Best Things to do in Paris
Paris is the most visited city in EuropeLink opens in a new tab, attracting over 35 million tourists per year. France is the world’s most visited nation, and the capital city attracts tourists from every corner of the globe. The City of Light — which is often referred to as the world’s most romantic city — is an endless mixture of stunning architecture, glorious cuisine, and it’s like a toy shop for landmarks.
What’s more, Paris is synonymous with drink, wine, history, culture, and arts. And to be honest, although many people spend weekend breaks in Paris — you can visit this incredible city ten times and still feel like you didn’t properly witness it. Of course, Paris’s vast landmarks could take you days to explore. How about the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Louvre MuseumLink opens in a new tab? The stuff of dreams for many people around the world!
In this article, we will give you a guide to the perfect vacation in Paris!
What Makes Paris So Special?
Paris is one of the world’s greatest cities, and experts regularly rank it in the top five citiesLink opens in a new tab alongside London, New York City, Hong Kong, Dubai, and Singapore. That’s because it’s one of the world’s capitals for finance, fashion, and entertainment.
Paris Fashion weekLink opens in a new tab is a prevalent time to visit, and the summer is pleasantly warm without getting overly hot. Paris also has a tremendous infrastructure, enabling you to travel all over France with ease. Paris is one of those world-famous cities everyone wants to visit, and it should be on your bucket list too.
10 Facts About Paris
1. Although the Eiffel TowerLink opens in a new tab is perhaps the world’s most famous landmark today, it was only supposed to be a temporary structure for twenty years.
2. In the Roman era, The Romans named Paris “Lutetia.”
3. Did you know there are three replicas of the Statue of Liberty in ParisLink opens in a new tab?
4. The Louvre is the world’s largest art museum!
5. Paris has the second-busiest underground network in Europe
6. Paris even has beaches at the banks of the River SeineLink opens in a new tab with swimming pools if you don’t fancy jumping in the river
7. There are 1,665 steps to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and you can climb them all!
8. It’s illegal to distribute images of the Eiffel Tower at night time.
9. Paris is home to over 40,000 restaurants
10. Parisians invented the Bloody MaryLink opens in a new tab cocktail, one of the world’s most famous cocktails!
The Top 6 Things To Do In Paris
1. Wander around Notre-Dame
Notre DameLink opens in a new tab remains one of the world’s most popular tourist attractions because of its cultural significance. Although the medieval catholic cathedral was severely damaged by an awful fire in 2019, the city is quickly repairing the building and reopening it to the world.
Locals constructed the cathedral between the 12th and 14th centuries, and the cathedral reflects the prominent role of Paris as a spiritual and economic center of the world. Did you know Notre Dame attracts more visitors than the Eiffel Tower?
2. Walk up the Eiffel Tower
Of course, you couldn’t skip Paris without visiting the Eiffel Tower and its incredible views. The tower — which was only supposed to be a temporary tower — stands at over 1000 feet tall. Although it isn’t the tallest tower in Europe anymore, the views of Paris from the top are simply outstanding. The tower took two years, two months, and five days to build.
Adolf Hitler ordered the Eiffel Tower to be destroyed. Thankfully, Hitler’s regime never followed through on their plans, and the building stands tall over Paris almost 150 years later. Did you know there’s a post office in the Eiffel TowerLink opens in a new tab?
3. Enjoy the incredible art at The Louvre
Do you love looking at art? If so, Paris is perhaps the world’s most excellent destination for you, and the Louvre is the world’s largest art museum. The building used to be home to the French Kings, but after the French revolution, the locals converted it into an art museum. As a result, the museum is genuinely enormous, and you could spend days here and never get bored.
What’s more, you can see the main highlights in just a couple of hours. These include the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory. In addition, you should purchase the Museum Pass, which allows you to enter the museum fasterLink opens in a new tab instead of waiting in long lines.
4. Stroll along the Champs-Elysees
Okay, so the Champs-ElyseesLink opens in a new tab is a rather touristy destination in Paris. But it’s an absolute must-do on your visit to Paris. The street is arguably one of the world’s most famous streets, and it spans from Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. And while you’re on your way down the street, you should head into Laduree for macarons.
And, of course, if you’re walking along the Champs-Elysees, you need to check out the Arc de TriompheLink opens in a new tab. From the top of the arc, you’ll witness a genuinely spectacular view of the City Of Lights. The best time to visit is sunset when you can see Paris switch from daylight to its great night lights. Free up space on your phone. You’re about to take about a million pictures.
5. Take a day trip to Versailles
If you’re looking for an unmissable day trip from Paris, you should check out Versailles and its remarkable history. In 1682, King Louis XIV transferred the Royal Court away from the Louvre to the Palace of VersaillesLink opens in a new tab. And for just over 100 years, the palace was the seat of the government of France.
However, after the French revolution took place, the monarchy moved back to Paris and has remained the seat of government ever since. You should tour the stunning gardens during your visit, and a tour of the gardens only costs around 20 euros.
6. Enjoy art at the Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'OrsayLink opens in a new tab is a superb museum on the left bank of the Seine. The museum houses French art dating from 1848 to 1914, including sculptures, paintings, furniture, photography, and the most extensive collection of impressionist and post-impressionist art pieces worldwide.
Moreover, the museum includes works from Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, Berthe Morisot, Monet, Manet, and Van Gogh. It remains one of Europe’s largest art museums, attracting almost 5 million visitors per year.
Final Thoughts
Paris is a city on everyone’s mind from a young age. We’ve all seen the movies filmed in the beautiful cityLink opens in a new tab, and they’ve inspired us to visit ever since. Thankfully, Paris is easy to get to and accessible from almost every corner of the world.
You should try to spend at least four days here to experience everything the city has to offer. You can do a weekend break, but you’ll be pushing it. With that said, if you aren’t too fussed about ticking off every landmark — you can enjoy this incredible city on a weekend break because even if you somehow manage to miss all the grand sights of Paris, just wandering the streets of this wonderful city is a joy in itself. Grab a baguetteLink opens in a new tab and a delicious cup of coffee and let the enchanting atmosphere of the world’s most romantic city wash over you.
