Attraction
Musée du Louvre
The world-famous former royal palace on the Right Bank, home to the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and thousands of works spanning antiquity to the…
There are more things to do in Paris than most visitors can fit into one trip, from large museums such as the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay to long walks along the Seine. The city is split into 20 arrondissements that spiral out from the centre. The Marais is known for its old mansions, small museums and independent shops, Saint-Germain-des-Prés for its cafés and bookshops, and Montmartre for the Sacré-Cœur and views across the rooftops. The Latin Quarter and the area around the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Élysées make up the other main sightseeing zones.
Food is a large part of any visit. Bakeries, bistros, brasseries and street markets sit alongside wine bars and a long list of Michelin-starred restaurants, while the 10th and 11th arrondissements are popular for newer, more casual places to eat. Most first-time visitors find that four or five days is enough to see the main sights at a comfortable pace, with a day trip to Versailles if time allows. A week gives you room to explore quieter neighbourhoods, parks and markets without rushing between them.
Attraction
The world-famous former royal palace on the Right Bank, home to the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and thousands of works spanning antiquity to the…
Attraction
Gustave Eiffel's wrought-iron tower on the Champ de Mars, with lifts and stairs to two viewing floors and a summit 276 metres above the city.
Attraction
A former Beaux-Arts railway station on the Left Bank holding the world's best-known collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art.
Attraction
Paris's great Gothic cathedral on the Île de la Cité, restored after the 2019 fire and reopened to visitors and worshippers in December 2024.
Attraction
Napoleon's triumphal arch at the top of the Champs-Élysées, with a rooftop terrace looking down the twelve avenues radiating from Place Charles de Gaulle.
Attraction
The white-domed basilica crowning the butte of Montmartre, free to enter and open daily, with sweeping views over Paris from its steps and dome.
Café
A Saint-Germain café dating from around 1887, famed as a haunt of Apollinaire, Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir and home of the Prix de Flore.
Café
A historic café facing the church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés since 1884, open from breakfast until late and home to its own literary prize.
Café
A Belle Époque tearoom opposite the Tuileries, founded in 1903 and best known for its thick L'Africain hot chocolate and Mont-Blanc pastry.
Hotel
César Ritz's legendary 1898 hotel on Place Vendôme, with the Ritz Club pool and spa, Bar Vendôme and the École Ritz Escoffier cookery school.
Hotel
A Dorchester Collection hotel facing the Tuileries since 1815, home to Restaurant le Meurice Alain Ducasse, Bar 228 and Cédric Grolet's pastry shop.
Hotel
An Oetker Hotels palace on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré since 1925, with Epicure, a courtyard garden and a top-floor swimming pool.
Hotel
A 4-star Experimental Group boutique hotel on Boulevard Poissonnière with 50 rooms, a glass-roofed restaurant and The Shed rooftop bar.
Hotel
A self-styled neighbourhood hotel in South Pigalle, part of Design Hotels, with a ground-floor café, bar and restaurant open to locals.
Hotel
An 18-room, 4-star boutique hotel in the 10th arrondissement, with a piano bar and restaurant near Place de la République and Canal Saint-Martin.
Bar
A historic American-style bar near the Opéra, open since 1911 and long said to be the birthplace of the Bloody Mary and the French 75.
Bar
A Haut-Marais taqueria with a cocktail bar behind it specialising in agave spirits, run by the Quixotic Projects group.
Bar
The original Perchoir rooftop bar, on the seventh floor of an industrial building in Ménilmontant, with views across to Sacré-Cœur.
Bar
An internationally acclaimed Haut-Marais cocktail bar known for conceptual menus inspired by art and the social sciences.
Bar
The well-known bar of Le Meurice on Rue de Rivoli, opposite the Tuileries, with live jazz every night.
Restaurant
A cavernous Belle Époque dining hall on the Grands Boulevards serving low-priced French classics non-stop, every day of the year.
Restaurant
A busy kosher falafel counter on Rue des Rosiers in the Marais, known for pittas stuffed with falafel, fried aubergine and hummus.
Restaurant
A Marais crêperie serving Breton galettes made from organic buckwheat with Bordier butter, alongside sweet crêpes and farm ciders.
Restaurant
A lively Provençal bistro a short walk from Place des Vosges, known for southern French cooking and a long list of pastis.
Restaurant
A Saint-Germain steakhouse serving a single set meal: walnut salad, then sliced sirloin in the house's secret sauce with matchstick fries.
Restaurant
An affordable bouillon on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, founded in 1906 and set in a celebrated Art Nouveau dining room.
Thing to do
Self-guided or guided visits of Charles Garnier's opulent 1875 opera house, including the grand staircase, the Grand Foyer and Chagall's auditorium ceiling.
Thing to do
The red-windmilled cabaret at the foot of Montmartre, open since 1889 and staging its Féerie revue with dinner-and-show options.
Thing to do
Paris's oldest covered market, founded in 1628 in the Haut-Marais, where produce stalls sit alongside counters serving food from around the world.
Thing to do
The flagship Paris department store, crowned by a 1912 Art Nouveau glass dome and a rooftop terrace with views across the city's rooftops.
Thing to do
A 4.7 km planted walkway on a former railway line, running east from near Bastille along the top of the Viaduc des Arts.
Tour operator
The classic Seine cruise company, sailing from Port de la Conférence by the Pont de l'Alma with guided sightseeing, brunch, lunch and dinner cruises.
Tour operator
One-hour guided Seine cruises leaving from Square du Vert-Galant at the western tip of the Île de la Cité, with live commentary.
Tour operator
An English-language walking tour company founded in 1994 by Peter and Oriel Caine, offering neighbourhood, themed and museum walks.
Tour operator
A Paris food tour company running neighbourhood tasting walks in the Marais, Saint-Germain and the Left Bank, plus a dedicated cheese workshop.
Tour operator
A long-running bike tour operator in Paris offering day and night city rides, electric bike tours, Versailles trips and walking tours.
Four to five days covers the main museums, landmarks and a few neighbourhoods. Add a day or two if you want to visit Versailles or explore at a slower pace.
The Marais, Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter are central and well connected for first visits. Montmartre and the 11th arrondissement are often cheaper and have a more local feel.
From Charles de Gaulle, the RER B train runs to Gare du Nord and Châtelet, and there are also buses and taxis. From Orly, Metro line 14 and the Orlybus connect to the city.
Paris is one of the more expensive cities in Europe, especially for hotels. You can keep costs down by eating at bakeries and markets, using the Metro and visiting free sights such as parks and churches.
Paris is generally safe, but pickpocketing is common on the Metro and around major sights. Keep valuables secure and be wary of petition and bracelet scams near busy landmarks.