Best Things to Do in Paris
Introduction
For travelers, Paris is perhaps the most romantic city in the world. It’s also a great place for foodies and art lovers. It has so many things to do that you could easily spend an entire vacation just exploring the city. In this post, I’ll share my top picks for things to do in Paris: from visiting iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral, to seeing some of the most beautiful museums on earth such as Louvre and Centre Pompidou; from taking in a ballet performance at Palais Garnier or catching a show at Moulin Rouge—the possibilities are endless!
Tour Eiffel
The Eiffel Tower is the most famous landmark in Paris. It’s also one of the easiest to see, as it’s right in the middle of town and has been open since 1889! You can go up the tower for an amazing view of Paris, but if you don’t want to wait in line for tickets (which can take up to two hours), there are plenty of places nearby where you can get great views too.
The tower itself is open until midnight during summer months and until 11pm during winter months; however, there are many other options that are much less crowded than this iconic landmark:
- Le Jardin du Trocadero offers a panoramic view over la Seine River from its terrace restaurant with outdoor seating area; an indoor cafe serves drinks and snacks year-round with limited indoor seating space available on rainy days only so plan accordingly! If it rains while visiting here then walk down rue de Rivoli towards Pont Neuf bridge or follow along quai Branly until reaching Pont des Arts bridge where locals like walking their dogs along its path while eating ice cream cones at nearby snack shops before returning home again later that evening after dark (it doesn’t get dark until around 10 pm during summer months).
The Champs Elysees
The Champs Elysees is a tree-lined boulevard in Paris. It’s one of the most famous streets in the world and a popular tourist destination, home to some of Paris’s most famous stores.
The Champs Elysees runs from Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe, passing through several districts such as Saint-Honore and Avenue des Champs Elysees before it reaches its end point at Place Charles de Gaulle (formerly known as Place de 1’Etoile).
Musee du Louvre
The Musee du Louvre is the largest art museum in the world, housing over 35,000 works of art. It’s a must-see for any art lover visiting Paris and it’s free to enter! The museum was established in 1793 as a repository for royal collections and has since become an essential part of French culture. It contains some of the most famous pieces from artists such as Monet, Picasso and Van Gogh–including Le Grande Odalisque by Ingres which can be seen on display at long last after spending decades hidden away due to its scandalous nature (it depicts a nude woman reclining). If you’re looking for something more interactive than just admiring paintings then check out Les Ateliers du Louvre: here you’ll find workshops led by professionals who teach everything from sculpture making to cooking classes where participants learn how to make traditional French cuisine such as macarons or crepes suzette while enjoying views over Parisian rooftops
Arc de Triomphe
- Arc de Triomphe
- Located at the western end of the Champs Elysees, this monument is one of Paris’s most famous landmarks. It was built as a tribute to Napoleon’s military victories and stands high above the city as a symbol of French pride.
- How to get there: The metro stops at Charles De Gaulle-Etoile (Line 1) or George V (Line 1 & 9) will take you within walking distance from this attraction. If coming by car, there are several parking garages within close proximity where you can park your vehicle for free or for a small fee if staying longer than 2 hours–just make sure not to park on any side streets!
Notre Dame Cathedral
Notre Dame Cathedral is a Gothic church located on the eastern half of the Ile de la Cite island in Paris, France. The cathedral is famous for its large dome and its flying buttresses that remind people of a bird’s wings. It was built between 1163 and 1345, making it one of the oldest churches in Europe. It’s also one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites because of its age and architectural significance; it was originally built as part of an abbey but later became an independent religious structure after being secularized during the French Revolution (1789-99).
The cathedral has been damaged several times throughout history–most recently in 2019 when part of its roof collapsed due to heavy rainstorms–but each time workers have rebuilt it exactly as they found it before repairing damage caused by time or forces outside their control
The Catacombs of Paris
The Catacombs of Paris is the name given to a network of underground tunnels that were originally used as quarries. The catacombs are located underneath the city of Paris, France, and they’re accessible via several entrances.
In 1774, during an excavation for building materials at La Madeleine Cemetery (now called Pere Lachaise Cemetery), workers discovered a large number of human bones buried in rock deposits beneath the surface. They decided to continue digging and soon found even more skeletons; it became clear that there was an entire network of underground tunnels filled with human remains! The tunnels had been used as quarries since Roman times, but no one knew about them until this point–and now you can visit them too!
Moulin Rouge
The Moulin Rouge is a cabaret located in Pigalle, Paris. It was founded by Joseph Oller in 1889 and has since become one of the most famous cabarets in the world. The Moulin Rouge is considered to be the birthplace of modern-day cancan dancing, as well as many other types of dance styles that have been adapted from it over time. If you want to visit this historic landmark, make sure you plan ahead! Tickets are sold out months in advance due to its popularity amongst tourists from around the globe who come here each day just for their chance at seeing something truly spectacular; however there are still ways for those without reservations (or who missed out on them) get tickets: You can wait outside until someone leaves so they can get back into line again (though this could take hours), or try buying tickets online through third party websites like Viator which offer discounted prices compared with official vendors such as Ticketmaster.”
Napoleon’s Tomb at Les Invalides
Napoleon’s Tomb, located in Les Invalides, is a large domed building that Napoleon built in 1806. The tomb was designed by Louis-Henri de Bourbon and features an Egyptian obelisk. It was originally intended to be placed on top of a mausoleum for Napoleon’s brother Joseph, who died in 1789 before he could become king; however, when Joseph’s body was returned from Saint Helena where he had been buried after his death at sea, it was found to be too damaged for display and so was buried under the floorboards instead. This added some mystery and intrigue about the tomb because people were unsure exactly where it was located until recently when archaeologists discovered that it contains two coffins: one containing Joseph’s remains (which were reinterred elsewhere) and another containing those belonging solely to Napoleon himself!
These are the best things to do in Paris.
Here are the best things to do in Paris:
- The Louvre – This museum is one of the largest in the world, with over 35,000 pieces on display. You could spend an entire day here and still not see everything! To see all of its treasures, plan on at least 3-4 hours. The first floor has some great artwork but it’s really worth going deeper into the collection if you want to see some real masterpieces like Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night (and don’t forget about that pyramid).
- Eiffel Tower – When most people think about visiting Paris, this iconic structure immediately comes to mind as one of their must-sees! Built for an international exhibition in 1889 as part of France’s centennial celebration for its Revolution, this landmark remains one of Europe’s most visited tourist attractions today due largely because it offers breathtaking views from up top including panoramas over both sides across nearby neighborhoods plus glimpses into surrounding suburbs further away during clear days when weather cooperates such as those needed during winter months when cold temperatures make clouds more likely than rain showers so check weather forecasts before heading out since sometimes fog can also block visibility even though foggy days might still be warm enough without any rain falling down upon us mortals below ground level where we live our lives every day without knowing what lies above us beyond clouds which obscure our vision so maybe someday scientists will figure out how
Conclusion
There are many more things to do in Paris than the ones listed here. If you have time, check out some museums or visit the Palace of Versailles. You can also visit Disneyland Paris if you want something more kid-friendly!