Paris has been the most touristed city on Earth for much of the past century. La Ville Lumière is one of the greatest cities ever built with a 2,000-year accumulation of architecture, cuisine, art, fashion, philosophy, and street life. This Paris travel guide for 2026 tells you what actually matters.
The Essential Paris and What You Must See
The Eiffel Tower
Yes, it's a cliché. Yes, you must go. The Tour Eiffel or Gustave Eiffel's 1889 iron lattice engineering marvel is one of the most recognizable structures, and seeing it in person, particularly at night when the sparkling light show runs on the hour, never matches expectations because it exceeds them. You will need to book tickets online well in advance at ticket.toureiffel.paris because the queues for non-ticketed visitors can be 2–3 hours. And, access to the top requires a separate booking and fills quickly.
The Louvre
The world's largest art museum, housed in a former royal palace. The Louvre contains approximately 35,000 works on display including Egyptian antiquities, Greek and Roman sculptures, Italian Renaissance paintings, Flemish masters, and the permanent crowd around the Mona Lisa (smaller than you expect). One visit barely scratches the surface so instead focus on what interests you rather than trying to "do" the Louvre because it can't be done. You can buy skip-the-line timed entry tickets at louvre.fr.
Musée d'Orsay
Paris's second great museum and, for many visitors, the more emotional experience. It is housed in a Beaux-Arts former railway station, and holds the world's finest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art including Monet's series paintings, Van Gogh's self-portraits, Renoir, Degas, Cézanne, and Seurat. This is across the Seine from the Tuileries and can be combined with a riverside walk for a great half-day.
Notre-Dame de Paris
After the devastating fire of April 2019, Notre-Dame de Paris reopened on December 7, 2024 and is fully restored with the original Gothic structure intact, phew. The reopened cathedral is a great architectural experience. While entry remains free; timed entry tickets are required in advance at notredamedeparis.fr due to limited capacity, and these are also free. There are no third-party ticket vendors.
The Neighborhoods That Make Paris
Le Marais (3rd and 4th)
Paris's most historical neighborhood with medieval streets, 17th-century hôtels particuliers, the Jewish quarter around Rue des Rosiers, contemporary art galleries, the vibrant LGBTQ+ scene, and the Place des Vosges (Paris's oldest planned square, completed 1612). Everyone one of these are within 20 minutes' walk of each other.
Montmartre (18th)
The hilltop village above Paris is famous for the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, the Place du Tertre (touristy but beautiful), and the steep winding streets where Picasso, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Renoir once painted. The Moulin Rouge sits at its base.
Saint-Germain-des-Prés (6th)
The intellectual heart of 20th-century Paris with the Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots, where Sartre and de Beauvoir wrote, the boutiques of Rue de Buci, and the Luxembourg Gardens. Also home to some of Paris's finest independent bookshops (including the Abbey Bookshop for English-language books near the Sorbonne).
Oberkampf and Belleville (11th and 20th)
The Paris that Parisians actually live in is younger, more diverse, less polished, and lively. Belleville has the city's best street art and a large range of world cuisine (Chinese, Vietnamese, North African, Israeli). Oberkampf has Paris's most interesting bar and restaurant scene outside the tourist zones.
Paris Food and How to Eat Well
Paris remains the world's canonical fine dining destination, but the city's everyday food culture is just as fine.
- Boulangerie: A freshly baked croissant at 7am from a neighborhood bakery that is butter-laminated, dark gold, and flaking onto your lap is still one of the finest food experiences in the world. Try and look for the Artisan Boulanger sign, which indicates on-site baking.
- Bistro lunch: The formule déjeuner is a set lunch of two or three courses and typically costs €15–€25. Lunch is usually the best-value meal in French restaurants.
- Cheese and wine: A proper French fromagerie will guide you through the board and which bottle of Burgundy or Loire will pair well with it. This is Paris doing what Paris does best.
- Steak-frites: The French version is grilled entrecôte, shoestring frites, and béarnaise sauce.
- Pastries: Pierre Hermé (known as having the best macarons in the world), Jacques Genin (caramels and tarts), and Cédric Grolet at Le Meurice (fruit-form pastries).
Other Paris Information
- Getting around: The Paris Métro covers the city very well. A Paris Visite pass or rechargeable Navigo Easy card covers all zones and is the most economical option. But walking between central arrondissements is often faster and more pleasant than the metro.
- Airport connections: From Charles de Gaulle (CDG) the RER B train will get you to central Paris in 35 minutes (€12). From Orly (ORY) take Orlyval then RER B, or the new CDG Express when it is fully operational (current planned opening is March, 27, 2027). The taxis to central Paris from CDG are fixed rates and cost approximately €55–€65.
- Museum Pass: The Paris Museum Pass (2, 4, or 6 days) provides unlimited entry to 50+ museums and monuments including the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, Versailles, and Sainte-Chapelle which is significant savings for serious museum visitors and includes skip-the-line access at most venues.
- Best time to visit: May–June and September–October offer the best combination of weather, daylight, and manageable (but still significant) crowds. July–August is peak season and it is hot and very crowded. November and early December are underrated and include crisp air, Christmas markets, fewer tourists, and lower hotel rates.
- Language: A basic greeting in French like "Bonjour Madame/Monsieur" when entering any shop or restaurant is not optional etiquette in Paris. It is the expected minimum and launching into English without it is considered very rude. Beyond the greeting, English is widely spoken in tourist areas.