To be honest, I really didn’t like Paris at first.

But to be fair, it was rainy, cold, windy, and my feet were already tired from navigating the subway after some delays. Just taking pictures of the Eiffel Tower ended up being a hassle while holding my umbrella, yet it was still so beautiful standing out against the gray and gloomy sky.

After getting a crepe because we were all starving, we headed to a boat tour down the Seine, which allowed us to stay warm and dry while also spotting famous landmarks such as Notre Dame and the Leuve.

Our tour guide, Aleide, was excellent and helped make the day so enjoyable! She led us to the famous shopping district, Avenue des Champs Elysées, where we took the wide variety of shops to our advantage and had a view of the Arc de Triomphe.

By the time we were finished shopping, the weather had not only cleared up, but warmed up. With my new shopping in hand, I was excited to hear we were heading to Montmartre, which I heard was beautiful.

And I was completely blown away by how beautiful it was. Set on a hill, it allows you to have an absolutely gorgeous view of the city, which was even better at the time of day we saw it. The city looked like it was glowing.

Every time I would climb a new set of stairs to the top, I would turn around, gasp, and immediately start snapping new pictures, as our tour guide assured us that the view would be better at the top and that we should keep walking. In all honesty, I could have sat there all day.

The beauty of the church at the top of the hill, the Basilica of Sacre Coeur, was pretty much the icing on the cake after the beautiful city I had just seen.

After touring the church, we headed to the square, the Place de Tetre, to look at the tourist shops and get a bite to eat.

We truly didn’t want to leave. I know there was a lot more of Paris to see, but I could have stayed and sat in a cafe in that square or looked out at the city for hours.

Paris, you didn’t impress me at first,  but after discovering your beauty, I’m so glad I got to see you.