No other city can match the allure of rooftop views, café-lined boulevards, and striking monuments that Paris has to offer. The French capital is at once a bastion of cutting-edge culture, classic art, and old-school romance—just a few of the reasons why it’s the best place to visit in 2017.
The 2015 attacks saw visitor numbers to the capital plummet, but the tide has finally turned with a 20 percent increase in arrivals in early 2017. Today, the city is bustling with local and international tourists. Redevelopment schemes are transforming traditional neighbourhoods, restaurants have never been more attractive and nightlife is booming.
If you are visiting Paris for the first time or want to experience a new side of it, now is the perfect time to visit.
For restaurants, bars, clubs and events, head to the eastern part of the city. The famous Le Petit Cambodge restaurant, which is recommended as a very good place for Asian cuisine in a great area, will please you with its hospitality and high-class service. Nearby is the Bataclan Theater, which has a new opening or artistic performance every week. During the day, it is worth enjoying coffee, for example, a cup of espresso at La Fontaine, where the establishment strives to maintain the atmosphere of a classic French cafe.
At night, life in the eastern part of Paris really comes alive. Be sure to stroll along the Canal Saint Martin with a bottle of wine. Attractive bars beckon along the Rue Oberkampf. Enjoy the sunset on the rooftop terrace of the Hotel Le Perchoir or head to La Bellevilleoise for the night, enjoying live jazz and the opportunity to get a tattoo to remember your unforgettable holiday in Paris.
The French capital's art scene remains unrivaled. Forget the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, because it's time to check out contemporary art. Paris's Palais de Tokyo has long been the most up-and-coming gallery. Most recently, performance artist Abraham Poincheval lived in a glass box for almost a month, hatching a bunch of chicken eggs using his body heat.
Head to the west of Paris to explore one of the city’s most contemporary art spaces, Frank Gehry’s Fondation Louis Vuitton at the Bois de Boulogne, where works by contemporary masters range from Rothko to Picasso. Alternatively, you’ll find exciting names at the open studio events in Belleville.
Paris nightlife is getting better every year. While clubs in many big cities are closing, in Paris they are given 24-hour licenses. Nowadays, nightclubs are open for non-stop partying.
Come to Paris in the summer to experience the eco-music festival We Love Green in June, Les Siestes Électroniques in July or Rock en Seine in August.
Paris is constantly reinventing itself. Mayor Anne Hidalgo is the driving force behind a number of ambitious regeneration projects across the city, including a plan to halve the number of roads open to cars over the next few years. The recently completed Parc Rives de Seine is a 7km waterfront promenade featuring floating gardens, games and the Berges de Seine café. It’s the perfect place to have a picnic on a warm day.
Paris has some of the best food in Europe. Few cities have retained their traditional food culture while simultaneously developing some of the most innovative restaurants in the world.
The capital of France today creates the best conditions for tourists to relax. The mass of interesting places, novelties and cultural and entertainment programs of Paris surprise and delight.
