The capital city of France, Paris, is one of the world’s great travel destinations. Its well-known attractions, such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc De Triomphe and The Louvre, have captured the hearts and imagination of travelers from all over ethe world. The city of lights is full of history with incredible architecture, art and culture. These are the Top 15 Things To Do In Paris.
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Notre Dame Cathedral
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Notre Dame is one of the finest gothic cathedrals in Europe. The spindly gothic buttresses and magnificent stained glass windows will leave you speechless. You can climb up the 400 steps to the top of the bell towers for an outstanding view and a closer look at some of its decorative gargoyles. Can’t get enough of the view? Stay at one of the 11 Best Hotel Pools In Paris.
Arc De Triomphe
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Arc De Triomphe is one of the most iconic monuments in Paris and a symbol of the French nation. It links old and new Paris, standing on the highest point of the line running from the Louvre to the Grande Arche de la Défense. It honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. As many countries do, France has a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and this tomb happens to be under the Arc de Triomphe.
Palace of Versailles
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Once the home of French kings and queens, nowadays the Palace of Versailles and its marvelous gardens are open to visitors. Take a half day trip to The Palace of Versailles, one of the largest and most opulent castles in the world, located just 17 km (10.5 miles) from the city center of Paris. This remarkable historic castle with its beautiful architecture and marvelous gardens will simply blow your mind.
Louvre
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The Louvre Museum is consistently the world’s most visited museum, and for good reason, the Louvre is famed for having some of the most impressive and famous masterpieces of art in the world such as the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, The Wedding at Cana Painting, Hammurabi’s Code of Laws, Virgin of the Rocks, Winged Victory of Samothrace and other 35,000 masterpieces, from prehistory to contemporary works.
Palais Garnier
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The Palais Garnier is a 19th-century architectural masterpiece and a 1,979-seat opera house, which was built from 1861 to 1875 for the Paris Opera by architect Charles Garnier. It is one of the ‘most grandiose Italian-style theatres’ in the world. Palais Garnier still hosts performances staged by the Opera National de Paris, but it is open to visitors during the day.
Centre Pompidou
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opened in 1977 to honor president Georges Pompidou, Centre Pompidou is a complex building in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement of Paris with the largest collection of modern art in Europe. It has more than 50,000 works of art by 5,000 artists, representing Primitivism, Fauvism, Cubism, Dadaism, Surrealism, American Color-Field painting and Abstract Expressionism. The Pompidou Centre reveals its unique, timeless and modern architecture, offering rooftop views of the city are also in order.
Sacre Coeur
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Located at the top of a huge hill in Montmartre. The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, commonly known as Sacré-Cœur (Sacred Heart), is a 19th century Roman Catholic church and minor basilica. It was designed by the architect Paul Abadie in the Romano-Byzantine architectural style. It was intended as a public monument to mark the memory of the many French citizens who lost their lives in the Franco-Prussian War. The Sacre Coeur has some of the best views of Paris, so make sure you come right before the sunset.
Montmartre
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“Montmartre is were many world renowned artists spent their lives, such as: Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and Salvador Dali. This magical neighborhood typifies all things quintessentially Parisian, from terrace cafes to romping bars and clubs, drunken can-can dancers to budding street artists and performers, bourgeois-bohemian apartments to tiny cobblestone streets. Vincent Van Gogh, Toulouse Lautrec, Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali once called this eclectic district home. Don’t miss The Love Wall, a mural that contains the phrase “I love you” written in almost every language on earth.
Eiffel Tower
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The symbol of Paris and of France. The iron lattice tower, which continues to serve an important role in television and radio broadcasts, is considered an architectural wonder and attracts more visitors than any other paid tourist attraction in the world. The Eiffel Tower was originally built as the entrance arch for the World’s Fair in 1889 and it was the tallest man made structure in the world for 41 years before being surpassed by the Chrysler Building in New York. Millions of people climb the Eiffel Tower every year and you must do it as well. Can’t get enough of the view? We recommend staying at one of the 11 Best Hotels In Paris With Gorgeous Eiffel Tower Views.
Latin Quarter
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“The Latin Quarter, located on the Left Bank, is part of the historic core of Paris and it bears the imprint of the Sorbonne, its historic core, as well as famous writers and intellectuals from around the world. Suffice it to say, this is a complex and enormously varied area of Paris. Latin was once spoken at the Sorbonne and was the common language in this quarter of Paris, which explains its name. The Latin Quarter and surrounding areas offer fabulous cafes and numerous spots for observing the “soul” of Paris, while you rest up before visiting the next spectacular attraction.” Source: TheRearePlaces
Champs-Elysées
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Champs-Elysées is arguably one of the most famous and beautiful avenues in the world and the most famous shopping street in Paris. The Champs-Elysees connects the The Arc de Triomphe to the Palace de la Concorde.
Seine River
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Experience and discover Paris by walking along the Seine River. There are 37 bridges that cross the river but Bir-Hakeim bridge and Pont des Arts bridge are amongst the most famous. The best time is around sunset time and in the evening when you can see the city’s landmarks illuminated, including the Notre Dame cathedral, Hotel de Ville, and the Eiffel Tower.
Père Lachaise Cemetery
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Opened in 1804,Père Lachaise is the world’s most visited cemetery and Paris’s largest cemetery, with over 100 acres of graves, tombs and memorials and 69,000 ornate tombs. There many famous people who are buried here such as Jim Morrison, Vincenzo Bellini, Frédéric Chopin, Marcel Proust, Oscar Wilde, Marcel Marceau, Jean de la Fontaine and Molière.
Jardin du Luxembourg
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Very close to the Panthéon in the 6th arrondissement, there are beautiful palatial gardens set around the Luxembourg Palace. Jardin du Luxembourg is the second largest public park and one of the most impressive in Paris. The park contains hundreds of statues, monuments and fountains and you can easily spend all day wandering around.
Le Marais
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Go back in time and feel like in the medieval. Le Marais is a historic district in Paris packed with restaurants, bars, trendy designer shops, a vibrant gallery scene, unique art and magnificent architecture that will make you feel like in the medieval times.
Just So You Know…
- The shortest street in the city – at just 5.75 meters (18.8 ft), Rue des Degrés, in the 2nd arrondissement.
- Paris and Rome are exclusive sister cities, seeing no other city as an equal counterpart. They share the motto: “Only Paris is worthy of Rome; only Rome is worthy of Paris.”
- Parisians don’t eat anything savory for breakfast; eggs, sausage, bacon are all too powerful for their morning palates. You’ll find them eating toast, a croissant, cereal or a breakfast cookie in the morning.
- Paris is frequently referred to as The City of Light and this is due to the fact that it was one of the first to have public street lamps.
- Spend a couple of special hours walking around Paris with “DiscoverWalks” and cover both the main icons of the city as well as many off-the-beaten-track experiences with real native guides.
- Take a trip to O Chateau Wine Tasting where you can sample some exquisite wines from the vineyards of France.
- Enjoy panoramic view from the Tour Montparnasse – a 210-meter (670 ft) skyscraper located in the Montparnasse area of Paris with the most central high point in Paris.
- Have a Parisian picnic at the Tuileries Gardens.
- Take a Paris Seine River Cruise.
- Attend the fashion show every Friday at the Galeries Lafayette. It’s free but by reservation only though.
- Enjoy free open air cinema at Parc de la Villette.
- Spend a Sunday at the Saint-Ouen Flea Market.
- Try the best ice cream shop in Paris at Berthillon Flagship Store.
- Appreciate amazing street art at Rue Denoyez, in the heart of Belleville.
- Even around the airport, you’ll find some amazing hotels. Don’t believe us? Check out our 11 Best Hotels Near Charles De Gaulle Airport.
Get Some Culture:
- The Orsay Museum – exhibits work by Delacroix, Manet, Guaguin, Cézanne, Monet, Renoir, Sisley, van Gogh and many more great artists.
- Grevin Wax Museum features over 300 wax figures of the world’s most famous people dramatically posed in astounding scenes.
- Carnavalet Museum – Tells the story of Paris from a bygone era (a prehistoric dugout canoe dating from 4600 BC) to the present day, in all its immense variety.
- Musée d’Orsay – Presents the artistic production of the period 1848-1914, a decisive period in the art history which gave birth to the masterpieces of Impressionism.
- Musée Rodin – Located in 18th-century mansion and contains more than 6,000 of Rodin’s sculptures along with 8,000 drawings and gouaches.
- Jacquemart Andre Museum – Created from the private home of Édouard André and Nélie Jacquemart to display the art they collected during their lives. Here you can learn about various cultural movements, the upper class of the 19th century and the architecture of the building itself.
Favorite Clubs:
- Queen – One of the best clubs in Paris.
- Wanderlust – An expansive terrace bar and club
- Chez Castel – One of the most exclusive and buzzed club in Paris.
- Titty Twister – Secured its status as the Paris it-bar for the model and designer party set.
Grab A Bite:
- Le Fumoir – Under head chef Henrick Andersson, Le Fumoir serves brunch and dinner daily.
- Le Pure Cafe – A true french bistro located in the heart of the 11th district. Filled with warm and friendly service. try their special burger.
- Les Papilles – Funky Latin Quarter wine store/bistro.
- Le Papillon – Delicious home cooked French food.
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