With so many activities and places to go, it can be difficult to narrow down what the best things to do in Paris are. Fortunately, we are here to make it easy for you to decide what Paris must-see attractions you want to put on your to-do list for the duration of your stay. The French capital has something for every type of traveler, including delicious restaurants, world-class museums, and awe-inspiring monuments, all of which you can’t experience anywhere else. By the end of your trip, you will be so in love with Paris that we guarantee you will never want to leave.
Make your trip planning as easy and fun as possible by looking through our list of the best 10 things to see in Paris. Ranging from old neighborhoods with cobblestone streets – such as the Latin Quarter – all the way to modern districts that feature unique street art – like Belleville – our list not only includes the most popular attractions in Paris, but also things that are off of the beaten path. Once you have visited some of the top things to do in Paris, like the Eiffel Tower and the Moulin Rouge, you can then discover more of the city. We’ll also provide you with recommendations for delicious restaurants, because you can’t experience this culinary masterpiece without enjoying some traditional French food. For even more inspiration, you can always check out our blog on what to do in Paris.
Paris. Source: Shutterstock
1. Top Sightseeing: Explore the Latin Quarter
The first stop on our list of major attractions in Paris that you will want to visit is the neighborhood known as the Latin Quarter, or the Quartier Latin in French. The Latin Quarter is famous for being the oldest district in Paris and it was originally built by the Romans. With its winding cobblestone streets, food stalls, and ancient monuments, it’s a great place to go exploring for a few hours.
While in the Latin Quarter, there are a few different spots that you will want to make sure that you visit. For instance, it is home to the Pantheon, a building that once was a church and now houses the remains of numerous great French citizens, including Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Victor Hugo. You can also head to Shakespeare & Company, an English bookstore that was opened in 1919 and a popular hang-out spot for writers like Ernest Hemingway.
2. Head out to the Palace of Versailles
If you’re interested in going to some places to see near Paris, rather than just those that are in the city center, you will also want to add the Palace of Versailles to your list. The palace is the former royal residence built by King Louis XIV and can be easily reached by taking the RER B train from Paris, in about 40 minutes. While at Versailles, you can see things such as the Royal Apartments, the Hall of Mirrors, and the Chapel.
During your time at the palace, make sure to check out the gardens as well, which some may argue fall under the top 5 tourist attractions in Paris. There are several cafes and restaurants that you can enjoy in the gardens, as well as a train that will take you around the grounds, and golf carts that can be rented. To get to Versailles from central Paris, you can take the RER C train from the Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame station.
3. Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower
You can’t have a trip to Paris without going to the city’s most famous monument – the Eiffel Tower. You can choose to either climb up the many stairs to the second level, or you can take an elevator ride all the way to the top. For great photos, you can also go to the grassy area that is directly in front of the tower and known as Champ de Mars.
4. Treat yourself to a bit of shopping
In addition to its delicious cuisine and interesting sights, shopping is also one of the top things to do in Paris, France. You’ll find charming, one-of-a-kind boutiques in quite a few different neighborhoods in the city, including Montmartre and Chatelet.
There are also a few larger department stores that are considered to be tourist sights in Paris. Le Bon Marché is an elegant choice that was founded in the 1800s and was one of the first modern department stores in the city. There is also the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, which has a steel-frame art nouveau glass dome that visitors love to go and see. You may also want to go to Printemps, which is housed in a famous building and sells a variety of luxury, beauty, and fashion items.
5. See an opera or ballet
If you are wondering what to do in Paris, you may want to treat yourself to a night out by going to see a ballet or opera. The city is well known for its shows, and there are two opera houses that offer performances almost every night. Palais Garnier is one of the most famous Paris attractions and is what inspired the famous book, movie, and show known as the Phantom of the Opera. If you arrive for the performance a bit early, you can walk throughout the building and enjoy a glass of champagne. Palais Garnier typically offers a mix of ballet and opera performances.
There is also the Opera Bastille, a modern building that was created in the late 1980s. Opera Bastille typically hosts operas, but you will also occasionally be able to find some symphonies and ballets as well.
6. Peruse the street art in Belleville
Belleville is a unique neighborhood that is known for its creative energy, multicultural population, and bustling community, securing it on the list of fun things to do in Paris. It once was home to the famous French singer Edith Piaf, and it also contains the second-largest Chinatown in the city. You’ll find numerous artist workshops in this neighborhood, as well as quite a few galleries that you can visit.
While walking throughout Belleville, check out some of the incredible street art that you can’t find anywhere else in the city, which is a must-see in Paris. Place Fréhel, located at the corner of rue de Belleville and rue Julien Lacroix, has several famous murals for you to check out, including some made by French artists Ben Vautier and Jean Le Gac. Once you have had your fill of these vibrant paintings, you can always go to one of the several open-air markets that are typically hosted in Belleville.
7. Walk throughout an art museum
Paris is considered to have some of the most impressive art collections in the world. No matter what type of art interests you the most, you can find an exhibition that you will want to visit during your trip. There is the Louvre, of course, which is famous for being one of the best things to see in Paris. If you are a fan of modern art, you can always go to the Centre Pompidou, which is housed in a building that features a variety of vibrant primary colors and exposed pipes and air ducts, making it one of the more popular Paris tourist attractions.
For non-European art and culture, buy a ticket to the Musée du Quai Branly. Fans of impressionism will be in awe of the Musée d’Orsay, which is housed in a former train station and features work from famous artists such as Monet, Renoir, van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec.
8. Tour a world-famous cathedral
In terms of beautiful pieces of architecture, Paris has quite a few well-known cathedrals and churches. Perhaps one of the most popular things to do in Paris is to visit Notre Dame, which was built in the 11th century and is located on a small island on the River Seine. There is also the Sacre Coeur Basilica, which can be found in the neighborhood of Montmartre and has a grand pipe organ that was built in 1898 by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll.
For churches that are a bit smaller and less well known, you can go to the Saint-Eustache Church which is near Les Halles and known for its interesting mixture of architectural styles, including its Gothic structure and Renaissance details. Sainte-Chapelle is also a great monument to visit, as it has breathtaking stained glass and dates all the way back to the 13th century.
9. Soak up some sun in a garden
When visiting during the warmer months, you will likely want to maximize your time outdoors and enjoy the sunshine that Paris frequently has to offer. In between walking through various neighborhoods and strolling down famous streets, you can go to one of the several parks and greenspaces that are close to the heart of the city. If the weather is particularly nice, you can even choose to enjoy a picnic at one of these parks.
Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is one of the largest parks in the city and has a stunning lake that is filled with various moorhens and mallard ducks. There is also the Jardin des Tuileries, which is the oldest and largest public park in Paris and provides visitors with nice views of the Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe. You will also want to check out the Jardin du Luxembourg, which can be found located near the border that is between the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood and the Latin Quarter. It has both a French and English-style garden, as well as an apple orchard and a rose garden. It also houses the French Senat building, which visitors are welcome to look at from the outside.
10. Experience French Disneyland
To spend a bit more time out of the city and have an activity that the entire family is sure to enjoy, head to Disneyland Paris. This theme park can be easily reached by taking the RER A train and it is located approximately 32 km (20 miles) from the city’s downtown.
Disneyland Paris has two main parks, which are known as Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park. The theme park has a variety of games and rides for visitors of all ages, and there are shows and parades almost every day. You can also enjoy meet and greets with various characters and different events, such as for holidays. Purchasing your tickets in advance can help to save you some time during your visit.
How to get to the city center from Paris Airports
When visiting Paris, it is likely that you will fly into one of the three primary airports in the region, which are known as Charles de Gaulle, Orly, and Beauvais. You can book a ticket to Paris through Omio from all major European cities, including Barcelona, Rome, Lisbon, and Prague. To help your travel experience go as smoothly as possible, we have put together some information on how to best go from these airports to the Paris city center.
- Charles de Gaulle Airport is the largest airport in the Paris region. This transport center can be found approximately 23 km (14 miles) from the city center. To go from this airport to Downtown Paris, travelers have a few different options. If you decide to take a taxi, you can expect the drive to last around 45min. For public transportation, you can always take the RER B train and then grab whatever metro line is closest to your final destination. In general, you can expect the RER B and metro to take you around 1h to 1h 15min. Finally, there is the Roissy Bus, which has several stops in central Paris and runs between the city and the airport in approximately 1h 15min to 1h 30min.
- There is also Orly Airport, which is the second largest airport in the region and typically services European flights. If you opt to take a taxi from Orly Airport to the city center of Paris, you can plan on the trip taking around 20min to 30min in total. For public transportation, there are a few options, as well. For instance, there is the Orly Bus, which will bring you to the Denfert Rochereau metro stop in Paris in approximately 45min. You can also take the OrlyVal Train, which will then connect you to the RER B train. After the RER B, you can take whatever local metro line is closest to your final destination. When taking the train and metro to the city center, you can expect the trip to take you a minimum of 1h in total.
- The smallest airport in the greater Paris region is Beauvais. Beauvais is also the airport that is the furthest from the city center and can be found around 80 km (55 miles) from Downtown Paris. If you take a taxi from Beauvais to the city center, you can expect the journey to last approximately 1h 30min. For public transportation, there is always the Beauvais shuttle bus, which will bring you to Porte Maillot near the Champs Elysee. This bus runs approximately every 20min and takes around 1h 30min to 1h 45min in total.
The Pink House. Source: Shutterstock
How to get to the city center from Paris train stations
Another popular way to arrive in Paris is by train. You can book a train ticket to Paris through Omio from all major European cities, including Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Frankfurt. If you choose to do this, you will usually arrive at one of the six main train stations in the city, which are known as Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est, Gare de Lyon, Gare d’Austerlitz, Gare Montparnasse, and Gare Saint-Lazare.
- Gare du Nord is known for being the busiest railway station in Europe. This station can be found in the 10th district of Paris and is connected to a few different public transportation options, including RER lines B and D. There are also a few metro lines that run directly to the station, such as lines 4 and 5. In addition to the metro, there are a few different bus lines that travelers can choose to take as well, including 26, 35, and 38, all of which have direct stops at this station.
- Gare de l’Est is also placed in the 10th district of Paris. To go from this station to other parts of the city, you can use public transportation, including metro lines 4, 5, and 7. There are also quite a few bus lines that run here. For instance, bus lines 31, 46, and 56 have stops directly at the station, making it easy to take the bus to your final destination, no matter where it is located in the city.
- Gare de Lyon is famous for being the second busiest railway station in France and it can be found in the 12th district of Paris. To travel between these stations and other neighborhoods in the city, you can always take the RER, including lines A and D. This station is connected to the local metro as well, and it has stops for metro lines 1 and 14. There are also several different bus lines that serve this station, including options such as lines 24, 63, 72, and 91.
- Gare d’Austerlitz can be found in the city’s 13th district. Like the other stations, Gare d’Austerlitz is also well connected to public transportation, including metro lines 5 and 10, making it easy to go to other parts of Paris once you have arrived at this transport center. In addition to the metro, there are a few different bus lines that you can use to go to your final destination, such as lines 24, 57, 63, 72, and 89.
- Gare Montparnasse is centrally placed in the 15th district of Paris. Once you have arrived at this station, you can then use public transportation to go to your final destination. This station is directly connected to several metro lines, including lines 4, 6, 12, and 13. In addition to these metro lines, there are also quite a few bus lines that have direct stops at Gare Montparnasse. For instance, you can always grab bus line 92 to go to other parts of Paris, or you can take buses 28, 94, and 96 instead.
- Gare Saint-Lazare is placed in the 8th district of Paris. Once you have arrived at Gare Saint-Lazare, you can use a few different types of public transportation to go to other parts of the city, including metro lines 3, 12, 13, and 14. If you would rather than the bus than the metro, you can always do this as well. There are a few different bus lines that have stops directly at Gare Saint-Lazare, and these include 42, 43, 52, 66, 80, and 95.