Montmartre & the Sacre-Coeur Basilica

This large hill in Pari’s 18th arrondissement may be overrun with visitors, but the village-like neighbourhood of Montmartre is also incredibly charming, with its cute houses, artists’ studios and steep stairways.

It’s known for its long artistic history – in the 18th and 19th centuries many artists lived and worked or had studios in Montmartre, leaving it a unique bohemian charm.

Its other claim to fame is the sugary-white domed church of Sacre-Coeur, built in 1914 – the interior is a feast of glittering neo-Byzantine mosaics. It crowns Paris’s highest hill and offers the best panoramic views of the city from atop its dome (open to visitors).

The main square – Place du Tertre – is horribly crowded with tourists and packed with pseudo-artists, but there are still authentic corners to be discovered in the side streets lower down the hill. For a more laid-back side of Montmartre, explore the cafés and shops along Rue des Abbesses, Rue Lepic and Rue des Trois-Frères.

Other attractions here include Montmartre Cemetery, the Montmartre Museum, and the Dalí Paris Museum.

It’s a go-to for all tourists and first-timers, but the area still has charm and a wonderfully bohemian air.