The City of Lights arguably puts on its most dazzling show in the winter, when candlelit cafes and spotlit monuments glow into the long night. (Just try not to swoon when the Eiffel Tower puts on its shimmer effect.) Crowds swell around the Christmas and New Year’s window, though they ease off from January onward.

Take advantage of the thinned-out post-holiday crowds to hit up the Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, and Centre Pompidou. This could be your chance to see the Mona Lisa up close, instead of through a sea of people hoisting cell phones.

Holiday markets are too many to count in Paris, but the Tuileries Gardens’ Magic of Christmas might be the most popular. If that market is mobbed, head to Montmartre or the one near Notre-Dame, which are a bit more relaxed.

The Eiffel Tower is on every Paris itinerary, but the winter brings an extra bucket-list opportunity: ice skating on the rink next door through early February.

Hot days. Warm nights. And a kir at a sidewalk cafe. This is the season of the flaneur in Paris, whether you want to pass long lazy days watching the streetlife, or join the countless activities in town. Prepare yourself, though: Crowds this time of year can be intense, especially at top attractions.

Dry, clear skies and long days make summer the time to soak up Paris’ unmatched scenery. Walk the Seine, stroll the St. Martin Canal, or pack a baguette-and-cheese-filled picnic basket and head to one of the city’s gorgeous parks (Trocadéro Gardens, next to the Eiffel Tower, is an obvious choice).

The Tour de France storms through the country in July and reaches its Champs-Élysées finish line to the tune of thousands of screaming fans. Line up with them for the thrill of cyclists whooshing past.

Summer means festival season is here. From the massive Rock en Seine music fest to the Paris l’Éte Festival—where music, art, and theater performances (usually free!) take over squares and parks—the city is buzzing all summer long.

Despite a chill in the air and steel-gray skies, the City of Lights hardly dims in the fall. In fact, the city’s cultural calendar heats up as locals return from their summer vacations. Another good reason to consider booking now? Hotel rates start to drop a bit this time of year.

Nuit Blanche is one of the most popular art events in the city. Exhibitions and performances take place from dusk until dawn in venues and public spaces all around Paris. Even better, they’re all free.

Warm up the Parisian way, with a rich chocolate chaud. Countless quaint cafes sling this sweet treat, but iconic Angelina Paris, historic Café de Flore, and more experimental Jean-Paul Hévin top the must-drink list.

The Paris Catacombs draw curious visitors year-round, but the run-up to Halloween is the perfect time of year to tour one of Paris’ spookiest corners, bones and all.