Top 20 Things to Do in Paris
Paris · 20 things to do
The 20 best things to do in Paris on one map, from the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre to Montmartre, the canals and Versailles.
By Amit KerenWhat are the best things to do in Paris? This map shows the top 20 tourist attractions in Paris, with what each one is known for, which ones need a booked ticket and Google Maps directions to every spot.
On a first trip, the must-sees are the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre-Dame, the Arc de Triomphe with the Champs-Élysées, and Montmartre with Sacré-Cœur. Add the Musée d'Orsay or the Orangerie if you like Impressionist art.
Which attractions need booking in advance? The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Catacombs, Sainte-Chapelle and Versailles all use timed tickets and sell out in busy months. Notre-Dame is free, and a free time slot booked online skips most of the queue.
Many of the best things to do in Paris are free: the Tuileries and Luxembourg Gardens, Place des Vosges, the Trocadéro view, Canal Saint-Martin, Père Lachaise Cemetery and the rooftop of Galeries Lafayette. Most museums are closed one day a week, so check before you plan.
Attraction · Landmark
Gustave Eiffel's 330 metre iron tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair. Book a timed ticket for the lift or the stairs to the second floor, or go all the way to the top. After dark it sparkles for five minutes at the start of every hour.
Viewpoint · Gardens and viewpoint
The terrace and gardens across the river from the Eiffel Tower, the classic spot for a photo of the whole tower. Go at sunrise for an empty terrace, or after dark to watch the tower sparkle.
Attraction · Art museum
The world's most visited museum, home of the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Book a timed ticket online and pick two or three wings rather than trying to see everything. It is closed on Tuesdays.
Park & garden · Formal garden
The formal garden between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde, laid out in the 1660s by André Le Nôtre. Grab one of the green chairs by the ponds, then walk on to the Orangerie at the far end.
Attraction · Art museum
A small museum at the end of the Tuileries built around Monet's Water Lilies, eight huge panels in two oval rooms lit by daylight. A visit takes about an hour. It is closed on Tuesdays.
Attraction · Art museum
Impressionist and post-impressionist art by Monet, Renoir, Degas and Van Gogh in a former railway station on the Left Bank. Look out over the Seine through the giant clock window on the fifth floor. It is closed on Mondays.
Attraction · Gothic cathedral
Paris's Gothic cathedral on Île de la Cité, reopened in December 2024 after the 2019 fire. Entry is free, and booking a free time slot online skips most of the queue. The towers can be climbed with a separate ticket.
Attraction · Gothic chapel
A 13th-century royal chapel inside the Palais de Justice, with walls made almost entirely of stained glass. Go on a sunny day, when the upper chapel glows. Book a timed ticket, as the security queue can be long.
Viewpoint · Monument and viewpoint
Napoleon's triumphal arch at the top of the Champs-Élysées, with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath it. Climb the 284 steps to the roof for a view down twelve avenues to the Eiffel Tower and La Défense. Reach it through the underground passage, never across the roundabout.
Area · Avenue
Paris's most famous avenue, almost 2 km from Place de la Concorde up to the Arc de Triomphe, lined with flagship shops, cinemas and cafés. Walk it from the Concorde end and finish at the arch.
Attraction · Basilica and viewpoint
The white basilica at the top of Montmartre, with one of the best free views over Paris from its steps. Entry is free; the dome has its own ticket and about 300 steps. Afterwards, wander the lanes around Place du Tertre.
Attraction · Opera house
The opulent 1875 opera house that inspired The Phantom of the Opera, with a marble grand staircase and a ceiling painted by Marc Chagall. Visit with a self-guided ticket during the day, or book a ballet or opera.
Shop · Department store
The flagship department store under a huge stained-glass dome on Boulevard Haussmann. Take the escalators to the free rooftop terrace for a view of the Opéra and the Eiffel Tower, and step out on the glass walkway under the dome.
Area · Historic square
The oldest planned square in Paris, from 1612, with matching red-brick houses, arcades and a garden in the middle. Victor Hugo's house at number 6 is a free museum. It is the perfect start for a walk through the Marais.
Attraction · Monument
The domed neoclassical monument in the Latin Quarter where France buries its great citizens, including Voltaire, Victor Hugo and Marie Curie. Foucault's pendulum swings under the dome, and in the warmer months you can climb to the colonnade for a view.
Park & garden · Park
The Left Bank's favourite park, around the palace where the French Senate sits. Rent a toy sailboat on the big pond, find the Medici Fountain and sit in the famous green chairs.
Attraction · Underground ossuary
Tunnels under the 14th arrondissement holding the bones of about six million Parisians, moved here from the city's cemeteries from the 1780s. The walk is 1.5 km, with 131 steps down and 112 back up. Book well ahead, as tickets sell out.
Area · Canal
A 4.5 km canal in the 10th arrondissement with iron footbridges, locks and plane trees. Locals picnic on the banks on summer evenings, and the streets around it are full of cafés, bakeries and independent shops.
Park & garden · Cemetery
Paris's largest cemetery and a peaceful walk along tree-lined paths, with the graves of Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Édith Piaf and Chopin. Entry is free. Download a map before you go, as it is easy to get lost.
Attraction · Royal palace
The palace of Louis XIV, about 20 km south-west of Paris, with the Hall of Mirrors, the royal apartments and huge formal gardens. Take the RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche, book a timed ticket and plan most of a day. It is closed on Mondays.
Recommended hotels
Rue de Rivoli, Tuileries
Best for: Palace hotel
Palace hotel facing the Tuileries Garden, with a Michelin-starred restaurant and a short walk to the Louvre.
Avenue Montaigne
Best for: Fashion and luxury
Dorchester Collection palace hotel on Avenue Montaigne, with many rooms looking toward the Eiffel Tower.
Trocadéro
Best for: Eiffel Tower views
Former home of Prince Roland Bonaparte facing the Eiffel Tower across the Seine, with an indoor pool.
Place des Vosges, Le Marais
Best for: Romantic stay
Ivy-covered hotel hidden behind the arcades of Place des Vosges, with a spa, in the heart of the Marais.
Louvre, near the Tuileries
Best for: Location
Classic hotel next to the Louvre, a short walk from the Tuileries, Place Vendôme and Avenue de l'Opéra.
Grands Boulevards
Best for: Rooftop bar
Design hotel by the Experimental group with a rooftop bar and an Italian restaurant, close to the Opéra and the department stores.
Saint-Germain and Montparnasse
Best for: Couples
Boutique hotel with a small spa on a quiet street near the Luxembourg Gardens.
Latin Quarter
Best for: Latin Quarter
Small boutique hotel near the Arènes de Lutèce and Rue Mouffetard, a 10 minute walk to Notre-Dame.
Latin Quarter
Best for: Value
Small boutique hotel in the Latin Quarter, handy for Notre-Dame, Saint-Michel and Rue Mouffetard.
Near Gare de l'Est
Best for: Budget
Budget hostel with private rooms near Gare de l'Est, close to Canal Saint-Martin and Belleville.
Recommended activities
Before you go
spotz.guide is a collection of travel maps and step-by-step routes, made to be opened on your phone and followed on the ground. Every guide is put together and checked by founder and editor Amit Keren.
Spots come from time on the ground and strong recommendations, and each one is checked before it goes on the map.
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