Paris is truly a city unlike any other. The stunning monuments and architecture, the cafes lining every street, and the rich history and art make Paris one of the most famous cities in Europe. This ultimate travel guide to Paris will help you plan your trip and guarantee you do and see all the best that Paris has to offer!
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Know Before You Go
When To Go: There’s really no bad time to visit Paris. I recommend shoulder season (April-May and September-October) for great weather and fewer crowds.
Currency: Euros (most places do accept US credit/debit cards)
Language: French, but most people speak some English. Learn a few french phrases before you go, “bonjour” goes a long way!
Power: If traveling from the US, you will need an adapter plug. I purchased mine from Amazon.
TRAVEL TIP: If your blow dryer is not dual voltage, just an adapter plug WILL NOT WORK. I learned this the hard way when my blow dryer sparked and broke. You can purchase a voltage converter, but these generally don’t work very long (only a few minutes). I HIGHLY recommend purchasing a dual voltage blowdryer or checking to see if your accommodations provide one.
Getting There and Getting Around
Paris has one airport: CDG. The US has direct flights from ATL and JFK.
Walking: We walked the majority of the time in Paris. If its doable, walking is absolutely the best way to experience Paris! You can see so much more of the city this way.
Public Transportation: Paris has an extensive metro system and was an amazing way to get to destinations that weren’t really walking distance. It can be a bit overwhelming at first, but we got the hang of it by day 2. We were in Paris for 4 days and purchased a pack of t+ tickets (about 2 euros per ticket). If you’re only in Paris for a few days, I would recommend doing it this way instead of purchasing a visite pass. Paris also has a bus system, but we preferred getting around on the metro.
Taxi/Uber: We only used taxis a few times. I do recommend taking a taxi to and from the airport, as dealing with your bags on the metro is a nightmare. Paris also has Uber!
Where To Stay
Paris is arranged in arrondissements. These start in the center of Paris (Arrondissement 1) and form a clockwise spiral out. Many historical attractions are in the 1st Arrondissement (Notre Dame, the Louvre Museum). The Eiffel Tower is in the 7th Arrondissement. If you want to stay in a less touristy area but equally beautiful area, I recommend Montmartre in the 18th Arrondissement.
We stayed in Hotel Pastel in the 16th Arrondissement. This hotel was perfect for a girl’s trip – the rooms were so beautifully decorated and feminine. They offer an adorable breakfast buffet with fresh juices and fruits and plenty of baked goods. The service here was great, everyone was so friendly and helpful! Make your booking here.
We wanted to stay far away enough from the tourist crowds but still be fairly close to the Eiffel, and we felt that the 16th Arrondissement was the perfect location for that! We were about a 20min walk from the Eiffel and could easily walk or take the metro to nearly everything we wanted to see and do.
What To Do
See the Eiffel Tower
Okay, this one is pretty obvious. Especially if its your first time in Paris, you can’t miss the Eiffel Tower. Here are my favorite ways to enjoy the Eiffel:
Picnic at the Park
This was hands down our favorite thing we did in Paris (and probably the cheapest). We picked up charcuterie, cheese, and a bottle of wine and laid out a picnic for the day. It was so relaxing and felt a bit surreal with the Eiffel towering over us. We loved our first picnic so much, we came back on our last evening for another with champagne and macarons.
From Girafe
Girafe has one of the best Eiffel views of all the restaurants in Paris. We had dinner here and it gave us the perfect opportunity to watch the Eiffel sparkle at night. After sunset, the Eiffel sparkles for the first five minutes every hour until 1:00am and its absolutely magical. However, the park gets PACKED with people waiting to see it. I definitely recommend making a reservation here to get the best view and avoid the crowds.
On a Seine River Cruise
We went on a cruise down the Seine River on our last day. We were able to see many major landmarks in Paris – Notre Dame, the Louvre, and of course the Eiffel (to name a few). There are many different cruise options available, ranging anywhere from a hop-on, hop-off tour to a sunset dinner cruise. We decided on an hour long ride with champagne. We booked our cruise through Get Your guide here. While this did feel a bit touristy, it was a fun (and efficient) way to get to see a lot of Paris in one hour. The guides also have some fun facts and interesting stories to share!
Sightseeing
Paris is rich with history and is home to some of the most famous landmarks and beautiful buildings. Here are few you shouldn’t miss:
The Arc de Triomphe
The Arc is so central, we walked by it nearly every day without even trying. It looks big in photographs, but it is somehow even bigger in person. You can get up close and visit the monument for 13€ per person.
Notre Dame
Unfortunately, Notre Dame was closed to the public during our time here due to a fire back in 2019. It is currently undergoing reconstruction and is set to hopefully reopen in 2024 before the Paris Olympics. While you can’t visit, you should still enjoy the view of the massive cathedral. My personal favorite view was from our cruise along the Seine.
Sacre Couer
This beautiful basilica in Montmartre sits at the highest point in Paris. The Sacre Coeur is open every day and admission is free. To access the Dome, you will have to climb roughly 300 steps and there is a charge (ticket prices are subject to change but are roughly around 8€). You can see all of Paris from here – lay out a picnic and enjoy the view!
Museums
I will admit – I am not a huge fan of museums. I can usually hold interest for about an hour or two before I get bored, but alas. If it’s your first time in Paris, these are essential:
Home to the Mona Lisa (and 35,000 other works), the Louvre is the biggest museum in the world. It’s a bit overwhelming, and its just about impossible to see all of it. In fact, if you spent 30 seconds at each piece in the Louvre, it would take you 200 days to get through the museum.
Pick your favorite exhibits and go see those. (Hint: The Mona Lisa is on Level 1 of the Denon Wing. You will have to wait in a line to see her and she’s pretty small but hey – you gotta do it once).
Entry is 17€, and you can also purchase an audioguide or book a guided tour through their website. I highly recommend purchasing your tickets in advance, as the line to purchase them gets VERY long.
Know Before You Go: The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.
Versailles
I found Versailles to be just about as overwhelming as the Louvre. The palace alone is huge, but the gardens seem to go on forever. This entire palace is stunning, but the Hall of Mirrors is a must-see: it’s spectacular.
Versailles offers tours as well as audioguides on their website.
Know Before You Go: Versailles is closed on Mondays.
Explore the Neighborhoods
St Germain: Located in the 6th arrondissement, St Germain houses some of the best cafes in Paris (such as the famous Cafe de Flore). The area is very trendy and full of beautiful people. Go spend an hour or two people watching from a cafe, then go for a stroll through the neighborhood!
Montmartre: Home to insta famous Le Maison Rose and Pink Mamma, Montmarte is clearly a photogenic area. Winding cobblestone streets spotted with colorful cafes and flowers make it one of the prettiest spots in Paris. This is also home to the Sacre Coeur. In my opinion, this is absolute must-do during your time in Paris.
Champs Elysses: You can’t go to Paris without going shopping on Champs Elysses. Make sure to leave plenty of room in your suitcase. we didn’t – and I regret it. There’s a wide array of stores ranging from top luxury brands to more affordable shops. The Zara here was the best one I’ve ever been in – seriously!
Visit the Cafés
One of my favorite activities in Paris is sitting at a café drinking coffee and people watching. Read my guide to cafés in Paris to pick your favorites!
EAT AND DRINK
Le Train Bleu
This restaurant was by far the most STUNNING place I’ve ever eaten. It’s located in the Gare de Lyon train station and is an absolute must do during your time in Paris. Order the lamb – they hand carve it right at the table. Definitely make a reservation!
Girafe
I’ve already mentioned Girafe as one of my favorite ways to see the Eiffel, but the food here is incredible too. The steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and the tuna was just absolutely divine. We read reviews that the servers were rude here, but that was absolutely not the case (at least when we went). Its VERY difficult to get a reservation here, but I managed to get one by checking their website religiously. It’s worth it, I promise!
Beefbar
I’m not even sure where to begin. This was the best food I’ve ever eaten in my life. Beefbar has many locations all over the globe, all with different menus depending on the type of cuisine in that country. The Paris location was just absolutely incredible – the ambience, the service, the wagyu ravioli – 10/10. (Seriously- get the wagyu ravioli I still have dreams about it). Make your reservation here.
Pink Mamma
Pink Mamma is one of the most instagrammable restaurants in Paris. It’s located in Montmartre (of course, everything there is beautiful). It has multiple floors, all of which are absolutely stunning. The menu consists of pastas and pizza – the truffle pizza and pesto pasta are amazing. You’ll definitely want to snag a reservation!