- Visit the African quarter near Montmartre.
- Wander around the flea market at Clingancourt.
- Head to the Bercy Village in the 12th arrondissement on the weekend. This is where the Parisians come to relax.
- Check out Aligre Market, which is surrounded by great wine bars and restaurants.
- Explore Canal Saint Martin and its trendy bars and cafes.
- Check out some lesser known museums like:
- Museum of Decorative Arts
- Museum Gustave Moreau
- Musem of Fairground Arts
Why you should add to your RTW travel list
- Nowhere else does the finer things in life so well
- No one cooks better than the French
- Make funny faces at the gargoyles on Notre Dame Cathedral
- Learn how to beat the lines at the Louvre
- Take a boat ride down the Seine
- It never gets dark in the City of Light
- See how much wine you can enjoy in a night
- Eiffel Tower. Tall, cool, made of triangles, and what else is more Paris?
Why you should not add Paris to your RTW travel list
- It's very expensive and difficult to do on a budget.
- It's impossible to get away from all the tourists as Paris is one of the most touristy cities in the world.
- The people can be a bit rude at times.
Overview
Bonjour! Be sure to take a look at our in-depth Paris Travel Guide for a whole lot more information about Paris.
France's capital city, Paris - sometimes called the City of Light - is arguably the most popular tourist destination on earth. It's famous for its architecture, art, history, fashion, food and also for being incredibly romantic. It's also where you'll find one of the most famous landmarks on earth - the Eiffel Tower. Yes, you could do much, much worse than to spend some leisurely time in Paris.
What to do
Most people visiting Paris will take in at least a couple of the city's incredible art museums. Everyone's heard of The Louvre, and it's a must-see (even if you just go in to get a peek at the Mona Lisa's mysterious smile), but some of Paris' other museums can be less crowded and equally as rewarding. Musee d'Orsay, for instance, is inside an old train station and has been beautifully redone to house lots of 19th century artists. You'll find lots of Monet at Orsay. Centre George Pompidou is a cool modern art museum, with the building itself being as much of an attraction as the art inside.
In addition to the museums, there is also art all around you - Paris is an exceptionally beautiful city. From the Eiffel Tower to the Arc de Triomphe to Notre Dame Cathedral to Sacré Coeur, you needn't enter a museum to see beauty. A simple stroll down the Champs-Élysées on a spring day will have you humming "April in Paris" in no time. And the cafe culture in Paris is thriving, so be sure to take some time to sit outdoors and do some people-watching!
Getting there
Paris has two major international airports, so you should be able to find a decent deal on Paris airfare. The larger of the two is Charles de Gaulle (code: CDG) and it usually has the lowest airfare for overseas flights. Orly Airport (code: ORY) also has some good deals, especially on flights within Europe.
Where to stay
Sleeping in Paris can get expensive quickly, so book your Paris hostel in advance to avoid paying through the nose. And if hostels aren't your thing, there are many amazing hotels in Paris, too.
