Paris pulls you in like no other city on Earth. Around 44 million visitors arrive each year. They come for the art, the food, the golden light on limestone, and the feeling that every street corner hides something beautiful. But here is the honest truth: most guides only scratch the surface.
This guide is different. It covers iconic sights, hidden neighborhoods, museums big and small, the best views, parks, food rituals, shopping, nightlife, rainy-day plans, and tips for families, couples, solo travelers, and budget-minded visitors alike. For an even deeper look at the city, check out this excellent Paris travel guide.
Iconic Sights Every First-Timer Should See
Paris is home to landmarks you have seen in movies, paintings, and postcards your entire life. Each one rewards a smarter approach — skip the longest lines, visit at the right hour, and know what is actually worth your time inside.
The Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 World Fair. Gustave Eiffel designed it as a temporary structure. Parisians hated it at first. Now it is the most recognized monument on the planet, standing 330 meters tall and welcoming roughly 7 million visitors each year.
The second floor sits at 116 meters with incredible views of the Seine and the rooftops. The summit takes you to 276 meters, where on a clear day you can see 70 kilometers out.
🎫 Eiffel Tower — Ticket Prices (2026)
Book tickets on the official site 60 days in advance. Slots sell fast, especially for the summit. If you cannot get tickets, walk up to the second floor — stair-access tickets are easier to grab.
After your visit, do what Parisians do. Grab wine, a baguette, and cheese. Spread a blanket on the Champ de Mars. Watch the tower sparkle every hour on the hour after sunset until 11:45 p.m.
Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées
Napoleon commissioned the Arc de Triomphe in 1806 to honor his armies. It was not finished until 1836. Today it stands at the center of twelve radiating avenues at the top of the Champs-Élysées.
Climbing the 284 steps to the rooftop terrace gives you one of the best panoramic views in Paris. You see the Eiffel Tower, La Défense, Sacré-Cœur, and the full sweep of boulevards below. At the base, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier honors the 1.3 million French soldiers who died in WWI. Adult admission is around €16. EU residents under 26 enter free.
Notre-Dame Cathedral and Île de la Cité
Notre-Dame reopened on December 7, 2024, after five years of painstaking restoration following the devastating fire of April 2019. Over 1,000 oak trees — each 150 to 200 years old — were sourced from French forests to rebuild the timber roof frame. The result is stunning.
Entry to the cathedral is free, but you need a timed reservation. The twin towers reopened in late 2025. Walk five minutes to Sainte-Chapelle — built in the 1240s, with over 1,100 stained-glass panels rising 15 meters high. Tickets about €13.
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Entry: Free (reservation required)
Tower climb: ~€10
Hours: 7:45am–7pm
Official Site →Sainte-Chapelle
Entry: ~€13
1,100+ stained-glass panels
Best at midday on sunny days
Official Site →The Louvre
The Louvre is the largest art museum in the world. It covers over 72,000 square meters and holds more than 380,000 objects. Trying to see everything in one day is a recipe for exhaustion. Instead, pick 10 to 20 must-see works.
🎨 Louvre Must-See Shortlist
Adult admission is ~€22. Closed on Tuesdays. Best times: Wednesday or Friday evenings (open until 9pm). Use the Carrousel du Louvre entrance for shorter lines. Free on the first Friday evening of each month (except Jul/Aug) and on Bastille Day. EU residents under 26 always enter free.
Musée d’Orsay
Housed in a gorgeous Beaux-Arts train station from 1900, the Musée d’Orsay holds the finest Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collection on Earth. Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Degas, Manet, Cézanne — they are all here.
Allow two to three hours. Closed on Mondays. Open until 9:45 p.m. on Thursdays — the quietest time. ~€16. Free for EU residents under 26 and for everyone on the first Sunday (Oct–Mar). Book Orsay tickets →
Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre
The Basilica of Sacré-Cœur sits at the highest point in Paris (130m above sea level). Come at sunset. Sit on the wide stone steps. Entry to the basilica is free. Dome climb costs about €7 for a 360° view.
Montmartre itself is the real prize. Wander cobblestone streets, skip the crowded Place du Tertre at peak hours, explore the vineyard on Rue des Saules, and find the “I Love You” wall in Square Jehan Rictus.
Seine River Cruise
A Seine cruise gives you a completely different view. Daytime for clear photos. Night for illuminated magic. Standard one-hour cruise: €16–€19. Dinner cruises: €80–€100. Most depart near the Eiffel Tower or Pont Neuf. Also an easy win with kids.
Opéra Garnier
Designed by Charles Garnier and opened in 1875, it inspired The Phantom of the Opera. The grand staircase, five-tier auditorium, and Marc Chagall ceiling are jaw-dropping. Self-guided tour ~€15. Visit Opéra de Paris →
Neighborhoods Worth Wandering
The best way to feel the real Paris is to pick a neighborhood and walk. No agenda, no rush. Just follow the streets, duck into cafés, and let the city unfold.
Le Marais
3rd & 4th Arr. · Medieval mansions, boutiques, Place des Vosges, LGBTQ+ scene, food markets.
Tap to read more ▼Saint-Germain-des-Prés
6th Arr. · Literary Paris. Hemingway, Sartre, de Beauvoir cafés. Bookshops, galleries.
Tap to read more ▼Latin Quarter
5th Arr. · Student energy, Rue Mouffetard, Shakespeare & Company, the Panthéon.
Tap to read more ▼Canal Saint-Martin
10th Arr. · Tree-lined canal, iron bridges, Amélie vibes, wine bars, vintage shops.
Tap to read more ▼Belleville
20th Arr. · Street art capital. Multicultural food scene. Panoramic park views.
Tap to read more ▼Batignolles
17th Arr. · Village feel. Saturday organic market. Independent bookshops. Quiet local life.
Tap to read more ▼Montparnasse
14th & 15th Arr. · 1920s art scene, classic brasseries, famous cemetery, best skyline view.
Tap to read more ▼Palais-Royal
1st Arr. · Photogenic arcades, Buren columns, secret gardens, perfumeries.
Tap to read more ▼Museums & Culture Beyond the Big Two
Paris has over 130 museums. Smaller ones often deliver the most memorable experiences — shorter lines, more intimate spaces, deeply focused collections.
Views & Panoramas: Best Lookout Points
Parks, Gardens & Outdoor Spaces
Paris maintains over 400 parks and gardens. Luxembourg Gardens (23 hectares, Left Bank) is the heart of park life — sail boats, puppet shows, Medici Fountain. Tuileries Garden links the Louvre to Place de la Concorde. Jardin des Plantes dates to 1626 with a zoo and botanical collections.
Parc des Buttes-Chaumont has dramatic cliffs, a lake, a waterfall, and a hilltop temple — locals love it, tourists rarely visit. Bois de Vincennes (995 hectares) is the largest park. Père Lachaise Cemetery holds Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Édith Piaf, and Chopin — free entry, deeply atmospheric.
📍 4 More Parks Worth Your Time (Click to Expand)
Bois de Boulogne — 845 hectares on the west side. Rowing lakes, Fondation Louis Vuitton, Jardin d’Acclimatation.
Coulée Verte / Promenade Plantée — Elevated walkway on an abandoned railway viaduct. Inspired New York’s High Line. Nearly 5 km from Bastille.
Canal Saint-Martin to Bassin de la Villette Walk — Start at République, follow the canal north. Iron bridges, hip bars, boat rentals.
Jardin des Plantes — One of the world’s oldest zoos plus botanical gardens and the Natural History Museum.
Food & Drink: Eat Like a Traveler
The Bakery Crawl
Start every morning at a boulangerie. Three items: a croissant (look for “beurre” — it should shatter when you bite it), a pain au chocolat, and a baguette tradition. Follow the locals — the best bakery usually has a line at 8 a.m.
Pastry Stops
Focus on three classics: éclairs, Paris-Brest (praline cream ring, invented 1910 for the Paris-to-Brest bicycle race), and mille-feuille (crispy puff pastry layers with cream).
Classic Brasserie Meal
Order steak frites, French onion soup, and escargots. Look for handwritten menus and packed local crowds. Avoid any restaurant near a tourist site that has photos on the menu.
✅ Paris Food Checklist — Track Your Progress!
More Food Essentials
Crêpes: Latin Quarter and Montparnasse have the most crêperies. Picnics: Baguette (€1.20) + cheese (€4) + saucisson + wine (€6 from a supermarket) = the best budget meal in Paris.
Food markets: Marché d’Aligre (Tue–Sun), Rue Cler (Tue–Sat), Bastille market (Thu/Sun). Covered passages: Galerie Vivienne and Passage des Panoramas. Wine bars: Natural wine in Oberkampf/Canal; classic in Saint-Germain. Hot chocolate: Angelina on Rue de Rivoli. Cooking classes: Learn to make croissants or macarons in 2-3 hour sessions.
Shopping & Browsing
Department Stores
Galeries Lafayette (Art Nouveau dome + free rooftop). Printemps (rooftop bar, Eiffel view).
Concept Stores
Merci in Le Marais — fashion, home goods, books, café. Proceeds to charity.
Vintage & Thrift
Le Marais + Canal area. Kilo Shop. Free’P’Star. Thanx God I’m a V.I.P.
Bookstores
Shakespeare & Company. Librairie Galignani (oldest English bookshop in Europe, 1801).
Perfume
Fragonard Museum (free). Niche: Diptyque, Byredo, Nose in Le Marais.
Flea Markets
Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen — since 1885. 2,000+ vendors. Go early Saturday.
Architecture & “Only in Paris” Walks
Experiences & Activities
Cabaret
Moulin Rouge / Crazy Horse. €90–200. Book weeks ahead.
Church Concerts
Sainte-Chapelle, La Madeleine. €15–45.
Cooking Class
Croissants, macarons, full meal. 2–3 hours.
Photo Session
Pro photographer at iconic spots. From €200.
History Walks
Revolution, WWII, food tours. €20–40.
Wine Tasting
Sommelier-led, 5+ wines. From €35.
Family-Friendly Paris
40 min by RER. Full day. Book online.
Bois de Boulogne. Rides, farm, puppets.
Bois de Vincennes. Modern, 3-4 hours.
Europe’s largest science museum. Ages 2–12.
Grande Galerie: animal procession. All ages.
Swings, slides, zipline + puppet shows.
1 hr. Kids love it. €16–19.
Near Trocadéro. Shark tunnels.
Romantic Paris for Couples
Solo Traveler Tips
Museum days — Orsay, Rodin, Carnavalet are perfect solo. Move at your pace.
Food tours & cooking classes — Easiest way to meet people.
Bookshop + café time — Shakespeare & Company then a sidewalk espresso.
Canal Saint-Martin evenings — Social bars, communal tables.
Guided walking tours — History, street art, food. Great for meeting people.
Day trips — Giverny (spring/summer) or Versailles year-round.
Budget-Friendly Paris
💲 Picnic for Two — Budget Breakdown
Free museum days: First Sunday of month (Oct–Mar) includes Orsay, Rodin, Picasso, Pompidou. Louvre free on first Friday evenings. EU residents under 26 always free.
Always free: Sacré-Cœur, Notre-Dame, Père Lachaise, Petit Palais, Musée Carnavalet, Galeries Lafayette rooftop, Trocadéro, all bridges at night.
Luxury & Special-Occasion Paris
1-star: €120–200. 2-3 star: €300–500. Book months ahead.
Charter for 2–6, champagne. €400–800.
Skip lines, private guide/car. €300–600/couple.
2–3 houses, private tastings. From €400.
Day Trips From Paris
Versailles
40 min RER C. Palace, gardens, Grand Trianon. Full day.
Giverny
75 min train. Monet’s gardens. Apr–Oct only.
Champagne (Reims)
45 min TGV. Underground cellars. Tastings.
Loire Valley
2 hrs south. Chambord + Chenonceau châteaux.
Rainy-Day Plan
Nightlife
🍸 Cocktail Bars
Le Marais & Oberkampf. Candelaria, Little Red Door. €14–18.
🎷 Jazz Clubs
Le Caveau de la Huchette (since 1946). Le Duc des Lombards. Free–€30.
🍷 Wine Bars
Le Verre Volé (Canal), Au Sauvignon (Saint-Germain). Late, by the glass.
🌙 Late-Night Seine Walk
Free. Illuminated landmarks. Pont Alexandre III, Louvre pyramid, Notre-Dame.
Practical Tips That Save Time & Money
Paris Museum Pass: 2-day €62 / 4-day €77 / 6-day €92. Covers 60+ museums with skip-the-line.
Métro: Single ticket ~€2.15. Navigo Easy card for digital loading. Lines 1 & 14 are driverless.
Tipping: Not required (service included). €1–2 for good service is appreciated.
Free water: Ask for “une carafe d’eau” at any restaurant.
Pickpockets: Active on Métro Line 1, around Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Cœur. Crossbody bag in front.
Restaurant hours: Lunch 12–2pm. Dinner from 7:30pm. Many close in between.
Sunday closures: Most shops closed except Le Marais.
Common Myths — Debunked
Month-by-Month Quick Glance
Cherry blossoms. Mild weather. Moderate crowds. Many travelers’ favorite season.
Warm, long days. Peak crowds and prices. Paris Plages beaches along the Seine.
Golden foliage. Crowds thin. Great for food and museums. Christmas markets from mid-Nov.
Magical holiday lights. Fewest tourists. Lowest prices. January “soldes” (sales).
Ready to plan your Paris trip?
Pack light, walk far, eat everything, and leave room for the unplanned moments.
Read the Full Paris Travel Guide → Explore Day Trips →Last updated February 2026. Prices and hours may change — verify on official websites before your visit.
