8. Nuit Blanche

The Buzz -- For this one night of the year in October, many public buildings not typically available at such hours remain open throughout the night. As a result, visitors prowl museums, gardens and monuments, noting their moonlit appearances and taking in a host of cultural events produced for the event. Exhibitions, performances, art installations and musical interludes provide points of interest for sleepless folks, and public transportation facilitates movement from place to place. Come morning, some districts even serve breakfast to diligent spectators who make it through the night.