EIFFEL TOWER

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Eiffel tower was built for the 1889 world fair and named after its designer Gustave Eiffel. It is 324m high. There are a few good places where you can take the best pictures from—basically, the secret is to stand far from the structure itself to ensure it fits in your picture. The further away you go, the better the view. Palais de Chaillot is one of the best spots to view the tower from. To go up the tower itself you will have to pay. You can get tickets online. The nearest metro station is Bir Hakeim.

THE LOUVRE

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The Louvre is one of the most famous and definitely the largest art museums in the world. It used to be a fortress in the 12 century but later became a royal palace before being turned into a museum. It has 5000 artworks on a 6 hectares gallery space. These include paintings, sculptures and graphic art from different origins—Egyptian, Greek, Etruscan, Roman, and so forth. To enter the courtyard you don’t pay, but there is a fee to view the art exhibited inside the building. The nearest metro station is Palais Royal-Musee du Louvre.

PLACE DE LA CONCORDE

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Place de la Concorde is square at the end of Avenue des Champs-Élysées and close to river Seine. It is the largest square in the French capital, measuring 8.64 hectares in area. It has a 3300-year-old sort of pink granite obelisk which was a gift from Egypt in 1831.

MOULIN ROUGE

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Moulin Rouge is known to be Paris’s most celebrated cabaret. Founded in 1889, it has shows that emphasize feathers, rhinestones, sequins, sparkling decorations, acrobats, and catchy music. The nearest metro station is Blanche.

CATHÉDRALE DE NOTRE DAME

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The Cathedral is situated on an island in the middle of Seine river which can accommodate more than 6,000 worshipers. It is one of the most visited sites in Paris. There are pigeons outside the cathedral that people feed—they surely do add to the good experience overall. The nearest metro station is Cite. You pay to enter the cathedral.

AVENUE DES CHAMPS-ELYSÉES

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Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a boulevard in Paris that is well known as a shopping street with luxury shops. It runs from Place Charles de Gaulle, where the Arc de Triomphe basically is located, to Place de la Concorde. This street is where presidents and soldiers parade on Bastille Day for some celebrations.

ARC DE TRIOMPHE

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Arch of Triumph is located in the middle of Charles de Gaulle. Commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 and completed in 1836, the arch rekindles a memorial flame every evening in memory of one World War II soldier who was buried underneath the arch. The nearest metro station is Charles de Gaulle-Etoile.

GALERIES LAFAYETTE

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This department store is just unbelievably huge and mesmerizing. It is full of designer fashion and accessory brands and has the world’s largest lingerie department. Tourists go to this department store not only for shopping but also for the stunning architecture and beauty that the ceiling flaunts. You can also go to Galeries Lafayette just to eat and drink in its fine restaurants with panoramic views of Paris. On the 6th floor, you will find Lafayette Restaurant for meals; but if you are looking for coffee, head over to the 3rd floor.

THE SEINE RIVER

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You can enjoy a scenic boat cruise, brunch at a waterfront brasserie or stroll along the river banks across the Pont Neuf bridge. Along this river are many sites, such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, and the Louvre.

JARDIN DE PLANTES

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Jardin de Plantes is made up of botanical gardens. It is on a 24-hectare land and was founded in 1626 for the purpose of herbal medicine provision for Louis XIII. You will find very tropical greenhouses here, as well as a winter garden that is like the garden of Eden.

JARDINS DU TROCADÉRO

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The Trocadero gardens lie at the bottom of the steps that particularly go up to Palais de Chaillot and Trocadero metro station. This garden area has a large rectangular pond in the middle with a beautiful fountain.

PALAIS DE CHAILLOT

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Palais de Chaillot is the building located at the top of Trocadero Gardens. It houses a few museums—the naval museum being one of the popular ones. This area can be overcrowded because tourists flock to the top of the stairs to take pictures of the Eiffel Tower from this spot.

JARDIN DU LUXEMBOURG

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Jardin du Luxembourg is a city park located just outside Luxembourg metro station. It is graced with various interesting statues and a beautiful pond in front of the main building. During summer, people are allowed to sit on the chairs around the pond to read, sunbathe, and relax.

PANTHEON

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Pantheon is dedicated to the memory of the men and women who created the support points of French history since the Revolution. A masterpiece of Soufflot in the 1700s, and a former church, Pantheon has remained an attraction in Paris that is fairly popular. The nearest metro station is Cardinal Lemoine.

PONT ALEXANDRE III

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The construction of Pont Alexandre III was completed in the year 1900 and named after Alexander III, the Russian Tsar who signed the Franco-Russian Alliance in 1892. It runs over the River Seine and is decorated with beautiful statues—like those beautiful horses with wings.

CHATEAU DE VERSAILLES

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Your trip to Paris will not be complete if you skip a visit to Chateau de Versailles. This palace has for years maintained in history and beauty—especially the stunning glassy vintage chandeliers that are majestically hanging in its colorful corridors.

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RESTAURANTS SERVING TRADITIONAL FOOD IN PARIS

Les Deux Magots: This restaurant used to be known as a spot for the elite of the city to meet and talk politics, art, and literature. Today it is a popular tourist spot and retains the quality of its foods from years prior. It is open from 7:30 am to 1 am every day.

Café de Flore: This cafe is one of the oldest in Paris, and its history of guests include famed philosophers and writers. Today you can enjoy coffee from there every day from 7:30 am to 1:30 am.

Astier: It is a cozy casual restaurant in Paris serving French food. The address is 44 Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud. Opening hours are from 12:30 pm to 2:15 pm, then from 7 pm to 10:30 pm.

LOCAL FOODS

Rhum Baba: These dense cakes filled with vanilla cream and rum are a tradition going back as far as the 1700s. It is a signature dish in a lot of French restaurants.

Croque Monsieur: This sandwich is toasted with ham and cheese and is a staple of the Parisian diet. It can be found anywhere, from restaurants to food trucks to home cooking.

Croissant: This classic bread item from France and is cooked fresh every day in bakeries across Paris. Soft and flaky, these are in every Frenchman’s breakfast and taste better than the croissants we find around the world.

Airport: The main international airport in Paris is the Charles De Gaulle airport. Other airports in the city include the Orly International airport and the Paris Bourget airport.

Metro, RER, and Tramway: Metro is the most reliable form of transportation in Paris. Almost all the popular attractions have a metro station very nearby. Trains start running as early as 5:30 am and finish at 0:40 am. At the weekend they finish at 2:10 am. For more information on routes and tickets click here or here.

Buses: Many major bus companies can be found in Paris, like Alsa, Eurolines, Flixbus, and iDBus. For a sightseeing tour bus, Big Bus Hop On Hop Off is a good choice.

Taxis: Taxis can be found anywhere in Paris, with the most known companies being City Cab Paris, AlloCab, Paris Airport Transfer (For transport to and from airports), T2 Transfer, and Grey Shuttle. Tip: If you see a green or white light on a taxi, it is available. While a red or orange light indicates the taxi is occupied. If you have a luggage or are in a group of three or more people, you pay more money.