Hidden Gem N°8: El Pueblo De Los Angeles

Who said Los Angeles had no History? The city of Angels keeps well hidden from French tourists its oldest section: El Pueblo de Los Angeles. It was, in fact, the center of L.A. before the United States took over California.

You can find there a well-preserved adobe house. Built in 1818, it’s now the oldest residence in Los Angeles. There’s also a church, a street and a few painted walls representing Virgin Mary. On the photo above, you will notice the many flower bouquets lying against the wall. They form a great symbol of the strong worship present in Los Angeles.

Though it is often packed with tourists, El Pueblo de Los Angeles allows you to get a taste of the hispanic heritage of the city. Great mexican food, mariachi singing in spanish and typical architecture make you feel like you are already in Mexico.

Hidden Gem N°9: Griffith Observatory

Built on Mount Hollywood, Griffith Observatory is the ideal place to get a panoramic view of Los Angeles. There, you can see everything from the snowy mountains to the skyscrapers of downtown L.A. Griffith Observatory is located in Griffith Park, in the Northwest part of Los Angeles.

Apart from being an excellent place to take photos of Los Angeles, Griffith Observatory is also a museum dedicated to astronomy. You can learn a lot about the Earth and the Solar System through entertaining exhibits. Another good point is that the museum is mostly free! If you are interested in sciences, you will like the big Foucault pendulum. It demonstrates the rotation of the Earth.

I recommend tourists to go to the Observatory on the first day of their visit to Los Angeles, preferably on a clear and sunny day.