PARIS , France ( CNN ) -- Truly appreciating the beauty of Paris is a pleasure that ca n't be hurried . Stop , breathe , appreciate and perhaps kiss in the romantic city of Paris . Take time to wander down its wide boulevards , savour every sip of strong , black coffee and resist the temptation to fall into step with the throng of tourists and sightseers . Our advice to anyone who finds themselves with 24 hours to spare in the French capital is to stop , breathe , appreciate and indulge . Start the day with a walk down the Champs-Élysées . For some , it retains the title of the world 's most beautiful avenue . For others , the road 's historical charm has been blighted by the arrival of global brands , traffic and tourists . Sunrise offers the history without the hurry . Take a leisurely stroll down its expansive pavements and look up for impressive architecture without fear of bumping into shoppers . Treat yourself to breakfast at one of Paris ' oldest tea salons . Ladurée was founded as a family business in 1862 and now appears in luxurious locales in London , Monaco , Switzerland and Japan . The original , Ladurée Royale on Rue Royale , does n't open until 8:30am ( and later on Sundays ) , so for early morning pastries drop into the Champs-Elysees store which opens at 7:30am every day . The queues at Paris ' most famous art gallery , the Louvre , are notorious so impatient visitors are advised to go to the Musée de l'Orangerie , set in the historic Jardin des Tuileries . You wo n't see the Mona Lisa , but the gallery does boast a collection of Claude Monet 's Water Lilies . The queues are shorter the earlier you go and to really beat the crowds pre-book your time slot online . Head north to have your own images sketched by street artists in Montmartre , a former stomping ground for famous names including Salvador Dali , Claude Monet , Pablo Picasso and Vincent van Gogh . Drop into the Basilique du Sacré Coeur to pray , light a candle or simply enjoy the spectacular views over Paris . From there , visit Rue Lepic where you will find Café des Deux Moulins , where actress Audrey Tautou waited tables in the 2001 film `` Amélie . '' Note that when you ask for a coffee in France , you 'll automatically receive a black espresso . If you 'd like something bigger and milkier , ask for a café au lait ( already popular elsewhere ) or café Americain ( filter coffee ) with milk ( lait ) . Further down Rue Lepic you 'll find Au Virage Lepic , a quaint bistro dripping in traditional Parisian atmosphere . It 's usually crowded with locals so book in advance . Getting around is easy in Paris . Take a bus or the Metro or join the legion of cyclists on hugely popular Vélib rental bikes . Pick up your own bike at one of the service points scattered around the city . You 'll need a credit card to register for a one-day subscription , or to speed up the process pre-book a one-day ticket online . It 'll cost you one euro and the first 30 minutes of every journey for the next 24 hours is free . After than , any additional time will be charged to your credit card until you return the bike to any stand in the city . In the afternoon , walk -- or cycle -- down Boulevard Saint-Germain on the historic Left Bank . Discover your inner intellectual over a coffee or dinner at Les Deux Magots , a former meeting place for Paris ' great literary minds including Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre . From Boulevard Saint-Germain , walk down Rue Saint-Sulpice , past Saint-Sulpice , a striking church founded in the 1646 and brought to a new audience as one of the buildings featured in Dan Brown 's best-selling novel ( and subsequent film ) `` The Da Vinci Code . '' Wander further on to Rue de Sèvres where you can batter your credit card with some upmarket shopping at Le Bon Marché and La Grand Epicerie . In the evening , soak up some Parisian chic at the De La Ville Café on Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle , or indulge in the opulence of Hotel Costes on Rue Saint-Honore . Both serve food and close at 2am . Treat yourself to a glass of champagne and start planning your next sojourn in Paris !
It 's difficult to truly appreciate Paris with an eye on your surroundings , so slow down ! Walk through its historic streets , still popular with artists and intellectuals . Treat yourself to breakfast at breakfast , end the day with lunch .