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Paris

Paris

France, Europe

The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and centuries of art and architecture along the Seine.

Quick decisions

How many days?

3 days: the essentials, tightly paced. 4-5 days: comfortable, adding Montmartre and a museum beyond the Louvre. 6+ days: room for a day trip to Versailles.

Where should I stay?

1st-4th arrondissements: central, walkable, pricier. Montmartre: village atmosphere, slightly further out. See our full where-to-stay guide.

Do I need a car?

No. The metro covers the city thoroughly, and driving adds parking cost and hassle without much benefit inside Paris itself.

Best for

First-time visitors: yes. Couples: yes, a genuine classic. Families: yes, with pacing around museum queues. Budget travelers: workable with free sights like Notre-Dame's exterior and Sacré-Cœur.

Before you go

Museum tickets: book the Louvre and Eiffel Tower online ahead. Shoes: a lot of walking on varied pavement. Basic French: a simple 'bonjour' before switching to English is expected.

Getting around

Airport → hotel: RER train from Charles de Gaulle, Orlyval/bus from Orly. Around the city: the metro reaches everywhere; a multi-day pass is worth it.

Continue your trip

High-speed trains reach London (about 2h15), Brussels (under 2h), or the Loire Valley for a countryside contrast.

Overview

Paris has a habit of exceeding expectations that are already sky-high — everyone arrives knowing about the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, and then the small unplanned café or the light along the Seine at dusk ends up being what actually sticks.

Most visitors need at least four days to see the essentials without rushing between them. See our full Paris travel guide for how to plan.

Getting there

Paris is served by two main airports and an extensive high-speed rail network connecting it to the rest of Europe. See our full guide to getting to Paris for routes.

Where to stay

Where you stay shapes the whole trip — central arrondissements keep you walkable to major sights, while Montmartre trades some convenience for a distinct village atmosphere. See our full where-to-stay guide.

Things to do

The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Montmartre anchor most itineraries — our Eiffel Tower guide, Louvre guide, and Montmartre guide cover each in detail.

Food and drink

Paris takes food seriously enough that a proper meal is treated as an event rather than a quick stop — croissants from a genuine boulangerie, a long lunch with wine, and cheese course traditions all still hold.

Culture

Paris has been a center of art, philosophy, and political upheaval for centuries, and that layered history shows in everything from Haussmann's 19th-century boulevards to the medieval streets that survive around Notre-Dame.

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