Best Things to Do in Paris: 30 Must-See Attractions, Tours & Experiences
Best Things to Do in Paris at a Glance If you’re visiting Paris for the first time, these are the experiences I’d prioritize: Experience Best For Recommended Time Eiffel Tower First-time visitors 2–3 hours Louvre Museum Art & history 3–4 hours Seine River Cruise Couples & sightseeing 1–2 hours Montmartre Art & atmosphere 2–4 hours Notre-Dame Architecture & history 1–2 hours Arc de Triomphe City views 1 hour Champs-Élysées Shopping & sightseeing 1–2 hours Sainte-Chapelle Architecture 1 hour Versailles Royal history Half/full day Musée d’Orsay Art lovers 2–3 hours Latin Quarter Food & walking 2–3 hours Paris food tour Foodies 2–4 hours My advice: Don’t try to visit every attraction on your first trip. Paris is a city where wandering, eating and sitting at a café can be just as memorable as checking landmarks off a list. Why Paris Is Worth Visiting Paris is one of the world’s great city-break destinations for a reason. You can see internationally famous monuments in the morning, explore centuries-old streets in the afternoon, visit a world-class museum and finish the evening with French food beside the Seine. The city’s classic sights include the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Champs-Élysées, Montmartre and the Seine. Paris’s official tourism organization recommends these among the city’s essential experiences for short visits. (Paris Je t’aime – Office de Tourisme) But Paris isn’t only about famous landmarks. It’s also about neighbourhoods. It’s about cafés, bakeries, markets, gardens, architecture, museums and the simple pleasure of walking through a beautiful street without knowing exactly where you’re going. That makes Paris especially suitable for both first-time visitors and repeat travellers. 1. Visit the Eiffel Tower Best for: First-time visitors, couples, photographers Let’s start with the obvious one. The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris and one of the first places most visitors want to see. And yes — even though it’s incredibly touristy, I still think it’s worth visiting at least once. The official Eiffel Tower site currently lists access to the second floor and summit by elevator, with some visits also available by stairs. Opening hours and access conditions can change, including because of weather or crowd levels, so check the official calendar before travelling. (La tour Eiffel) What can you do at the Eiffel Tower? You can: Is the Eiffel Tower worth going up? Yes, especially on your first visit. However, if you’re more interested in photographing the tower than seeing Paris from above, you may prefer viewing it from places such as Trocadéro. Best Eiffel Tower tip Don’t assume that standing underneath it is enough. If you want to go up, plan ahead. The official site notes that summit access can be restricted in severe weather or during peak periods. (La tour Eiffel) Affiliate opportunity: Eiffel Tower guided tours, summit experiences and city sightseeing combinations. 2. Explore the Louvre Museum Best for: Art lovers, history lovers, first-time visitors The Louvre is enormous. That’s both its greatest strength and its biggest problem. You cannot realistically see everything in one visit. The official Louvre currently recommends booking a time slot, and the museum is closed on Tuesdays. Current opening hours and admission rules should be checked before visiting because they can change. (Le Louvre) What should you see? For a first visit, consider prioritizing: How long should you spend? I’d allow at least 3 hours. If you love museums, you could easily spend half a day or longer. Should you take a guided Louvre tour? For first-time visitors, I think a good guided tour can be worthwhile because the museum is so large. A guide can help you avoid spending your entire visit trying to find individual famous works. Affiliate opportunity: Louvre guided tours, skip-the-line-style experiences where legitimately offered, and museum-focused experiences. 3. Take a Seine River Cruise Best for: Couples, families, first-time visitors A Seine cruise is one of the easiest ways to see several Paris landmarks without walking between all of them. Depending on the route, you can see sights around the river including: Paris’s official tourism site specifically recommends taking a river boat after visiting the Eiffel Tower as part of a classic Paris sightseeing route. (Paris Je t’aime – Office de Tourisme) Why take a Seine cruise? Because your feet get a break. Paris sightseeing involves a lot of walking, so a cruise is a good way to slow down. Best time Evening is particularly attractive for couples and photographers. Some experiences combine the cruise with dinner or other sightseeing. Affiliate opportunity: Seine sightseeing cruises, dinner cruises and Eiffel Tower + Seine combinations. 4. Explore Montmartre Best for: Art lovers, photographers, couples Montmartre is one of the most atmospheric areas of Paris. Its streets, cafés, staircases and artistic history make it feel completely different from the monumental areas around the Eiffel Tower. Things to see in Montmartre Why take a Montmartre walking tour? Because the neighbourhood has layers of history that aren’t obvious from simply walking around. A good guide can explain its artistic and cultural connections. Best for Travellers who want atmosphere rather than just major monuments. 5. Visit Sacré-Cœur Basilica Sacré-Cœur sits at the top of Montmartre and is one of the most recognizable churches in Paris. The area around it also offers impressive views across the city. Combine it with: Montmartre walking tour → Sacré-Cœur → Place du Tertre → dinner in Montmartre Don’t rush through the neighbourhood just to photograph the basilica. The streets around it are part of the experience. 6. Visit Notre-Dame Cathedral Notre-Dame is one of the most famous Gothic cathedrals in the world. After its major restoration following the 2019 fire, it has returned to the centre of Paris sightseeing. Why visit? Architecture alone makes it worthwhile. Pay attention to: Travel tip Combine Notre-Dame with: Île de la Cité + Sainte-Chapelle + Latin Quarter This saves time and creates a natural walking route. 7. Visit Sainte-Chapelle If you love architecture and stained glass, don’t skip Sainte-Chapelle. It’s much smaller than Notre-Dame, so it doesn’t require the same amount of time….
Continue reading