There are many travel guides for Paris, and for good reason: France is the most-visited country in the world, and its capital city is the main attraction.
Paris is famous for its world-class museums, wide boulevards, beautiful Belle Epoque architecture, and unique cuisine.
It’s known not just as the cultural capital of Europe, but perhaps the world.
But it’s not just the real Paris that draws you in—it’s the fantasy.
Paris has been shown as the most romantic place and we have heard about it since birth through books by Victor Hugo and Ernest Hemingway.
Further, you must have seen movies like Moulin Rouge and An American in Paris.
Also, photographs by Henri Cartier Bresson and Brassaï are great examples.
While most travelers know the famous tourist spots like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Notre Dame, the true essence of the city is found in less obvious places.
To help with that, our guide will help you know where they like to stay, eat, shop, and visit in Paris.
Some suggestions are for those who love the classics—you can’t go wrong with an evening of soufflé and a night at the ballet.
Other recommendations are for those looking for something different, like affordable dumplings or vintage shops that will make you feel like a character from a stylish movie.
Top 10 Places to Visit
- Eiffel Tower
- Notre Dame Cathedral
- Cruise on the Seine
- Palace of Versailles
- Louvre Museum
- Champs Elysées / Arc of Triumph
- Montmartre
- The Latin Quarter – Luxembourg park
- Moulin Rouge
- Disneyland Paris
Top 10 Restaurants in Paris
- Table Bruno Verjus
- Le Petit Célestin
- Parcelles
- Septime
- L’Ambroisie
- Le Bon Georges
- Les enfants du marché
- 4bis Rue du Cardinal Lemoine
- Golden Poppy
- Anne par Mathieu Pacaud
Top 10 Shopping Malls
- Galeries Lafayette Haussmann
- Westfield Les 4 Temps
- Aéroville
- Bercy Village
- So Ouest
- Westfield Forum des Halles
- Centre Commercial Saint-Lazare
- Italie Deux
- Carrousel du Louvre
- Passage du Havre
How to Spend 5 Days in Paris?
- Day 1: Take a walk and food tours.
- Day 2: The Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Musée de l’Orangerie
- Day 3: The Palace of Versailles, Père Lachaise Cemetery
- Day 4: Eiffel Tower, Wander Rue Cler, Paris Sewer Museum, Les Invalides (The Tomb of Napoleon), The Museum of the Shoah (The Holocaust Museum), Paris Catacombs, Rue Mouffetard, Musée de Cluny, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Montmartre
Where to Eat in Paris?
- Florence Kahn
- Café Père & Fils
- King Falafel Place
- ISTR
- La Crêperie des Artes
- Robert et Louise
- Pizzeria Popolare
- Le Dit Vin
- Juveniles
How to Save Money in Paris?
- Visit the Louvre for free – Admission is free on first Sunday of each month from October to March
- Save at the Musée d’Orsay – Tickets price is 9 EUR after 4:30 PM.
- Stick to public transportation – Bus and metro tickets cost about 2.10 EUR each.
- Take public transport from Charles de Gaulle Airport
- Use Uber – Taxis are convenient but they add up fast. Use Uber, it is cheap.
- Buy a Paris Museum Pass – Free and discounted admission to 60 museums.
- Stick to public transportation – Dorm rooms in Paris start at 20 EUR and private rooms in hostels start around 50 EUR.
- Drink in Hostel Bars – Even if you are not staying in a hostel, you can consider drinking at the bars.
Interesting facts about Paris
The Eiffel Tower wasn’t meant to stay
Image Credit: Pinterest
It may be surprising, but Paris’s most iconic building was intended to be temporary.
France built it to showcase its advanced technology and construction skills.
When the Eiffel Tower was constructed in 1889, it was highly unpopular.
Locals and prominent figures protested against it, and the media labeled it a “useless monstrosity.”
You can visit an old guillotine spot
There isn’t an actual guillotine on the streets of Paris, but you can visit the corner of Roquette and La Croix-Faubin Street where a guillotine used to stand.
You’ll see five concrete spots marking where public executions took place in front of a former prison back in 1851.
It’s a fascinating glimpse into Europe’s eerie past.
Love-Locks Bridge is no longer
Image Credit: Pinterest
The ‘love-locks bridge’ (Pont des Arts) no longer exists because the weight of the locks was causing structural damage.
The bridge has been redecorated with modern, art-deco designs.
It’s still a pretty sight, but don’t expect to see the love locks.
Paris has its own Statue of Liberty
Image Credit: Pinterest
New York’s Statue of Liberty was a gift from France, and Paris has a smaller version facing the larger one in New York.
This symbolizes the friendship between France and the US.
There’s a huge sundial in the city
The 23-meter-high Obelisk in Place de la Concorde is not just a visual marvel; it’s also a working sundial with Roman numerals on the surrounding pavement.
While most Parisians overlook it, this gift from Egypt to France in the 19th century adds a unique touch to the city.
It’s full of ghostly metro stations
Paris has about 400 metro stations, and some of them hold secrets.
At least 14 stations are either ‘never used,’ ‘abandoned,’ or ‘no longer in use.’
One such station, Porte des Lilas, is often rented out as a film set by production companies.
Pont Neuf is…the oldest bridge
Pont Neuf, which means “New Bridge,” is now the oldest bridge still standing in Paris.
When it was built, it was one of the first stone bridges with pedestrian sidewalks, hence the name.
Unlike other bridges from that era, Pont Neuf has survived.
There are beaches
Paris has beaches along a small section of the River Seine.
You can enjoy volleyball and sunbathing, and there are also swimming pools for those who prefer not to swim in the river.
5-Day Itinerary for First Timers
Day 1 – FROM MONTMARTRE TO THE OPERA
Image Credit: Pinterest
- Montmartre & Sacré-Coeur
- Pigalle
- Moulin Rouge
- Galeries Lafayette
- Opéra Garnier
Day 2 – PARISIAN ICONS
Image Credit: Pinterest
- Eiffel Tower, Trocadéro & Champ-de-Mars
- Champs Elysées
- Arc-de-Triomphe
- Place de la Concorde
- Alexandre III Bridge
- Louvre Museum & Louvre Pyramid
Day 3 – LATIN QUARTER & THE EAST
Image Credit: Pinterest
- Le Marais
- Hotel de Ville
- Place des Vosges
- Notre-Dame-de-Paris
- Quartier Latin / St-Germain-des-Prés
- Jardin du Luxembourg
DAY 4: DAY TRIP TO VERSAILLES
Image Credit: Pinterest
- Palace of Versailles
- Grand Trianon
- Queen’s Hamlet
DAY 5: THE WEST
Image Credit: Pinterest
- Bois de Boulogne
- Jardin de Bagatelle
- Fondation Louis Vuitton
- Bateaux-Mouches
- Moulin Rouge at Night
