The 15 essential things to do in Paris

330 metres tall since its antennas were added, the Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 World's Fair. The first floor has a glass floor and exhibitions on its construction; from the second, the view opens onto the Seine, the Louvre and Notre-Dame; the top, at 276 metres, gives the widest view of Paris. After dark, the tower sparkles for five minutes at the start of every hour.

A fortress built by Philip Augustus around 1190, then a royal palace and a museum from 1793, the Louvre was enlarged until the Second Empire before receiving I. M. Pei's Pyramid in 1989. It is the most visited museum in the world: the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace and the Venus de Milo draw the crowds.

The collections cover Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities, European painting up to the 19th century and the arts of Islam. Pick two or three departments rather than trying to see everything, and keep the medieval moats in the basement, remains of the fortress, for a quiet break.

Begun in the 12th century on the Île de la Cité, Notre-Dame is recognisable by its two towers, its spire and its stained glass. Inside, the high vaulted ceilings give the nave its distinctive atmosphere, and climbing the towers leads to the gargoyles and a view over the Seine and the rooftops. The carved portals reflect the work of medieval craftsmen. Reopened to the public on 8 December 2024 after five years of restoration following the 2019 fire, the cathedral's restored nave is free to enter; booking a timed slot online is strongly recommended to limit the wait.

Built to honour Napoleon's victories, the Arc de Triomphe stands at the top of the Champs-Élysées. Climbing its steps brings you to a terrace overlooking the avenue and the surrounding monuments. The Champs-Élysées runs down from the arch, lined with shops, cafés and terraces, and the avenue takes on a different feel in the evening when the lights come on. Together, the arch and the avenue tell both France's military history and the lively daily life of the capital.

At the top of the highest hill in Paris, the bright-white Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur looks out over the city and offers a wide panorama from its forecourt. Below, Montmartre's cobbled streets are lined with cafés and artists' studios, and the Place du Tertre gathers painters working in the open air. Picasso and Toulouse-Lautrec worked here, and the neighbourhood's artistic history is still visible street by street. At the end of the day, the sunset from the hill is worth the trip.

Set in a former railway station, the Musée d'Orsay has kept its large clocks and glass roof, which now light the galleries. Its collection brings together Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works by Monet, Van Gogh and Degas, along with sculptures and decorative arts from the 19th century. The layout leaves room to look closely and to pause along the way. The visit gives a clear sense of how art changed across the period.

Built in the 13th century on the Île de la Cité, the Sainte-Chapelle is best known for its stained glass, which covers the walls of the upper chapel and depicts biblical stories. A spiral staircase leads up to this room, where light filters through the coloured glass. Originally built to house the Crown of Thorns, it now hosts classical music concerts. Its architecture, slender arches and detailed carvings reflect medieval craftsmanship, and the Seine runs right alongside.

Built in the 17th century under Louis XIV, the Hôtel des Invalides is recognisable by its golden dome, beneath which lies the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte. The vast courtyard, lined with cannons and statues, leads to the Musée de l'Armée, which displays armour, weapons and military objects tracing the evolution of French conflicts across the centuries. Well-kept gardens surround the complex and provide a quiet space. The site appeals to those interested in military history as much as in classical architecture.

Opened in 1875, the Palais Garnier is recognisable by its façade crowded with sculptures, columns and gilded busts, typical of the Napoleon III style. Inside, the grand marble staircase, the gilded Grand Foyer and the red and gold auditorium, whose ceiling was painted by Chagall in 1964, recall the splendour of the Second Empire. The building can be seen on a self-guided or guided visit, or during an opera or ballet performance.

First built as a church dedicated to Sainte-Geneviève, the Panthéon became a secular monument honouring major French figures. Its columned façade and dome dominate the Latin Quarter, and the interior, with its frescoes and sculptures, depicts historical scenes. The crypt holds the tombs of Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo and Marie Curie, among others. At certain times, access to the dome offers a panoramic view over Paris.

The intellectual centre of Paris for centuries, the Latin Quarter is home to the Sorbonne, where students and scholars cross paths in the cafés. Its cobbled streets are lined with old bookshops, cafés and small boutiques. The Place de la Sorbonne and the Panthéon anchor the district in the history of French ideas. Nearby, the Luxembourg Gardens offer a quiet space away from the bustle, a good spot to pause between walks.

In front of the Luxembourg Palace, the large central basin gives the garden its focal point, surrounded by wrought-iron chairs where people settle in for a break. Shaded paths and flower beds invite a stroll, while the statues spread across the park recall its artistic history. A few steps from the Latin Quarter, it is one of the busiest green spaces on the Left Bank for taking a breather in the middle of Paris.

With its low arch, gilded ornaments and mythological sculptures, the Pont Alexandre III was built to mark the Franco-Russian alliance. Crossing it, you can see the Eiffel Tower on one side and the National Assembly on the other, which makes it one of the most photographed viewpoints in Paris, by day and after dark when it is lit up. The bridge links the Invalides bank to the Grand and Petit Palais, and makes a convenient starting point for exploring the surrounding neighbourhoods.

A Seine cruise passes the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Notre-Dame, all especially striking once they are lit up in the evening. Audio commentary on board covers the history and architecture of the sites along the way, and the options range from a short ride to a dinner cruise, depending on the time you have.

The Paris canals, in particular the Canal Saint-Martin, offer a quieter alternative away from the usual routes. You pass through locks and less-visited neighbourhoods, and some tours led by locals add stories about the places you go by, between cafés and galleries. The Seine and the canals give two complementary ways to discover the city from the water.

Dating from the 19th century, the covered passages of Paris are shopping arcades sheltered under glass roofs, with cobbled floors and decorated façades. Each has its own character: the Passage des Panoramas, one of the oldest, contrasts with the grander Galerie Vivienne. Beneath these arches you find shops, bookstores, antique dealers and cafés. Tucked away from the main avenues, the passages let you cross certain districts while taking in a slice of the city's commercial history.