PARIS.

Welcome to Paris - a city of iconic architecture, bold fashion, diverse food and brave art. From the most famous sights in the world, like the wrought-iron Eiffel Tower, awe-inspiring Notre Dame, and stunning Arc de Triomphe, to the charming Champs-Élysées, Paris is filled with one-of-a-kind, romantic atmosphere. But Paris is much more than a perfect setting for a romantic escape with your significant other. Filled with all kinds of eateries and restaurants, from comfortable, relaxed bistros to the fanciest establishments in the world, Paris is loved by food buffs from all around the globe. However, it is not only the cuisine that Paris is famous for - Parisians are known for their taste and style, and the various boutiques and haute couture houses reflect that passion. From classic elegance to the bravest of fashion, Paris has it. Finally, there is art - from Picasso, Renoir, Rodin, Manet, Monet, to Dali and Van Gogh, Paris housed the most famous of artists, and their works can now be admired in many museums. Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay and Centre Pompidou are just a few of them - explore the city of yourself, and you're sure to find plenty more. Whatever it is that interests you the most, Paris will not disappoint you.

Paris Money Saving Tips

Money Saving Tips

Best Period to Visit Paris

Best Period to Visit Paris

Accomodation Tips for Paris

Accomodation Tips

Getting Around Paris

Getting Around Paris

Top 10 Things to See and Do in Paris

Top 10 Things to See and Do in Paris

Other Things to See and Do

Other Things to See and Do

Money Saving Tips

Visit the Louvre for free

You can try visiting the Louvre Museum without any admission fee on the first Sunday of each month from October to March. Another great tip for visiting the Louvre is to enter through the Carrousel du Louvre attraction, which gets you right to the ticket counter so you can skip the long lines which require hours of waiting.

Get in cheaper into the Musée d’Orsay

On every day of the week except Thursdays the tickets to the museum are a lot cheaper after 4:30 p.m. On Thursdays though, they are reduced from 6 p.m. until 9:45 p.m. The entry is also free on every first Sunday of the month, just like the Louvre, and the regular ticket price is €11 if you do not qualify for discounts.

Get a Paris Museum Pass

Just as every major tourist city, Paris also has a dedicated pass which lets you see its attractions for a much lower price. The Museum Pass offers both free and discounted admission to over sixty different museums and monuments all over the city and, moreover, lets you skip the lines to almost every attraction.

Use the public transport

Public transport in Paris is exceptionally cheap, and you should use it when moving through the crowded city. Right from the airport as you land you can either take the RER B regional train which takes you into the city in about half an hour for only €9.50 or take a €10 bus which is more direct but takes a little longer.

Do not use taxis

Using taxis in Paris is absolutely obsolete and inefficient cost-wise, as the extensive metro system underneath the city allows you to easily get anywhere you want. The metro tickets come at reasonable prices, and you can even get a ticket which will last you a weekend or a whole week, which is even more cost-efficient.

Use the Vélib’

The Vélib’ is a unique bike-share system which is exclusive to Paris. The system has as much as twenty thousand different bikes all over the city, located in a thousand and eight hundred stations. A one-day pass for bikes costs only €1.70, and a whole-week pass is as cheap as €8.

Find accommodation in hostels

Hostels offer a great price on really nice and well-maintained rooms. The hotels of Paris are pretty expensive, and you're going to have to spend hundreds of euros just for a couple of nights. Hostels, on the other hand, range from €15 for a dorm room, and about €50 for a single private room per night.

Attend the free walking tours

There is an arrangement of free walking tours in Paris which anyone can attend for no admission fee at all. The walks are mostly prepared by locals, but there are also a few specialised companies, such as New Europe Walking Tours or Paris Greeters, so make sure to check online to see when each tour starts.

Ask for tap water in restaurants

Restaurants in Paris often try to provide you bottled water and charge you exorbitant prices for it, but there is another way out of this situation. Make sure to ask for tap water when ordering your meal in Paris, as not only is it free everywhere, but it is just as safe to drink as any bottled water you may find.

Eat at outdoor markets

Paris is full of marketplaces throughout the city, and these are your best place to look for discounted food. There is plenty of stalls and food trucks which provide unique and tasty meals, both oriental and regional, at a price point much smaller than in restaurants.

Best Period to Visit Paris

Tourism

In Paris, every season offers a different kind of charm and atmosphere. This makes the French capital attractive all year round. Summer is the most crowded, June to August being the prime season. If you're after a bit lower travel rates and shorter lines, fall is the season to go. For the biggest discounts, winter is the time to go. However, don't expect the city to be truly empty, as Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, no matter the month.

Weather

Paris is the warmest from June to September, with around 24°C highs, and the coldest from November to early March, when the temperature goes down to around 3°C.

Money

Winter offers some of the best discounts, with most hotels offering up to 30% off the normal price. During the fall, food and accommodation are somewhat cheaper than during the peak months, which are June, July, and August.

Events

Paris Fashion Week (February-March)
Foire du Trone (March)
International Marathon of Paris (April)
VE Day (May)
French Open Tennis Championship (May-June)
Fête de Saint-Denis (June)
Fête de la Musique (June)
Tour de France (July)
Bastille Day (July)
Paris Fashion Week (September)
Fête d'Automne (September-December)
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (October)
Armistice Day (November)
Le Salon Nautique de Paris (December)
Fête de Saint-Sylvestre (December)

Accomodation Tips

Apartments

Serviced apartments in Paris come in various price ranges and level of comfort, but they are always a nice alternative to a simple hotel stay.

Budget (1-2 star) hotels

Cheap hotels in Paris can be booked for as low as €20 per night. This option of accommodation can yield substantial saving for those who wish to explore the French capital on a budget.

Standard (3-4 star) hotels

Standard hotels in Paris are located not far away from the popular attractions, while at the same time offering comfortable conditions and high level of service. Prices for these hotels start around €60 per night but reach as much as €200.

Luxury hotels in Paris

5-star hotels in Paris offer impeccable service, the finest facilities, and excellent location right next to the most popular attractions. Of course, such comfort and convenience come at a price - nightly rates for luxury hotels in Paris start around €230 and go well over €1000.

Getting Around Paris

Metro

Metro is the place to go for a newly-arrived tourist in Paris. Every metro ticket window provides a map with details, which can also be downloaded from the web to make it even easier.
You can easily find the metro line you're looking for, as they are not only identified by a number, but also by colors, and all of the signs in metro stations depict which lines take off from which platform.
Each metro station has a neighborhood map, placed somewhere near the exit, which will show you the surroundings of the station.
The metro usually starts its service at 5.30 a.m. and ends at 1.15 a.m., and even a little later during weekends. Of course, every line of the metro has its individual schedule, so make sure to look at the timetable either on the station itself or on the web.

Bus

While being far slower than metro and quite harder to get acknowledged with, it also allows you to see the beautiful scenery and the cityscape of Paris while traveling, so it is not a bad idea to try this way out. The buses are operated by the same company which runs the metro, so their website also states all the information for the bus lines.
The buses start their routes somewhere around 5 a.m. from Monday to Saturday, and the last line ends its service at approximately 1 a.m., so make sure to get home before that time, or you might have to hike.
Keep in mind that the buses have severely reduced services on Sundays and all holidays – it would be best to check the timetable beforehand not to be left without any bus available.
There is also a night bus service, which starts around the midnight and cruises up to 6 a.m., but it includes only several lines and rides along only the most attended spots of the city so you might have some trouble if you're somewhere on the outskirts.

Ferry

This choice is definitely the slowest one available in Paris but is also the most picturesque one. Make sure to try this out at least once to see for yourself the unique experience of traveling around the city by boat.
There is a ferry every twenty minutes at many of the piers along the river Seine, including the Eiffel Tower, Musée d’Orsay, Notre Dame, Musée du Louvre, and Champs-Élysées.
The tickets for the boats can be bought at any of the stops and at numerous tourist offices all around the city. Day passes are also available – a two-day pass costs €46, and a three-day pass is €50. It is quite expensive to travel by boat, but the experience is truly unforgettable.

Car

Should you choose to travel around the city of Paris by your own vehicle, be it a car or a motorcycle, make sure you are up to the task, as you will encounter quite a number of problems. First of all, the centre of the city is often filled with traffic jams, making navigating the city very tiring and slow.
Keep in mind that in order to even be allowed in most of the areas of Paris, you are required to have an anti-pollution sticker on your vehicle. You will not be able to enter the centre of the city between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday to Friday without the sticker.
Since you probably will not be easily able to get your own car to the city centre, you might want to take a look at many of the rental offers in Paris. There is an electric car share program, which is quite expensive, but there are also scooters and mopeds to rent, which are far cheaper and allow you to skip some traffic with skillful driving.

Tickets & Passes

• Metro tickets – the tickets for the metro in Paris allow you to travel between any stations for one and a half hour, and you can switch lines as many times as you want during that time. A ticket costs €1.90 and half of that amount for children up to nine years old.
• Mobilis – for only €7.50 a day you can travel unlimited by metro if you're planning a long day of traveling. The basic pass allows you to travel along two zones, and the more expensive one (€17.80) will take you along all five of them.

Top 10 Things to See and Do in Paris

Eiffel Tower Summit Priority Access

This tour of the Eiffel Tower lets you bypass the long waiting lines at the bottom of the tower, which will surely take you hours and hours to get through, especially in the tourism season. With this one, you also get a host who tells you about the landmarks and attractions of Paris, with exclusive access to the summit of the tower.

Notre-Dame Cathedral Guided Tour

A tour of one of the most well-known and famous tourist attractions of Paris. With this tour, you get to skip the long lines and visit the Cathedral with a well-educated guide, who will tell you the history of the Cathedral as well as explain its gorgeous gothic architecture as you explore both the interior and the exterior.

Sainte-Chapelle

The Holy Chapel is one of the most attended attractions of Paris, and as such there are often long queues to visit the chapel. Take a skip-the-line tour of the chapel, which was built between the years of 1238 and 1248 and is considered among the highest achievements of the gothic architecture.

Moulin Rouge Show

A must-see spectacle for all the theatre-enthusiasts out there. Enjoy the most famous cabaret not only in France but in all of the world. The show is filled with can-can dancers and marvelous costumes, with an accompaniment of gorgeous music. You can choose from the two available shows, and you can even opt-in for champagne during the show.

Paris in One Day tour

This tour lets you forget about planning ahead and head on straight to sightseeing. The tour includes a tour of all of Paris, including the Louvre Museum, the Eiffel Tower, The Notre-Dame Cathedral, as well as a cruise on the Seine river. With this tour, you also get to dine in the exclusive Eiffel Tower restaurant and climb the bell tower of the Notre-Dame.

Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Dinner Cruise

For a moment of relaxation in the evenings, you might want to try out this all-inclusive cruise along the Seine river. You can admire the landmarks and attractions of Paris from the tall cruise ship and enjoy the full view through floor-to-ceiling windows of a special room. The cruise also comes with a live bistro music concert and a rich buffet.

Big Bus Paris Hop-on-hop-off Tour

This tour is the perfect solution for people who prefer to wander around the city and its attractions at their own pace rather than be forced to go with a group. The tour provides a variety of tall buses from which you can see the cityscape of Paris, and the driver makes sure to remind you where you are so you do not miss any stops.

Paris Catacombs Skip-The-Line Tour

A one and a half hour long trip around the Catacombs of Paris, hidden underneath the city. The narrated tour retells you the story of one of the most fascinating labyrinths of the world, filled with graves and remains. The hallways of the catacombs are filled with skeletons and bones, making this an attraction, not for the faint of heart.

Ghosts, Mysteries and Legends Night Walking Tour of Paris

A tour for supernatural fanatics. This one takes place during the night and follows a guide’s narration of the myths, legends and ghost stories of Paris. You can discover the darkest and deepest mysteries of the city that hide behind the marvelous everyday façade. This two-hour long tour will show you the Paris you never knew.

After hours tour of the Opera Garnier

This exclusive, VIP tour will get you inside of the Opera Garnier during the after-hours, where no other visitors will disturb your stay. You can take your time with discovering the one-of-a-kind interior of the opera house without crowds to annoy you, and you can take a look at the chandeliers and mirrors of the Grand Foyer.

Other Things to See and Do

Le Marais

Le Marais is a lively district of Paris, perfect for a weekend stroll. The district features the trail attended by Louis the XIV, a Jewish quarter with their artisans and craftsmen, as well as a large selection of vintage shops and restaurants. Le Marais is a great place to visit both for sightseeing as well as for dinner or shopping.

Jardin des Tuileries

This historic park, which spans between the Louvre Museum and Place de la Concorde is a place of vast greenery with a large fountain in the middle. The park includes a footpath walked by Marie Antoinette as well as a place where Napoleon ordered his triumphal arch to be built in all of its gorgeous presence.

Musée de la Vie Romantique

If you’re looking for a romantic place to take your significant other to, this one might be the perfect spot. This museum is dedicated to two artists who wrote during the Romantic era: the painter Ary Scheffer and the writer George Sand. The museum is filled with numerous masterpieces of the two, both originals and reproductions.

La Promenade Plantée

This promenade used to be a railroad track but is now decorated with a variety of floral arrangements to decorate the place. The elevated path offers a magnificent view of the city and allows you to stroll through green arches well above the crowds of the city. The walkway spans for four and a half kilometer, giving you plenty of space to relax.

Belleville

The historical district of Belleville is where you can still feel the rebellion. But that’s not all there is to it - the district has a magnificent Chinatown which is unique to the whole city, with artists putting up displays all around the place to make it a lively place worth visiting and exploring thoroughly.

Rue Mouffetard

One of the many marketplaces of Paris, Rue Mouffetard is arranged around a cobblestoned street, filled with small-time bakers, fromageries and unique sweet shops with gourmet choice of products. Make sure to come here on Saturday, when the whole city is closed and becomes a gigantic food market with a plethora of vendors.

Arènes de Lutèce

Unknown to many visitors and foreigners, the city of Paris has a rich Roman heritage. The ruins of Arènes de Lutèce, placed in the Latin Quarter of the city, date back to the beginnings of the current era and holds the longest Roman amphitheater ever constructed with an arena which hosted periodical gladiator fights.

Canal St Martin

Many of the native city dwellers of Paris enjoy their evenings with a stroll along the Canal St Martin, near the water’s edge. This walkway which spans from the République to Gare du Nord is a great spot to go with family and enjoy a calm, tranquil afternoon. You can even take a blanket and enjoy a picnic of your own.

Atelier Brancusi

Constantin Brancusi was a Romanian sculptor who made his career in France, considered by many the father of modernism and one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. Admire the smooth shapes of his sculptures with your own eyes with this free-to-visit studio placed in front of Centre Pompidou.

Parc Monceau

Parc Monceau is one of France’s most gorgeous and well-known parks, with a variety of different statues depicting famous people such as Chopin or Guy de Maupassant. The park has a beautiful promenade with a lot of peaceful green space and, moreover, hosts a display of Chinese statues.

Parc des Buttes-Chaumont

This park may be quite a workout to traverse, as it is the steepest park of Paris, but it also provides a lot to see. Perfect for a morning jogging session, this park features a wide arrangement of birds that live in its vicinity. The park is filled with rocky reliefs and even has a gorgeous waterfall placed in the middle of the green area.

Cimetière du Montparnasse

This one is no ordinary cemetery - it is a resting place for a huge number of famous and well-known abroad Parisians. Even though it is not as gorgeous as the Père Lachaise, this one is great for a tranquil walk. Under the grounds of the cemetery lie such people as Jean-Paul Sartre, Samuel Beckett, and Simone de Beauvoir.

Musée Carnavalet

If you’re looking for an extensive history lesson on the city of Paris, you must go to the Carnavalet Museum, which occupies two neighboring mansions – the Hôtel Carnavalet and the Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau. The museum has been open to the public sins 1880 and holds a rich permanent collection – free of charge.

Basilique du Sacré-Coeur

Visit one of the most marvelous churches in France – the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur. The church is built of gorgeous white marble and is placed on a hill overlooking the Montmartre district in the 18th arrondissement. The inside of the church is filled with golden mosaics and beautiful stained-glass windows, making it a must-see.

Marché d’Aligre

This food market is probably the most visited and recognised one in the whole of Paris, located in the 12th arrondissement. The food market is filled every day with a wide variety of different vendors, who sell products ranging from artisan cheese, through small-time butchers to marvelous flower stalls with a unique fragrance.

Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris

If you’re into more surreal, modern art, then this museum is the perfect place for you to visit and see for yourself. The museum features a wide variety of collections, including Braque and Matisse, showcasing the best of cubism and other modern techniques of art. All of that is free to the public every day of the year.

Cimitière du Père Lachaise

Visit the most famous cemetery of Paris and of all of France, which is also supposedly the most haunted place of the country. Many icons of both modern and old times lie under the ground of the cemetery, including Proust, Balzac, Oscar Wilde and Edith Piaf. Even rock star Jim Morrison has found his place here.

Parc du Champ-de-Mars

If you do not have the money to spend on a view from the summit of the Eiffel Tower or do not want to stay in line for the regular balcony, take a trip to the Parc du Champ-de-Mars with an equally impressive view of the cityscape from a slightly different angle. The park also has numerous lawns and flower displays for you to marvel at.

Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen

This attraction of Paris is the wildest and most unique flea market of all of Paris, including antique fairs, bearskin rug merchants, old-fashioned tapestries and even replicas of the Notre-Dame bells. The marketplace is free to visit, and while the items in shops are, quite obviously, not free, you can still window-shop.

Notre Dame Cathédrale

If you don’t mind the expense, one way to explore the Notre Dame Cathédrale is with a guided tour which lets you view the normally-forbidden parts of the cathedral without waiting in lines. However, if you’re on a tight budget, you can always visit the main part of the Cathedral for free and admire its medieval edifice, as well as take a walk around it to see its sculptures and towers.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are the best hotels for Paris city break?

    Our list of the best hotels in Paris are: Mercure Paris Centre Tour Eiffel, Novotel Paris Les Halles, Novotel Paris Centre Tour Eiffel, Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel and Crowne Plaza Paris Republique. Discover the full list of best hotels in Paris.

  • What are the luxury hotels in Paris?

    The finest examples of luxury hotels in Paris include Hotel de Nell, Hotel Concorde Montparnasse, Hotel Bourgogne & Montana, Le Marcel Paris Gare de l'Est, Mercure Paris Montmartre Sacre Coeur, The Hotel du Collectionneur Arc de Triomphe and Holiday Inn Paris Gare de l'Est. Discover the full list of luxury hotels in Paris.

  • What are the cheap hotels in Paris?

    Those trying to visit Paris on a tight budget will find everything they need in hotels such as Ibis Paris Eiffel Tower, Campanile Paris, Hotel Bienvenue Paris, Hotel Europe Saint Severin, Ibis Styles Paris Bercy, Hotel Galileo Paris and Libertel Gare de l'Est Francais. Discover the full list of Cheap hotels in Paris.

  • What is the best period to visit Paris for a city break?

    Taking factors such as weather, crowds and prices, the best months to visit Paris for a city break are June, July, August and September.

  • What are top 5 things to see and do in Paris?

    Paris offers plenty of exciting attractions and things to do. Must-sees in Paris include: Eiffel Tower Summit Priority Access, Notre-Dame Cathedral Guided Tour, Sainte-Chapelle, Moulin Rouge Show and Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Dinner Cruise.

  • How much does an Paris city pass cost?

    A city pass in Paris costs around €69.

  • How much does public transport in Paris cost?

    24-hour ticket for public transport in Paris costs around €12.30.

  • What are the best night clubs in Paris?

    The best night clubs in Paris include: La Bellevilloise, La Java, Supersonic, Wanderlust and Le Bus Palladium.

  • What are the best bars in Paris?

    Judging on the reviews and customer opinions, the best bars in Paris are: Le Syndicat, Billili, Combat, L’Avant Comptoir du Marché and Cravan.

  • What are the best places to eat in Paris?

    Your choice of the best restaurants in Paris may vary depending on your taste, however, Septime, Allard, Epicure and Clamato are some of the most popular choices.

  • What are the top 5 best restaurants in Paris?

    Top 5 restaurants in Paris include: Tannat, Benoit Paris, Dersou, Le 52 and Miznon.