20 Best Things to Do in Paris – Excited to visit and explore?

Isn’t it tough to decide what things to do in such a huge city of love, with so little time? It is tough to explore everything on your first trip to Paris, but still, you can decide what to see and what not to. Besides the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum, Paris has a lot to give to you So, here are the 20 best things to do in Paris.

Let’s start without wasting much time!

20 Amazing Things to Do in Paris

• A Picnic With The Eiffel Tower
• Explore The Massive Louvre museum
• A Day For Some History At The Pantheon
• Go for a Bakery Tour – Croissants, Pastries, Baguettes and more
• Walk the avenue of Champs-Elysees
• Start Your Day At Pont Neuf Bridge
• Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole, Visit This Prettiest Cafe
• Explore Notre Dame Cathedral
• Take A Look at Sainte Chapelle
• Watch Amazing Artworks At Musee d’Orsay
• Eat Crepes While Sightseeing
• Wander Around Montmartre
• Visit Sacre-Coeur Basilica
• Shopping at The Bouquinistes
• Visit Famous Falafel Restaurant In Le Marais, L’As du Fallafel
• Cruise in the Seine River
• Panoramic View From Montparnasse Tower
• Where The Dead Rises – Visit The Catacombs
• Go To The Buddha Bar
• Visit The Galeries Lafayette Department Store

1. A Picnic With The Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel tower will always be number one of the best things to do in Paris and without it, your trip to Paris lacks fun! You can picnic around the Eiffel Tower or you can book a ticket and climb the tower and experience the picturesque view of Paris. Also, to avoid queues, book your tickets way before!

Also read – 10 Most Beautiful Parks in Paris, France- Se perdre dans la beauté!!

2. Explore The Massive Louvre museum

The Louvre is the largest art museum and heaven for all the art lovers out there. This building was actually the home to French Kings including Louis XIV, but during the 18th century French Revolution, the Louvre was converted to a museum. The massive building has famous paintings like Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory and it could take almost an hour or two to just see the highlights.

3. A Day For Some History At The Pantheon

Pantheon is also known as the balcony of Paris because it provides 360° views of Paris. This neoclassical style of architecture was built as a church at first and later was converted into a mausoleum. This place offers you Foucault’s pendulum, the crypt and rooftop and is highly recommended for you to visit.

Also read – Disneyland Paris reopens with Masks, Hand Sanitizer and Social Distancing!

4. Go for a Bakery Tour – Croissants, Pastries, Baguettes and more

If you don’t believe in heavenly food, then visit any bakery in Paris to prove yourself wrong! Paris, famous for its bakery items like – bread, chocolates, croissants, pastries, baguettes, éclairs, macarons, and this list is never-ending. You can visit Laurent Duchêne, La Maison d’Isabelle, Boulangerie Utopie, Chambelland, La Gambette à Pain to rejoice your love for bakery items.

5. Walk the avenue of Champs-Elysees

You can walk around the Champs-Elysees and visit the Arc de Triomphe for a spectacular view of the city of lights. You can also download the Arc de Triomphe app before you go as it provides interesting facts about the Arc de Triomphe and helps you to identify buildings you see from the terrace. Quite amazing isn’t it?

6. Start Your Day At Pont Neuf Bridge

It is the oldest bridge in Paris which connects the Right Bank with Ile de la Cite. You can enjoy the view of the Seine River, Pont des Arts (the next bridge on the river), and the Eiffel Tower off in the distance. A morning walk at this beautiful bridge can make your entire day wonderful.

Also read – 15 Things To Do In Paris In Winter

7. Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole, Visit This Prettiest Cafe

With beautiful and striking interior and exterior designs, great location, scrumptious food, comfortable ambience, and friendly staff, this café is one of the best and you definitely should give it a try. You can visit this café at 24 Rue Chanoinesse.

8. Explore Notre Dame Cathedral

This medieval-style Catholic cathedral is extremely beautiful and the city is proud of it. Step inside to see the stunning stained glass windows and amazing architecture. Also, you can visit the top of the cathedral for the Gargoyle’s view over Paris.

Important notice – Notre Dame suffered a devastating fire on April 15, 2019. Keep checking for its opening beforehand as is temporarily closed until further notice.  

9. Take A Look at Sainte Chapelle

Sainte Chapelle is a short walk away from Notre Dame and is also a gorgeous cathedral with ravishing displays of stained glass and architectural designs. The place is usually crowded and you have to wait in line but the place is worth your time.

Also read – 15 Best Places to Visit in Paris at Night – Complete Nightlife Guide

10. Watch Amazing Artworks At Musee d’Orsay

Musee d’Orsay has the largest collection of Impressionist art in the world. This place is heaven for every art lover out there as it houses the artworks from Van Gogh, Gauguin, Monet, Manet, Degas, and more! With art, the building itself is very beautiful as earlier it was an old train station, which was renovated and became this art museum. Wonderful and huge!

11. Eat Crepes While Sightseeing

Here comes the favourite part, eating crepes on the streets of the majestic city. This delicious, cheap snack is just perfect to satisfy your sweet tooth craving and give you a pick-me-up while sightseeing. So yum just can’t wait to have it while exploring the city!

12. Wander Around Montmartre

Montmartre is one of Paris’ most popular neighbourhoods to visit, including the famous Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur. You can wander around the hilly streets, explore art, or have food at any café.

Also read – Paris In February: Best Time For Serenity, Love And Some Crêpe!

13. Visit Sacre-Coeur Basilica

This Roman-Byzantine style architecture is one of the most iconic monuments in Paris which was consecrated in 1919. Inside of Sacre-Coeur, the ceiling is decorated with the largest mosaic. You can visit the crypt and also you can access the dome for a magnificent view of the capital city.

14. Shopping at The Bouquinistes

Bouquinistes has small stands selling used and antiquarian books, magazines, and artwork alongside the Seine River. This is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and this tradition of selling used books started in the 16th century.

15. Visit Famous Falafel Restaurant In Le Marais, L’As du Fallafel

You can visit this hip & historic neighbourhood and have a tasty meal on a budget at L’As du Fallafel, the most famous falafel restaurant in Le Marais. You can also visit Musée National Picasso, Place des Vosges, or Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature after having a lovely plate of falafel.

Also read – 15 Romantic Places to Visit in Paris – Tomber Amoureux!

16. Cruise in the Seine River

This River is in the heart of Paris and perhaps very famous. You can relax and end your day on a cruise on the Seine River with a fantastic sunset view and seeing Paris light up. Also, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its cultural significance in both the past and the present. Do not forget to take pictures!!!

17. Panoramic View From Montparnasse Tower

You can visit the observation deck of Montparnasse Tower to get an amazing view of the love city as it claims to have the best views. The place is not too crowded yet it is recommended for you to book tickets in advance. Hope you have no fear of heights!

18. Where The Dead Rises – Visit The Catacombs

This chilling experience will make you say that definitely not every inch of Paris is as romantic as though! Parisians buried cemeteries beneath the streets and you will have to wear sturdy footwear as the paths inside are full of gravel, uneven and even slippery in some sections. And also because of the attraction’s unique nature and popularity, you can expect a queue so you should book your tickets beforehand and get an exciting tour beneath the love city.

Also read – 10 Things To Do With Kids In Paris: For a Perfect Family Time!

19. Go To The Buddha Bar

This place will make you feel like you have left Paris and entered Asia. Buddha-Bar is a very cool dinner/drink spot, with great décor and ambience.

20. Visit The Galeries Lafayette Department Store

You can visit the upscale French Galeries Lafayette department store, where you can shop within the gorgeous building with colourful stained glass ceiling and decorated balconies. If not shopping, you can go for a quick visit just to explore its beauty.

Also read – Nightlife in Paris – 6 Places to Get the Best Nightlife Experience

So many things to do in Paris but so little time, Isn’t it? You can check out Pickyourtrail for amazing Paris tour packages and Paris honeymoon packages or much better customize your Paris itinerary with your own choices and preferences. Let’s explore the full city of lights whether from heights or beneath the streets!