Millions of visitors are drawn to Paris for the Summer Olympics, but there's more to explore in the City of Light than just the games. While the city offers endless attractions for a three-week stay, many visitors only have three days to experience its charm. Here are some must-see highlights and tips to make the most of your time in Paris, from art and fashion to nightlife and beyond.
You have to go to Paris once in your life, at least. Whether it's for the Olympic Games (July 26 to August 11) or just for a short trip. During this major sporting event the metropolis will be packed, some places will be cordoned off and the scaffolding of temporary venues may block the view. But for many, the Olympics are still an opportunity to finally see Paris. In this quick overview, you will find the most important museums and sights, selected addresses for shopping and eating – and the most beautiful parks for a break in between.
You can see the Eiffel Tower from many directions anyway. It is not just a symbol of Paris, it is Paris. Seeing Paris means seeing the Eiffel Tower. How close you want to get to the world attraction in times of overtourism is up to you.
Other must-sees such as Sacré-Cœur on Montmartre naturally also attract crowds of tourists. Get there early! Close to the church is the Clos de Montmartre, a small vineyard that commemorates the history of winegrowing in the district. The Arc de Triomphe, the Invalides, the Panthéon and the Sainte-Chapelle church with its stained glass windows are also among the buildings that feature in every Paris travel guide. Other sightseeing classics are the Père Lachaise cemetery and the Paris Catacombs. Notre-Dame Cathedral, badly damaged by the fire in 2019, is still covered in scaffolding. The reopening ceremony is scheduled for December 8, 2024.
The Seine is an attraction in itself and a symbol of Paris. The best thing to do in the evening is to cycle along the banks on a rental bike or book a boat trip for two with dinner on board. It's cheesy, but this is Paris, the city of love.
Otherwise, Paris is all dressed up for the Olympics. The Grand Palais with its dome and 13,500 square metre glass roof will reopen its doors to visitors (and to the best fencers in the world, who will compete against each other here) from 27 July. The monumental building was erected for the 1900 World Exhibition as an event venue. Versailles Palace is recommended for a day trip.
The first address is the Louvre, with the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. You could spend many days in the museum, working your way from the Egyptian antiquities to the sculpture collection to the masterpieces of European painting. Be sure to book a ticket with a time slot, but bring some waiting time with you. Art from the mid 19th to the early 20th century can be seen at the Musée d'Orsay on the Seine, especially the Impressionists. The small Musée de l'Orangerie, practically opposite, is famous for its eight large-format water lily paintings by Claude Monet.
The relevant venue for modern and contemporary art is once again the famous Centre Pompidou. In the summer of 2025, the architecturally extravagant cultural centre will close for several years because it urgently needs to be renovated. The various areas – there is also a library in the building – will gradually close. Probably until at least 2030. The most important art museums are the Musée Picasso and Musée Rodin with sculptures by Auguste Rodin.
The Hôtel de la Marine on the Place de la Concorde, a monumental palace that once served as a royal furniture warehouse, was reopened in 2021.
On display are elegant 18th century gadgets (music boxes, silverware, tapestries). The building also houses more than 5,000 works from the private art collection of the Qatari ruling family, the Al Thani Collection.
Rappers praise them, sheikh families hop on private jets for them: the legendary Parisian luxury boutiques attract old and new money from all over the world. It is impossible to count how many branches of the relevant luxury brands are gathered in the French capital. On the Champs-Élysées, the long shopping mile, (almost) all of them are represented.
You may find it all rather decadent, but money is power and splendour, and both contribute to the city's unique flair. Paris is a fashion epicenter and home to unique, world-renowned fashion designers. There are museums dedicated to them and their legacy, including the Musée Yves Saint Laurent. Not far from the Grand Palais is the Dior Gallery, where legendary haute couture pieces by Christian Dior and his successors can be seen. The Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann with its glass roof La Coupole from 1912, which embodies the opulence of the Belle Époque, is one of the relevant shopping addresses.
The oldest department store in the city is Le Bon Marché in the 7th arrondissement. The trendy Marais district is the ideal place to browse through small boutiques, cool concept stores (such as Merci and Empreintes) and vintage stores – as well as delicatessens and pâtisseries. The Jewish quarter stretches around the Rue des Rosiers.
Just outside, in the 18th arrondissement, is the world's largest flea market, the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen. Known for its antiques and popular for everything else too.
It would go beyond the scope of this article to provide an almost complete overview of the best restaurants in Paris. Of course you can get world-class French cuisine in the heart of the Grand Nation. And even below the star level, the choice is huge. But it doesn't always have to be classic brasserie cuisine with steak frites. Here are some addresses that particularly caught our eye:
Paris also has many vegetarian and vegan options.
Our tip:
We recommend a few of the many cocktail bars:
In between, you should always settle down in a street café - and see the city as the stage that it is. A falafel sandwich is recommended as a typical snack, even if it doesn't seem like the most obvious choice. There are dozens of good snack bars in the Marais (for example L'as du Fallafel and Chez H'anna).
Another tip in the Marais is the Marché des Enfants Rouges (39 Rue de Bretagne) with its bistro tables and chairs. You also have to eat something sweet in Paris; try the art of confectionery perfected by chocolatiers like Cédric Grolet.
Our tip: Stohrer (51 Rue Montorgueil), one of the oldest bakeries in the city, dating back to 1730.
How to get there: the easiest way is to take a direct flight. You can travel by train from Frankfurt, Cologne and Karlsruhe without changing trains. There is an ÖBB Nightjet from Berlin, so you should book early.
Hotel tips:
Local transportation: you can use the metro, but a rental bike is even better. Uber is often stuck in traffic jams, especially on the Seine.
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