Paris Travel Guide: Where to Stay, What to Do and When to Go

Why visit Paris

Paris rewards travellers who slow down. Pick a neighbourhood, walk it, and let the cafés, galleries and food markets set the pace.

Paris rewards travellers who pick a neighbourhood and walk it slowly. Boutique hotels cluster in the Marais and Saint-Germain; grand palace stays sit around the Louvre and Champs-Élysées. Metro connections make every arrondissement easy from any base.

• Iconic capital best explored on foot and by Metro across compact arrondissements.

• Book museum and restaurant tickets in advance during April–October.

• Base in the 1er, 4e or 6e for the classic first-time experience.

• Contactless payment works nearly everywhere; tipping is optional.

• Currency €; Type C/E 230V plugs; tap water is safe to drink.

Best time to visit Paris

April–June and September–October give the best mix of mild weather and fewer queues. July–August are warm but many locals are away; late November through early January adds Christmas markets and low-season rates.

Where to stay in Paris

Choosing the right neighbourhood matters more than the hotel itself in Paris. These are the areas travelers book most.

• Le Marais (3e/4e)

  Boutique hotels, galleries and walkable to Notre-Dame.

• Saint-Germain (6e)

  Left-bank cafés, bookshops and easy Louvre access.

• Louvre / Opéra (1er/2e)

  Grand palace hotels and central sightseeing.

• Montmartre (18e)

  Village atmosphere with Sacré-Cœur views.

Top things to do in Paris

• Eiffel Tower

  Book timed tickets; sunset slots sell out first.

• Louvre

  Reserve online and enter via the Carrousel to skip pyramid queues.

• Musée d'Orsay

  Impressionist collection housed in a Belle Époque station.

• Notre-Dame & Île de la Cité

  Exterior views and Sainte-Chapelle's stained glass.

Getting around Paris

The Metro reaches virtually every neighbourhood; a Navigo Easy card is the simplest way to pay. Both CDG and Orly connect to the centre by train, bus or taxi in 45–60 minutes.

• Metro

  14 lines cover every arrondissement; runs ~05:30 to ~01:15 (later on weekends).

• RER

  Regional express — fastest way to CDG, Versailles and Disneyland.

• Bus & tram

  Scenic surface routes; useful late at night with the Noctilien network.

• Vélib' bikes

  Docked bike-share; separate cycle lanes across the centre.

What to eat in Paris

• Croissant & pain au chocolat

  Buy from a boulangerie labelled 'artisan'.

• Steak-frites

  Bistro classic; ask 'saignant' (rare) or 'à point' (medium).

• Bistro plat du jour

  Best-value lunch — a fixed daily dish, often under €20.

Practical tips for Paris

• Buy a Navigo Easy card at any metro station for tap-and-go transit.

• Museums are free the first Sunday of the month — arrive early.

• Restaurants close between lunch and dinner; plan meals around 12–2pm and 7:30pm.

How long to stay and what it costs

Most travelers spend 4–7 days in Paris. Compare live hotel rates for your exact dates before fixing the length of your trip — shoulder-season nights in Paris are often materially cheaper than peak weeks.

What Paris actually costs in 2026

A realistic mid-range day in Paris runs about €180–260 per person: €140–200 for a central 3- or 4-star room, €20–30 for lunch at a neighbourhood bistro, €40–60 for dinner with wine, and under €10 of transport. Budget travelers can hold the day near €90–120 by staying in the 10th or 11th, eating bakery lunches and using the free municipal museums.

The costs that surprise visitors are small and repeated: coffee standing at the bar is half the price of the same cup at a terrace table, bottled water at a restaurant is an avoidable €5 when carafes are free on request, and the taxe de séjour is added per person per night on arrival.

Mistakes first-time visitors make

The two most common are booking sights without checking the closing day — the Louvre closes Tuesdays, Orsay and Rodin close Mondays — and planning days by ranking rather than geography, which turns a compact city into hours of métro time. A third: assuming restaurants serve all day. Most kitchens run roughly 12:00–14:30 and 19:30–22:30, and arriving at 17:00 hungry leaves you with cafés and tourist menus.