The Best Paris Attractions & Activities

Recommended places to visit and things to do in Paris

Pre-book Paris Attractions, Tours & Experiences


 

Eiffel Tower

Paris 7

  • landmark
  • -
  • viewpoint
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • restaurant
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop

The Eiffel Tower, Paris’s iconic landmark, soars above the city with sweeping views from its platforms. Built in 1889, it dazzles with nightly illuminations and remains a symbol of French artistry, engineering, and romance.

Louvre Museum

Paris 1

  • art gallery
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • art

The Louvre in Paris, once a royal palace, is the world’s largest art museum. Its vast collection spans from ancient civilisations to iconic masterpieces like the Mona Lisa, all beneath the striking glass pyramid entrance.

  • place of worship
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • free admission
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • religion

Notre-Dame de Paris, a Gothic masterpiece on the Île de la Cité, is famed for its rose windows, flying buttresses and sculpted façades. Fully restored after the 2019 fire, it once again stands as a symbol of Paris and a treasure of French heritage.

Sacré-Coeur

Paris 18

  • place of worship

Sacré-Cœur crowns Montmartre with its gleaming white domes and panoramic views over Paris. This Roman-Byzantine basilica offers a serene interior, stunning mosaics, and a spiritual retreat above the city’s lively artistic quarter.

Arc de Triomphe

Paris 8

  • memorial
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • history

commissioned in 1806 by Napoleon to celebrate his victories, taking thirty years to build, finally completed in 1836. Visitors can climb steps to the top where there is a viewing platform

The Panthéon

Paris 5

  • place of worship
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • religion

The Panthéon, in Paris’s Latin Quarter, is a neoclassical monument honouring France’s great figures. Once a church, it now houses the tombs of Voltaire, Rousseau, and Marie Curie beneath its magnificent dome.

Catacombs

Paris 14

  • ruin
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • archeology
  • -
  • history

The Catacombs of Paris form an eerie underground maze lined with the bones of millions. Created in the 18th century from former quarries, they offer a haunting yet fascinating glimpse into the city’s hidden history.

  • film/tv location
  • -
  • museum
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • film
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • social history
  • -
  • needlecraft

The Cinémathèque Française, in Paris, celebrates cinema’s history and art. Designed by Frank Gehry, it features film archives, exhibitions, and screenings, making it a must-visit for movie lovers and cultural enthusiasts alike.

  • museum
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • ceramics
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • jewellery

The Département des Monnaies, Médailles et Antiques in Paris, part of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, holds vast collections of coins, medals, and ancient artefacts, showcasing centuries of art, history, and craftsmanship.

  • place of worship
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • religion

Église Luthérienne de Billettes, in Paris’s Marais district, is France’s only Lutheran church in a medieval cloister. Its serene atmosphere, elegant architecture, and historic setting make it a peaceful hidden gem in the city.

Grand Palais

Paris 8

  • art gallery
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • art

The Grand Palais in Paris is an architectural icon of glass and steel, built for the 1900 Exposition Universelle. It hosts major art exhibitions, cultural events, and fairs beneath its magnificent domed roof.

  • park
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • free admission
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • nature
  • -
  • walking

The Jardins du Trocadéro, across the Seine from the Eiffel Tower, feature grand fountains, statues, and terraces. Created for the 1937 Exposition, they offer spectacular views and a perfect spot for photos and strolls.

La Madeleine

Paris 8

  • place of worship
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • free admission
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • religion

La Madeleine, in central Paris, is a grand neoclassical church resembling a Roman temple. Dedicated to St Mary Magdalene, it features majestic columns, rich interiors, and hosts concerts amid its striking architecture.

Maison de Balzac

Paris 16

  • museum
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • virtual tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • literature

Maison de Balzac, in Paris’s 16th arrondissement, was home to writer Honoré de Balzac. Now a museum, it displays manuscripts, personal items, and artworks, offering insight into the author’s life and literary world.

  • museum
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • history

The Musée Antoine Bourdelle in Paris celebrates the sculptor’s life and work within his former studio. Surrounded by peaceful gardens, it displays monumental bronzes, plaster studies, and drawings that trace Bourdelle’s artistic evolution.

  • museum
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • architecture
  • -
  • art
  • -
  • music

The Musée de l’Opéra, within the Palais Garnier in Paris, showcases the history of French opera and ballet. Exhibits include costumes, set designs, and artworks, offering a glimpse into the grandeur of the Paris Opera House.

  • museum
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • social history

Musée de la Poste in Paris traces the history of communication through interactive exhibits, vintage stamps, art, and postal artefacts. Modern and engaging, it reveals how mail shaped culture and connected people across centuries.

  • museum
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • food & drink
  • -
  • history

Musée du Vin – Caveau des Échansons, in Paris, is set in historic 15th-century wine cellars. It showcases France’s rich winemaking heritage through artefacts, tastings, and exhibits celebrating centuries of viticulture.

Musée Grévin

Paris 9

  • museum
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • film
  • -
  • history
  • -
  • literature
  • -
  • music
  • -
  • TV

Musée Grévin, in Paris, is a historic wax museum featuring lifelike figures of celebrities, historical icons, and cultural legends. Blending art and illusion, it offers immersive displays in a lavish Belle Époque setting.

  • art gallery
  • -
  • family-friendly
  • -
  • all-weather attraction
  • -
  • open year round
  • -
  • café
  • -
  • virtual tours
  • -
  • shop
  • -
  • art

Musée Jacquemart-André, in Paris, is a lavish 19th-century mansion showcasing fine art, furniture, and décor collected by Édouard André and Nélie Jacquemart. It offers a refined glimpse into Parisian elegance and artistic taste.

Show more