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Sally Kohn discovers layers of queerness in the City of Light.

Málaga, Barcelona, Paris, Antibes, Mougins—visiting all the places that shaped Picasso’s art and soul.

The Paris Opera is one of the City of Light’s most iconic sites. Now Airbnb is offering the chance to sleep inside the gilded palace that inspired Broadway’s longest-running musical.

Urban areas are emerging from the pandemic with big ideas and audacious goals.

Held in a private collection for more than 100 years, “Street Scene in Montmartre” will be displayed publicly for the first time.

A special exhibition of the post-impressionist painter’s work is on view at the Grand Palais des Champs-Élysées through January 2020.

As the world mourns for the Gothic cathedral in Paris, AFAR’s editors reflect on what the cathedral means to them.

After French traveler Laura Pandolfi was diagnosed with diabetes, she launched destination guides that help adventurers with the chronic condition stay healthy on the road.

Why not make your holiday shopping list an excuse for a trip? From a famous record shop to the hippest boutique in Iceland, our editors share the places they’d travel to for unique holiday gifts around the globe.

5 Cafes That Inspired the Literary World

A journey into the ethnic neighborhoods redefining the City of Light

Within the 18th arrondissement in Paris France, high atop the city, resides the wonderfully beautiful, hilly neighborhood of Montmartre. This diverse and eclectic section of the city can be a bit busy with tourists, but the views of Paris and the splendor of the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur are certainly worth it. Riding the funicular is rather novel, but not necessary if you’re willing to climb the 300+ steps to the summit. This is an area to be explored on foot, as is nearly all of Paris. The shops, theaters, and forever famous Moulin Rouge should not be missed. The streets are intimate, the shops unique, and the overall feel of this place speaks of a youthful, colorful Paris.

At the summit of Montmartre, the highest point in the city, you’ll find the Basilica de Sacré-Cœur. Contrasting with the Gothic churches like Notre-Dame, the Romano-Byzantine architecture is both beautiful inside and out. While outside, take in the panorama of Paris and while inside, marvel at the Apse Mosaic—one of the largest mosaics in the world. The Sacré-Cœur website has instructions on how to download the free audio guide on your phone before your visit which is recommended. Also, research the well-known (and apparently tried-and-true) scams before traveling to Paris. Overall, the city seems pretty free of tourist scams, but around Sacré-Cœur especially, visitors should be on alert.

Paris has the Sacré-Coeur, on top of Montmartre, for catch-your-breath views of the city. Zurich’s answer: the terrace at ETH Zurich. Also known as the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and where Einstein was an alum, it lords high above the city for prime views beyond to the lake, the Uetliberg, and the Alps. The bQm café and bar lets you pair that stellar view with a drink.

Step off the beaten path that leads to Jim Morrison’s grave at Père Lachaise and head instead to the lesser-known, yet extraordinary Montparnasse Cemetery. Locals bring metro tickets to leave on Serge Gainsbourg’s grave in honor of his song “Le Poinçonneur des Lilas (The Lilas Ticket Taker).” Nearby rest the poet Baudelaire and eternal lovers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. A married couple by the name of Pigeon share a tomb that is as surprising as their family name. Susan Sontag opted for a minimalist grave, while artist Niki de Saint Phalle chose a rainbow-colored mosaic cat for the grave of her assistant Ricardo. Brancusi’s The Kiss sculpture stands at the head of his grave. Stop at a guardian’s kiosk when you enter the tranquil space and ask for a map of the luminaries who have made this their eternal resting place.