Best Things To Do In Paris

After several trips to the French capital, it's not uncommon to feel like you haven't seen all the must-see sights; the good thing about Paris is that the city is always waiting for you. Here are 20 things you 'll always remember about Paris.

Without a doubt, the emblem of Paris is the tower that many Parisians once dismissed as an aesthetic aberration. Today, no one can imagine a visit to the French capital without climbing the Eiffel Tower. Getting to the Eiffel Tower is easy, but what do you need to know if you want to go up? First of all, as with most tourist attractions in Paris, tickets to the Eiffel Tower: it's best to book them in advance to avoid the queue. When you buy them you have to decide:

• If you want to go up only to the first floor or to the top.
• If you want to go up by lift or by stairs.

The price of tickets for the Eiffel Tower varies depending on what you decide. In either case you will have the option of taking a guided tour of the Eiffel Tower or buying a combined ticket with an Eiffel Tower and Seine cruise package to save money.

You will love the views from the Eiffel Tower, both by day and with the city lit up, but don't forget to visit the surrounding area and see the lights of the Eiffel Tower at night and even eat at one of the restaurants near the Eiffel Tower after your visit. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your visit to the Eiffel Tower to make the experience even better.

Strolling along the banks of the Seine, arriving at the Tuileries gardens that precede the Louvre Museum and sitting down to read a book in the chairs surrounding the huge fountains is one of the best Parisian experiences. If the Louvre's art collection is one of the most extensive and renowned in the world, the walk to the Louvre and the surroundings are second to none.

The time you need to see the Louvre varies depending on how much you want to delve into it, but I wouldn't recommend less than about three hours. Choose a day and time slot for your visit (the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays and opens later on Wednesdays and Fridays) and, above all, buy your Louvre tickets in advance because the queue to get to the ticket office can last for hours. Among the best works in the Louvre you will find:

• Da Vinci's Gioconda.
• The Venus de Milo.
• The Victory of Samothrace.
• The Freedom Leading the People by Delacroix.
• The Code of Hammurabi.

Don't rule out a guided tour of the Louvre to make the most of the collection (if you go to the Louvre with children you will also find special tours) and avoid public holidays when the crowds are even greater. There may be discounted ticket prices at the Louvre, but I don't think it's worth it. Finally, don't forget to visit the Louvre museum shop as you can find some real wonders. Here are some recommendations for places to eat near the Louvre Museum.

You've probably read stories about bohemian Paris and the painters and artists who flocked to the city at the dawn of the 20th century. All these stories took place in the Montmartre neighbourhood, which today, surprisingly, has not lost that special charm that makes it the most visited neighbourhood in Paris.

You will find this neighbourhood in the north of Paris, far from the centre, but well served by the Paris metro (Blanche, Pigalle or Anvers stops on line 2). The main points of interest are the Sacre Coeur, the Moulin Rouge and the Place des Painters, but the real essence is to wander its streets and cafés and learn about its history. I always recommend a guided tour of the area.

To get to the Moulin Rouge, you must enter the bohemian quarter of Paris. In lower Montmartre, surrounded by erotic shops and neon lights, you'll find the most famous cabaret in Paris, best known for its Toulouse Lautrec posters and the cancan dance.

Today some people think that the Moulin Rouge is a museum, but it is not: it is still a nightclub that you can attend with your Moulin Rouge tickets. The price of the Moulin Rouge show is not cheap, but the experience is worth it. Whether you attend the dinner or decide to have a meal near the Moulin Rouge, don't forget to visit at night to see it lit up and get a real feel for the character of the area.

It's inevitable to refer to one of Paris' most iconic monuments without shuddering a little and not mentioning the flames that devoured the structure on 15 April 2019.

Although you won't be able to climb up to see the gargoyles guarding Paris from its towers, Notre Dame Cathedral is under restoration and you can pop over to the Île de la Cité to visit the outside and take a stroll around the surrounding area. If you're a book lover, don't forget to visit the most wonderful bookshop in the world, located just a few metres from the cathedral: Shakespeare and Co.

It has always struck me how the Sainte Chapelle goes so unnoticed by tourists visiting Paris when it is one of the best entrances to Paris. This church is located just a few metres from Notre Dame and stands out for its impressive stained glass windows.

It's worth booking tickets for Sainte Chapelle in Paris to see the spectacle of light and glass, which, precisely because it is little known, can be enjoyed in more peace and quiet than in more crowded churches such as the Sacre Coeur or Notre Dame.

Another iconic building is the Opéra Garnier. The performances held in this magnificent building (you should see it both day and night, illuminated) brought together the elite of French society and politics, and these stories will be told to you when you visit its sumptuous corridors and performance hall.

During the day, you can visit the building by buying tickets for a guided tour of the Opéra Garnier or by booking a private guided tour of the Opéra Garnier And if you are in Paris at night, keep in mind that concerts and shows are still taking place.

North of the Seine and in the middle of the Place Charles de Gaulle is Paris' famous Arc de Triomphe, which you can visit from below or climb up to see the city from above. If you book tickets for the Arc de Triomphe and do the latter, you'll see that the skyscrapers of the Defénse de Paris (the business district), the Arc itself and the Louvre pyramid form a perfect straight line.

You can also take a stroll along the Avenue des Champs Elysées (if you visit Paris at Christmas time you'll see the tree decorations are a marvel) and browse the many shop windows that line both sides of it.

Another great way to see the Arc de Triomphe, as well as other of Paris' most distinctive landmarks, is with one of the best Flyview experiences in Paris.

Paris is a city of large green spaces and one of the most well-kept and most visited is the Luxembourg Gardens, south of the Seine River. A place that can be included in the best bike tours of Paris.

Its design, fountains and flowers are worth a visit, but don't just go to do the tourist check: sit and read, buy an ice cream and watch the daily life of Paris go by in this park. The hustle and bustle of Paris comes to a halt in these impeccable gardens, within which you'll also find the palace that gives them their name.

After the Louvre, this is the most visited museum in Paris and, for many people, their favourite. The Musée d'Orsay has works by Monet, Rodin, Cézanne and Gauguin in its collection, is spread over several floors and is perfectly laid out for a visit.

In the centre of the Musée d'Orsay is a main gallery with statues and sculptures and bathed in spectacular light; the different rooms are continuously distributed along the sides.

The smaller crowds compared to the Louvre allow you to enjoy this visit at your leisure. Even so, I recommend that you book tickets for the Musée d'Orsay. Read more about this and other museums in our guide to the best museums in Paris.

In a city as cosmopolitan as Paris, contemporary art has a lot to say and a visit to the George Pompidou Museum is proof of that. At the Pompidou Museum in Paris: how to buy and prices you will see one of the largest collections of contemporary art in Europe with works by Duchamp, Kandinsky, Picasso and Matisse, but also original montages by other artists that will make you have a good time during your visit.

The Pompidou is a museum to have a good time, have fun and enjoy art while learning, that's why I always say that the Pompidou is an ideal museum to visit if you are travelling to Paris with children Read more in this article about the best museums in Paris and book tickets for the Pompidou Museum in advance.

Close to the Champ de Mars is the architectural complex of the Invalides Museum and Napoleon's tomb in Paris. It certainly attracts attention with its large golden dome, but what's really in this building? The answer is a military museum and a church containing Napoleon's mortal remains.

If you are interested in the eras of the French Revolution and the Second World War, you will find a huge collection of weapons and artefacts related to those periods.

In neoclassical style and inspired by the Roman Pantheon, it is one of the main buildings in the Latin Quarter. Its underground galleries or its raised vault are the main attractions of the guided tour that you can take inside, but seeing it from the outside and, incidentally, walking the streets of this area is well worth it. See all there is to see in the area with one of the best tours of the Latin Quarter.

South of Paris you'll find one of the best viewpoints in Paris for fantastic views of the city. The Montparnasse Tower isn't on this list because it's particularly beautiful, far from it (in fact, it breaks up the Parisian skyline), but the views from there are worth it both because of the height (it's not as high as the Eiffel Tower, so you can see the city in more detail) and because you don't see the tower itself.

When you have little time in a city or you are just passing through, my recommendations are always twofold: hire a transfer from the airport to save time on the way to and from the airport and, if you can only choose one tourist activity, choose a guided tour of the city centre. You can opt for guided walking tours, but you can also consider a more original option such as:

• Segway tours of Paris.
• Electric bike tour of Paris.
• Bike tour of Paris.
• Night bike tour of Paris.
• Tour of Paris in a classic car with driver.
• Private sidecar tour of Paris.
• Private tuk tuk tour of Paris.

This article about the different guided tours you can do in Paris summarises the most interesting ones. For example, the night tour of Paris can be a very good opportunity to see the city illuminated, but don't rule out any area of the city, each neighbourhood has a different charm! Due to the size of the city, tours are usually organised to cover the best neighbourhoods of Paris such as:

• Latin Quarter.
• Le Marais.
• Saint-Germain-des-Prés de Paris.
• Montmartre.

In addition, there are themed tours such as:

• The visit to the most famous cemeteries of Paris.
• The tour of the pastry shops of Paris.
• The tour of the covered passages and galleries of Paris.
• The 20th century film and television tour of the Left Bank of Paris.
• The ghost tour of Paris by night.

Taking a boat trip on the Seine is one of the most popular activities in the French capital. The layout of the city's monuments allows you to see many of them from the river and this type of cruise is a perfect opportunity to do it in an original and relaxed way.

Due to its great demand, there are different options such as a dinner cruise on the Seine or a night cruise on the Seine, suitable for all budgets. We tell you all about them in our practical guide to the best Seine cruises.

It is difficult to be objective in this recommendation: we all have a child inside us and many of us love amusement parks, especially theme parks and especially Disneyland. If you go with children it is an almost obligatory visit. If you are not going with children, but you are going to spend several days in Paris, I recommend that you take advantage of a getaway. Children and adults alike have a long list of things to see and do at Disneyland Paris.

It is easily accessible from the centre of Paris and the experience is well worth it. If you are thinking of making this visit, I recommend you read the article on how to buy Disneyland tickets and check both the Disney park opening hours and how to get to Disneyland from Paris.

Good planning is key to saving time (you'll lose enough time queuing for many of the Disney Park attractions) and money (bear in mind that eating inside the Disney Park is already an extra expense) on this experience. As for time, depending on the number of days you spend in the park, the tips for visiting Disneyland Paris will be different. I leave you with this list which, regardless of the option you choose, will help you:

• What to see and do in Disneyland Paris in one day.
• What to see and do in Disneyland Paris in two days.
• What to see and do in Disneyland Paris in three days.
• What to see and do in Disneyland Paris in four days.

Best time to visit Disneyland

If you want my opinion on what is the best time to visit Disneyland Paris, I have it clear: visiting the Disney park at Christmas or experiencing the magic of Disneyland at Halloween are the best options.

We all know the history of the rise of absolutism and its fall with the French Revolution, but to visit the Palace and gardens of Versailles is to relive it in each of its rooms. History aside, a visit is a must for both the sumptuousness of the palace and its impressive gardens. Any trip to the Palace of Versailles: it will take almost a full day and you can get to Versailles from central Paris by train or hire independent transport and a guided tour.

When planning your visit, check the opening times of the Palace of Versailles, but be aware that the queues for tickets to the Palace of Versailles are at least two hours long; booking your tickets in advance will save you precious time which you can then spend on all there is to see inside the Palace of Versailles.

If you've decided to take what is one of the best tours from Paris, you'll find these tips for visiting Versailles useful (as well as these tips for visiting Versailles with kids) and this post on where to eat in Versailles.

It may come as a surprise to some that one of the items on this list is the recommendation to use a sightseeing bus. There are two reasons and both have to do with the type of city Paris is. Firstly, when the city is as big as it is, it is very difficult to get around on foot, at least in a single day.

Therefore, using the tourist bus is the perfect way to cover a large area of the city in a short amount of time, which I think is ideal for those who are short on time or just want to take a general tour of the city. Also, if you buy the Paris Pass, the sightseeing bus is one of the included attractions.

Secondly, comfort is a factor to consider. Paris is a beautiful city and sometimes you just want to look around without taking long walks at the end of a tiring day. The panoramic conditions of this type of bus are perfect. Here is more information about the Paris sightseeing bus.

If you've fallen in love with Paris on the surface, you're missing the crowning touch to your trip: discovering Paris underground. The Paris Catacombs are an exciting journey through the city's past and, without a doubt, a very interesting visit if you want to find out more about its history. Be sure to wrap up warm because it's quite cold inside due to the humidity.

Paris is a strategic point on the map for visiting wonderful cities that will also dazzle you. This is the case of the following cities where the distance of the journey is manageable for one day:

• Giverny, where you can visit the house of the painter Claude Monet.
• Champagne, a place where you can enjoy numerous champagne tastings and samplings.
• Normandy, where you will learn all about what happened during the Second World War.
• Mont St Michel, where you can visit the abbey and cloisters.
• Loire, where you can visit the famous Renaissance castles.
• Bruges, where you will be amazed by the beauty of this town known as the Venice of the North.

If you want to delve into French culinary culture, you have several options. Here are some posts with the best wine and cheese tastings in Paris, the best cooking classes in Paris where you will learn how to make bread, desserts, macarons and croissants and the best gastronomic tours in Paris so you can choose the options you like the most according to your preferences.

And finally, I would like to point out some museums that you cannot miss on your trip because of their high cultural level:

• Orangerie Museum, with works by artists such as Monet, Matisse, Rousseau and Picasso.
• Grevin Wax Museum in Paris, with more than 500 figures.
• Musée Conciergerie de Paris, where you will see Marie Antoinette's cell and the largest European medieval room, Salle des Gens d'Armes.
• Yves Saint Laurent Museum, which will immerse you in haute couture fashion.

And if you are one of those people who are passionate about football, consider taking one of the best tours of the Stade de France in Paris With this tour you will get to know the biggest stadium in France.

Book a guided tour of the Stade de France in Paris, which lasts about an hour and a half, and with a tour guide you will visit the main areas of the stadium where the 1998 FIFA World Cup or the UEFA Euro 2016 were played, among other competitions.

There are many tips I can give you for travelling to Paris, from the best restaurants in the city to places to eat the best crepes in Paris to recommendations for getting around the centre of Paris. However, experience tells me that the first thing you need to consider is when you are going to visit the city and for how many days.

The best things to do in Paris in every season

One of the first questions you will probably ask yourself when planning your trip is when is the best time to visit Paris. As cliché as it may sound, every season of the year (for example) has its good things to offer, which is not uncommon in a city the size of the French capital.

• The best things about travelling to Paris in summer.
• Best things to do in Paris in winter.
• Best things to do in Paris in spring.
• Best things to do in Paris in autumn.

What to do in Paris month by month

To suit all tastes, colours. My favourite time to visit the city is Christmas, both because of the Christmas markets you can find in Paris and the Christmas lights you'll find both in the centre and in the different neighbourhoods of Paris, and because you can make the most of the best shopping tours in Paris.

However, just like the seasons of the year, every month has its own charm in the city of light:

• What to do in Paris in January.
• What to do in Paris in February.
• What to do in Paris in March.
• Things to do in Paris in April.
• Things to do in Paris in May.
• Things to do in Paris in June.
• Things to do in Paris in July.
• Things to do in Paris in August.
• Things to do in Paris in September.
• Things to do in Paris in October.
• Things to do in Paris in November.
• Things to do in Paris in December.

How long will you be in Paris?

I'm not going to kid you: being in Paris for less than four days means that there are things you won't see in the city and that's a real shame. Does that mean you can't get a feel for the city in less time? Not at all, you can always come back and if you follow these guides you'll find things to do in Paris from one day to two weeks:

• Itinerary to visit Paris in one day.
• Itinerary to visit Paris in 2 days.
• Itinerary to visit Paris in 3 days.
• Itinerary to visit Paris in 4 days.
• Itinerary to visit Paris in 5 days.
• Itinerary to visit Paris in 7 days.
• Itinerary to visit Paris in 15 days.

Transfers between the Paris airports and the city of Paris

The last point is probably one of the most boring, but also one of the most important. Do you already know which airport to get to? Charles de Gaulle is the closest to the centre and Beauvais the furthest, but you can save time from any of the three if you book your transfer (either to or from the airport) in advance.

• How to get from Orly airport to Paris.
• How to get from Beauvais airport to Paris.
• How to get from Charles de Gaulle airport to Paris.

Paris Sightseeing Cards

If you are one of those people who like to live your holidays to the fullest and not miss anything, don't forget to consider the option of booking a Paris tourist card such as:

• Paris Passlib.
• Paris Pass.
• Paris Explorer Pass.
• Paris Museum Pass.

However, if you want to know if you're really going to get the most out of it, check out the post Is the Paris Tourist Card worth it?