How To Slow Down And Take In Paris

It’s time to take a deep breath and relax.

If you take New York City and put her in dazzling haute couture, you’ll get Paris. She’s fabulous and gleaming, but still cannot escape the hustle and bustle of any booming metropolis. If your little escape trip to Paris is feeling more packed metro vibes than luxurious weekend brunch, here are five things to do in Paris to relax, recuperate, and really take Paris in.

Take a break from spilling the tea to sip some tea. Paris is home to beautiful tea houses perfect for calming the soul. Plus, if you can’t quite bring yourself to fully escape from the modern world, they’re all equally Instagrammable.

Seek out an engulfing and perhaps ~steamy~ new read at a local Parisian bookshop and plop yourself on a bench in Parc Monceau. Not only will you be able to soak in the gorgeous scenery, but you might actually read the book before it becomes a Netflix series. For some less traveled, ~uber~ relaxing park options, click here.

This might be a no-brainer, but any vacation could use a spa day, and well, Paris offers some of the best places to unwind while simultaneously being wound in seaweed.

Buy that expensive bottle of wine you’d never purchase on the mere principle that $10 bottles get the job done too, and pop. that. cork. Take it back to your hotel or on a picnic with your boo on the ile St. Louis (make sure you find the picnicking side and not the nude-sunbathing side) and just relish in the top-tier tannins. Check out a wine blog or this wine guide for your perfect pairing!

Rent a bike and embrace the cobblestone streets less traveled (or not, with half the city transformed to bike lanes in the last two years). Paris can go by in a flash from the backseat of a taxi and don’t get me started on the ~pleasant~ views of those grey metro walls. If you’re really looking to go at your own pace (and tone those legs– it’s vacation, not a cheat day), a couple bikes for a couple hours will do the trick.