At the very top: Sacré Coeur and Montmartre

For me, the white, Byzantine-style architecture is my favorite part of the Sacré Coeur, but the interior of the church, with its beautiful stained-glass, is worth a quick visit.  Entrance in to the basilica is free; its hours run from 6:00 am to 10:30 pm.  They charge 5 euros for an independent tour of the dome and the crypt (9:00 am to 5:45 pm) – only worth the money if you are into the history, because a view from the dome is just as good as standing in front of or on the church steps. I like Montmartre the best during the day because it’s the charm of the cobble-stoned streets and the artist-infested Place de Theatre that make this out-of-the-way quartier a must-do.  Amble around the Place de Theatre up the hill from the Sacré Coeur and let the good-natured artisans charm you into sitting for a portrait or buying a picturesque painting.  Explore the streets for an out of the way café and maybe invest in a few very Parisien souvenirs. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Paris (@paris__culture) When you’ve had your fill walk out of Place and down Rue Norvins, and make a left on Rue Lepic to pass by Les Deux Moulins café where Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain was filmed.  When you reach the bottom of the hill on Avenue Pigalle (Paris’ red-light district), Moulin Rouge – in all its glory – is to your right.  Breathe in the Bohemian days gone by before taking either Métro Pigalle (line 12) or Anvers (line 2) to your next destination! For more information on the Sacré Coeur and Montmartre, use this website. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙚, c’est moi (@salvofromtheblock)