Paris has a way of getting under your skin. Maybe it’s the golden light on those café terraces, the grand boulevards, or the way the Seine catches the sunset.
Whether you’re climbing to hilltop viewpoints, wandering world-class museums, or simply strolling with a fresh croissant, this city delivers magic at every turn.
Below, I’m sharing 17 of the best things to do in Paris, along with a quick guide on how to get around the city easily and a map to help you plan your days. Let’s dive in. 😊
1. Sacré-Cœur Basilica
a. Why Visit
This gleaming white basilica sits atop Montmartre hill, one of the highest points in Paris.
Built between 1875 and 1914, its travertine stone actually gets whiter when it rains.
The views from up here are extraordinary, and the atmosphere blends spiritual calm with Montmartre’s creative energy.
b. Best Things to Do
- Step inside to see the “Christ in Majesty” mosaic, covering 475 square meters. It’s one of the largest mosaic works in the world.
- Climb the roughly 300 steps to the dome for a full 360-degree panorama of Paris.
- Check out the “Savoyarde” bell, the largest in France at nearly 19 tons.
- Visit the crypt to explore chapels and learn more about the basilica’s history.
2. Place du Tertre
a. Why Visit
Just a short walk from Sacré-Cœur, this small square has a village-like feel in the heart of Montmartre.
Place du Tertre keeps Montmartre’s artistic spirit alive.
You’ll find painters working at their easels, finished pieces displayed for browsing, and café terraces perfect for sitting and watching it all unfold.
It’s a lovely contrast to the wide boulevards of central Paris.
b. Best Things to Do
- Watch artists at work in the Carré aux Artistes, where authorized artists rotate through designated spaces.
- Grab a meal at À la Mère Catherine, founded in 1793.
- Step into the nearby Paroisse Saint-Pierre de Montmartre, one of the oldest churches in Paris.
3. Arc de Triomphe
a. Why Visit
Napoleon commissioned this massive arch in 1806 to celebrate his military victories.
It’s etched with the names of 660 generals and 128 battles, and houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where an eternal flame burns nightly.
b. Best Things to Do
- Study the high-relief sculptures, especially “La Marseillaise” by François Rude.
- Attend the nightly rekindling of the Eternal Flame at 6:30 PM, a ceremony held every evening since 1923.
- Climb to the panoramic terrace for views along the “Axe Historique” stretching from the Louvre to La Défense.
4. Champs-Élysées
a. Why Visit
Often called “the most beautiful avenue in the world”, this 1.9-kilometer stretch runs from Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe.
The lower section features lush gardens, while the upper section is packed with luxury shops and sidewalk cafés.
b. Best Things to Do
- Stroll through the Jardins des Champs-Élysées, the tree-lined section with its 17th-century park atmosphere.
- Visit the Grand Palais and Petit Palais for grand historic architecture and major exhibitions.
- Do some people-watching from a sidewalk café. Trust me, it’s quintessential Paris.
5. Palais Garnier
a. Why Visit
This opera house is a masterpiece of Second Empire architecture.
The interior is lavish with multicolored marble, gold leaf, and velvet.
It also helped inspire The Phantom of the Opera, with its famous underground cistern that later fed the legend of a hidden lake.
b. Best Things to Do
- Climb the Grand Staircase, one of the building’s most dramatic spaces, surrounded by richly colored marble.
- Explore the Grand Foyer with its crystalline chandeliers and golden atmosphere.
- Look up at the Marc Chagall ceiling in the auditorium, added in 1964.
6. Place de la Concorde
a. Why Visit
This is the largest public square in Paris, with a history spanning royal grandeur and revolutionary terror.
Today, the 3,300-year-old Luxor Obelisk anchors the square and serves as the gnomon of a giant sundial.
b. Best Things to Do
- Examine the Luxor Obelisk up close. Its gold-leafed tip catches the sun beautifully.
- Admire the two monumental fountains celebrating France’s maritime and river heritage.
- Stand at the obelisk for the “Grand Perspective”, with views to the Arc de Triomphe, Tuileries, and beyond.
7. Pont Alexandre III
a. Why Visit
This is widely considered the most beautiful bridge in Paris.
Built for the 1900 Universal Exhibition, it’s adorned with gilt-bronze winged horses, nymphs, and Art Nouveau lamp posts.
The single-span steel arch sits just six meters high to preserve views of the Invalides.
b. Best Things to Do
- Look up at the four gilded pylons topped with “Fame” figures restraining Pegasus.
- Walk across and admire the 32 Art Nouveau lamp posts, among the first designed for electric lighting.
- Pause at the center for views of the Dome of Les Invalides and Eiffel Tower
8. Eiffel Tower
a. Why Visit
The Eiffel Tower needs no introduction. Built for the 1889 World’s Fair from over 18,000 iron pieces and 2.5 million rivets, it was supposed to be temporary.
Today, it remains the ultimate symbol of Paris.
b. Best Things to Do
- Go to the summit to see the reconstructed office of Gustave Eiffel with wax figures.
- Experience the transparent glass floor on the first level, 57 meters above the ground.
- The second floor offers the best detailed views, where landmarks like the Louvre and Notre-Dame are still clearly visible.
9. Musée de l’Orangerie
a. Why Visit
This intimate museum is the permanent home of Claude Monet’s monumental “Water Lilies”.
Eight massive panels are displayed in two custom-built oval rooms, bathed in natural light. Monet himself chose this setting.
b. Best Things to Do
- Spend time in the oval “Water Lilies” galleries. The 91-meter visual cycle changes as daylight shifts throughout the day.
- Explore the Walter-Guillaume collection in the lower galleries with works by Renoir, Cézanne, and Picasso.
10. Tuileries Garden
a. Why Visit
The Tuileries Garden is one of Paris’s oldest and most historic public gardens, stretching between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde.
Redesigned by André Le Nôtre in 1664, it’s a masterpiece of French formal garden style with over 100 sculptures throughout.
b. Best Things to Do
- Walk along the Grande Allée for a grand historic perspective linking the Louvre side of the city to Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe beyond.
- Grab one of the iconic green chairs by the Octagonal Basin. Moving them to find the perfect spot is a Parisian tradition.
- Find the twenty bronze statues by Aristide Maillol in the Carrousel Garden.
11. Louvre Museum
a. Why Visit
The Louvre is the world’s largest art museum, housed in a former royal fortress.
Its collections span nearly 10,000 years, and beyond the Mona Lisa, you’ll discover 800 years of French history in the building itself.
b. Best Things to Do
- Explore the medieval Louvre in the Sully Wing, including the original stone moat from 1190.
- See the Mona Lisa, but also look at other masterpieces in the same gallery like Veronese’s “Wedding Feast at Cana”.
- Visit the Apollo Gallery housing the French Crown Jewels.
12. Musée d’Orsay
a. Why Visit
This museum occupies a former Beaux-Arts railway station and holds the world’s most extensive collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art.
Original station clocks frame views of the city that inspired many artists in the collection.
b. Best Things to Do
- Head to the 5th-floor Impressionist gallery for Monet, Renoir, and Degas.
- Find Van Gogh’s “Self-Portrait” (1889) and “Starry Night Over the Rhône”.
- Stand before Manet’s “Olympia” and “Luncheon on the Grass”, paintings that helped spark the Impressionist movement.
13. Sainte-Chapelle
a. Why Visit
This is the masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Fifteen massive stained-glass windows replace the walls, creating an interior that seems made entirely of glass and light.
The 1,113 individual scenes tell the story of the Bible.
b. Best Things to Do
- Experience the Upper Chapel’s immersive stained glass with its deep reds and blues.
- Examine the Western Rose Window depicting the Book of Revelation.
- Visit the Lower Chapel with vaulted ceilings painted in deep blue and gold.
14. Notre-Dame Cathedral
a. Why Visit
Notre-Dame has been France’s spiritual heart for over 860 years.
Following restoration after the 2019 fire, it reopened in late 2024 with a cleaned interior revealing the true brightness of its medieval limestone.
b. Best Things to Do
- Admire the three Great Rose Windows, with the South Rose especially notable for its well-preserved ancient stained glass.
- Visit the Cathedral Treasury with sacred objects including the Crown of Thorns.
- Explore the Archaeological Crypt beneath the forecourt showing layers of history from Roman times.
15. Panthéon
a. Why Visit
This neoclassical building became a secular temple to France’s greatest figures.
Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Marie Curie, and Simone Veil are buried here. The interior houses Foucault’s Pendulum, demonstrating the Earth’s rotation in real time.
b. Best Things to Do
- Descend into the vast crypt to visit the resting places of France’s most celebrated figures.
- Watch Foucault’s Pendulum trace the Earth’s rotation, first demonstrated in 1851.
- Study the murals by Puvis de Chavannes depicting the life of Saint Genevieve.
16. Jardin du Luxembourg
a. Why Visit
This is Paris’s most elegant public garden, created in 1612 by Marie de’ Medici.
It mixes French formal and English informal gardens with over 100 statues, an apiary school, and an orchard of ancient fruit trees.
b. Best Things to Do
- Find the Medici Fountain, one of the most romantic spots in Paris.
- Rent a wooden sailboat at the Grand Bassin. Kids and adults have been doing this since the 19th century.
- Walk past the “Queens of France” statues lining the central terrace.
17. Palace of Versailles
a. Why Visit
Versailles was the principal residence of French kings from Louis XIV to Louis XVI, and UNESCO calls it a model for “the ideal royal residence” in Europe.
The palace interiors showcase power and ceremony as architecture, while the gardens express formal landscape design on a monumental scale.
This isn’t a single-building visit. The property includes the main palace, the park, and the Trianon châteaux.
b. Best Things to Do
- Walk through the Hall of Mirrors with its 357 mirrors, once a striking display of French craftsmanship in a luxury market long dominated by Venice.
- Explore the gardens’ “Grand Perspective” stretching to the Apollo Fountain and Grand Canal.
- Visit the Queen’s Hamlet, Marie Antoinette’s rustic retreat that contrasts starkly with the main palace.
- Catch the “Musical Fountains Show” using the same gravity-fed systems designed for Louis XIV.
How to Get Around Paris (Quick Guide)
a. Paris Metro, The Fastest Way Around
- The Metro keeps Paris moving. With 16 lines and over 300 stations, there’s almost always one within a 5-minute walk from wherever you are.
- Best for: Quick, efficient travel within the city.
b. RER Trains, For Longer Distances
- The RER works like a mix of metro and commuter train. Five lines (A, B, C, D, and E) extend out into the suburbs and key destinations.
- Best for: Reaching Charles de Gaulle Airport, Disneyland Paris, or the Palace of Versailles.
c. Paris Buses, Scenic and Easy
- Not in a rush? Buses let you enjoy the city views without paying for a guided tour.
- Best for: Sightseeing on the move. Lines 69 and 72 pass right by landmarks like the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.
d. Walking, The Best Way to Experience Paris
- Paris is compact and made for exploring on foot. It’s often the only way to stumble upon hidden passages, small bakeries, and quiet squares.
- Best for: Wandering through neighborhoods like Le Marais, Montmartre, or the Latin Quarter.
- Pro tip: Bring comfortable shoes. The cobblestones look lovely but can wear you out.
e. Bikes and E-Bikes (Vélib’)
- Vélib’ Métropole is the city’s bike-share program, with thousands of mechanical (green) and electric (blue) bikes available at stations across Paris.
- Best for: Short distances and making use of the growing network of protected bike lanes, including along Rue de Rivoli.
- Access: Grab the Vélib’ app to locate docks and unlock bikes on the spot.
f. Taxis and Ride-Hailing
- The Metro is faster in rush hour, but taxis work well for late nights or when you have heavy bags.
- Options: G7 is the official taxi company and a reliable choice. Uber and Bolt are the main ride-hailing apps.
- Tip: Official taxis have a rooftop light. Green means free, red means taken.
g. Seine River Boats
- Cruising the river gives you a completely different view of the city’s architecture and landmarks.
- Batobus: A hop-on, hop-off shuttle stopping at 9 points along the Seine. Perfect for combining transport with sightseeing.
- Bateaux-Mouches: Better suited for scenic tours and dinner cruises than getting from place to place.
