The 18th arrondissement of Paris is located on the rive droite of the Seine and is well known because of the Montmartre hill, an ancient municipality that used to be separated from the city until 1860.

WHAT TO SEE

The Montmartre hill is the highest place of the city, full of houses and with the beautiful Basilique du Sacré Coeur right at the top. A walk along Montmartre is a pleasant immersion in an elegant and intimate part of Paris, full of historical and cultural spots and…crowded of tourists!

The beautiful Place du Tertre is still today a place where many artists meet and paint portraits of tourists. The main attraction of this area is the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, completed in 1914 and famous for its shiny marbles and its 80 metre tall central dome. The latter is accessible and let you admire a wonderful and complete view of the city.

However, Montmartre has also been the core of Paris bohemian life in the 20th century, with well known clubs like Le Chat Noir and the famous Moulin Rouge, located in Pigalle, the former red light district, at a stone’s throw from Montmartre.

In the Montmartre cemetery there are the tombs of many high-profile personalities and several sculptures and statues, some of which are macabre, but still fascinating.

Worthy of a careful visit is the Espace Dali in rue Poulbot, a small collection of the surrealist artist, enriched with replications of the most famous artworks.

CURIOSITIES

Also in Montmartre you can find unusual spots where tourists generally don’t go. For instance, very suggestive is the Indian temple Sri Manika Vinayakar Alayam, devoted to the god elephant Ganesh, or the cemetery of the Calvary of rue Mont-Cenis, open only on November 1st. Also, don’t forget to walk along avenue Junot, one of the most fascinating spots of Montmartre. Very suggestive is the view of the Sacre Coeur from Place Dalida.

UNDERGROUND: Line 2 – 4 – 12; Funicolare di Montmartre.