City Guide
5 Things to Do in Paris, France
The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre are the obvious headline acts, but Paris rewards slowing down — a walk through Montmartre, a newly-reopened cathedral, or an afternoon in the Marais tell you as much about the city as any single monument.
Gustave Eiffel's 1889 iron tower remains the city's defining symbol, and while the summit views are the draw, the second-floor terrace offers nearly as much view for a shorter queue and lower cost. It's genuinely worth seeing both from a distance (Trocadéro is the classic photo spot) and up close.
Good to know: Book timed-entry tickets online well in advance — same-day tickets often mean hours in line.
The world's most-visited museum and former royal palace, home to the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and a collection so vast that trying to see all of it in one visit is genuinely counterproductive — better to pick two or three wings and go deep.
Good to know: Enter via the less-crowded Carrousel du Louvre underground entrance rather than the main pyramid queue.
A hilltop neighborhood that kept its village character even as the city grew around it, crowned by the white-domed Sacré-Cœur basilica with panoramic views over Paris, and threaded with the steep, cobbled streets once home to Picasso and Renoir.
Good to know: Take the funicular up if you don't want to climb the steps — it's included with a standard metro ticket.
The medieval cathedral reopened to the public in December 2024 after a five-year restoration following the devastating 2019 fire — its stonework and stained glass have been meticulously restored, making a visit now genuinely timely rather than routine.
Good to know: Free timed-entry slots can be booked online, and demand has been high since reopening — book ahead where possible.
A historic neighborhood that escaped Haussmann's 19th-century redesign of Paris, keeping its narrow medieval streets — today it's the city's LGBTQ+ and Jewish cultural hub, packed with falafel spots, independent boutiques, and the elegant 17th-century Place des Vosges.
Good to know: Many shops close on different days than the rest of Paris (some on Saturday for Shabbat, some on Monday) — check hours before a specific stop.