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Paris, France, is one of the most beautiful and fascinating cities in Europe, thanks to its vibrant art scene, rich history, and elegant architecture. There’s no shortage of things to do here, but with so many tourist attractions on offer, it can be tough to narrow it down.
In this travel guide, we’ve listed eight of the most fun things to do in Paris and outlined some of the best places to do them. If you’re looking for the best views, historical sights, and points of interest to include on your itinerary, this travel guide can help.
1. Shop Until You Drop
Paris is renowned for its fashion and is one of the world’s greatest cities for boutique shopping. Champs-Élysées — a huge avenue at the heart of the city — is home to the flagship stores of several luxury fashion houses, including Cartier, Louis Vuitton, and Guerlain.
Several iconic department stores can also be found throughout the city, with Galeries Lafayette arguably the most famous. This beautiful building features an enormous domed roof adorned with beautiful stained glass windows. It’s worth a visit for its architecture as much as its shops.
Le Bon Marché is the city’s oldest department store. Situated on the Left Bank of the Seine, it has an elegant, airy atmosphere and features a gourmet food emporium called La Grande Épicerie.
Samariaine Paris Pont-Neuf was built soon after Le Bon Marché in the mid-1800s. It features a beautiful oak staircase that spans the store’s three floors and is adorned with 16,000 gold leaves. Add it to your itinerary if only to see the staircase.
Westfield Forum des Halles is a more modern store. It features a contemporary wavy roof that was constructed during renovations in 2016. While the physical store might be relatively new, the site on which it stands was used as a market all the way back in the 1100s.
Another modern department store to check out is Merci, housed in a reconfigured fabric factory built in the 19th century. It features a literary cafe with a huge book collection and is the perfect spot to take a break from a shopping spree.
2. Dine like a True Parisian
There’s no shortage of delicious food in Paris, with high-quality cafes and restaurants dotted throughout the city. For an authentic experience, visit a traditional Parisian bistro. These are less formal than restaurants and are known for offering traditional, hearty, affordable fare and a sociable atmosphere.
Bistros usually have a limited menu that changes on a daily basis, with chefs deciding what to cook based on whatever fresh, seasonal produce they can get their hands on.
Those who want to eat or drink in the city’s most iconic establishments should check out Café de Flore. This incredible Art Deco spot on Boulevard Saint-Germain has served as a popular hangout for many notable creatives, including Picasso and Hemingway.
For fantastic food, book a table at Le Train Bleu, which is located in Gare de Lyon, one of the biggest and busiest train stations in France. This 120-year-old restaurant is decorated with beautiful murals and artwork from famed artists. The fixed-price menu, which includes wine, isn’t cheap, but the food is known to be of exceptional quality.
If you’re looking for an introduction to French cuisine and to the landmarks of Paris at the same time, consider booking a food tour. This is where a local guide shows you around the key sights while making regular stops at their favorite eateries to let you sample delicious dishes. Wine and cheese tours are also widely available.
3. Catch Live Entertainment
It’s no surprise that a city renowned for its culture and creativity has a wealth of live entertainment on offer. Paris is well-known for its jazz bars, and a wander around the Latin Quarter and the 6th arrondissement is a fantastic way to seek out live music. Notable bars include Duc de Lombards, La Caveau des Oubliettes, and Sunset/Sunside.
Moulin Rouge is a must-see attraction when you visit Paris. You can enjoy dinner and a cabaret show here every night of the week. It has a lively, risque atmosphere, and the interior decor is wonderfully opulent.
If you’re looking for more high-brow entertainment, a trip to Palais Garnier is a must. This beautiful opera house is a work of art architecturally, and it regularly hosts music and ballet performances.
Philharmonie de Paris is a relatively new concert hall located within Parc de la Villette in the northeast portion of the city. Its goal is to democratize classical music, and it offers competitive ticket prices to help working-class locals access live performances. It’s a great way for tourists on a budget to enjoy live entertainment.
4. Take a Tour with a Local
One of the best ways to get to know a destination when you visit for the first time is to take a guided tour. There are many different ways to do this in Paris. Many people take hop-on hop-off buses, which provide an affordable way to get around the city’s main attractions and to explore them at a pace that suits you. There are several routes to choose from, including an audio guide to help you learn about the city’s landmarks en route.
A walking tour with a local is a great choice if you want in-depth insights into the city. This gives you the opportunity to ask questions along the way, and it’s often a great way to meet fellow travelers if you join a group tour. For a similar experience that’s a little less tiring, consider booking a Segway tour instead.
Paris is renowned for its art, and you don’t even have to visit any galleries or museums to see incredible works on display. There’s a vibrant street art scene, and you can take a street art tour to be introduced to some of the most notable works. Areas like Canal Saint-Martin, Belleville, and Oberkampf are known as hubs for impressive street art.
For an adventure that’s a little more out of the ordinary, consider taking an Oscar Wilde Tour. This will give you fascinating insights into the life of the famed English writer after he took refuge in Paris following his release from prison.
The tour covers many of the writer’s favorite haunts and provides insights into the way that Paris revolutionized attitudes to sexuality. It concludes at the famous Père Lachaise Cemetery, where Wilde is buried along with many other notable figures, including Edith Piaf and Jim Morrison.
5. Enjoy the River Seine
The Seine cuts right through the heart of Paris and plays a key role in setting this city’s romantic charm. A Seine river cruise is one of the more classically touristy activities, but sightseeing by the river gives you a sense of Paris that can’t be captured on foot. You’ll serenely pass the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, the Grand Palais, and more.
For an even more indulgent experience, consider booking a dinner river cruise. These involve live music, delicious food, fantastic French wine, and beautiful views of the city as the sun goes down. Brunch and lunch tours are also available if you’d prefer to travel during daylight.
In addition to a cruise, be sure to soak in the beauty of the Seine by simply walking along its banks. When you do so, you’ll come across the bouquinistes, second-hand booksellers. Used books have been sold here since the 16th century. It’s a popular Parisian pastime to browse the books on offer, with the likes of Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Man Ray all having done so in their heyday.
If you’re an early riser, head down to the Seine before sunrise to get an incredible view of Paris as a new day dawns. Pont Alexandre III is a particularly good spot to watch the sunrise, with views of the Eiffel Tower.
6. Admire Great Art
You simply can’t visit Paris without visiting at least one art museum, although it would be easy enough to spend every day of your trip gazing at great art in the city’s spectacular galleries and museums. The Louvre Museum, with its trademark glass pyramid, is home to many world-famous masterpieces, including the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and The Coronation of Napoleon.
The Centre Pompidou is the best place to marvel at modern art. It includes a library, a cinema, a performance space, and many galleries. Plus, it’s a work of art itself, thanks to its unique and controversial architecture.
For those who love sculpture, a visit to the Rodin Museum is essential. It has a large collection of Rodin’s works, including The Thinker and The Kiss, and it gives a fascinating insight into the artist’s life. Musée D’Orsay is best known for its collection of impressionist and post-impressionist art. It includes works from Degas, Van Gogh, Renoir, Cezanne, Gauguin, Seurat, and Monet.
Speaking of Monet, fans of his work should consider taking a day trip out of Paris to explore the village of Giverny. This is where Monet lived for much of his life and where he painted some of his best-known works, including his water lily series. You can visit the painter’s house and garden for insights into his creative process.
7. Discover French History
There’s no better way to learn about French history than in the country’s capital city. Start with the Hôtel des Invalides, which was constructed in the 1600s to house war veterans. It contains extensive displays of French military gear and paraphernalia throughout history, giving great insight into the Napoleonic War.
If you want to learn more about the French Revolution, take a day trip to Versailles. It takes just 30 minutes by train to reach the castle, which originally served as a royal residence until the French Revolution took place in the late 1700s. The Palace of Versailles is set within impressive 250-acre jardins (gardens), which King Louis XIV designed with the help of his royal gardener, Andre Le Notre.
There are many beautiful and ornate squares in Paris, but the oldest planned square is Place des Vosges in Le Marais. It was originally called Place Royal before being renamed after the Revolution in the 18th century. This beautiful square optimizes 17th-century architecture in Paris, and a picnic here is a brilliant way to get a sense of Paris in that era.
Another great way to take a step back in time is to explore the Ile de la Cité. This is one of two islands that sit in the middle of the Seine River, and it’s the historic center of Paris. You can see gorgeous examples of French Gothic architecture here, particularly when you visit Notre Dame, Saint-Chapelle, and the Conciergerie. The latter is where Marie-Antoinette awaited execution during the Revolution.
8. Walk on the Wild Side
If you’d like to do something a little out of the ordinary on your Paris trip, consider Paris Zoological Park. The 36-acre site is situated in the 12th Arrondissement within Bois de Vincennes. This huge, sprawling green space offers a peaceful break from the hustle and bustle of the city.
There are more than 2,000 animals in the Paris Zoological Park, including monkeys, pandas, lions, jaguars, giraffes, zebras, and sea lions. The park is divided into five biozones, and there’s even a tropical rainforest dome. There are plenty of opportunities to see some of the animals being fed, and you can feed them yourself when you book one of the zoo’s animal care programs.
Another popular animal attraction is the Aquarium de Paris which is located close to the Eiffel Tower. There are more than 13,000 sea creatures here, including penguins, sharks, and seahorses. Species come from all over the world, including Paris’s own Seine River. This is one of the world’s oldest aquariums, and it’s a great place to take the kids on a rainy day if you’re on a family trip.
Plan Your Trip to the French Capital
No matter if it’s your first time in Paris or you’re returning to see more of this incredible city, you’ll find there’s no shortage of fun and fascinating things to do. Let these ideas inspire your itinerary for your next visit to the City of Light.
Featured Image Credit: Catarina Belova
