Paris Travel Guide

Paris fits an improbable number of famous sights into a small, walkable centre, and that is the catch, the crowds and the prices reward anyone who books ahead and wanders on purpose. Spend the mornings on the big landmarks with timed tickets, the afternoons getting lost in a neighbourhood, and the evenings by the river, and you have the city sorted. This guide covers the best things to do with real prices, where to eat by name, how to work the Museum Pass and what to skip. It is a favourite of ours across Europe, and the official tourist office is handy for opening times. Written and checked in July 2026.

What are the best things to do in Paris?

Start with the landmarks you came for, then balance them with a neighbourhood or two and the river. The essentials, with prices and whether to book ahead.

The landmarks worth the queue

Four are non-negotiable on a first trip. The Eiffel Tower is best at dusk when it starts to sparkle on the hour, and the summit lift needs booking weeks out. The Louvre is too big to finish, so pick a wing, book a timed slot even if you hold a pass, and go early or late; it closes on Tuesdays. Notre-Dame reopened in December 2024 after the 2019 fire, and entry is free with a timed slot. Sainte-Chapelle nearby is small but its stained glass is the single most jaw-dropping room in the city on a sunny morning.

The neighbourhoods to wander

Paris is best on foot between the sights. Montmartre, up around Sacre-Coeur, still has village lanes and artists’ squares despite the crowds. The Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain on the Left Bank are for bookshops, cafes and the Luxembourg Gardens. Le Marais is the one for boutiques, falafel and a livelier evening. Give each an unhurried half-day and you see a different city from the one on the postcards.

Where should you stay in Paris?

Stay central and walkable rather than chasing a bargain in the outer arrondissements, because the time and Metro fares eat the saving. A rough guide to the main areas.

Is the Paris Museum Pass worth it?

Often, yes, if you are hitting several big sights. The pass is 85 euro for two days, 105 for four and 125 for six, and it covers more than 50 museums and monuments including the Louvre, Orsay, Sainte-Chapelle, the Arc de Triomphe and Versailles. It does not cover the Eiffel Tower. The maths is easy to check. The Louvre at 22, Orsay at 17, Sainte-Chapelle at 16, the Arc at 16 and Versailles at 24 come to about 95 euro, so if you will see four or more of the big ones in two days the two-day pass pays off and lets you skip most ticket queues. One catch, the Louvre still needs a booked time slot even with the pass.

Where should you eat in Paris?

Eat where the locals queue, not on the terraces next to the landmarks. A few reliable names by what you want.

Cheap classic French in a historic room, Bouillon Chartier, 7 Rue du Faubourg Montmartre in the 9th, open since 1896, no bookings, mains around 11 to 16 euro, expect a queue that moves fast.

The best falafel in the city, L’As du Fallafel, 34 Rue des Rosiers in Le Marais, the aubergine and hummus pita is about 9 euro, closed Saturdays.

Pastries worth a detour, Du Pain et des Idees, 34 Rue Yves Toudic in the 10th, famous for its pain des amis and the pistachio-chocolate escargot pastry.

For more quick and cheap ideas, our guide to Paris street food covers the crepes and bakery stops worth seeking out, and if you fancy a special dinner we have found a Michelin meal for less too.

What should you skip in Paris?

A few honest calls. Skip eating on the Champs-Elysees and directly under the Eiffel Tower, where you pay double for the address, and walk a few streets away instead. Skip queueing 20 minutes to photograph the Mona Lisa over other heads, since a glance and a move on frees you for the rest of the Louvre, which is the real prize. Skip taxis in rush hour, as the Metro is faster and far cheaper. And skip trying to see all four big museums in one day, because Paris punishes a rushed plan more than most cities.

When is the best time to visit Paris?

May and June or September and October are the best months, mild and long without the deep summer crowds. July and August are hot and busy, and many small restaurants close in August when Parisians leave. Winter is cold and quiet, cheaper, and comes with the city’s Christmas markets and lit-up streets. Whatever the month, book the big sights before you arrive.

How do you get around Paris?

The Metro is the fastest way across the city, cheap and easy with a carnet of tickets or a Navigo pass, and the Metro operator plans the routes. Most of the centre is walkable, and the riverside and canals are pleasant on foot or by cheap city bike. From the airports, the RER trains and the Roissybus are far cheaper than a cab, though a taxi has a fixed fare to the centre that is worth knowing for late arrivals.

How do you get to Paris from the UK?

The Eurostar is the easy winner, city centre to city centre from London to Gare du Nord in about two hours and twenty minutes. Flying only makes sense from further out in the UK once you add airport time at both ends. UK visitors do not need a visa for stays up to 90 days, though the EU is introducing an ETIAS travel authorisation, so check the current rules before you book.

How many days do you need in Paris?

Three full days is the number for a first visit, enough for the major landmarks and a couple of neighbourhoods without a march. A simple plan, day one for the Eiffel Tower, a Seine walk and the Arc de Triomphe, day two for the Louvre or Orsay, the islands and Notre-Dame, day three for Montmartre and the Marais with a museum you missed. A fourth day frees you for a trip out to Versailles or Disneyland.

What are the best day trips from Paris?

Three stand out, all easy by train. Versailles, the vast palace and gardens, is 40 minutes out on the RER and needs a timed ticket, and it is on the Museum Pass. Giverny, Monet’s garden, is a lovely half-day in spring and summer. And for families, Disneyland Paris is a short train ride east. To stay in the country longer, our guide to France has the wider picture.

Making the most of it

Paris works best when you stop trying to see all of it. Book two or three big sights, leave whole afternoons to walk a neighbourhood with no fixed plan, and eat a street away from the landmarks. Do that and the city stops feeling like a checklist and starts feeling like the one everyone keeps going back to.

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