Paris: what's actually worth it
Paris, once the heart of the Enlightenment, pulsates with an enduring intellectual and artistic vibrancy that feels both timeless and alive. Stroll through its cobblestone streets, where every café seems to whisper tales of passionate debates and revolutionary ideas shared over steaming cups of coffee. Today, this city remains a vibrant hub for culture vultures and romantics alike, offering everything from world-class museums to intimate jazz clubs, ensuring you're never far from a captivating experience or a charming spot for people-watching.
Top things to do in Paris
Eiffel Tower
Historical Landmark · ★ 4.7 (492,955 reviews)
Gustave Eiffel's iconic, wrought-iron 1889 tower, with steps and elevators to observation decks.
Check tours & tickets →Louvre Museum
Art museum · ★ 4.7 (372,641 reviews)
Former historic palace housing huge art collection, from Roman sculptures to da Vinci's "Mona Lisa."
Check tours & tickets →Arc de Triomphe
Monument · ★ 4.7 (295,677 reviews)
Iconic triumphal arch built to commemorate Napoleon's victories, with an observation deck.
Check tours & tickets →Disneyland Paris
Amusement Center · ★ 4.5 (322,667 reviews)
Theme park complex featuring family-friendly rides, shows and costumed characters, plus hotels.
Check tours & tickets →Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre
Church · ★ 4.7 (166,117 reviews)
Iconic, domed white church, completed in 1914, with interior mosaics, stained-glass windows & crypt.
Check tours & tickets →Musée d'Orsay
Art museum · ★ 4.8 (115,775 reviews)
Major 19th- & 20th-century European art collections housed in a monumental, former railway station.
Check tours & tickets →Palace of Versailles
Castle · ★ 4.6 (169,150 reviews)
Immense, 18th-century palace with gilded apartments, chandeliered Hall of Mirrors & fountain show.
Check tours & tickets →Jardin du Luxembourg
Garden · ★ 4.7 (127,737 reviews)
17th-century park with formally laid-out gardens, trees planted in patterns & statues on pedestals.
Check tours & tickets →Jardins du Trocadéro
Park · ★ 4.6 (151,165 reviews)
Public park, created in 1937, with sculptures & a central fountain featuring 20 water jets.
Check tours & tickets →Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris
Church · ★ 4.7 (96,993 reviews)
Towering, 12th-century cathedral with flying buttresses & gargoyles, setting for Hugo's novel.
Check tours & tickets →Where to eat
Pink Mamma
Italian Restaurant · ★ 4.7 (51,196 reviews)
Website →Bouillon République
French Restaurant · ★ 4.7 (38,903 reviews)
Plush restaurant with an old-world vibe serving classic broth, plus seafood dishes & desserts.
Website →La Crème de Paris Notre-Dame
Dessert Shop · ★ 4.8 (19,279 reviews)
Old-fashioned crêperie serving ice creams, pancakes & waffles, as well as gluten-free options.
Website →Sphère
French Restaurant · ★ 4.8 (14,326 reviews)
Website →Au Pied de Cochon
French Restaurant · ★ 4.4 (24,136 reviews)
Relaxed brasserie serving breakfast, local dishes & charcuterie boards, plus draft beer & cocktails.
Website →Brasserie Dubillot
French Restaurant · ★ 4.7 (10,620 reviews)
Colorful brasserie offering seasonal menus, regional dishes & cocktails, plus a street-side terrace.
Website →Brasserie des Prés
French Restaurant · ★ 4.7 (9,044 reviews)
Website →La Petite Bouclerie
Dessert Shop · ★ 4.8 (7,246 reviews)
Organic crêpes & classic dishes served in a quaint haunt with exposed stone walls & outdoor seating.
Tours worth booking ahead
Bateaux-Mouches
Tour Agency · ★ 4.3 (32,692 reviews)
Classic restaurant set aboard a barge offering cruises along the Seine, plus Eiffel Tower views.
Check tours & tickets →Get outside
Jardin du Luxembourg
Garden · ★ 4.7 (127,737 reviews)
17th-century park with formally laid-out gardens, trees planted in patterns & statues on pedestals.
Website →Tuileries Garden
Garden · ★ 4.6 (118,657 reviews)
Expansive, 17th-century formal garden dotted with statues, including 18 bronzes by Maillol.
Website →La Villette
Park · ★ 4.4 (69,597 reviews)
Wide lawns with sculptures and fountains in urban park with a museum, a cinema and a music complex.
Website →Parc des Buttes-Chaumont
Park · ★ 4.6 (27,322 reviews)
19th-century park in former quarry, with tall trees, lake, waterfalls and old, iron railway bridge.
Website →Parc Monceau
Park · ★ 4.6 (23,745 reviews)
Public park with trees, tarmac trails & statues plus 18th-century colonnade & pyramid follies.
Website →After dark
Pub St Germain
Gastropub · ★ 4.5 (6,916 reviews)
Refined gastropub accented with greenery & brick walls serving brunch buffets & all-day meals.
Website →Harry's New York Bar
Cocktail Bar · ★ 4.5 (2,957 reviews)
Classic, bespoke & Cuban-style cocktails in a chic, wood-lined space with a piano bar in the cellar.
Website →Caveau de la Huchette
Bar · ★ 4.3 (3,944 reviews)
Famed, compact basement jazz club with a midcentury vibe, with drinks & regular live music sessions.
Website →Little Red Door
Cocktail Bar · ★ 4.4 (2,972 reviews)
An array of creative, inventively presented cocktails at an intimate, acclaimed bar.
Website →More guides
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