Things to do in Paris: the must-see sights and how to plan them

More Paris guides

• Paris in one dayA one-day Paris itinerary hour by hour: Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, Louvre, Champs-Élysées and the Eiffel Tower, with key 2026 hours and bookings.
• Paris in 2 daysParis in 2 days with hourly stops: Notre-Dame, Louvre, Orsay, Luxembourg and the Eiffel Tower, and how to plan around Monday and Tuesday closures.

The 12 places worth the trip

Paris packs some of the world's most visited museums and monuments into a few square kilometres. It's easiest to think in three zones: the Île de la Cité and Latin Quarter (Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle), the Seine axis with the Louvre and Orsay, and the west with the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe.

1. 1

   1st arrondissement

   Louvre Museum

   The Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace and the Venus de Milo are only the tip of the iceberg. Book a timed slot and don't try to see it all: our Louvre 2-hour route covers the essentials.

2. 2

   Île de la Cité

   Notre-Dame

   Reopened in December 2024 after the 2019 fire. Entry to the cathedral is free; in high season it pays to reserve a slot on the official website to avoid the line.

3. 3

   Île de la Cité

   Sainte-Chapelle

   A 13th-century Gothic chapel whose upper-floor stained glass tells Bible stories in reds and blues. Entry is by timed slot, with security at the Palais de Justice.

4. 4

   7th arrondissement

   Eiffel Tower

   Climb the stairs to the second floor or take the lift to the summit. Book on toureiffel.paris well ahead: sunset slots sell out first.

5. 5

   7th arrondissement

   Musée d'Orsay

   The world's greatest Impressionist collection in a former railway station: Monet, Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh. Closed on Mondays.

6. 6

   8th arrondissement

   Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élysées

   Napoleon commissioned the arch in 1806, and the Champs-Élysées avenue links Place de la Concorde to the Étoile.

7. 7

   Gardens

   Tuileries Garden

   The garden between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde is the best break between museums.

8. 8

   18th arrondissement

   Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur

   Steep streets, the basilica's viewpoint and Place du Tertre, where painters still work.

9. 9

   6th arrondissement

   Luxembourg Gardens

   A 17th-century park with a pond, green chairs and the Senate palace.

10. 10

    Latin Quarter

    Panthéon

    Resting place of Voltaire, Victor Hugo and Marie Curie, with Foucault's pendulum under the dome.

11. 11

    Seine

    Seine river cruise

    A one-hour cruise shows you Notre-Dame, the Louvre, Orsay and the Eiffel Tower in one go.

12. 12

    Outside the centre

    Versailles

    A half-day trip on RER C. Check the official site for the weekly closing day before you go.

What we don't recommend right now

The Centre Pompidou has been closed for renovation since 2025 and isn't expected to reopen until around 2030. If you see it on older lists, skip it and swap in the Musée d'Orsay or the Musée de l'Orangerie.

Tips for planning your visit

• Book the Louvre, Eiffel Tower and Sainte-Chapelle online: a timed slot gets you in faster.
• Avoid Tuesdays for the Louvre and Mondays for Orsay; that clash of closures shapes the order of your days.
• The Louvre stays open until 21:00 on Wednesdays and Fridays: the best option to dodge the peak hours.
• Buy metro tickets at the machines or in the official app and watch for pickpockets on tourist lines.
• The AnyArt app identifies paintings and monuments with your camera and tells you their story, handy at the Louvre and Orsay where labels aren't always in your language.