Blog — Destination Dreamer Diaries

13 Best Views of Paris You Can't Miss: A Local’s Guide

Looking for the best views of Paris? Whether it be for the Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Cœur, or 360 degree views of Paris – as a local, I’ve got you covered.

Europe, FranceStephanie SafdieJuly 25, 2026views of paris, best views of paris, views of the eiffel tower, views of the sacre couer, views of the louvre, views of notre dame, things to do in paris

Nice vs. Cannes: Which French Riviera City Is Better?

Planning a trip this summer to the French Riviera but can’t decide between Nice and Cannes? I’m going to provide a full breakdown of Nice vs. Cannes to help decide which vacation is better for you.

Europe, FranceStephanie SafdieJuly 18, 2026nice, cannes, cannes from nice, cannes film festival, day trip to cannes, should i go to nice or cannes, french riviera, French Rivera

Paris vs. Rome: Which City Is Better?

Paris vs. Rome – two of the most popular European captials – but is one city really better than the other? Read more for a full breakdown from someone who has spent time in both Rome and Paris.

Europe, France, ItalyStephanie SafdieJuly 5, 2026paris or rome, paris vs rome, which is better paris or rome, should i go to paris or rome

How to Survive a Heatwave in Paris: My Local Tips for Staying Cool

If you’re planning on visiting Paris during a heatwave, a little extra planning to stay cool and safe will be involved – but don’t worry. I’m sharing all my local tips on how locals survive a heatwave in Paris.

Europe, FranceStephanie SafdieJune 25, 2026visiting paris during a heatwave, paris heatwave, heatwave in paris, travel during a heatwave, how to survive a heatwave

15 Best Rooftop Bars in Paris You’ll Actually Want to Visit in 2026

Looking for the best rooftop bars in Paris? Read more to discover the most beautiful rooftop bars in the City of Lights from a local’s point of view.

Europe, FranceStephanie SafdieJune 14, 2026paris, views of paris, best rooftop bars, best rooftop bars in paris, paris local advice, paris summer

Paris vs. Barcelona: Which City Is Better?

Paris vs. Barcelona – they’re both popular cities in Europe, but are they really similar? Read more for a full breakdown from someone who has spent time in both Barcelona and Paris.

Europe, France, SpainStephanie SafdieMay 9, 2026paris or barcelona, paris vs barcelona, what is paris like, what is barcelona like, where should i study abroad, barcelona, paris

10 Best Day Trips from Paris by Train (From a Local's Perspective)

Looking for the best day trips from Paris by train? Read more to discover everything you need to know about taking day trips to places like Versailles, Chantilly, and more.

Europe, FranceStephanie SafdieApril 20, 2026day trip from paris, best day trip from paris, day trips from paris, villages near paris, places to visit near paris

Your Guide to A Day Trip to Giverny: Is It Worth It?

Discover everything you need to know before taking a day trip to Giverny from Paris, such as how to get there, the best things to do in Giverny, and how much things cost.

France, EuropeStephanie SafdieApril 6, 2026giverny, day trip to giverny, day trips from paris, day trip to giverny from paris, claude monet, monet's house, monet's gardens, france water lily pond, water lily pond, france, day trips in france

Top 10 Most Underrated Places to Visit in France

Wondering what the most underrated places in France are? As someone who has lived in France for years, I’m going to share what I believe to be the most underrated cities in France.

Europe, FranceStephanie SafdieFebruary 28, 2026france, living in france as an american, living in france, underrated places in france, places in france besides paris, places in france to visit that aren't paris, avignon, arles, dijon, mont saint michel, aix en provence, annecy, bedoin, menton

Your Guide to a First Trip to Paris: A Local-Approved 5-Day Itinerary

Trying to plan the best first trip to Paris? As an expat who has lived in Paris for many years, read my guide for my local-tailored 5 day itinerary to make the most of your first trip to the City of Lights!

France, EuropeStephanie SafdieJanuary 24, 2026first trip to paris, paris first trip, things to do in paris, what to do in paris, guide to paris, first time going to paris, local tips paris

London vs. Paris: Which City Is Better?

London vs. Paris – they’re both major European cities, but are Paris and London really that similar? Read more for a full breakdown from someone who knows both Paris and London well.

France, United KingdomStephanie SafdieJanuary 6, 2026london vs paris, paris or london, london or paris, should i visit london or paris, paris vs london, living in london, living in paris

Emily in Paris Filming Locations: Every Season’s Must See Spots

Looking for the places Emily in Paris filmed in Paris? As a local Parisian, discover my Emily in Paris filming locations guide with over 50 locations in Paris – visited in person to confirm these are the right filming spots from the popular Netflix series!

Europe, FranceStephanie SafdieDecember 21, 2025emily in paris, emily in paris filming locations, emily in paris filming locations season 1, emily in paris filming locations season 2, emily in paris filming locations season 3, emily in paris filming locations season 4, emily in paris filming locations season 5, season 5 emily in paris filming locations, emily in paris really filmed in pris, emiy in paris really filmed in paris

Emily in Paris Stereotypes: True or False?

Emily in Paris is a beloved Netflix show, perfect for escapism and enjoying Paris from afar – but how accurate is the show? As someone living in Paris, I’m breaking down the stereotypes: distinguishing what’s real and what’s fake in Emily in Paris.

France, EuropeStephanie SafdieDecember 14, 2025emily in paris, life in paris, what is living in paris like, emily in paris stereotypes, emily cooper, emily in paris true or false, is emily in paris real, what in emily in paris is true, emily in paris french stereotypes, french stereotypes true or false

15 Best Things to Do in Paris During Christmas

Looking for the best things to do in Paris during Christmas? Here’s my local advice on my favorite things to do in Paris in December!

Europe, FranceStephanie SafdieDecember 4, 2025paris, paris during christmas, things to do in paris during christmas, things to do in paris, paris christmas, paris christmas tree, paris christmas things to do, visiting paris in december, visiting paris during christmas

The Summer I Turned Pretty: All Paris Filming Locations

Your ultimate guide to all of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” filming locations in Paris – see where Belly lived and worked in Paris, and all of the places where Belly and Conrad discovered Paris together.

France, EuropeStephanie SafdieNovember 2, 2025tsitp, the summer i turned pretty, the summer i turned pretty filming locations paris, the summer i turned pretty paris, tsitp paris locations, tsitp paris, paris filming locations, belly and conrad paris

The 25 Best Vegan Places in Paris: Restaurants, Bakeries, & Cafés

Looking for the best vegan places in Paris? As a vegan of almost 10 years living in Paris, I’m sharing my favorite vegan restaurants, bakeries, and cafés!

France, EuropeStephanie SafdieOctober 26, 2025vegan food, vegan places in paris, vegan in paris, vegan food in paris, best vegan places in paris, best vegan paris

10 Prettiest & Most Charming Streets in Paris

Looking for the prettiest streets in Paris to take photos? Read more for my local advice on the prettiest and most charming streets in Paris – including the best time to visit and what to see in do on or nearby each street.

France, EuropeStephanie SafdieSeptember 29, 2025prettiest streets in paris, best photo spots paris, best streets paris, paris pretty streets, charming streets paris, most charming streets paris, places to take photos in paris

A Day Trip to Cannes: Is It Worth Visiting?

Wondering if a day tip to Cannes is worth it, or if Cannes itself has too much hype? Read more on what I thought on Cannes, the iconic and glamorous town in the French Riviera – and if I’d go again.

France, EuropeStephanie SafdieSeptember 23, 2025la croisette, cannes, cannes film festival, French Rivera, Côte d'Azur, beaches in france, day trip to cannes, cannes from nice, nice to cannes