Take in a cross-section of Paris’ past and present at Place de la Concorde. Within wandering distance from the hotel, the Place de la Concorde is one of the city’s busiest roadways and a monument to King Louis XV, boasting the iconic Luxor Obelisk, two grand fountains, and the dark distinction of having hosted the executions of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette by guillotine.

Stop and smell the roses at Jardin des Tuileries. Created as a royal park at the behest of Queen Catherine de’Medici of France, this splendid public space made its debut in 1564 and features a patchwork of picturesque gardens, sculptures, and manicured pathways that are perfect for strolling and people watching.

Take in a performance at Palais Garnier, a 1,979-seat opera house that was constructed between 1861 to 1875 for the Paris Opera at the bidding of Emperor Napoleon III and designed in the emperor’s eclectic titular style, which is epitomized by a blend of Baroque and Renaissance architectural elements.

Embrace a sense of adventure and engage in the French art of aimless wandering, called “flânerie.” With its roots in 19th-century Paris, this Enlightenment-era practice allows the “flâneur” or “flaneuse” to observe and experience a place as its ebbs and flows.