Paris

Romance, art & café culture

The City of Light rewards slow wandering. Grand boulevards, hidden courtyards, world-defining art and a café on every corner – Paris is as much about lingering as it is about landmarks. These are the picks that go beyond the postcards.

Good to know

arrondissements spiralling out from the centre like a snail’s shell

~130

museums and monuments, from the Louvre to tiny ateliers

+15cm

the Eiffel Tower grows taller in summer as its iron expands

the Louvre is the most-visited museum on Earth

Local tips

Book museum and monument tickets online in advance – the queues are real.
A Paris Museum Pass covers 50+ sites and skips most ticket lines.
Buy a Navigo Easy card or a carnet for the metro rather than single tickets.
A friendly “Bonjour” when you enter a shop or café goes a long way.

Browse Paris

Paris at a glance

Ideal stay: 2 to 3 days
Best time to visit: spring and autumn
Highlights: Arc de Triomphe Rooftop and Sainte-Chapelle
Where to stay: Canal Saint-Martin and Bastille (11th)
Local picks: 97 hand-chosen recommendations
Getting around: walkable, plus easy public transport

Local tips for Paris

Stories and neighbourhood know-how from our local guides.

Local tipsWhere to Stay in Paris: Best Arrondissements for First-TimersWhere to stay in Paris? A local guide to the best arrondissements for first-timers, from Le Marais and Saint-Germain to…

Local tipsHow Many Days Do You Need in Paris? A Local’s GuideHow many days do you need in Paris? A local guide to the ideal trip length, what to do in…

Where to stay in Paris

Compare live hotel prices and availability on the map. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Eiffel Tower

Bateaux Parisiens 3-Course Dinner Cruise

A candlelit three-course French dinner with live music as the floodlit monuments drift past the glass-roofed boat.

★ 4.9

$$$

Pont de l'Alma

Bateaux-Mouches Evening Lights Cruise

The original Paris river boat after dark, when the bridges and the Eiffel Tower’s sparkle reflect off the Seine.

★ 4.6

Citywide

Big Bus Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

Open-top double-decker looping every major sight with audio commentary – hop off at the Champs-Élysées, Louvre or Eiffel at will.

★ 4.8

Central Paris

French Macaron Class with a Chef

Hands-on patisserie workshop piping and filling the perfect macaron, with a pastry chef and a box to take home.

★ 4.7

Day trip

Giverny & Versailles Full-Day Trip

Monet’s water-lily garden at Giverny in the morning, the Palace of Versailles in the afternoon – two icons in one day.

★ 4.7

$$$

Le Marais

Le Marais Food Tour: 11 Tastings & 2 Wines

Graze through the Marais – falafel, cheese, charcuterie, pastries and wine – with a guide on the city’s best food-walk turf.

★ 4.7

Paris (culinary school and kitchens)

Les Cuistots Migrateurs

Why it matters: Les Cuistots Migrateurs is a social enterprise built to help refugees rebuild careers through cooking, offering free professional training plus French classes and then employing gradua

Goutte d'Or, 18th arrondissement

Little Africa Paris

Why it matters: Little Africa was founded by Jacqueline Ngo Mpii, a Black woman who built the company, a guidebook and a retail-and-gallery ‘Little Africa Village’ to celebrate African and diaspora cu

Day trip

Loire Valley Castles Day Trip (Chambord & More)

Renaissance châteaux in a day – Chambord’s rooftops and more – with entry tickets and transport from Paris.

★ 4.6

$$$

1st Arr.

Louvre Guided Tour: Mona Lisa & Masterpieces

Skip the queue and follow a guide straight to the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and the Louvre’s must-sees without the maze.

★ 4.5

Day trip

Mont-Saint-Michel Day Trip by Coach

A long but unforgettable run to the island abbey rising from the Normandy tidal flats, with free time to explore.

★ 4.6

$$$

Montmartre

Montmartre Cheese, Wine & Pastry Tour

A three-hour tasting walk through Montmartre’s fromageries, wine shops and patisseries above the Place du Tertre.

★ 4.7

Montmartre

Montmartre Walking Tour with Local Guide

Climb the hill of artists to Sacré-Cœur, the Place du Tertre and Amélie’s café with a guide who knows the back lanes.

★ 4.6

Île de la Cité

Notre-Dame Cathedral Guided Tour

Walk the island around the reopened Gothic masterpiece with a guide unpacking 850 years of history and the 2024 restoration.

★ 4.7

Marais, Saint-Germain and the Left Bank

Paris by Mouth

Why it matters: Paris by Mouth was founded by writer Meg Zimbeck and its tour operation is directed by Sara Kavelin, making it a woman-founded, woman-led food-tour company in a field still dominated b

Eiffel Tower

Seine River Sightseeing Cruise

A 1-hour glide past the Louvre, Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower from the river – the cheapest way to see Paris’s monuments line up.

★ 4.6

Day trip

Small-Group Champagne Day Trip with Tastings

Roll through the vineyards to a grande maison and a family grower, with cellar visits and several glasses of Champagne.

★ 4.6

$$$

Day trip

Versailles Palace & Gardens Tour with Transport

Skip-the-line entry to the Hall of Mirrors and State Apartments, plus round-trip transport from central Paris.

★ 4.8

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Paris travel FAQ

How many days do you need in Paris?

Two to three days is enough to enjoy the highlights of Paris at a relaxed pace. See our Paris itinerary guide for a day-by-day plan.

Where is the best area to stay in Paris?

Stay central and walkable to the main sights for a first visit. Our where to stay in Paris guide breaks down the best neighbourhoods.

What are the best things to do in Paris?

Browse the local picks above, from top sights and museums to where to eat and stay.

What is the best time to visit Paris?

Spring and autumn usually bring the most comfortable weather and thinner crowds, though Paris is worth visiting year-round.