The Seine river and the Eiffel Tower
Paris is the capital and the most populous city in France. Famous for being the centre stage for the French Revolution, Paris has been one of the major centers of finance, commerce, fashion and art in Europe. Of all cities in the world, Paris is the one that has the largest number of monuments and landmarks known even to those who have never been there. Consequently, those who visit Paris for the first time will be full of expectations that will be largely met and exceeded. We suggest you to immerse yourself in Parisian life and get lost in the back streets without expecting the tip of the Eiffel Tower or the spiers of Notre-Dame to always be in your view.
A full weekend might be enough to see the main monuments. A number of tourist book a week in order to have a more relaxed vacation and to have time to visit the Louvre Museum, which is particularly time consuming.
The best time to visit Paris is from June to August and September to October. High season is considered to be June and July.
How to best experience Paris?
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Most popular city pass for visiting Paris
Paris Passlib' City
/5Explore Paris your way with the flexible and personalized Paris Passlib’, the city’s official pass. Choose 5 experiences from over 50 options, including guided tours, bike rentals, museum entry, attractions, cruises, and more
As low as
€99
on GetYourGuide.com
Paris Pass + Paris Museum Pass
/5Enjoy all-inclusive access to 90+ top attractions with Go City's Paris Pass® and Paris Museum Pass bundle. Save up to 50%* on your sightseeing - climb the Eiffel Tower, explore the Louvre and more!
As low as
€179
on GetYourGuide.com
Go City Paris
/5Book Go City Paris: All-Inclusive Pass online to get a pass that includes over 90 experiences to explore all of Paris
As low as
€169
on Tiqets.com
Paris City Card
/5Visit the Louvre, cruise along the Seine, and discover the wonders of Paris!
As low as
€58
on Tiqets.com
Paris Museum Pass
/5Discover 50+ museums and landmarks in the heart of Paris. Enjoy instant, hassle-free entry at places including the Louvre, the Orsay Museum, Notre Dame and many more locations
As low as
€90
on Tiqets.com
Top things to do & see in Paris
Select the following sights and activities to discover best tickets and tours available in Paris.
The city of Paris
| Country | France |
| Region | Île-de-France |
| Time in Paris |
UTC +01:00 (CET) Summer (DST) UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Language spoken | French |
| Currency | Euro (€, EUR) |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Airports |
Paris-Charles de Gaulle (the second-busiest airport in Europe) Paris-Orly |
It is no exaggeration to say that Paris is one of the most romantic cities in the world. Many have defined it in this way in prose, poetry or with a song (just to name one song of the immense musical production we remember “I love Paris” – Ella Fitzgerald ).
Where is Paris?
The City of Paris is the centre and seat of government of the region and province of Île-de-France. The city is located in the north of France, on a bend of the Seine, a very favorable position as it is a fundamental hub for transports and traffic in Europe.
When was Paris founded?
Paris is more than 2,000 years old. Gauls of the Parisii tribe settled there between 250 and 200 BC and founded a fishing village on an island in the river that is the present-day Île de la Cité – the center around which Paris developed.
Paris: the city of love
Paris in the evening is enchanting, with its thousand lights reflecting in the river and this makes the city even more magical. The Pont des Arts is famous for its love locks and there many lovers have promised each other love. The administration had the locks removed because the bridge cannot bear the additional weight but many lovers continue to go there to swear eternal love.
The Paris canals and the Seine
Paris is famous for its network of canals that makes his neighborhoods (arrondissements) rich of beautiful and romantic perspectives. The network is made by more than 130 kilometers of canals, sluices (in french: canaux parisiens) and tunnels, with up to 28 metres difference in height. The most famous are the Canal Saint-Danis (the oldest one), the Canal Sant-Martin, and the Canal de l’Ourcq.
Both Canal Saint-Danis and the Canal Sant-Martin flow into the the main river The river, wich splits Paris in half making a large curve: the Seine. This river flows besides the Champ de Mars, and the Tour Eiffel, making it one of which has always been the subject of paintings and photographs, it is an integral part of the city’s image. A romantic walk along the Seine or a cruise aboard one of the famous bateaux mouches are among the most fun Parisian pastimes.
Where are the most popular showrooms?
Today the Champs-Elysées are no longer a meeting place for elegant carriages but a place where tourists and suburban Parisians stroll around. In the surroundings, in addition to many of the most renowned restaurants, the Elysée and the luxurious showrooms of the most famous designers, concentrated above all on Avenue Montaigne and Rue du Faubourg Saint- Honoré. From the square where the Napoleonic Arch of Triumph dominates, a series of elegant radial avenues leave a wide choice of the direction to take.
The roofs of Paris
At eye level, the view you can enjoy is nice but it is just as amazing if we look up. Many buildings are embellished with expertly carved statues and the roofs are not the usual red roofs made of tiles but are zinc so looking at Paris from above you can see a characteristic gray expanse that reflects the sunlights. Zinc is lighter than tiled wooden frames, easier to cut, easier to install and perfectly effective in protecting against water ingress.
Museums
In high season the Parisian museums are croweded with tourists and the risk of finding the Mona Lisa obscured by a hedge of photographers and visitors is real; the problem can be solved by choosing the evening hours or by turning to the collections of small specialized museums. Students and under 25 are usually entitled to reductions. For others, the Carte Musées et Monuments is available which entitles you to enter anywhere: it is very convenient for getting around the queues at the entrances.
Parks and gardens
The Parisian gardens are well-kept and full of flowers. Among the most famous are the Jardin de Tuileries, designed by the same architect of the royal park of Versailles and the Jardin du Trocadero with its fountains near the Eiffel Tower.