All of Paris is made for walking, but perhaps no district more so than the Marais, with its village-like charm. The tightly packed streets of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements manage to roll centuries of history into one area. A stroll from the Place de la République down to the Seine reveals medieval timbered houses, countless gardens hidden through passageways, sumptuous 18th-century hôtels particuliers, and the startling inside-out architecture of Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers’s Centre Pompidou. The designer boutiques, concept stores, and contemporary art galleries could not be further from the boggy marshland that used to fill this stretch of the Seine and which gave the district its name. Located in the heart of the city, it has the highest concentration of galleries of any district in Paris, making it the perfect base for an art-filled weekend. Here’s Art Basel’s guide to eating, drinking, and wandering like a true flâneur in the Marais.

There’s no perfect itinerary for the Marais. Think of it as a hundred-piece jigsaw, where almost every piece is likely to have at least one art-related spot. You could enter from any direction and come across a gallery, but walking down the north-south axis of the Rue de Turenne is an excellent starting point. Emmanuel Perrotin opened an outpost of his mega-gallery in an 18th-century mansion with a graceful double staircase in 2005; he’s since added a bookstore, where you can buy limited-edition prints, design accessories, and art books. Only a few steps away are the renowned galleries Thaddaeus Ropac and Almine Rech, which show major artists including Sylvie Fleury and Jeff Koons.

At the southern end of the Rue de Turenne is the Place des Vosges, the oldest planned square in Paris and the Marais’ preeminent picnic spot. Victor Hugo and Colette are two famous former residents, and you can visit Hugo’s house and experience its dizzyingly opulent decor yourself. If the sun is shining, the nearby bakery Land&Monkeys does excellent vegan versions of classic French pastries and sandwiches, or you can pick up a round of cheese from the prize-winning Laurent Dubois cheesemonger and have a picnic in the park at the heart of the square’s surrounding arcades. If you have a (much) bigger budget, go to three-Michelin-starred L’Ambroisie: Known for its celebrity clientele, it’s tucked discreetly into the corner of the square, just steps from an often-overlooked passageway to the Hôtel de Sully’s quiet ornamental gardens. It’s also where chef Baptiste Day honed his craft before opening Capitaine, a few minutes’ walk away and an unpretentious spot for a market-fresh and inventive bistro meal.

On your way along Rue Saint-Antoine, the main thoroughfare south of the Place des Vosges, step into the Saint-Paul Saint-Louis church, with its striking blue and yellow sun-design clockface, to see a little-known treasure – to the left of the altar is Eugène Delacroix’s Christ in the Garden of Olives (1824).

Two museums worth visiting in the Marais are the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) and the Musée Picasso, both housed in elegant hôtels particuliers. MEP calls itself a “home for photography”, and its intimate gallery rooms do make you feel like you are browsing the work of emerging and established artists within a private residence. The Musée Picasso is in the grand 17th-century Hôtel Salé, an ornate mansion that was bought by the City of Paris in 1962 and classed as a historical monument six years later. After visiting the exhibition, pause for a coffee on the rooftop terrace and savor the view of Paris’s familiar zinc rooftops.

Between those two museums lies the Rue des Rosiers, the heart of the Jewish quarter. It’s the perfect place to pick up a falafel wrap at the undisputed sandwich king L’As du Fallafel or a gravlax bagel or thick slice of Sacher torte at the canary yellow-fronted Sacha Finkelsztajn bakery. The Marais is dotted with hidden urban gardens, three of which are just around the corner: the Jardin des Rosiers Joseph Migneret; the café-terrace behind La Mouette Rieuse, a combined bookstore, gallery, and concept store; and the peaceful garden of the Swedish Institute, which offers a vibrant program of cultural events and free exhibitions of well-known Swedish artists, as well as a standout cardamom bun in its café, Fika.

With its exposed pipework in bold primary colors, the Centre Pompidou has long stood out against the historic architecture of the Marais, serving as a symbol of radical creativity at the district’s core – and its five-year closure for renovation leaves a noticeable gap in the city’s cultural landscape. But visitors don’t have to go far to find contemporary art: the Rue Chapon is an unassuming street a few blocks north that has a gallery every few steps. Galerie Anne-Sarah Bénichou, H Gallery, Double V, and Valerie Delaunay are highlights. On the same street is Coffee Specialty Coffee, a cozy coffee shop run by Brazilian expats with a focus on small-scale producers from back home. Another popular spot for a pick-me-up is Partisan on Rue de Turbigo, an ultra-trendy, industrial-style space that’s frequented by the chic fashion week crowd. It’s often busy, and maybe seems a bit pretentious, but they’re serious about their coffee here, allowing customers to select between Italian or new wave roast.

For shopping, the Marais is full of vintage stores, called friperies, as well as designer and artisanal goods. Down the quaint and colorful alleyway of Passage de l’Ancre is La Mécanique du Pull, an ethical label producing eco-friendly knitwear made entirely from recycled materials. A few streets away, Empreintes is the perfect place to find something unique if you’re in the mood to splurge. Run by a trade union for artisans based in France, it has rotating exhibitions that spotlight makers working across different media, from ceramics to textiles to lacquer, while the shop floor has a wide selection of handmade objects including sculptural jigsaw puzzles and refined ceramics.

For dinner, it’s well worth booking a reservation at Parcelles, a French bistro with understated, old-fashioned glamor. On the ever-changing menu you might find a delicate fish tartare with grapefruit and leeks, confit lamb shoulder, and a tonka bean-infused crème brûlée. Prices are on the high side, but the service is impeccable. Finish your evening with a nightcap in one of the bustling bars in the north Marais, like Candelaria, a low-lit, Mexico-inspired speakeasy hidden behind a taqueria. If wine is more your thing, Le Barav’s warm, convivial atmosphere and extensive selection make it a neighborhood favorite.