The Louvre

If you’re a fan of art in all its forms, the Louvre is an experience you don’t want to miss while in Paris. It’s easily one of the best art galleries I’ve ever been to and earns its fame.

Winged Victory of Samothrace © Nikmd | Dreamstime

I feel like there should be a warning in place for visitors: You can’t get through the Louvre in a day. In fact, each wing could take a full day to explore. In addition, the line to get in is excessively long, so don’t be surprised if you lose an hour or two simply waiting. Go early or purchase tickets that allow you to skip the line.

The Mona Lisa, to be honest, was a little bit of a letdown. The painting was magnificent, certainly, but the crowd was horrible. It takes a ton of patience and persistence to get to the front of the group, and even then you’re a good 10 feet away from the actual piece.

Virgin of the Rocks by Leonardo da Vinci © Connie Ma | Flickr

The Virgin of the Rocks is another great piece of art, but also has some pretty hefty crowds surrounding it. My advice is to focus on the smaller, lesser-known pieces that might not be as famous but are as equally well crafted.

They have a café inside the museum in which to dine, since leaving isn’t really a viable option if you want to see as much as possible. The prices are steep, but the food was good.

© Andersastphoto | Dreamstime

Closing times were listed as 7 p.m., but we were there until 8:30 so I’m not sure how strict they are. If you’re a lover of art, take my advice and give yourself at least two days to wander the halls here.