzon.

3. Louvre and Les Halles

Best for artistic treasures, Japanese food and transportation links

Plumb in the middle of the city, this may not be the most picturesque part of Paris but it certainly is well positioned, and there’s a ton to do in the vicinity. Art lovers could spend a week alone gazing at the masterpieces in the Louvre, the Collection Pinault at the Bourse de Commerce and the Centre Pompidou. (At the end of September 2025, Centre Pompidou will close for five – yes, really – years of renovation.) Meanwhile, the , the oldest active theater in the world, makes for a spellbinding night out – and special glasses with English subtitles are available.

While it is among the pricier districts in Paris when it comes to accommodations, there are some unique options. Plus, there are great food choices, including the best Japanese and Korean food in the city, such as the fun , inspired by Tokyo’s immersive Tsukiji fish market, as well as one of the best croissants you can lay your hands on at the . When the sun sets, head to any of the several excellent jazz bars on the Rue des Lombards, including the legendary .

Contemporary: €€ The intimate hotel with bold designs overlooks a quiet square in the heart of Sentier.

Themed: €€ In this entertaining cinema-themed hotel, each floor is dedicated to a director or composer.

High end: €€€ You can dine at the elegant hotel's restaurant below the glass roof.

4. Montmartre and Northern Paris

Best for panoramic views, rowdy nightlife and vibrant multicultural quarters

Every day hordes of tourists climb the hills of Montmartre and take in the heady perspective from the Basilique du Sacré-CÅ“ur, admittedly one of the best views in the city. The surrounding cobblestone streets are without a doubt charming, but it’s pure hustle and bustle, with barely any authenticity or a moment of peace. The steep hills won’t be for everyone either, nor will the red-light district and packed bars at the bottom of the hill in Pigalle. But there are excellent budget lodging options here.

For adventurous backpacker types, there’s a world of vibrant multicultural quarters to explore. Around metro Château Rouge is Paris’ Little Africa, with communities largely from West Africa boisterously filling the streets day and night. North African communities, mostly from Tunisia and Algeria, cluster in the Goutte d’Or area, close to metro Barbes–Rochechouart, along with many delicious, authentic and cheap eats from the region. By metro La Chapelle is the city’s colorful Little India, populated by Bangladeshis, Sri Lankans as well as Indians.

Save: € The well-priced hostel is close to Pigalle’s buzzing array of restaurants and bars.

Spend: € Steps from the heart of Montmartre, this well-maintained classic abode hosts guests on a quiet street.

Spend more:  â‚¬â‚¬ A calming stay is guaranteed by the yoga studio, flower shop and plant-based, Latin American–influenced restaurant.

5. Le Marais, Ménilmontant and Belleville

Best for hip boutiques, contemporary dining and independent arts

Young creatives and artistic types will feel at home in the most hipster part of Paris, with boutique hotels rather than big chains, matcha lattes over Nescafe. There’s massive variation across the zone though. Le Marais â€“ historically the city's Jewish quarter and LGBTIQ+ hub, though gentrification has pushed out most of those communities in the past years – is mostly made up of narrow medieval streets, having escaped the city’s post-Revolution development. 

Lacking many major sites, the area is great to stroll around and find hidden squares, even if it’s often packed, especially on weekends. There are quality midsize galleries such as the , and , as well as a surfeit of drinking and dining options. Ménilmontant and Belleville offer similar but rawer vibes and some fantastic music venues, but they are also slightly less centrally located and have fewer hotels. Top green spaces Cimetière du Père Lachaise and Parc des Buttes Chaumont are here too.

Save: € This international hostel has a lively atmosphere, themed parties and events and is in a very convenient location.

Spend: €€ Enjoy the warm, cocooning neutral shades in this certified Green Key former convent.

Spend more: €€€ Inspired by Empress Josephine Bonaparte, JoBo is filled with details drawn from her life.

6. Bastille and Eastern Paris

Best for dive bars, green spaces and local vibes

One of the city’s best watering holes and home to a diverse mix of solid accommodation options, this neighborhood is largely off the beaten path. It’s rather peaceful, retains more of a local feel and could be a good base for families, those who want to see another side of Paris or visitors with a limited budget. There’s also top-notch eating at ,  and plenty of cheaper options. Elsewhere, the Marché d'Aligre, centered on a beautiful square, is one of the best markets in Paris.

Further afield and to an extent isolated when it comes to transportation, the neighborhood has some wonderful green spaces, including the sprawling Bois de Vincennes and the Coulée Verte René-Dumont (better known as the Promenade Plantée), a leafy 4.5km (2.8-mile) raised walkway along a former train line.

Save: € This modern, lively hostel has a busy schedule of events, comfy bunks with privacy curtains and a rooftop deck.

Spend: €€ This renovated 23-room hotel, set in an early 1900s stone building, is in the bustling heart of Bastille.

Spend more: €€ This Philippe Starck–designed, 170-room hotel draws a younger, creative crowd to its off-grid location, formerly a parking garage.

7. The Islands

Best for a heart-of-Paris setting and the Seine

Few locations are more postcard worthy than this district in the middle of the Seine. The accommodations are all high end and limited in availability, so your stay won’t come cheap, but if you stay here, it would be best to spend your time in the peaceful surroundings by the river – leaving would be a waste. ÃŽle de la Cité has dazzling sights, including the 13th-century chapel Sainte-Chapelle and Notre Dame, which you should visit early before the crowds arrive. Meanwhile, ÃŽle St-Louis is lined with pretty cafes, bookshops, galleries and restaurants, plus has the famed ice cream.

Contemporary: €€€ The modern, art-filled hotel on the main street in Île St-Louis was a former royal tennis court.

Chic: €€€ Top-floor rooms with elegantly floral decor peep over rooftops and chimneys.

Apartment: €€€ These high-end vacation rentals are right on Place Dauphine, some with balconies and stupendous views.

8. Latin Quarter

Best for history, jazz and literary legacies

You won’t find many hidden gems in the Latin Quarter, which is well and truly a tourist hot spot, but it’s impossible not to be seduced by what is the most cinematic of neighborhoods in Paris. This is the Paris of Jean-Luc Godard, Ernest Hemingway, Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, and there’s a certain energy here, in part thanks to the students from the Sorbonne. Although accommodations are mostly on the pricier side, there’s an interesting mix of options and plenty of cheap eats (again thanks to the aforementioned students). Plus this is the perfect place for lovers of the arts to take in beautiful independent cinemas such as and , historic bookstores like  and throwback, 1920s-style jazz bars.

Charm: €€ This three-star hotel is hidden in a closed-off alleyway next to writer James Joyce’s former Latin Quarter abode.

Views: €€ The zany beamed rooms here have killer views of the ±Ê²¹²Ô³Ù³óé´Ç²Ô.

Urban:  â‚¬â‚¬ Set on a tranquil street, this hotel has bold colored rooms with a retro twist.

9. St-Germain des Prés and Les Invalides

Best for designer shopping and cafe life

More or less the quintessential fantasy of Paris, this chic district includes big-hitter sights like the Musée d’Orsay, Musée Rodin and Jardin du Luxembourg, along with some of the most celebrated examples of Parisian cafe culture, like . Accommodations are high end but, naturally, exquisite. Transportation links are excellent, so you can reach all corners of the city fairly easily, and the Seine is always just a brief stroll away. There are several lesser-known cultural centers set in ravishing buildings, too, such as and the . If you can afford it, this would make for an elegant romantic vacation.

Romantic: €€ Oscar Wilde lived out his last days at this historic, five-star hotel, with plush velvet rooms.

Cool: €€ This hip hotel is one of the coolest addresses in St-Germain des Prés.

Boutique: €€ This quirky hotel is decked out in a mix of floral wallpaper, bright cushions and leopard print throws.

10. Montparnasse and Southern Paris

Best for street art, architecture and Chinatown

Often overlooked by visitors, this wide-ranging neighborhood has fewer traditional sights – and is a bit far from the headline attractions – but it is a value-for-money base that shows a different side of Paris. Families or visitors who want a more tranquil stay should consider lodging here.

The cute Buttes aux Cailles area, which retains the intimate feel of a village, has a great selection of bars and restaurants. Tired of French food? Southeast of the district in Paris' 13th arrondissement, known for its impressive tower blocks and street murals, there are incredible options at Europe’s largest Chinatown, home to Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian communities. The more central Montparnasse area, which has some of the city’s best crêperies, including former David Lynch haunt , has several beautiful artists' studios, such as the Institut Giacometti and , and film director Agnès Varda’s former home.

Save: € This hostel, a 10-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower, has a good-time vibe and excellent facilities.

Spend: €€ One of the Left Bank’s most stunning boutique hotels is outfitted with designer chairs, 1950s lighting and vintage pieces.

Spend more:  €€€ This superstylish, artfully decorated gem feels like a home away from home on a very quiet street close to Parc Montsouris.