When visiting Paris for the first time, you’ll probably want to see the classics like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Notre Dame. However, Paris has so much more to offer and we’re here to help you discover all of it! The city of lights is full of amazing museums (yes, multiple), iconic monuments (not only the Eiffel Tower) and beautiful buildings (not only the pyramids of the Louvre). It is impossible to see everything in a short trip (probably not in a lifetime), which is why we have made a selection of both the classics and the hidden gems that are crucial when visiting Paris. Here are 10 top things to do in Paris!
1. Eiffel Tower by night
A trip to Paris is not complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower! The Iron Lady is one of the most visited monuments in the world. You can of course buy a ticket to mount the statue (which we propose if it’s your first time). However, we really recommend admiring the Eiffel Tower in the evening or by night even as well. As soon as it gets dark, the Eiffel Tower begins to sparkle every hour for five minutes. This is so magical and makes it even more impressive! No matter how many times you’ve visited Paris, you just never get tired of the sparkling Iron Lady. And best of all, it’s completely free and can be seen from a mile away.
2. Sainte-Chapelle
One of the most beautiful hidden gems in Paris is Sainte-Chapelle. The chapel is famous for its gothic stained glass windows, which is simply stunning to see and really takes you back a couple centuries into the “dark ages”. A visit during a sunny day makes it even more impressive, when the sunlight shines through the colorful stained glass. It is one of the most dazzling chapels we’ve ever visited. If you only have an hour to kill, spend it here.
Tip: If you plan to visit multiple attractions in Paris, be sure to purchase a Paris Museum Pass. The price depends on how many days you want the pass for. For 2 days, we paid around € 50. The pass gives access to a whole list of museums and attractions, including Arc de Triomphe, Centre Pompidou, Musée d’Orsay, Musée de l’Orangerie, Musée du Louvre and also Sainte-Chapelle.
Pro tip
If you are 25 or under and/or if you’re a student, most attractions in Paris (like museums, chapels, monuments) will be free. Be sure to do the your research in advance so you won’t be surprised on the spot if they ask for identification. Since Kelvin was 25 years of age, he was able to visit most attractions/museums/monuments without having to pay (or with a hefty discount).
3. Montmartre
The Montmartre neighborhood is one of the coziest neighborhoods in all of Paris. You can stroll here for hours, each corner has its own charms or little café where you can rest and do some sightseeing, or grab a quick coffee. Some famous spots and “must-sees” like the Sacré-Coeur and La Maison Rose are located in the Montmartre area. The Sacré-Coeur is one of the most iconic monuments in Paris, and with good reason. At the top you can find one of the most beautiful panoramic views of Paris. There even are panoramic “traffic signs” that indicate what monuments you’re able to see which allows you to take the best pictures.
Next up is La Maison Rose, known by the Netflix series “Emily in Paris”. La Maison Rose is actually a restaurant where you can come for lunch or, like us, just to take some photos before opening time! The restaurant opens at 12 PM (noon), so if you arrive before that, the place will be empty!
Looking for more fun things to do in Montmartre? Check out this blog post from Plan For Me Dani. Don’t miss number 5 – it’s a real gem!
4. Le Moulin Rouge
The world’s most famous cabaret, Le Moulin Rouge, is located in the 18th arrondissement. Le Moulin Rouge is best known as the birthplace of the modern form of the can-can dance. Performances by Ella Fitzgerald, Elton John, Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli are only a handful of the acts that have passed in review. You can catch a show if you’d like, but just be sure to book tickets in advance as they run out of tickets fast. The prices are quite pricey as well, so you take this in account.
5. Champs-Elysées Avenue
Some window shopping at the Champs-Elysées Avenue is a must do when in Paris. It is known for its luxury stores like Louis Vuitton and Chanel, but you can also find any other major chain here (like Starbucks, Five Guys and McDonalds). You can also find more affordable brands here like Adidas, Nike and Zara so there’s something for everyone. There even is a Disney Store and when we visited, a temporary Stranger Things pop-up store was there as well! Beauty and jewelry lovers will also get their money’s worth here with stores like Sephora and Tiffany & Co.
One of the most important national monuments in France is also located here: the Arc de Triomphe. For some dazzling panoramic views over Paris, make sure to go up to the top of the Arc de Triomphe. Note: you must purchase tickets for this that cost around € 10 but they’re soooo worth it.
6. Musée du Louvre
A classic that’s not to be missed on your list is the Musée du Louvre. There are plenty of good reasons to visit the Louvre, with the Mona Lisa undoubtedly being the most famous reason. The Louvre exhibits sculptures, paintings, drawings, and much, much more. You must reserve tickets in advance. We recommend going as early in the day as possible as this gives you the most time inside the museum. There are wait times (well past the hour mark) before opening for those who don’t have tickets! Also, the museum is very, very large, so be sure to count enough hours to see everything.
Pro tip
Everyone waits in line in front of the big, glass pyramids. But a less busy entrance can be found near the underground shopping mall of Place du Carrousel. You can enter the mall by the stairs situated North and South of the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. Using this entrance will take you to the upside down pyramid that was featured in The Da Vinci Code bestseller by Dan Brown!
7. Opera Garnier
If you like architecture and beautiful buildings, you should definitely visit Opera Garnier when in Paris. The interior here is simply stunning. We paid € 20 for the two of us, which seems like a lot in itself but we thought this was well worth the money for a building as nice and beautiful as this. The only regret is that we could not see the opera hall itself, only from a balcony. This is only included in a guided tour, if we had known this we would have chosen a guided tour, for sure. Food for thought for our next trip to Paris 🤩.
Fun fact
Some scenes from Emily in Paris were also filmed here. Did we already mention we have an “Emily in Paris” fan over here? 😳
8. Musée D’Orsay
The Musée D’Orsay is one of the largest art museums in Europe. The Museum has a rich collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art, and is well-known for its giant clock. Here you can find some masterpieces of Monet, Cézanne, Van Gogh and many other famous painters. We strolled around hours over here. There are so many rooms and floors that you can easily spend an entire day here! The building itself is also very impressive. The museum used to be a former railway station and that’s where the giant clock stems from. Museum lovers MUST visit this place, as it’s a really unique museum that exhibits some rare pieces of art.
9. La Galerie Dior
Enter heaven for all fashion lovers when visiting La Galerie Dior. Located in a small street just off the Avenue de Champs Elysees, it is the first museum of the Parisian fashion house and definitely worth a visit (even for guys, as Kelvin very much enjoyed his time here!). The first thing you see when you enter, is a magnificent staircase, surrounded by countless classics, such as the the Iconic Dior Saddle Bag. As if this were not already impressive enough, these objects are arranged in a beautiful color palette, making for an outstanding overall picture that orders the items by color (just like a rainbow). You can look at this for hours, it’s really breathtaking.
The visit doesn’t start with the stairs, however, because you (have to) take the elevator up and begin the history of Dior there. Along the way you can see some masterpieces by Christian Dior, the dresses we saw there were one by one stunning. They also show the evolution and experimental designs of the bottle of the perfume Dior J’adore. This was wonderful to see because it gives a rare insight into the mind of a genius. The best part is that a ticket only costs € 12, what you get in return is more than worth it! If you’re into luxury fashion brands, La Galerie Dior truly is a must do.
10. Speakeasy L’Epicier
If you are looking for the coolest hidden bar in Paris, you should definitely visit L’Epicier. At first glance, this looks like some kind of night store, but nothing could be further from the truth. Pulling one of the items on the shelf (discover which one yourself, we won’t spoil the experience) allows you to open the door to the speakeasy. We had already seen some videos online that pointed us in the right direction, but we must admit that we still spent several minutes looking for the opening. 😂
Behind the door you can find an oriental bar with multicolored lamps, road signs as tables and even swings to sit on! The bar has two floors, it isn’t that big or spacious but this is just what makes it cozy. The staff here are sooo friendly and the cocktails are just perfect! Each cocktail is presented in an original way. We even ordered one that came in a tea pot (Ceci n’est pas du thé, anyone?). You also get some “oriental appetizers” like olives, which is very nice. L’Epicier is highly recommended for anyone who wants to enjoy a nice cocktail in a charming setting.
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