Castex Hotel

Main attractions: Spanning the 3rd and 4th arrondissements, from Châtelet to the Place de la Bastille, and from République to the Seine, the Marais is one of Paris’ most popular and desirable neighborhoods for locals and tourists alike, a vibrant, fashionable hub that combines history, culture, nightlife and shopping in equal measure.

But it’s also one of the city’s oldest, most historic districts, home to the Hôtel-de-Ville; the Place des Vosges, the city’s oldest square; and the Marché des Enfants Rouges, its oldest covered food market. Many of the area’s majestic 17th-century mansions now house museums including the Musée Picasso and Musée Carnavalet (currently closed for renovation until 2019), a free museum dedicated to the city’s history.

Neighborhood atmosphere: Home to the city's historic Jewish quarter and the epicenter of gay Parisian life, the Marais is the neighborhood of choice for designers, artists, filmmakers and other creative types. Charming narrow medieval streets make it a stroller's paradise; cool design and fashion boutiques make it a prime shopping destination.

In recent years as the neighborhood has gone from artsy to upscale and many of its independent boutiques have given way to major brands, the hip crowd has migrated to the Haut Marais, where you can find chic concept stores like Merci, and gluten-free hangouts like Café Pinson alongside scores of independent galleries.

Affordability: Despite now being home to some of the city’s most expensive real estate, it’s still possible to find a number of reasonably priced hotels tucked away on quiet side streets. A few of our favorites include Hotel Paris France, Hotel de Nice, and Hotel Jeanne D'Arc. And while the cost of shopping and eating out in the area is high, the area is also full of casual cafés where you can grab an inexpensive bite. The neighborhood is home to some of the city’s best and most affordable street food on the rue des Rosiers, lined with Eastern European Jewish delis and the perennially popular L’As Falafel.

Stay Here If: You enjoy exploring the city on foot want to be nestled in the beating heart of fashionable Paris with all the history, culture, shopping and people-watching you could ask for in a single neighborhood, plus easy access to the rest of the city.

Don’t Stay Here If: You don’t like crowds (especially on weekends and particularly on Sundays when closures in other parts of Paris send locals and tourists flocking to the neighborhood, which closes several main arteries to traffic and is thronged with pedestrians).