Paris! For years, I fought the temptation to “love” Paris because – well – everyone loves Paris. This almost always equates to an overwhelming number of tourists, crowded streets, shops and museums, tourist traps, and pickpockets. This famous “City of Lights” or also known as the “City of Love” however, has slowly chipped away at my resistance over the years, and I am finally brave enough to admit that I, too, love Paris! Join me on my little journey.

Day 1: Paris – We took an overnight nonstop flight Chicago to Paris and actually landed an hour early! After checking in, we headed straight to the Louvre to enjoy wandering around just a bit on our own. We really wanted to find a painting I fell in love with in 2015 and finally tracked it down. It’s called the Martyr by Paul Delarouche. We also found two Caravaggios and of course had to say hello to the Mona Lisa.

Day 1: Part two – We took a walking food tour through Paris. This is one of the most fun ways you can experience a city. We got to taste eight different wines, sample breads, the tastiest most creamy butter, a variety of incredible cheeses, sausage, and a charcuterie board. In between stops, we explored churches, markets, shops, and historical sites. A special thank you to our host, the Chef, who shared his incredible knowledge with us and made the whole experience very personal

Day 1: Part three – Paris in a Vintage Car! What a special experience and great way to spend our first evening. We had the most fun experiencing the nighttime highlights of Paris with Dov, our patient, sweet driver guide. We were tired from jet lag, but this allowed us to stay up just a little longer to help adjust to the time change – while also giving us a fantastic overview of the highlights of Paris with all the beautiful night lights! This is an experience we highly recommend

And last but not least – our home for the week.

Stay tuned for more… For more information on our itineraries, feel free to email us at dtgainor@gmail.com or visit Global Getaways to learn more about who we are and how we work.