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Your Paris Vacation

The iconic sights, chic vibe and romantic ambience are just some of the reasons why travelers adore this urban city. Discover this amazing destination your way with a Paris vacation package. Any trip to Paris needs a well-designed itinerary. Fill yours with famous sights like Eiffel Tower , Louvre Museum and Arc de Triomphe . Whoever you're traveling with and whether your budget is big or small, your dream Paris vacation is only clicks away with Expedia.

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Where to stay in Paris

Paris City Center

Known for its fascinating museums, stunning cathedral, and charming cafes, there's plenty to explore in Paris City Center. Top attractions like Louvre Museum and Place Vendôme are major draws. Catch the metro at Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre Metro Station or Louvre - Rivoli Station to see more of the city.

6th Arrondissement

Immerse yourself in the intellectual tradition and history of the 6th arrondissement, home to art galleries, fashion stores, and iconic cafés like Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots. Don't miss the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Latin Quarter.

Art galleries, upscale restaurants, and museums abound in this fashionable area, with notable attractions like the Picasso Museum and Centre Georges Pompidou. Stroll along rue des Rosiers, a hub for the Paris Jewish community, offering bookshops and kosher food.

8th Arrondissement

Featuring the most famous street in Paris, this district is strongly linked to Napoleon’s rise and France’s dark years of revolution.

Faubourg Saint-Germain

While you're in Faubourg Saint-Germain, take in top sights like Eiffel Tower or Orsay Museum, and hop on the metro to see more the city at Rue du Bac Station or Solferino Station.

Paris Essential Information

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Frequently asked questions, discover the most popular places to visit in paris, disneyland® paris.

Dreams come true with a trip to this beloved theme park. Find all the magic, excitement, thrills and joy you could ever wish for.

Eiffel Tower

Nothing says Paris like this landmark of iron latticework emblematic of the City of Light.

Louvre Museum

Home to the Mona Lisa, and instantly recognizable by its glass pyramid, this landmark has vast collections of well-known art from France and around the world.

What to do in Paris

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Vacations in Paris

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• There are loads of types of vacations in Paris and the cost will depend on what type of trip you’re taking and for how long you’d like to stay. Here are the latest prices for a 3 night trip for 2 travelers: Top vacation $612; Family vacation $503; Romantic vacation $618; Luxury vacation $680; Budget vacation $387.

Why should you book a vacation package to Paris?

When should you book a vacation package to paris.

The best time to visit is between April and June and from October to early November. The weather is not too cold and there are fewer tourists. Flights and hotels are cheaper in early December, January, and February.

Where should you stay in Paris during your vacation?

For any vacation type in paris:.

Fraser Suites Harmonie Paris La Defense is a 5-star hotel located 2 miles from the airport, and just a 15-minute drive from landmarks like the Arc de Triomphe and the Roland Garros Stadium. It boasts a 24-hour fitness center and bar/lounge. The garden and terrace are a verdant haven in the city.

The Hotel Les Bulles Paris is a 4 star hotel which is comfortable and well-appointed. This is a very elegant and beautiful Beaux Arts hotel in the center of the City of Light. It's situated in the Latin Quarter, close to Notre Dame Cathedral and the Pantheon.

For family vacations in Paris:

The Novotel Paris Charles de Gaulle Hotel is an excellent option for families spending a layover in Paris, or on a quick weekend trip. The hotel is oriented toward savings for larger bookings and offers soundproofed, air-conditioned rooms. The Novotel Café restaurant will feed the whole family.

The Hotel Banke is a 5-star hotel located in central Paris. It's close to the Galeries Lafayette and Printemps department stores and the Theatre Mogador. The Louvre and Gustave Moreau Museum are about a mile from the hotel.

For romantic vacations in Paris

The Hotel Champerret Heliopolis is a quiet hotel in the 17th arrondissement, near the Champs Elysées and the gardens of the Boulevard Péreire. The hotel has been refurbished and promises guests personal service and plush furnishings. It has a private garden and the hotel's serenity lends itself to romance.

The Tiara Chateau Hotel Mont Royal offers a 24-hour airport shuttle and a spa where guests can get massages, wraps, or body scrubs. The Opera restaurant serves meals and the indoor indoor pool and gym provide relaxation. Gowns and slippers provide a romantic touch.

For luxury vacations in Paris:

The Hotel Splendide Royal Paris is a 5-star hotel that offers luxurious rooms, meals, a bar, an in-house spa for wellness treatments and proximity to all the major landmarks and attractions of Paris. The hotel boasts a central location within a 15-minute walk of the Grand Palais and Place de la Concorde. Airport transfers are arranged.

The Victoria Palace Hotel is a luxury establishment in Paris some 4 1/2 miles from the airport and a 15-minute walk from the Tour Montparnasse and Luxembourg Palace. There is a bar/lounge, and a daily buffet breakfast. Rooms have deep tubs, soft bathrobes, and slippers. The hotel arranges airport transfers.

For budget vacations in Paris:

The Porte de Versailles Hotel is a 3-star hotel in the 15th arrondissement, close to the Palais des Sports. The Eiffel Tower and Paris Catacombs are just 3 miles away.

The Ibis Styles Hotel is a popular airport hotel. Soundproofed and comfortable, it serves a daily buffet breakfast. The hotel offers super fast wifi and meals from Foody's Planet. The restaurant is child-oriented and Princess Leias and Han Solos welcome you to the restaurant.

Where to stay in Paris

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The city of light, the city of light never ceases to astound with art, culture, cuisine, history and romance..

What to do first in this celebrated city? Explore the incomparable Louvre. Cruise the Seine. Savor a just-baked croissant. Stroll the Avenue des Champs-Elysees. Venture to the Palace of Versailles. However you spend your time, you’re sure to fall in love again and again.

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Epicurean paris, paris: things to do in the city of lights, finding value at costco travel, more about paris.

Ah, Paris, the city of life, love, and light. From the Eiffel Tower to the Mona Lisa, from the bustling Champs Elysées to the winding streets of Montmartre, you'll find magic, romance, and history as you sip a café au lait, stroll manicured parks, and watch the sun set over the Seine. The home to some 2 million people, Paris could take you multiple lifetimes to explore from top to bottom—and that's not counting the Louvre. Happily, the métro system is extremely efficient and will aid you in see-and-flee sight-seeing. But to truly savor Paris's heady parfum, opt for the bus, or even better, your feet. In no time at all, you'll be strolling like a true Parisian from the arty Rive Gauche (Left Bank) to the regal Rive Droite (Right Bank).

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The major tourist season in France stretches from Easter to mid-September, but Paris has much to offer in every season. If you're dreaming of Paris in the springtime, May is your best bet, not rainy March and April—regardless of what some songs say about the latter. Paris in the early spring can be disappointingly damp, though it's relatively tourist-free; May and June are delightful, with good weather and plenty of cultural and other attractions. July and August can be sultry, stuffy, and uncomfortable. Early autumn is ideal. Cultural life revives after the summer break, and sunny weather often continues through the first half of October. The ballet and theater are in full swing in November. The weather is part wet and cold, part bright and sunny.

Top Experiences

Eiffel Tower : Built in 1889 for the World’s Fair, this iron structure is one of the most visited monuments in the world. There is a bird’s eye view of Paris from the top and there are two restaurants in the lower structure.

Cruise the Seine : Many monuments of the city can be seen from a leisurely cruise along the river. At night is especially beautiful as the monuments are lighted and gives a very different perspective.

Louvre Museum : An historic landmark, one of the most visited museums in the world, home to Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo, over 300,000 objects are housed inside from all corners of the globe.

Café Society : The ultimate expression of French culture, sit in a sidewalk café and sip on a coffee while watching the world bustle past. Perhaps enjoy some pastries or macarons also.

Musee D’Orsay : Housed in a former train station, the space is light filled from skylights. Not as large as the Louvre, houses an impressive collection of Impressionist works.

Arc de Triomphe with Champs Elysees : The arc is one of the most famous monuments of the city and lies at the center of the convergence of twelve avenues. It is home to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from WWI, with an eternal flame. The Champs Elysees is an avenue that stretches just over a mile. It is known for luxury shopping and hosts the finish of the Tour de France bicycle race.

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Popular places to visit, disneyland® paris.

Enjoy the excitement at Disneyland® Paris and find out why this is a popular amusement park in Chessy. Discover the entertainment choices and shops in this quaint area.

Eiffel Tower

Nothing says Paris like this landmark of iron latticework emblematic of the City of Light.

Louvre Museum

Home to the Mona Lisa, and instantly recognizable by its glass pyramid, this landmark has vast collections of well-known art from France and around the world.

Paris Vacations

There are many grand quotes about the "City of Light," but perhaps none captures its essence as well as Ernest Hemingway: "Wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast." It is indeed a feast: one for the senses, and the soul, as well as the body. And with a vacation package in Paris, France, you will enjoy all the best the city has to offer. Art, architecture, and astounding history are just the beginning—this is a city of layers and intrigue, and you are about to discover it all.

Paramount Paris Attractions

Nearly everyone can name at least one of Paris’ world-famous attractions. You are sure to find your schedule filled with activities both well-known and hidden, but there are a few experiences that you simply must have on vacations in Paris.

• Eiffel Tower: Yes, this is at the top of the list for most travelers, and it is easy to see why. Whether you choose to make the journey to the top or simply spend an afternoon lounging in the park, the “Tour Eiffel” alone is enough to make you want to stay here forever. And if you think it is impressive by day, just wait until the nightly light show begins.
• The Louvre: This is where you can lay your own eyes on one of the art world’s most memorable pairs of eyes—the Mona Lisa. But your tour does not end there. Home to plenty more noted artworks, from the Venus de Milo to Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading the People,” the Louvre seems to never end…nor will you desire it to.

Festivals and Events

You might ask yourself, “How could Paris possibly get any better?” We do have one suggestion. Those who plan Paris vacations around the numerous annual festivals add that little dash of something extra to their trip. Spring visitors may hear the revelry of the Villette Festival wafting through the streets in May, while summer is filled with music and celebration, from the Jazz Festival to Bastille Day. Winter has many festivities as well, especially Carnaval de Paris in February. And of course, Paris Fashion Week, which takes place in January, is one of the city’s most fantastic events.

Hotels in Paris

Like the smile of the Mona Lisa or the “je ne sais quoi” that makes French food so delicious, hotels here can be mysterious. There are many, and all seem to offer a location that is front and center to various attractions. We can help you find that perfect accommodation to add to Paris package deals.

• Mercure Paris Centre Tour Eiffel : What’s that out your window? Here you could have views of this well-known landmark from your room. Even if you don’t indulge in that extra perk, you will always have complimentary Wi-Fi, free bottled water, and an excellent concierge service.
• Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel is right at the foot of its namesake, and has the close-up views to match. Not only can you enjoy the sights from your private balcony if you so select, but the restaurant patio has the tower as its backdrop. Quelle surprise!
• L'Hotel du Collectionneur Arc de Triomphe is the epitome of five-star extravagance. You may be satisfied with the elegant décor, on-site spa, and fine dining, but outside the hotel is just as spectacular—you are a short stroll from the Arc de Triomphe and the upscale shops of Avenue des Champs-Elysées. And a cheap vacation in Paris from Travelocity means you can splurge.
• Citadines Apart'hotel Saint-Germain-des-Prés Paris awaits with apartment-style living that will make you feel right at home. But with proximity to Notre Dame Cathedral and the bohemian atmosphere of the Quartier Latin, you will also surely never forget that you are in Paris.

In fact, long after you have left this beautiful city, it will always remain not only in your memories, but in your very heart. Travelocity can help you make the most of this unique and peerless destination with our vacation packages in Paris, which allow you to take care of your hotel and airfare at once. Then, you have plenty of time left to dream of fresh, crunchy baguettes and the way your soul will sing when you finally see that acclaimed piece of art up close. Paris, je t’aime.

Tours and Activities in Paris

So you've touched down in an exotic new destination — what's next? Why not chill out, bide your time and see what exciting experiences and unforgettable adventures head your way? After all, that's what travel's about, right?

There are so many fun adventures to test out in Paris. Here are our leading picks:

• Small-Group Full-Day Paris Food & Culture Tour with Tastings
• Dinner with a Parisian Family
• Tailor Made Half-Day Motorcycle & Sidecar Tour
• Tailor Made Full-Day Motorcycle & Sidecar Tour
• Guided Walking Tour of Revolutionary Paris
• Private Vintage Motorcycle Tour in a Sidecar

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Frequently asked questions

Where to stay in paris: best areas for travelers.

• Paris City Centre : Don't waste your time on public transportation and rushing around town. This area has loads of attractions, from Louvre Museum to Notre-Dame. Kick back and relax at the Timhotel Le Louvre , the Hotel de Lille - Louvre or the Hôtel Louvre Bons Enfants when it's time to call it a day.
• Hauts-de-Seine : There are numerous reasons to choose this area, including convenient access to unique sights like Grande Arche. Find a room at the Hotel Villa Escudier , the Hotel de Paris or the Nice Apartment of 38m2 and you can visit whenever suits your travel plans.
• 9th Arrondissement : Settle in at the Hôtel Brittany Opéra , the Hotel France Albion or the Hotel Antin Saint-Georges and prepare to check some of this neighborhood's well-known attractions off your sightseeing list. Printemps Department Store, Gustave Moreau Museum and Theatre la Bruyere are among the most-visited places here.
• Faubourg Saint-Germain : If you're looking for an exciting place to call home during your vacation, this neighborhood is a good choice. You'll find plenty of awesome attractions here, including Pont de Bir-Hakeim. The Hotel Eiffel Turenne , the Hôtel La Comtesse and the Le Tourville Eiffel are great bases to rest your head in between those sightseeing excursions.
• Marais : With Place des Vosges in the neighborhood, it's not surprising loads of travelers base themselves here. The Apartment/ Flat - Paris , the Vrbo Property and the Hôtel Dupond-Smith are a few places to lay your head in here.
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"There's nowhere quite like Paris and it's amazing to watch our guests light up when they see bucket list icons like the Eiffel Tower in real life. Don't forget to slow down and savour the freshly baked pastries from the local boulangerie and mingle with the locals in the sidewalk cafés and markets."

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See the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo at the Louvre

You can’t take a Paris trip without visiting the Louvre. It’s the both the largest art museum and the most-visited museum in the world, and you can soak it all in with our special evening experience at the Louvre. You’ll discover masterpieces like the Mona Lisa with your Local Specialist and enjoy the quiet atmosphere without the crowds. Simply magical.

Visit the remarkable church of Saint-Sulpice

Paris is full of spectacular architecture, and the church of Saint-Sulpice may be one of the best. This medieval cathedral is the second-largest church in the city and your Paris travel guide will show you around the stunning facades, stained glass windows, impressive fountains, unique sundial, and the breathtaking organ, one of the largest in the world.

Enjoy a leisurely cruise along the River Seine

As the scenic centrepiece of Paris, you can’t miss exploring the iconic River Seine. We’ll wander along the pretty riverbank by day and take you on a special Seine cruise by night, when the City of Light is illuminated in twinkling lights. Look out for icons like the Eiffel Tower and the Notre Dame, and relax as you drift along this enchanting river.

Explore the Latin Quarter of Paris

When you travel Paris with Trafalgar, you’ll join a Local Specialist to discover the Latin Quarter, the city’s epicentre of culture, learning and creativity. See the ancient Sorbonne University, one of the world’s first universities, soak up the vibrant atmosphere of this student hotspot, and perhaps even stop by the legendary Shakespeare and Co bookstore.

Experience a traditional Parisian Cabaret

You’ve probably seen the Parisian Cabaret in dozens of movies and photos, but there’s nothing quite like experiencing the real thing. We’ll take you to the world-famous Moulin Rouge Cabaret, where you’ll enjoy dinner, champagne and a dazzling show of 60 dancers and over 1,000 costumes, for an incredible evening you’ll never forget.

Our top 5 things to do in Paris

With so many incredible Paris attractions to choose from, we’ll show you the very best things to do in Paris, from the beautiful Saint-Sulpice to the original Parisian cabaret.

Musée Rodin

Located just steps away from the Eiffel Tower, you can’t miss the spectacular Musée Rodin. Founded in 1916 by Auguste Rodin himself, the museum features the artist’s incredible sculptures within an 18th-century rocco mansion and a stunning three-hectare garden, along with his personal collection of paintings, photographs and ancient artefacts.

Paris Opera & Palais Garnier

If you want to experience the height of Parisian opulence, it’s got to be the Palais Garnier. This extraordinary building is a 1,979-seat opera house constructed in the late 19th-century, and is renowned as the setting for The Phantom of the Opera. Today you can discover its magnificent treasures or even spend a glitzy night at the opera or ballet.

Grand Palais

Located right across from the Champs-Élysées, the Grand Palais is an icon of Paris with its giant glass ceiling and Beaux-Arts style architecture. Its interior is even more thrilling, with national art galleries, science museums and exhibition halls all held under the famous dome, and you can easily spend a day or two here.

Best museums in Paris

When you travel Paris with Trafalgar, we’ll make sure you get your fill of the best Paris museums, from the iconic Louvre to the magnificent Opéra Garnier.

Ratatouille

Ratatouille is the ultimate French vegetarian dish, loved by all for its heartwarming local flavors. It’s essentially a vegetable stew, made with a rich tomato sauce and a rainbow of veggies like zucchini, eggplant and squash, and herbs like basil, garlic and thyme. One bite and you’ll fall in love with the home-cooked ratatouille of Paris.

One of France’s most famous recipes, Coq au Vin features wine-braised chicken served alongside ingredients like mushrooms and bacon. Across the country you will try many regional versions of this comforting dish, which translates fittingly to “rooster/cock with wine”.

French cuisine celebrates both savory and sweet ingredients, not just in the form of croissants. Find true street-food joy in the popular dessert of crêpes, with strawberries, Nutella, bananas and lemon curd just some of the toppings loved by locals and travelers alike. Or, try the national specialty crêpes Suzette with orange zest and caramelized butter.

Best food in Paris

Our Paris holidays are filled with the legendary Parisian cuisine, and we’ll show you all the best places to try your French favorites from fresh croissants to delicate desserts.

What to pack for Paris

French phrasebook

It’s a good idea to learn some common French phrases before arriving in Paris, and the locals are sure to appreciate your efforts to learn their mother tongue.

Camera & extra SD card

Paris is full of soul-stirring moments you’ll want to capture forever, so be sure to pack a few extra SD cards for all those special snaps and videos.

Comfortable shoes

Whether you’re wandering through the Louvre, or strolling along the River Seine, you’ll need a comfy pair of shoes on your Paris tour.

Formal wear

If you want to hit the town in Paris with a Moulin Rouge show or a night at the opera, be sure to bring a glamorous outfit to fit in with the chic locals.

All-weather clothing

Paris is known for its unpredictable weather, with rain one day and sunshine the next. It’s best to pack both warm and cooler layers so you’re prepared for everything.

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Home > Paris Travel Tips > Paris Trip Planner: Step-by-Step Guide to Planning a Trip to Paris 2024

Paris Trip Planner: Step-by-Step Guide to Planning a Trip to Paris 2024

How to plan a trip to paris, france.

If you’re planning a trip to Paris in 2024, you will want to read this Paris Travel Planner . Paris for first-timers can be overwhelming; there are so many things to see and do! That’s why we want to help with our Paris Trip Planner .

This Paris Trip Planner covers everything you need to know to plan a trip to Paris, including the best time to visit Paris, where to stay, what to do, how to move around, and more.

Do you need help with your Paris trip planning? So let’s get started! Here’s how to plan a trip to Paris, France, you’ll never forget in easy steps that works for any kind of trip — no matter how long you’re going for! Just follow this step-by-step guide, and you’ll be off to Paris in no time!

Paris Travel Planner 2024 Content:

• Best Time to Visit Paris
• Booking your Flight or Train Ticket to Paris
• Travel Insurance
• Where to Stay in Paris
• Accommodation in Paris
• How to Get from Paris Airport to City
• The Cheat Sheet for Your Paris Trip Planner
• Paris Itinerary Planner
• What to Eat & Drink in Paris
• Day Trips from Paris
• Planning a Trip to Paris: Know Before You Go

There is no best way to plan a trip to Paris, France, but if you follow this step-by-step Paris Planner, you won’t forget the essentials.

GOOD TO KNOW: If you are planning a honeymoon to Paris or a family trip to Paris, you can complete the reading of this Paris Travel Planner with our specific guides:

• Paris honeymoon guide
• Quick guide to Paris for kids

1. Best Time to Visit Paris

When is the best time to travel to Paris? “ Paris is always a good idea , ” and there is never a bad time to travel to Paris. The city has beautiful parks and picturesque streets that are great to explore under the sun. It also has some of the world’s best museums and other interesting indoor options when it rains, or it’s too cold to be outside.

TIP: In general, the best time to go to Paris is from May to October, and then December for the Christmas Holidays .

If you are flexible with dates, important things to consider when you are planning a Paris trip are the low /high tourist seasons and the weather in Paris. This is what you need to know:

Seasons in Paris

What is the best season to visit Paris? This graphic below represents the weather in Paris year-round, with average temperatures (in Celsius) and average rainfall (%).

>>   Spring is a good time to visit Paris. Spring means blue skies, the gardens in Paris in bloom , and animated café-terraces. The city is also famous for its cherry blossoms (check out our favorite cherry blossom spots in Paris ), usually in March and April.

However, temperatures are still fresh (minimums of 4C° to 10C°), with frequent showers. Don’t forget to pack an umbrella and a jacket in your day bag!

Spring Months in Paris

>> Summer in Paris comes with longer days and nice temperatures (maximums of 23C° to 25C°). With a long list of local festivals and events and cool outdoor activities everywhere, no wonder Paris is one of the best summer destinations in Europe !

However, summer is also the high season in Paris, which means more tourists, long lines to visit the main attractions, and higher prices.

Summer Months in Paris

>> Fall is, in our opinion, the best season for a first time in Paris. The colors of the trees are gorgeous, temperatures are still pleasant (maximums of 11C° to 21C°), and there are fewer tourists. In the last couple of years, we could organize outdoor activities until mid-November, with bright and sunny days.

Fall Months in Paris

>> Winter in Paris is not the best time to visit Paris in terms of weather (minimums of 2C° to 7°C and only 4 to 5 hours of light), and sunset in Paris is very early. However, some people love to travel to Paris at Christmas time to see Paris’s decorations and illuminations and the best Christmas markets in Paris .

Paris is also a popular destination for Saint Valentine’s  in February. There are many romantic things to do in Paris !

Winter Months in Paris

Tourist Seasons in Paris

>>  The high season in Paris is considered from 1st April to 31st October. It means nice weather and more hours of daylight and many people will tell you this is the best time to visit Paris.

At the same time, the high season in Paris is not the best season to plan a trip to Paris in terms of budget (the best accommodation is sold out, and prices are higher). Also, the city is too crowded with tourists – especially in the summer – while locals are somewhere else on holiday.

>> The low season in Paris goes from 1st November to 31st March, except for Paris at Christmas and New Year’s Eve in Paris . This is the cheapest time to travel to Paris and the best time to visit Paris to avoid crowds. If you decide to travel off-season, you will get a more local experience, and it will be easier to find good deals on accommodation, for example.

In the end, Paris is a movable feast and (sun or rain) you will have a great time!

Paris Olympics 2024

The Summer Olympics 2024 will be held in Paris and France from Friday, 26 July to Sunday, 11 August 2024 . This will be the biggest event ever organized in the country, so expect more visitors than usual (=book everything NOW!).

If you are planning a trip to Paris around these dates, check out our Paris Olympics 2024 Guide so you don’t miss anything on such a historical event.

Best Time to Visit Paris: Our Tips for your Paris Trip Planning

Be flexible with your dates. Flexibility is key, especially if you are planning a trip to Paris on a budget. Flight tickets or train tickets to Paris will be more expensive:

• During the school holidays in France ;
• During holidays in France or Europe;
• Weekend trips (Friday to Sunday);
• During special events like New Year’s Eve or Saint Valentine’s Day.

If you are a museum lover visiting Paris for the first time, the best time to go to Paris will probably be the first weekend of the month when you can visit many museums in Paris for free. Some of these museums have this offer all year round, while other museums are only free during the winter months.

2. Booking your Flight or Train Ticket to Paris

Flight Tickets to Paris

Paris has three airports: Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) , north of Paris; Paris Orly (ORY) , south of Paris; and Paris-Beauvais (BVA) . Despite its name, Paris Beauvais is not in Paris but in the city of Beauvais (80 km north of Paris, in the Hauts-de-France region).

If you are traveling to Paris from somewhere overseas, you will probably land at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) . Paris Orly Airport (ORY) is used mainly for flights to /from Europe and North Africa, while Paris-Beauvais Airport (BVA) is mainly for Ryan Air flights.

Charles de Gaulle Airport and Orly Airport are more or less at the same distance from Paris, so if you are traveling from Europe, you can choose whatever flight (or flight company) you like. We don’t like Orly Airport (ORY) that much, so we always try to book flights from /to Paris Charles de Gaulle. But this is just our opinion.

Lately, we like to book our flights with Omio , a search engine for all major forms of transport that is very easy to use! It has different filters – time, number of scales, departure time – so the research and booking process is straightforward – Click here to buy your flight tickets to Paris with Omio

Train Tickets to Paris

If you live in Europe, high-speed trains are a good and definitely a more eco-friendly option for your trip to Paris. Here are some of the main European destinations served from the stations in Paris.

• Gare du Nord: London (Eurostar), Brussels, Cologne, and Amsterdam (Thalys)
• Gare de l’Est: Germany, and Luxembourg
• Gare de Lyon: Switzerland (Geneva, Zurich), Italy, and Catalunya (Girona, Barcelona)
• Gare d’Austerlitz: Western Spain.

We like and recommend Omio to book train tickets from /to Paris. The website is straightforward to use, it is written in English, and it proposes interesting promotions from time to time – Click here to buy your train tickets to Paris with Omio

Our readers from the UK and Australia, however, prefer  Trainline , probably because it has its headquarters in the UK. Trainline is also in English and works more or less like Omio.

So there’s the Omio team and the Trainline team, but you should always find the same information and ticket prices in both sites.

3. Don’t Skimp on Travel Insurance

Don’t skimp on Travel Insurance when you plan your trip to Paris 2024. Since anything can happen while traveling, the best thing you can do for yourself is to be insured.

Before going through other aspects of your Paris planning, ensure you are completely covered before traveling to minimize the financial risks of theft, loss of luggage, or flight cancellation.

SafetyWing has super affordable plans for budget travelers for long and short trips. While marketed as “Nomad Insurance,” you can get it for as little as five days. You can sign up for SafetyWing insurance even if your journey has already started! – Click here to get a quote for your next trip to Paris.

HeyMondo is another option for your Paris trip. It offers travelers insurance that combines medical and travel-related coverage for single trips (leisure and business trips), annual multi-trip, and extended stays (with COVID-19 coverage included). Use this link to get a 5% off .

You can also compare plans, prices, and coverage with Travel Insurance Master , a comparison site that will find the perfect fit for you amongst the world’s leading programs. Travel Insurance Master is also the best place to look for senior travelers .

Schengen Area Travel Insurance

For those who require a visa to enter France or any other Schengen country , travel insurance covering repatriation and medical expenses is compulsory. The necessary visa to enter Europe will not be issued unless you provide proof of suitable coverage – Buy your travel insurance with HeyMondo

4. Where to Stay in Paris

Planning a trip to Paris for the first time can be challenging, especially when it comes to deciding which area you want to stay in Paris.

Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements (=districts of Paris), which are also administrative divisions. In each Paris Arrondissement , there is a town hall (Mairie), a mayor and elected officials, a council, a politician, and so on. Of course, each division is still subject to the city’s overall policy and the mayor of Paris, the socialist Anne Hidalgo.

To find your bearings in Paris , there is a little trick: the 1st Paris arrondissement is in the center of Paris, then the other Paris arrondissements are located forming a spiral turning clockwise, to finish in the 20th in the east. Check out our Districts of Paris Guide to learn more about the Arrondissements of Paris.

Where to stay in Paris? The best area to stay in Paris very much depends on the sort of trip you’re planning. Check our suggestions below for sightseeing, luxury, family, and first-time trips to Paris.

5. Accommodation in Paris

So you got your train or flight tickets for your Paris trip, and the countdown starts! In the previous chapter, you have more or less decided where to stay in Paris (the Arrondissement of Paris). The next step of your Paris travel plan is to book accommodation in Paris.

Hotels and Hostels in Paris

Hotels can be so much more than a simple place to rest your head, and a city like Paris cannot disappoint in terms of accommodation: your Paris hotel can be just as memorable as your sightseeing!

When it comes to booking your bed in Paris, the best site to search and compare different accommodation options in Europe is Booking.com because you have everything from hostels to luxury hotels. What we have found quite regularly on Booking.com is that you can get a room in a small hotel for the same price as a hostel. Research makes all the difference!

Click here to book your hotel with Booking.com

>> For a top Paris experience, stay in a hotel with views of the Eiffel Tower or, even better, in one of the fabulous historic hotels of Paris . All these hotels are gorgeous and the beginning of a five-star Parisian experience!

>> Truth be told, these historic hotels are not for all the pockets. But there are many unique themed hotels in Paris that certainly know how to give their guests a memorable and colorful stay for less money. If you plan a trip to Paris in the summer, consider one of the Paris hotels with a pool for the warmest days.

>> For those people traveling on a budget, we hand-picked the  best hostels in Paris (with dorms but also private rooms). You will be surprised at how cute our proposals are, but in a city like Paris, it could not be otherwise!

Check out these lists of best hotels in the most popular neighborhoods in Paris:

• Best hotels near the Louvre Museum
• Best hotels in Le Marais
• Best hotels in the Latin Quarter
• Best hotels in Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Furnished Apartments in Paris

For a much more local experience, consider renting an apartment in Paris . This is definitely a much more local option than a hotel or a hostel, plus you can even cook some of your meals to save money. And there are some apartments with Eiffel Tower views too!

If you decide to rent an apartment in Paris, we recommend Booking.com , which also does  apartment rentals for travelers with excellent service. With Booking.com, you can have all your hotel and apartment bookings under the same dashboard, plus their customer service is excellent – Find the Best Apartments in Paris with Booking.com

GOOD TO KNOW: Furnished apartments are very requested in Paris, especially in tourist areas. For this reason, apartment owners prioritize bookings for longer stays rather than just a weekend.

Accommodation in Paris: Our Tips for your Paris Trip Planning

>> Book in advance for more options and better prices.

>> Avoid Famous Places in Paris  if you are traveling on a budget.

>> Consider one of the best hotels near Gare du Nord for late arrivals or early departures from this train station. They are good, safe, and cheaper than in the most popular neighborhoods.

>> Check out our Hotel Recommendations in our articles by Paris Arrondissement .

6. How to Get from Paris Airport to the City

If you don’t live in Europe, you will probably fly to Paris. There are currently 153 air companies flying to Paris so that you can fly to the City of Light from anywhere in the world!

There are two airports near Paris: Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Orly Airport (ORY). You have different options to get to Paris, depending on which airport you land at.

Best Transportation Options from Paris Airports to City

Our personal recommendation is to pre-book with Welcome Pickups , a reliable and top-rated private transfer service. Your driver will wait for you outside of the arrivals hall with a sign bearing your name, plus a bottle of water and a map of the city. Welcome Pickups have introduced strict safety protocols to protect drivers and guests.

>> Full list of transportation options from CDG Airport to Paris

>> Full list of transportation options from ORY Airport to Paris

7. The Cheat Sheet for Your Paris Trip Planner

The next step of your Paris plan is to decide what to see and do. If this is your first trip to Paris, the lists below cover the main attractions and the most iconic things to do in Paris.

>> 50 Iconic Things to Do in Paris

>> Paris Checklist

>> Best Rooftop Bars in Paris

>> Best Cabarets in Paris

>> Top Things to Do in Paris at Night

>> Most Beautiful Covered Passages of Paris

>> Best Seine River Cruises in Paris

>> Famous Buildings in Paris

>> Famous Paris Landmarks

TIP: Check out the best Paris combo tickets , good combinations of 2-3 Paris tickets & tours that make you save time and money!

8. Paris Itinerary Planner

If you are planning a trip to Paris for the first time and need some inspiration for your Paris travel plan, these Paris itineraries for one day to a week will be helpful.

>> One Day in Paris Itinerary

>> Two Days in Paris Itinerary

>> Three Days in Paris Itinerary

>> Four Days in Paris Itinerary

>> Five Days in Paris Itinerary

>> Six Days in Paris Itinerary

>> One Week in Paris Itinerary

Layover in Paris

If your vacation includes a layover in Paris, it is possible to get a glimpse of what the city offers before your next flight.

If your top priority is to see the Eiffel Tower , it is possible to have a quick ride from the airport to the city center to check it out from your bucket list. Head here for the best ways to go to the Eiffel Tower from Charles de Gaulle Airport, or check out this article for the best ways to go from Orly Airport to the Eiffel Tower.

With a long layover in Paris , you can consider a short itinerary to see some of Paris’ main sites. Check out how to spend a layover in Paris , with some proposals for short itineraries and our best tips.

TIP: This Paris layover tour from the airport always gets the best ratings!   

9. What to Eat & Drink in Paris

When you travel to Paris, be sure to learn about French food in Paris and the best things to eat in Paris. If you’re not trying the food, you are far away from getting to know the culture. We have hand-picked our best food articles for this Paris Trip Planner 2024.

>> Paris Food Guide

>> Where to Eat in Paris

>> French Wine Regions near Paris

>> Famous Foods to Try  in Paris

>> Best Bistros in Paris

>> Best Cheap Eats in Paris

>> Best Parisian Cakes (born and perfectioned in Paris!)

>> Best Desserts in Paris

If you are looking for restaurant recommendations, this blog also lists the best restaurants in Paris by district .

10. Day Trips from Paris

If you have an extra day or two, don’t hesitate to go beyond Paris. Check out the ultimate list of best day trips from Paris , featuring historic cities, seaside towns, world heritage wonders, and adventures in the great French countryside.

Versailles is the most popular day trip from Paris. Home to the Kings of France between 1662 and 1789, the Palace of Versailles is one of the most important landmarks in French history, also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage. The Gardens of Versailles are beautiful to see too! Check out our Versailles Quick Guide to get the most out of this wonderful place.

Disneyland Paris is a must for families visiting the French capital. Check out how to get from Paris to Disneyland Paris and this Disneyland Paris crowd calendar for the quietest days in Mickeyland!

For a more local feeling, there are many picturesque small towns near Paris very easy to reach by train.

11. Planning a Trip to Paris: Know Before You Go

Check out our Paris insider tips for your first time in Paris.

>> Most of the hotels and hostels in Paris offer free Wi-Fi for their guests. You can also get a prepaid SIM card for your trip, which will allow you to communicate with other numbers in France and keep you connected to the internet all the time. Here are the best prepaid SIM cards for France (and how to get them).

>> Paris is one of the most visited cities on this planet. In 2018, 17.95 million international overnight tourists visited the city mainly for sightseeing and shopping. Read how to avoid the longest lines in Paris’ main attractions .

>> The Parisian Metro is nearly 115 years old, the second oldest metro after London’s tube system! The metro now serves 6 million out of 10.5 million people in Paris. Learn how to navigate the Parisian metro with our Paris Metro Guide .

>> Arguably the most famous museum in the world, the Louvre Museum is also the biggest! Indeed, it would take 100 days to see all of the art in the Louvre Museum. Learn how to get the most out of the Louvre in 2 hours or less .

>> The Parisian style is simple, chic, and beautiful. Parisian’s motto is ‘Less is More,’ with a minimum of versatile and easy-to-combine items. If your Paris planning includes making the perfect packing list, check out our suggestions for men and women on what to pack and what to wear in Paris to blend in with the local crowd.

>> One week before leaving for Paris, check out this post about the Paris strikes 2024 . Just in case…

Consider a Paris Tourist Pass

Lines to visit the main Paris tourist attractions are guaranteed. Long lines. If you are planning a Paris trip and you want to visit most of its famous sights, you may want to consider a Paris Tourist Pass for you Paris trip plan.

The  Paris Museum Pass offers visitors direct access to 55 of Paris’s top attractions and museums in Paris. The Paris Museum Pass is available for 2, 4, or 6 consecutive days. If your schedule in Paris is tight and you don’t want to spend your time waiting in line, the Paris Museum Pass is for you.

There are other interesting tourist passes for visiting Paris; check out our Paris Pass Comparison for the full list.

So there you have it, how to plan a Paris trip 2024 you’ll never forget. Go on reading this Paris travel blog 2024 for more information and the history and culture in Paris.

Click here to read more Paris Tips

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About WORLD IN PARIS

Quirky parisian explorer with a preference for lesser-known sights, i am continuously looking for new ideas and tips to bring you the best of the city of light read more about me ., i am elisa, the travel blogger behind world in paris. quirky explorer with a preference for the local side of my city and its lesser-known sights, i am continuously looking for new ideas to enjoy the best of paris & around . do you want to go beyond the louvre museum or the eiffel tower keep clicking for first-hand information & my best tips learn more.

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The Best Paris Guide Book for Every Kind of Traveler [2024 Update]

Lonely Planet Paris – The Overall Best Paris Guide Book

At press time, the most current edition of the Lonely Planet Paris guidebook was released in 2022 ( order on Amazon here ). This edition still uses the traditional Lonely Planet format (the good one) and is worth buying before the brand switches to their extremely unpopular new format. In fact, if you plan to travel to Paris in 2024 or even 2025, buy this book now.

This edition (with the gold cover, shown above) is great because every single entry in the guidebook was checked to make sure it’s still operating, and the information about opening hours and prices is accurate. A lot changed in Paris in 2020 and 2021, so it’s good to know that the businesses mentioned survived that two-year downturn in tourism.

I was relying on the older edition (published in 2018) when I was selecting a Paris guidebook. Still, it was my favorite Paris guidebook, and the one I’d recommend for anyone traveling to Paris. The Lonely Planet Paris clocks in at 416 pages, and includes absolutely everything you could possibly want: recommended day-by-day itineraries, guides to each arondissement (including attractions, restaurants, shopping and nightlife) and all the most popular day trips from Paris. It has colorful photos, easy-to-read maps and, in the new edition, a detachable card with all the information you need to get from the airport to your hotel.

Rick Steves Paris – The Best Paris Travel Guide for First-Time Travelers

I have such a soft spot for Rick Steves guidebooks, and his 2023 Rick Steves Paris guide book is no exception.  This is a huge book, with 720 pages, but because they use tissue-weight paper it’s hardly any thicker than the Lonely Planet.

Rick Steves’ books are written for novice and first-time travelers, who want a balance of authentic local experiences and can’t-miss attractions during their Europe trip.  This book includes itineraries for up to seven days, with neighbhorhood guides, transportation connections and bistro stops along the way.  A highlight of any Rick Steves book is the self-guided walking tours; the Rick Steves Paris guide book contains eighteen different routes in Paris, complete with detailed maps and information about the sights you’ll see en route.  If I were buying my parents a guidebook for their trip to Paris, this would definitely be my top choice.

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Lonely Planet France – The Best Paris Guidebook for Travelers Going Beyond Paris Too

Released in late 2021, the Lonely Planet France guidebook is the best Paris guide book for anyone whose trip includes Paris and other destinations in France.  Like the LP Paris guidebook, this book is still in the brand’s original format and is worth buying now before it gets updated.

Like their city-specific guide book, this  edition of the Lonely Planet France (shown above) has been thoroughly reviewed to ensure that information is up-to-date and accurate, and reflects any changes over the past two years.

This is a big book, with more than one thousand pages, so it’s not the best choice for people who are packing light.  But for someone like me, with a suitcase and an itinerary that crosses the country from north to south and from east to west, this is the best balance of information about Paris and information about the rest of France. The section on Paris is about 120 pages long, with full-color maps, illustrations and photos.  There’s a further twenty pages about day trips around Paris, including Versailles and Giverny.

National Geographic Traveler Paris – The Best Neighborhood-by-Neighborhood Paris Travel Guide

First, I have to say that this book just feels nice in your hands.  I like the cover design, I like the paper, and the whole thing just feels good. The National Geographic Traveler Paris guidebook would be ideal for gift-giving, if someone if your life is planning a trip to Paris.

This book has about 250 pages, including a brief introduction that leads into eleven neighborhoods guides (starting with the islands in the River Seine, ending with the “ peripherique “, or the less-visited districts outside the city centre). Each section contains the top attractions, recommend restaurants and other useful tips, like walking routes and local history.  On the inside back cover there’s a handy map of the Paris metro, and tucked inside the back cover there is a full-sized pull-out map of Paris to help you get your bearings. The only warning that I have with this book is that the font is tiny, so I don’t recommend it for anyone who has vision difficulties.

Moon Paris Walks – The Best Paris Guide Book for Travelers Who Love to Walk

I like Moon Guides because they don’t try to be everything to everyone.  Instead, they focus on one thing and do it really well.  Here, in the Moon Paris Walks guide book , they highlight the very best of Paris through a collection of six self-guided walking tours.

The routes covered include Montmartre, the area around The Louvre, Le Marais, The Latin Quarter, the Eiffel Tower and Canal St. Martin (plus some of the adjacent districts).  The routes are illustrated on easy-to-read maps and described using turn-by-turn language like “Go back, and facing the direction you came from, take Rue Lepic, which veers to the right.” It doesn’t get much easier to follow than that!  There are about 120 pages of walking routes, plus another 30 pages of general information about the city. This book doesn’t have great information about hotels, transportation or day trips, but it’s ideal for active travelers.

National Geographic Walking Guide: Paris – The (Other!) Best Paris Travel Guide for Travelers Who Love to Walk

It was totally a tie between the Moon Guides and this Paris travel guide. This is a series that I love- in fact, I kept the Berlin edition from this series in my purse on my most recent trip to Germany. Because it’s designed to be used while you’re out walking, The National Geographic Walking Guide: Paris really does fit comfortably into your bag so you can carry it around Paris every day.

Updated in 2020, this guidebook consists of fourteen different walking routes around Paris.  There are “whirlwind” tours showcasing the highlights of the city in just one or two days, or there are more leisurely routes through distinctive neighborhoods and around famous attractions. Throughout the book there are colorful photos, illustrations and maps.  If there’s a downside to this book it’s that there is minimal information about accommodation and dining, but if you’ve already booked your hotel and enjoy finding restaurants en route , this is a great Paris guide book.

Fun fact: There’s a French term for someone who spends their days sauntering around town without a specific purpose. Fl â neur is the masculine form, while fl â neuse is the feminine.

Lonely Planet Discover Paris – The Best Basic Travel Guide Book to Buy Second-Hand

About half the length of the original Lonely Planet Paris guide book, the brand’s Discover Paris guide book focuses on the most essential experiences in the city.  This series used to be updated quite regularly (there are editions from 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 available on Amazon) but it no longer appears to be focus for the brand. So, the most recent edition I could find is the one shown above, which came out in fall 2018 (yes, I know it says 2019 on the cover, but trust me!).

Honestly, I don’t really recommend this Paris travel guide book, since it’s already four years old.  It would be easy to accidentally purchase this, thinking it was the Lonely Planet’s main guidebook for Paris, but you’d be paying almost the same price for half the information that they include in their regular Paris guidebook (scroll up to see that one!).  What you can expect from this book is a two-page spread for each of the city’s twenty or so top attractions, followed by short sections about dining, shopping, nightlife and entertainment. It’s not really organized geographically, and there’s a lot of stuff that’s not included.  That being said, if you can buy a used copy for a good price it might be a nice addition to your Paris trip planning bookshelf.

Eyewitness Top 10 Paris – The Best Paris Guidebook for Visual Travelers

This is one of the few Paris guidebooks to get a fresh update for 2024!  If you’re not much of a reader but love to look at pretty pictures, the Eyewitness Top 10 Paris guidebook is perfect.  Short on text but dense with full-color photos and illustrations, this is a feast for the eyes.  It’s also another purse-sized Paris guide book (it’s actually smaller than my wallet!) so it would be perfect for carrying around during a day of sightseeing.

Like all Eyewitness books, the Eyewitness Top 10 Paris puts as much emphasis on images as it does on text.  The book starts with a quick introduction (including suggested itineraries for two or four days) and then jumps into its distinctive collection of Top 10 lists: Top 10 Museums, Top 10 Historical Buildings, Top 10 Parks and Gardens, etc. The lists are followed by about 100 pages of neighborhood guides and general travel information. This would be an easy book to read on the plane to France, and as one of the more affordable Paris guide books on the list it’s also good for travelers on a budget.

Michelin Green Guide Paris – The Best European-Style Paris Travel Guidebook

Michelin guides are not common in North America, so many travelers coming from the USA and Canada are surprised to learn that oui, it’s the same company making the tires, awarding stars to restaurants and publishing guidebooks, including The Michelin Green Guide Paris .

As with the Lonely Planet Discover Paris, the first thing you need to know is that this book was last updated in 2018, so some of the information may be outdated. Still, it’s interesting to see how the book reflects the tastes of European travelers, who tend to purchase this series most often.  This one opens with about 40 pages of trip planning advice, then spends another 40 pages talking about the history, arts and culture of Paris, and finally it gets into the Paris-specific travel information, including neighborhoods guides, hotel and restaurant recommendations, and tips for partaking in les sports during your trip.

Frommer’s EasyGuide to Paris – The Best Paris Guide Book for Luxury Travel

I have always disliked Frommers guide books, and the Frommers EasyGuide to Paris isn’t an improvement over their other titles. Plus, with this publication now being two years old, it may not be the best source of up-to-date information on traveling in Paris.  To get it out of the way, I don’t recommend you buy this book, but I’m including it on the list since Frommer’s such a well-known name.

The book opens with fifteen pages of color photos of Paris, and after that it’s mostly just a wall of text.  It covers the same attractions as any other guidebook, but with a more upscale perspective.  For example, in the “inexpensive” hotel listings they recommend a hotel where double rooms are €300 per night.  The restaurant recommendations are equally pricey, with a recommended lunch spot costing €90!  The expensive recommendations aren’t balanced out with more affordable options, so this is really only a useful Paris guide book for travelers who don’t look at the price tags.  (If that’s you, please marry and/or adopt me!)

Planning your own trip to Paris? I’ve got a guide to the best areas to stay in Paris , whether you’re backpacking on a budget or indulging in a luxury trip to France, as well as a guide to the best FIFTY things to see in Paris .  Yes, fifty!

You might also like my post about how to find delicious, healthy French food while you’re there!

Of course, I also recommend learning some French for travel before you depart!

Planning a trip to Paris? Pin this post to your trip planning board!

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An Insider's Guide to Paris — Luxury Hotels, Vintage Shops, and the City's Best Restaurants Included

The best trips to Paris blend the new and the old. Here, a longtime Francophile shares which landmarks are worth visiting, plus a mix of classic and recently opened hotels, restaurants, bars, and more.

• Best Hotels and Resorts

Best Things to Do

Best nightlife.

• Best Restaurants

Best Time to Visit

How to get there, other neighborhoods to visit, how to get around.

First-timers come to Paris seeking Eiffel Tower views, flaky croissants, snapshots of the Mona Lisa, and a proper taste of steak frites. Even seasoned visitors of the City of Light would agree: Cravings for that postcard version of the city don’t abate easily, but there’s so much more to see (and taste, and do). 

Luckily, part of Paris' enduring magic is how expertly it weaves the living museum of itself — the can’t-miss landmarks, historic cafes, and perfectly preserved artist studios — with the momentum of what’s new. A Michelin-starred restaurant with a deep-cut Champagne list beckons just beyond the Eiffel Tower; a kaleidoscopic Wes Anderson-inspired hotel sits on the corner of the Hôtel de Ville; and late-night wine and cocktails lure in chefs and industry folk until 5 a.m. at a bar beside Place de la République. You don’t have to choose between the old and new Paris. It’s all there — you just need to know where to look. 

To that end, I’ve curated a list of tried-and-true bonnes adresses to help you plan the perfect trip to Paris, from the city’s most luxurious hotels to convivial natural wine bars, expansive concept shops, museums of all kinds (everything from Picasso to perfume), and restaurants for every occasion. 

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure

Top 5 Can’t Miss

• It’s certainly a splurge, but there’s no place more emphatically Parisian than the Ritz Paris, where sumptuous suites and the Bar Hemingway beckon. 
• The superb lunchtime tasting menu at Michelin-starred Substance is inventive, surprisingly affordable, and conveniently around the corner from the Eiffel Tower. 
• Visit the former studio and gardens of sculptor Antoine Bourdelle at the intimate Musée Bourdelle, tucked away in the 15th arrondissement. 
• Spend your Sunday souvenir shopping at one of the world’s largest flea markets, Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen. 
• Mingle with local chefs, bar owners, and other industry folk over a nightcap at Cavalier, a natural wine and cocktail hot spot just off the Canal Saint-Martin.

Best Hotels and Resorts 

Cheval blanc.

Courtesy of Cheval Blanc Paris

Perched just over the Pont Neuf in the historic Samaritaine department store, this 72-room marvel is a beacon of luxury (of the LVMH variety). The location is as central as it gets and the spa is divine (it’s Dior), plus there’s a dreamy lap pool and sauna as well as an intimate new Japanese restaurant. 

Le Grand Mazarin

Sophie Dodd/Travel + Leisure

Step into your own Wes Anderson film at this Martin Brudnizki-designed property on Rue des Archives, smack in the middle of the bustling Marais . Here, 61 maximalist rooms and suites dazzle with velvet headboards, ornate tapestries, and objets d’art . Dip down to the subterranean pool to admire the Cocteau-inspired fresco, then treat yourself to the salted chocolate mousse at Boubalé .

The Ritz Paris remains in a class of its own. Classical music plays underwater at the pool here, while marble fireplaces, sumptuous drapes, peach-colored bathrobes, and over-the-top room service transport you to a bygone Paris — one where you might still find Marcel Proust scrawling notes in the tea room, or Coco Chanel checking in on her atelier. If you’re not looking to splurge on a stay, be sure to book in at Bar Hemingway and take a stroll around the covered arcade just to bask in the hotel’s history. 

Cour des Vosges

This sublime address feels like a well-kept secret: It’s discreetly tucked away in one of the arcades around the leafy Place des Vosges, Paris’ oldest and most picturesque planned square. A spiral staircase (and a small elevator) lead to a dozen rooms and suites where exposed wood beams, curated libraries, and well-stocked bar carts welcome you home.

Saint James Paris

Fancy a visit to the French countryside, but short on time? Transport yourself there with a stay at this newly redesigned château hotel — the only one of its kind in the city — that borders the sprawling Bois de Boulogne (and the must-see Louis Vuitton Foundation ) in the ultra-private 16th arrondissement. Grab a martini at the sexy, wood-paneled Library Bar or steal away in the beautifully manicured gardens with a good book — and don’t miss the elegant Guerlain spa and lap pool. 

Leopoldine Bauer/Travel + Leisure

Visit a museum.

No trip to Paris is complete without a visit to at least one museum — and luckily, the city has more than 130, dedicated to everything from impressionism to wine to the art of smoking. While droves of people will queue up for their selfie with the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, I’d encourage you to check out some of the quieter, quirkier museums — like Maison Fragonard’s perfume museum , Montmartre’s charming literary museum , or the kid-friendly fairground museum hidden in the Pavillons de Bercy — which are often located in less central neighborhoods and will bring you into more local Paris. 

When it comes to art museums, it’s hard to top Musée Picasso , housed in a 17th-century mansion with a superlative collection by the Spanish painter plus ever-rotating exhibitions. The Centre Pompidou is the city’s always-invigorating modern and contemporary art museum, which is set to close for major renovations in 2025. Musée Marmottan Monet , meanwhile, is home to the largest collection of the pioneering impressionist’s work in the world, and it's running an Olympics-inspired exhibition through September 2024. Impressionist lovers shouldn’t miss the Musée d’Orsay , a former Beaux-Arts train station where you can have a tête-à-tête with works by Van Gogh, Degas, Renoir, and more. 

Two other favorites: Spread across two Renaissance mansions and a beautiful courtyard, Musée Carnavalet explores the history of Paris through street signs and other fascinating relics of its past. Across the river, a few blocks from the Montparnasse Tower, Musée Bourdelle is a light-filled wonder of works by sculptor Antoine Bourdelle, a contemporary of Rodin whose former studio and gardens are a haven to walk around. 

Eat your way through Paris’ oldest food market.

At the heart of what is now the trendy Marais neighborhood, the Marché des Enfants Rouges has been operating since 1615 and retains much of its out-of-time charm. It’s a beguiling labyrinth of food and flower stalls: tried-and-true favorites include Chez Alain Miam Miam 's famous sandwiches, the seafood-focused small plates and natural wines of Les Enfants du Marché , and the carnivorous hedonism of The Butcher of Paris . 

Tour the city’s covered passages. 

The French know a thing or two about the art of shopping, as evidenced by the sublime elegance of the 19th-century covered passageways running throughout Paris. Less than two dozen of the nearly 200 original glass arcades remain, and are now home to rare bookshops, vintage postcard stores, artisan workshops, clothing shops, and wine bars. Trusted guide companies like Viator and Get Your Guide offer walking tours that hit the highlights (Galerie Vivienne, Passage Jouffroy, Passage des Panoramas, and more), or you can choose to wander them at your own pace.  

Hit the major landmarks.

No matter if it’s your first or 50th trip to Paris, you’ll always find yourself struck by the grandeur of the city’s famous landmarks. While some demand a visit, others, like the Eiffel Tower, best reveal their magic when glimpsed from afar (Rue de l’Université and Avenue de Camoens are two excellent viewing points). The Arc de Triomphe can be checked off your list from the Champs-Élysées, but it’s worth going up at least once to take in the spectacular views over Paris. Other main attractions, like the pristine white dome of Sacré-Cœur Basilica, should factor into part of your neighborhood explorations, as you trace your way up the steep steps of Montmartre for more panoramic views, vintage shopping, and charming museums. 

If time allows, hop on the RER C train and head toward the Château de Versailles (the station is Versailles Château–Rive Gauche), where you can immerse yourself in the gilded rooms and fairy-tale gardens of Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette. 

Learn the art of French savoir faire from local tastemakers.

“There’s nothing like being with a local,” says Clément Le Coz, co-founder of luxury travel agency Le Coup de Foudre , which curates bespoke itineraries around fashion, fine jewelry, antiques, literature, and just about any other creative pursuit. 

“Just getting a list of tips and places is the first step, but a moment to spend there with someone is incomparable,” he adds. Along with his wife, Justina Socas, the pair of them are devastatingly elegant — their team of in-the-know locals opens up a version of Paris that’s nearly impossible for visitors to access otherwise, including private visits to the Manufacture des Gobelins (a centuries-old tapestry factory) and lunch inside the mesmerizing atelier of La Maison Charles , a historic bronze manufacturer.  

“You’re providing a piece of history,” says Le Coz. “It’s not only taking people to a private showroom or introducing them to a fashion designer; it’s explaining the significance and the story behind it.” 

Best Shopping 

This three-story concept shop in the Marais always yields some new delight, be it a chic branded burlap tote, a pink ceramic dessert plate, or a perfectly tailored button-down shirt. It’s one of my go-to spots for souvenir shopping, and you can grab a coffee at their Used Book Cafe if you’re in need of a pick-me-up. 

Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen

Sundays in Paris are a quiet affair, as many restaurants and businesses are closed. To make the most of your day, head to the sprawling wonderland of the Saint-Ouen , where nearly 2,000 vendors comprise the largest secondhand market in the world.

Head to Marché Paul Bert Serpette for showrooms full of fabulous furniture; to Marché Dauphine to check out the retro spaceship centerpiece, plus vintage clothes, books, and records; and to Marché Vernaison for more than 200 vendors selling souvenir-worthy bric-a-brac. Local guides can help you find the best stalls —  Paris Flea Market is a great independent tour company leading small group and private tours. 

Shakespeare and Company

John van Hasselt/Corbis via Getty Images

Finish the book you brought to Paris? Lose yourself in the city’s legendary English-language bookstore , once frequented by literary luminaries like Allen Ginsberg and Anaïs Nin. It continues to be a welcome home for contemporary writers, hosting book talks with writers like Sheila Heti and Ottessa Moshfegh on a regular basis.

This multilevel concept store is a stone’s throw from the Marché des Enfants Rouges and feels a bit more off-the-radar than Merci. It was founded by the French federation of craft professionals and showcases hundreds of their unique handmade works, from statement necklaces to ceramic tableware.

Vintage Shops

There’s no shortage of exceptional vintage stores in Paris, from the bargain-bin kilo shops of the Marais to more curated boutiques and appointment-only showrooms. Some favorites include Sous Les Pavés, Le Vintage , a three-story funhouse of "Alice in Wonderland" proportions in Saint-Michel, specializing in 1960s Italian designers (think lots of Pucci) and meticulously restored lingerie. Vintage Inspiration Paris is a pint-sized treasure trove of Yves Saint Laurent blazers and Mugler dresses and bags up in Batignolles, while En Voiture Simone and Nice Piece are beacons of good taste in the Marais, drawing in Parisian It girls and A-listers alike. 

Pharmacie Citypharma

French pharmacies are a beauty and bargain lover’s paradise, and this is the best and biggest of the lot. From affordable retinols to brightening Caudalie products and Nuxe body oil, this two-story pharmacy in Saint-Germain-des-Prés makes for excellent souvenir shopping. 

Jon Hicks/Getty Images

Chambre Noire

Arrive early to secure a spot at this canal-adjacent watering hole — and know that you might end up staying until close. Here, hip expats, in-the-know visitors, and a good dash of French folks push together tables and knock knees on small stools as they crowd around bottle after bottle of natural wine from Austria, Germany, and, of course, France. Steal a spot on the terrace if you can — and order the olives, tortilla, and mushrooms. Just make sure you’ve marked the 4 Boulevard Jules Ferry location on the canal, as their wine shop sometimes comes up on Google Maps or Uber instead. 

Cafe La Perle

You’d be hard-pressed to find a better place for people-watching than this corner cafe in the heart of the Marais. Grab a 14-euro carafe of house wine and a sidewalk stool in the early evening, then settle in to watch the parade of Parisians heading to apéro hour. Late at night, the crowd skews French and youthful, taking over the street, waving cigarettes around, and dodging scooters as they sort out their after-party plans. 

A favorite of locals and visitors alike, this Oberkampf gem is perpetually crowded. Fresh, seasonal small plates fly out of the kitchen until 11 p.m., and tables grow increasingly jubilant as magnums of wine start to crowd their tables. If you don’t mind a crowd, it’s a perfect bar no matter the weather — cozy and warm in winter, airy and flowing out onto the sidewalk in summer. 

Vinyl lovers looking for a place to groove will find it at Fréquence . While not exactly a dance bar, there are always people moving here — to what degree depends largely on the music and how packed the floor is. It’s a tiny space (which often means waiting in line to get in if you show up late), but the cocktails are reliably good, plus there’s wine and sake. The crowd thins as people rotate in and out of the downstairs smoking room. On weekends, it’s open until 4 a.m. 

Smack between Place de la République and Canal Saint-Martin, this late-night wine and cocktail bar is an industry hot spot that stays open until 5 a.m. most nights, welcoming in chefs and sommeliers who’ve just finished a shift nearby. Guest chefs whip up small plates from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.; afterward, you can order cheese and charcuterie platters and oysters until the wee hours, parking yourself on the terrace in warmer weather. 

Best Restaurants 

The food around the Eiffel Tower tends to be overpriced and underwhelming — definitively not the case with one-Michelin-star Substance , which is helmed by 29-year-old chef Matthias Marc and offers a 65-euro tasting menu at lunch. Get a front-row seat to the spectacle at the chef’s counter, where he displays calm concentration and evident joy while transforming the products of his native Jura into sublime dishes (such as a transcendent gnocchi finished off tableside with Morteau sausage and vin jaune that brought me to tears). The wine list is impeccable — but if you’re feeling adventurous, trust the sommelier’s pairings. For those with time on their hands, the more immersive tasting menus — which can last three or four hours — are worth it.

Tucked down a winding private street just beside Père Lachaise, this Basque-inspired hideaway always feels like a party. In warmer weather, long tables stretch out underneath twinkling lights in what might be the city’s coolest courtyard, where locals smoke and sip on natural wine before finishing off with flan. 

Breizh Cafe

Courtesy of Breizh Cafe

It would be a crime not to eat a crepe during your trip to Paris, and you can find some of the best at Breizh Cafe . Their Brittany-style buckwheat galettes are so popular that they’ve opened up several outposts around the city — the best being their sun-soaked corner in the Marais, where they serve galettes with aged Comte, Jambon de Paris, and onions decadently caramelized in cider. 

Le Bistrot Paul Bert

Bistros abound in Paris, but none hold a candle to Paul Bert . It’s as much about the food (perfect renditions of French classics, from steak au poivre to cheese soufflé) as it is the service (our waitress was both exasperated and energetic, a delightful combination). The portions are deeply satisfying, and the wine list covers classic producers as well as up-and-comers. As such, it’s quite popular, so be sure to call ahead to book a reservation. 

Le Cheval d’Or 

A lot is happening behind the famous red facade of this freshly revamped Chinese bistro , where foodies flock for superb stuffed duck à l’orange and invigorating flavor combinations, like red pepper and rhubarb pork belly, or tofu and caviar consommé. It’s tucked away in Jourdain, a part of the 19th arrondissement that few tourists will make the trek for, so the crowd skews local and gourmand. 

Le Relais de l'Entrecôte

With so many restaurants boasting ever-rotating menus of small plates, there’s something comforting about a bistro serving up steak frites day in and day out. Le Relais de l'Entrecôte is a classic, first opened in 1959 and serving the same set menu ever since: fresh green salad with walnuts and mustard vinaigrette, followed by tenderloin steak in a drool-inducing secret sauce plus homemade french fries. Frankly, it’s perfect. Go for Sunday brunch, and wash it all down with their organic house red wine from Gaillac.

L’Avant Comptoir de La Terre

Few things bring a smile to my face faster than a gallon of cornichons sidling up to a big bowl of butter. That’s the permanent tableaux at Yves Camdeborde’s narrow bar in Saint-Germain-des-Prés , which sets my heart aflutter on every visit (no matter: a bowl of duck hearts is quick to fortify me). The meat-focused tapas menu is hearty, the wine list always has a few treasures, and best of all, it’s open on Sundays. 

Ambika Verma/Travel + Leisure

Paris is a delight to visit all year round, but if you’re looking to avoid the crowds, consider booking a trip during the shoulder seasons (spring or fall), when the droves of summer tourists have left and holiday travel hasn’t yet kicked up. Flights and accommodations tend to be more affordable during these seasons as well, although you can often find great winter flights outside of Christmas and New Year’s timing. 

Fall has always been my favorite time to go — locals are returning from summer vacation and the city’s energy is completely refreshed. Plus, the warmth tends to linger for a bit. Winter , while typically gray and chilly, is charming, with holiday markets serving mulled wine around the city. In spring, cherry blossoms and magnolias bloom all around the capital, giving whole new meaning to la vie en rose . Summer sees the largest influx of tourists, but also promises of sunny promenades along the Seine and elaborate picnics in the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. This summer will be an incredible opportunity to visit, as Paris will host the 2024 Olympic Games from July to August. 

The city’s two main international airports, Charles de Gaulle and Orly Airport, offer easy and affordable access to Paris by public transit in under an hour. There are also plenty of taxis at the airport, and ride-share apps like Uber are popular.

Flights and accommodations are most pricey during summer and in December; I tend to fly with low-cost carrier French Bee , which is reliably comfortable and affordable (one-way flights start at just $189, plus there’s bottomless Champagne in their Premium class). 

Home to the city’s smaller Chinatown and two of its most spectacular parks, Belleville somehow has remained off the primary tourist circuit. It’s a local neighborhood, with a vibrant dining and nightlife scene. Come in the afternoon for a picnic and panoramic views in the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont; stay for wine at Buttes Snack Bar and a big Laotian feast at the ultra-popular Lao Siam . Afterward, head to the famed Combat cocktail bar for a nightcap. 

Hike up to the city’s hilltop artist’s village for endless views over Paris, plus romantic hidden gardens, studio visits of famous French painters, and appointment-only vintage shopping. End the night by heading down the hill to the legendary Moulin Rouge to catch a cabaret show. 

Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Art galleries, designer shops, and double-decker pharmacies full of discounted French beauty products abound in this chic and historic neighborhood, once the intellectual epicenter of the city. For culture, follow in Hemingway and Picasso’s footsteps at Les Deux Magots and Cafe de Flore; for retail therapy, head to Le Bon Marché , the city’s oldest (and most fabulous) department store. 

Paris is a walkable city — you’ll find yourself clocking 10,000 steps before noon most days. But if you’re heading all the way across town or just want to give your feet a break, the Métro is speedy and straightforward to use: You can purchase single-use tickets (though they are set to be phased out by 2025) or a refillable Navigo pass from an agent for longer stays. The bus network is also extensive and easy to navigate — the same tickets or Navigo pass work here, too. 

Taxis are fairly easy to come by in touristy areas, and ride-share apps like Uber work well here. Other reliable options include Bolt and G7 for reserving a taxi ahead of time.

Helpful apps to download include Le Fooding and Raisin for tracking down the best places to eat and drink, plus Google Translate , although by and large, the people in the service and hospitality industry will speak at least some English. To that point, don’t forget to say bonjour (hello) and merci ( thank you) — your effort will save you some trouble, promise.

Where to Go in 2024

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What to Book in Advance in Paris (+ guided tour/ ticket suggestions)

By: Author Antoine

Posted on Last updated: 13th September 2023

Categories Paris

Last Updated on 13th September 2023 by Sophie Nadeau

If you’re planning to visit the French capital, then you’re in for a treat. Paris is like a living, breathing open museum where every turn reveals a new architectural wonder or hidden gem. Of course, the part and parcel of this amazing landscape is immense popularity and Paris is one of the most visited cities in a world. As such, in order to not miss out on certain experiences and activities, there are some things worth planning ahead of time. Here’s what to book in advance in Paris!

Eiffel tower

Arc de triomphe, seine river, louvre museum, musée d’orsay, montparnasse tower, paris catacombs, sainte-chapelle, panthéon, les invalides: napoleon’s tomb & army museum, opera garnier, palace of versailles, what to book in advance in paris.

Of course, most visitors would argue that no trip to the French capital would be complete without ascending the world-famous Eiffel Tower. You can either summit to close to the top or opt to visit just the second floor.

Even without a guided tour, I would definitely recommend booking in advance for more flexibility on dates and times. 1 or 2 weeks prior to visiting the tower is probably a good time to book. Book your ticket here in advanc e

Alternatively, if you’re planning a guided visit, then guided tours of the Eiffel Tower are without any doubt the first thing you’d want to book in advance while planning a trip to Paris. This well-rated tour provided by GetYourGuide France can sell out up to 1 month in advance during peak season.

You can also opt for a river cruise with the Eiffel Tower guide to make the experience even more unique and take amazing pictures of the tower from the boat.

Symbol of the Champs Elysées and one of the most iconic sights in Paris, the Arc de Triomphe is situated the 8th arrondissement of Paris . Pictures of the Arc de Triomphe monument always look amazing from the roundabout or the avenue, but the views from the rooftop are also worth climbing up the stairs for.

You can access the rooftop from 11 AM to 11 PM every day. Even though it does not give you a skip the line option, you can book your entrance ticket in advance .

Many tours offer sightseeing of the Arc de Triomphe along with other famous landmarks of Paris but there is one that particularly caught my attention, an Amphibious Bus including road tours and river cruises.

Bear in mind that this tour only operates 3 or 4 times a day from Monday to Friday so be sure to book at least a week or so in advance to find the slot that best suits you. Book this fun tour here in advance

Enjoying lunch or dinner while cruising through Paris is probably one of the best ways to have an unforgettable experience during your Paris trip. From spying the Eiffel Tower to the world-famous Notre-Dame Cathedral, you will not miss any of the famous landmarks located alongside the Seine.

I would recommend booking at least a month or two in advance if you would like to secure a table on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Book in advance for lunch, starting at 12:45 PM, 2h tour

Book in advance for dinner, starting at 6:15 PM, 75min tour

Book in advance for dinner, starting at 8:30 PM, 2.5h tour

If you would like something more private (for up to 6 people) then there are also some tours available on small boats, very comfortable and nicely designed, a skipper guide will also make the experience even more entertaining. I would recommend booking at least 1 or 2 weeks in advance in order to secure your spot as there are only 2 to 3 cruises per day and Saturdays are the first to sell out.

Book in advance this tour at 12 PM

Book in advance this tour at several times in the day

Thanks to its status as one of the world’s most visited museums, it’s always better to pre-reserve your tickets in order to skip the ticket office line. However, do bear in mind that there is still the security check that cannot be avoided and will add some time to your accessing the museum.

Guided groups cannot contain more than 6 people as it is a general rule within this museum. I have pre-selected a few tours that appear to be among the best in the market. I would personally recommend booking several weeks in advance to secure your spot and have enough flexibility on dates and time.

Book the Louvre Masterpieces tour in advance

Book a 2 hour guided visit in advance

Book a 2.5 hour small group visit here in advance

Alternatively, if you prefer to visit at your own pace, you can also opt for timed entrance tickets. Do no hesitate to book them at least a couple of weeks in advance, and even earlier if you want to have a chance to visit the museum before 11 in the morning. Book your entry tickets in advance

A few different options to visit this great museum focusing on impressionism Art can be booked in advance. Dedicated entrance tickets are probably your best option.

Typically, booking these types of ticket a few days in advance gives you enough time to make sure to get the time slot that suits you best. Including a late entry which is possible every Thursday until 7:30 PM (museum closes at 9:30 PM that day). Book your entry tickets in advance

You can also go directly on the museum website in order to book entry tickets, and additional exhibitions to access some other parts of the museum. Please note that entrance is free for all on the first Sunday of each month, but you need to book your tickets a month in advance (ie: tickets become are available from the Monday, September 4 for the Sunday 1st of October 2023).

If you prefer to visit together with a guide, then this guided tour is very well rated and it can be quite convenient to be able to make it semi-private or even add a gourmet lunch to the visit, you should book this one at least 2-3 weeks in advance to make sure you find the right slot that works with your busy Paris trip!

This private guided tour has amazing reviews and lasts a bit longer, hence why the price is higher. However, if you want to enjoy a deeper dive into the museum, then its certainly worth the extra money.

Even if you are not a huge fan of the architecture of Tour Montparnasse (and you wouldn’t be alone- the tower is so disliked that laws were passed following its construction to prevent more skyscrapers being built in Paris), you have to admit that the view from the top of this tower is simply breathtaking.

Make sure to book your tickets in advance as there can be a pretty big line downstairs. Book the tickets in advance

The most famous of Paris’ underground complex is probably the tunnels and former limestone quarries which are collectively known as the  catacombs of Paris .

This underground network tell the secret story of Paris: that of WWII resistance fighters, those cultivating mushrooms deep beneath the city, and of course, an underground city of the dead. 

VIP Skip-the-Line Restricted Access Tour – this tour sounds pretty good even though it’s a little on the pricier side of things. Reviews are simply outstanding, especially because you can also access some parts that are closed to the general public. However, the main problem is that this tour can sell out up to 2 months in advance so should be booked well in advance…

This Skip-the-Line Guided Tour and Special Access is similar to the restricted access tour but also needs to be book a while in advance (at least 2 months or more).

If you prefer to visit at your own price and want to skip the ticket line, then make sure to book your tickets in advance. Bear in mind that the availability is quite low in general.

Indeed you can find tickets further in advance on GetYourGuide (audio guide included) which probably explains the price difference. Or you can also go on the Catacombs website but booking directly on the website is only available up to 7 days in advance (apparently due to fraud).

Please note that booking a visit to Sainte Chapelle is typically only available for the next 7 days, even on certified reseller websites. This Île de la Cité landmark is one of the most popular places to visit in Paris, thus why you should make sure to book your tickets in advance.

There is also an option to add the visit of the nearby Conciergerie (where Marie Antoinette was held during the French Revolution) in a combined ticket.

The advantage of this type of ticket is that you can book further in advance, for a price which is not necessarily much higher. Even though there is more availability on this one, make sure to book in advance to be able to find the slot that suits you best.

You can pre-book your tickets in order to skip the line even though there is generally enough availability on the day, it is probably best to arrive with yours in hands. Book in advance your admission tickets . With this being said, visits to the dome (viewing platform) are often sold out before the day of and so should be booked at least a week ahead of time.

Much like the Paris Panthéon, this is not the busiest place in Paris and so you can often book your tickets last minute on the day by purchasing them online or even at the ticket office upon your arrival. However, if you’re the kind of traveller who prefers booking things in advance, then you can always book your tickets in advance and have them all in the same app.

To plan a few days ahead in advance if you’d prefer to visit the Palais Garnier earlier in the day (before noon) as these are the first slots to sell out. Book your tickets in advance

This is the only landmark in this book in advance guide that is not located within Paris itself but actually a short train ride away. Nevertheless, but the distance doesn’t discourage millions of tourists from visiting every year.

Peak season (ie summer) is definitely when you should be thinking about booking in advance especially if you wish to enjoy its gardens. Some guided tours include the trip from Paris which can save you the hassle, either by train or bus, the meeting point is generally in the 15th arrondissement.

There is usually the option to add the gardens and the Marie Antoinette estate to the visit. The full guided tour package often sells out several weeks in advance so be sure to anticipate at least booking your visit at least a month ahead of time. Book your tickets here in advance

If you prefer self-guided tours, then I would still recommend booking your ticket a couple of weeks in advance. Book your tickets here in advance

Some other guided tours do not include the roundtrip from Paris but still allow you to skip the line through a separate entrance. It has to be said that this is quite convenient given how popular the place is. Book your tickets in advance

There is a final tour that I would like to recommend if you are a cycling fan and based in Paris . However, first, let me assure you, that you are not going to cycle from Paris to Versailles!

No, on this one you will travel on a train and collect bikes upon arrival to Versailles. The tour lasts for 8 hours and can start between 8 AM and 10 AM, the starting time can vary depending on the day.

I would recommend booking in advance between April to September when the weather is meant to be nice. Finally, the reviews are simply outstanding, see for yourself: Book in advance

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How to Plan a Trip to Paris: An Easy Step-by-Step Guide

Posted on Last updated: June 5, 2024

Home » Destinations » Europe » France » How to Plan a Trip to Paris: An Easy Step-by-Step Guide

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Dreaming of your first Paris trip? Let me show you exactly how to plan a trip to Paris like a pro!

This post about how to plan a trip to paris for the first time was written by family travel expert marcie cheung and contains affiliate links which means if you purchase something from one of my affiliate links, i may earn a small commission that goes back into maintaining this blog..

If you’re on your fifth rewatch of Emily in Paris but have never visited the French capital, what are you waiting for?! Learn how to plan a trip to Paris today and turn your silver-screen dreams into a reality!

The City of Light is home to five UNESCO sites and is the second most-visited capital city in Europe. With several famous museums, restaurants, and one of the most iconic landmarks in the world, there are so many things to see and do in this elegant, cultural city.

There are so many options that planning a Paris vacation, especially if you’re visiting Paris for the first time, can feel like an enormous task.

No sweat! This simple guide will take you through the Paris travel planning process step-by-step so you can build your perfect Paris trip!

Don’t have time to read a bunch of Paris blog posts and reviews? Here are some of our top picks for visiting Paris with kids.

Popular Paris Tours/Activities

• Scavenger Hunt at the Musee d’Orsay (my kids voted this the BEST thing they did in Paris)
• Paris Food Tour (We ate SO many yummy treats on our Food Tour)
• Tootbus (this is a kid-friendly hop-on-hop-off bus)
• Eiffel Tower (skip the line and go straight to the top)
• Day Trip to Giverny and Versailles (it’s a great city break)
• Flytographer photo shoot (they are easy to book and really affordable)

Kid-Friendly Paris Hotels

• Hotel Aiglon (this is a quiet area near Luxembourg Garden, and it’s perfect for families)
• Pullman Paris Eiffel Tower Hotel (there’s a shuttle to Disneyland or Giverny from here)
• Newport Bay Club Resort (this is our favorite place to stay at Disneyland)

14-Step Guide on How To Plan a Trip to Paris

Step 1: check your passport and visa requirements for france.

The first step of how to plan a Paris trip is the first step of planning any trip! Check that you and your family have at least six months of validity left on your passport and which visas you need.

For US citizens, France is in the Schengen Area, which means you’re allowed 90 days visa-free in any of the 27 participating EU countries. From 2025, the visa waiver form you’ll fill out will be the ETIAS.

Step 2: Figure Out the Length of Your Trip to Paris

Next, decide how long you are going to spend in Paris. This will likely be a compromise between how long you want to spend in Paris and how much time you have .

If this is your first time in Paris, you need to spend at least three days in Paris at the absolute minimum. I mean, if you only have two days in Paris , it’s still worth it. But four or five days in Paris is much more ideal. 

Don’t rule out a Paris trip plan of more than a week because you can always take day tours or side trips!

Step 3: Research the Best Time to Travel to Paris

You’ll soon realize when planning your trip that there isn’t a bad time to visit Paris.

Paris has a continental climate that is warm in the summer and wet in the winter. Summer temperatures are around 59 – 77°F (15 – 25°C), and extreme heat is uncommon.

Low temperatures in winter are around 37°F (3°C), with some frosty mornings and evenings, but grey skies and rain are more likely.

When planning a trip to France, summer is the most popular and expensive time of year to travel. The shoulder seasons of spring and fall are a good balance between warm weather, fewer crowds, and lower costs.

Paris has some amazing festivals and annual events you might like to visit. Check out the Paris Carnival and Bastille Day for some fun street celebrations.

Step 4: Create a Budget for Your Parisian Vacation

So, how much does a trip to Paris cost? It depends on many factors, including the time of year, the length of your trip, the size of your family, and your travel style.

If you would like a rough idea, Trip.com estimates that the total cost of a trip to Paris for 7 days is around $1,233 – $2,880.

Want to know how to plan a trip to Paris on a budget? Aside from booking your trip during the off-season, use Paris’s cheap and convenient metro system instead of taking taxis.

Visit during the first Sunday of the month when many museums are free. Eating picnic lunches in the public gardens with the incredible produce you can get at the boulangeries is a quintessential Paris experience!

These are just a few ways for you to save money during your trip.

Step 5: Book Your Flights to Paris, France

Figuring out how to plan a trip to France is made so much easier with all the direct flights from the US to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, where most international flights land.

Another Paris airport is the Paris Beauvais, where low-cost and chartered flights land, mostly from other connecting flights.

New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, Dallas, Fort Worth, Seattle, and many other cities have non-stop flights to Paris. 

Flying from these airports is the best way to travel to Paris! But finding easy connections at any time of year won’t be difficult.

Get Our FREE Paris Travel Planner

Step 6: plan your parisian vacation itinerary.

You’ve finally got to the fun part of creating your Paris travel plan! How to plan a trip to Paris will depend on how many days you are spending in Paris. Here are some ideas for your Paris itinerary:

• 3-day trip to Paris – Take a walking tour to learn more about the city center, see the Eiffel Tower, and visit the Arc de Triomphe on your first day. Spend your second day at Notre Dame and museums like Musée d’Orsay or the Louvre, and your third day with a half-day trip to Versailles followed by a late afternoon in Montmartre.
• 4-day trip to Paris – You can visit the Musée d’Orsay and the Louvre, as well as spend one whole day in Versailles plus visit a garden like Luxembourg or Jardin des Plantes.
• 5-day trip to Paris – Take a day tour!

You can also insert short food tours in between your itinerary. It’s like hitting two birds in one stone!

But if you’re planning to tour Paris for more than a week, maximize your time in this huge city.

Step 7: Choose a Day Trip From Paris

Unless you are visiting for three days or less, the best way to plan a trip to Paris is to include a day tour . 

There are so many great options! Here are some of the most popular ones:

• How to plan a trip to Versailles – Take an RER C train, which stops at nine stations in Paris and two in Versailles. Book your Palace of Versailles in advance to guarantee entry.
• How to plan a trip to Giverny – Book a small group tour to where Monet painted waterlilies or take the train from Gare Saint-Lazare to the small town of Vernon.
• How to plan a trip to Disneyland Paris – You can book coach transfers from the city to Disneyland when you buy your park tickets. 
• How to plan a cultural trip in Paris – Paris is home to different cultures, its Latin Quarter being one of the best places to visit. You can book a day tour here .
• How to plan a trip to Paris and London – Yes, you can easily visit London for the day from Paris! Book tickets on the Eurostar train and make sure you meet the visa requirements to enter the UK.

Step 8: Book Accommodation in Paris

Paris has hundreds of hotels, whether you prefer budget-friendly or luxury hotels, making the city the best option for a city break when you visit France. Storing your luggage before and after check-out is always super handy.

But if your fantasy is to stay in a typical Parisian loft apartment up five flights of stairs with a cat that roams the hallways, go for it! There are lots of short-term rental apartment options in every arrondissement, too.

Note that Paris charges a tax to everyone who stays in any type of accommodation in Paris . Depending on the quality of accommodation, expect a per-night sum of 20 cents to €4 to be added to your bill.

Step 9: Purchase Attraction Tickets, Transfers, and Tours

Some attractions are worth buying tickets in advance so you can skip the line. Investing in the Paris Museum Pass allows you to enter 60+ museums, and you can skip the line in every single one.

Consider the Paris Museum Pass as an all-in ticket that could save you time and money.

If you want to climb the Eiffel Tower , that is one attraction you should book in advance. But consider another viewpoint, like the Arc de Triomphe , so that you actually get the Eiffel Tower in your photos!

You can take buses or regional express trains from all three Paris airports. But that might sound like a nightmare if you’re juggling your kids and luggage! 

Book a private airport transfer in advance so you don’t have to stress about finding a taxi when you arrive.

Want to learn how to make macarons or visit the Emily in Paris locations? Special activities, like a guided tour, are also things you should book in advance. Spaces are usually limited to small groups and will sell out.

Step 10: Organize Travel Insurance for Your Trip to Paris

It’s good practice to buy travel insurance as soon as you purchase your flights. This means any money you spend on your trip is protected should anything go wrong.

However, the most important thing that travel insurance protects is your health! So, as long as you take out a policy before you fly, you won’t have to pay up if you have a medical emergency.

You may already have travel insurance through your credit card benefits, so check them out before you purchase a separate plan.

Step 11: Figure Out Phone, Credit Card, and Currency

When you plan a trip to France, the Euro is the currency there. Almost everywhere in Paris will accept credit card payments but it never hurts to have a small amount of local currency in cash.

American Express isn’t as widely accepted as Mastercard or Visa, so bring a backup card.

Some cafes and museums in Paris have WiFi, but it’s useful for using data out and about. Get an eSIM if you do not have an international plan. 

If you’re heading to London as a side trip, make sure you have coverage there, too!

Step 12: Watch Movies and Read Books Set in Paris

Watching Parisian movies and reading books about France is probably the reason you want to learn how to travel to Paris in the first place! It’s a great way to get excited about your trip.

Some movie recommendations are Midnight in Paris (2011), and Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (2022). If you’re a bookworm, check out The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George and A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway.

Step 13: Pack Your Suitcase Full of Parisian Outfits

Do as the Romans (or Parisians) do and pull out your best ‘effortlessly chic’ outfits to blend in with the ultra-stylish Paris locals.

Luckily, most Parisians forgo heels during the day and opt for comfortable flats or sneakers. Trench coats are perfect in spring and fall and you can still wear your light, floaty dresses in summer.

You may need to cover your shoulders to enter some churches, so pack a light scarf if you prefer to wear tanks or strappy dresses.

Step 14: Go To Paris!

Once you’ve finished all the steps of how to plan a Paris trip, it won’t be long before you’ll be venturing on your dream trip to Paris.

You won’t be able to see all the exhibits at the Louvre, and you can’t escape the crowds, but Paris will charm you into a return visit regardless.

Planning a Trip to Paris FAQs

How far in advance should i plan a trip to paris.

You don’t need to plan a trip to Paris far in advance. Paris is built for tourism with lots of hotels and restaurants, and organizing your travel documents (if you’re from the US, for example) should be easy.

However, advance tickets to big attractions like the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower start selling out about three months ahead. Book flight tickets and accommodation as soon as possible for the best choice and price!

What is the cheapest month to go to Paris?

The cheapest months to go to Paris are usually November, January, or February. 

Basically, all the winter months around the holiday season are usually the best times for cheaper flights and accommodation.

How much French should I know before visiting Paris?

You don’t need to speak French fluently; you only need to learn these essential French words before going to Paris: Hello = Bonjour, Goodbye = Au Revoir, Please = S’il Vous Plait, and Thank You = Merci.

Although it would be nice to communicate with them in their language, you can easily pick up easy and useful French phrases for your next trip.

That’s not to say everyone in Paris speaks English, but almost everyone working in hospitality will be fluent. 

How To Plan a Trip to Paris Wrap-Up

With this Paris trip planner, it should make it much easier to figure out how to plan a trip to Paris so that you don’t forget to do something essential, like booking hotels.

Or so you don’t miss a quintessential Parisian experience that you have to do when traveling to Paris for the first time.

You can’t visit Paris without tasting macarons or visiting at least one art museum!

Seeing the Eiffel Tower lit up at night across the Seine for the first time will make all your Paris trip planning efforts worth it.

Looking for more Paris travel resources? Check out my tips for Disneyland Paris , top kid-friendly Paris tours , tips for visiting Paris for the first time , guide to hiring a Paris family photographer , things to do in Paris for teens , things to do in Paris at night , Paris Instagram spots , visiting Versailles with kids , secret spots in Paris , Paris day trips , things to do on a Paris family vacation , Paris Tuk Tuk Tour review , tips for visiting Paris with kids , and kid-friendly Arc de Triomphe tips !

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Before Heading To Paris: What To Plan In Advance

I admit, I love to plan and organize and it pays off when I am planning a trip to France. It goes without saying that it is cheaper to book your airfare and hotels in advance.

According to my research:

• There is no particular best day of the week to book. If stats showed a particular best day, consumers would have a field day and the airlines would be out of business.
• The worst day however, is the day before you leave.
• How many months in advance to book a flight? There is not concrete proof that 7 weeks in advance is the best time. I booked my trip to France 10 weeks before and I have to admit it is one of the lowest fares I’ve ever paid. I think I was just lucky and the fact that I am going on the shoulder season. In high season, the prices go up and flights are more in demand.
• One of the best websites to compare prices is Google Flights.  I love this website tool because not only will it show you the best prices and alternative routes, it will also show you the days when you can get a better price.

*This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I get a small commission at no extra charge to you. It helps support the running of this website and I do appreciate your help.*

Do In Advance

The following are some other things you might consider doing in advance, BEFORE you head off to France. They will make your trip more enjoyable and less stressful.

• Restaurant Of Your Dreams: Paris has over 70 Michelin-starred restaurants. Are you dying to try one of them? If so, here is a list of the top 5 and you better book well in advance and put extra cash in your wallet. You could save a bit by having lunch rather than dinner, by the way. Here are a few 3-star restaurants: Alain Ducasse at the Plaza Athenee, L’Arpege, Le Meurice, Hotel Le Bistro, and Restaurant Pierre Gagne.

But seriously, there are so many great restaurants that are much less expensive and some will still require reservations. According to the Thrillist website , there are cheaper Michelin-starred restaurants such as:

• Restaurant Auguste (7 th arrondissement)—1 star
• L’Agape (17 th arrondissement)—1 star
• L’Atelier Joel Robuchon (7 th arrondissement)—2 stars

And for restaurants that have a unique ambiance, such as Le Jules Verne  on top of the Eiffel Tower, be sure to book well in advance. I had a birthday lunch there and it was, and still is, fabulous. You get your splendid view of Paris and also avoid the crowds as there is a private elevator.

• Bastille Day Parade (July 14): if you’re going to be in Paris on Bastille day go see the biggest military parade in Europe. It starts at about 10:15; however, to get a spot close to the street (and not 8 rows behind), get there early! The parade takes place on the Champs Elysee and the flypast by the airforce is quite spectacular.
• Concert at Sainte-Chapelle: You’ll see flyers posted all over Paris for classical music concerts in this beautiful gothic chapel. I went and heard Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and I think it’s time I went back. Not sure how easy it is to get tickets the day of or days before in person. Supposedly the only company that sells tickets online is Classictic. Website: Classictic
• Running In The Paris Marathon : Oh just do it! Sure it’s 42.2 km but think of the sites you will see as you are running! You can book online but be sure to do it well in advance as it sells out very quickly. Sorry, but you are too late for this April’s event, although you might be able to register through a tour operator.  Website: Paris Marathon

Some other posts that can help you plan your trip to France:

• First Time Tips
• 10  Dos and Don’ts When In France
• Your First Trip To Paris: Two Commonly Asked Questions Answered

Newsletter community members get access to free exclusive content like this bonus, “Top 10 Photo Locations In Paris” cheat sheet. Sign up now!

TRAVEL RESOURCES Booking.com and Expedia : are the companies I use for finding accommodations. VRBO : is super for booking apartments and houses.  AutoEurope : is the only car rental supplier that I will use–with the best prices, and they will refund the difference if the price goes down.  Trainline : offers an easy way to book train tickets. Get Your Guide and Viator : Both offer tours, city cards, tickets, airport pickups, and so many other things you’ll need at your destination. Orange SIM Card -this is the company I use when I want a physical SIM card Airalo e-SIM -offers eSIMS and gets great reviews

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I've travelled to France over 35 times and love sharing my tips and unique experiences not always mentioned in travel guides. You can learn more about me by visiting my About Page . Subscribe to join my newsletter. Community members get access to free exclusive content and bonuses.

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Hey Jan, Thanks for sharing such a useful post. I will definitely follow it before my visit.

Paris Guide Books

• Plan Your Trip to Paris
• Guide Books

Best Paris Travel Guide Books - 2024

Planning a trip to Paris?   Travel guide books give you a quick, easy way to find all the information you need about the top attractions, fun and historic neighborhoods to explore, best hotels to stay in, places to eat, and even interesting things to do with kids if you're traveling as a family. 

Some also include excellent Paris city maps, others provide insights into Paris culture and history, and still others may inspire you with their gorgeous color photos of everything Parisian from the Eiffel Tower to steak-frites. 

But with so many appealing choices available, what is the best guide book for planning your trip to Paris?

Well, that depends because everybody is different.  Maybe you love details - or maybe you just want highlights. Maybe you want to find out about "hidden secret" spots as well as famous bucket list attractions - or maybe a quick list of the 10 best things to see and do, top hotels and restaurants in a few price ranges, and few travel tips is more your style. 

The good news:  there's something for everybody.   This article provides our top picks in a variety of categories:

• Best Paris Travel Guides for Planning your Trip
• Paris Guides to Walking Tours & Getting Around   
• Guides to Hidden Paris
• Guides to Paris Culture & Special Places
• Books about Paris Markets & Food

Guides to Paris History & Architecture

Paris travel & guide books to buy in paris.

Top photo:  Paris guide books in a local bookstore

Please note:  Some links on this page go to Amazon.com.  As an Amazon Associate, ParisDiscoveryGuide.com earns from qualifying purchases. 

Paris Discovery Guide is a reader-supported publication.  When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost for you.  Learn more

Best Comprehensive Guide Books for Planning Your Paris Trip

Looking for the best Paris guide book for planning all aspects of your trip? 

Here's where to start:

Rick Steves' Paris Travel Guide

By Rick Steves, Steve Smith, & Gene Openshaw

Rick Steves'  love of travel and enthusiasm for making it accessible to everyone comes through loud and clear in the 700+ pages of this comprehensive guide.  Despite the size of this book, the thin but surprisingly sturdy pages make it light enough to pack and bring with you without worrying about the weight.

If you're a first-time visitor, you'll appreciate his focus on on top attractions such as the Louvre Museum, Eiffel Tower, and Pere Lachaise Cemetery and his recommendations about what to see at each site. 

If you're a return traveler, check out his recommendations for the best hidden gems.

In addition, Rick Steves' Paris provides a thorough "orientation" to Paris, including tips on getting around, shopping, and dining.  If you're planning a family trip, you'll find lots of good tips in his suggestions about things to do with kids in Paris.  A foldout map is a nice plus.

Recommended for:   First time and return travelers to Paris, especially if you want get the most out of your time and money without breaking the bank.

Buy Now at Amazon

Want an even more compact version?  Check out Rick Steves Pocket Paris - it's packed with trip-planning tips, itineraries, suggested walks and tours, a pull-out map, and lots more.

The Rough Guide to Paris

UK publisher Rough Guides honed its reputation by providing straightforward information to budget-minded travelers on the younger end of the demographic scale, and The Rough Guide to Paris reflects that. 

You'll find decent recommendations for bars, clubs, and other entertainment venues (just beware that Paris nightlife constantly evolves, so no doubt some of the information will be out of date).

Sections on Paris neighborhood attractions include areas that most other guides don't mention: La Villette (home to the newish Philharmonie de Paris concert hall, a huge science and technology museum focused on kids and teens, and a top exhibition hall), Passy (cool market street plus other attractions in the 16th), Belleville (awesome street art, which the guide book doesn't mention, and the spectacular Parc des Buttes-Chaumont), and Ménilmontant (Pere Lachaise Cemetery and the Edith Piaf Museum).  You'll also find a section of some of the interesting but often overlooked suburbs.

Otherwise, The Rough Guide to Paris covers all of the top attractions (sometimes with a "chilled out" twist on how to visit), favorite neighborhoods, and general travel advice that you'd expect and want in a comprehensive guide.   There are quite a few useful maps, plus nice photos.

And finally, if you're interested in lesser-known Paris locations (a.k.a. "hidden gems"), it's clear that the author has ventured fairly off the usual beaten tourist paths and discovered some cool spots that other publications generally miss.  (We felt rather sad to see a few of our favorite unknown-to-most-visitors spots revealed.)

Recommended for:   Budget-minded Paris visitors who want to do and see the city's top attractions but also explore the nightlife and wander a bit from the touristic center.  And if you're already a Rough Guide fan, you're sure to love this one.

DK Eyewitness Paris Travel Guide

If you're the type of traveler who draws inspiration from gorgeous photos paired with just enough text to let you know what you're looking at, DK Eyewitness Paris may be your top choice guide book planning your trips.

Details take a back seat to inspiration in the first sections of this book but don't be deceived:   DK Eyewitness Paris packs a hefty amount of interesting facts, useful tips, and logistical details into the guide's later chapters.  Beautifully detailed drawings, diagrams, and even timelines make the information interesting and accessible. 

Recommended for:   Anyone who wonders why Paris is worth visiting, wants ideas about what to see and do, or simply enjoys gazing at photos that capture the beauty and magic of this special city will find a lot to love in this book.  The fact that you'll also learn a lot about the City of Light is a bonus.

DK Eyewitness Top 10 Paris

If you love lists, you may find DK Eyewitness Top 10 Paris hard to put down once you start looking through it.  With "top 10" lists for everything from top attractions to museums to places to eat near the Eiffel Tower, this small almost pocket-sized guide book contains a huge amount of useful information as well as a laminated pull-out map. 

"Top 10 things to see" lists for each of the top 10 Paris attractions such as the Louvre Museum and Army Museum give you useful information to make sure you don't miss anything. 

Annual updates keep the recommendations on point, and plenty of small photos, drawings, and maps mean you still get the rich visual images that make DK Eyewitness guides stand out from the competition.  A small section with practical information about getting around the city, etc, and recommendations for around 80 hotels based on price range and style round out the guide.

Recommended for:   Anyone who loves lists and/or wants a small-format (4" x 7.5"; 10cm x 19cm) guide book filled with useful information.

Insight Guides Explore Paris 

If you're looking for the perfect combination of detailed Paris travel information, a large number of excellent photos, and a few maps and diagrams, Insight Guide's Paris City guidebooks may be the perfect fit for your needs.

As you might expect in a comprehensive guide book, topics such as "Chic Shopping" and "Paris After Dark" give you a good overview of things to do in the city.  But you'll find some of Paris City Guide's best information in the coverage of specific things to do and see in 10 neighborhoods including not only those with the best known tourist attractions (Ile de la Cité, the Latin Quarter, etc) but also interesting but less well known areas such as Bastille, East Paris, and Montparnasse.  Don't miss the useful section on Paris Disney and other day trip destinations.

There's also a smaller Pocket Edition of this guidebook.  It's not as comprehensive but if you're packing as little as possible, it's definitely worth considering.

Recommended for:   First time and return Paris visitors who want a comprehensive guide packed with useful details.

Please note:  As of early 2024, neither of these Insight guides has been updated since 2019, so some information may be out of date.  The books still contain lots of useful information and offer lots of value.  If you're considering buying one or both of them, consider buying a cheap used copy.

Lonely Planet Paris

Although Lonely Planet's guide books originally earned their reputation by highlighting off-the-beaten-trail attractions, the current Lonely Planet guide to Paris focuses primarily on popular attractions and experiences - but it does that very well by packing in a lot of information within a lively framework.

Starting with brief descriptions of top Paris highlights, itineraries, and top events each month, Lonely Planet Paris then provides detailed information for important attractions in eight central Paris neighborhoods before ending with brief sections on topics such as family travel, architecture, and food and wine.

What makes this guide book a standout, though, is the balance between the 50 or so maps (marked with walking routes), color photographs, diagrams, and "Don't Miss" pages that help you focus on the most important attractions. 

Another big plus:  The pull-out "Just Landed" card with wifi, ATM, and Paris transportation information provides everything you need to go to get from the airport to your hotel or apartment.

Recommended for:   First time and return visitors who like to get comprehensive travel information in a well-organized, lively, easy-to-digest format.

Blue Guide: Paris

By Delia Gray-Durant

When you want the most  in-depth information possible in a comprehensive Paris guide book, Blue Guide: Paris is where to turn.  For example, it devotes almost 60 pages to detailed descriptions of the most important pieces in the Louvre's collections, along with site plans.  As a bonus, the lively writing style brings the art to life with its vivid descriptions.

Also impressive is how Blue Guide: Paris provides detailed descriptions to small attractions as well.  The little-known but fascinating National Marine Museum (Musée National de la Marine), which many guide books don't even mention, gets almost 3 pages including a photo and by the time you finish reading them, you'll know exactly what to look for and expect in the museum's model ship collection.

For each neighborhood, Blue Guide: Paris also suggests walking tours (with maps) and places to eat nearby.  A small section at the end contains a nicely curated list of hotels in three price categories. 

Recommended for:   Anyone who wants detailed information about things to see in Paris museums, historic churches, concert halls, and other cultural and important institutions.

Please note:  This book hasn't been updated since 2015.  If you want detailed and comprehensive information about places that don't change much (such as the Louvre), this book is still totally worth getting.  But it's astonishing that the publisher (Blue Guides) hasn't produced a more recent editition about Paris, one of the world's most-visited cities.

But a couple of caveats:  information about any site that's undergone a recent renovation, such as the National Marine Museum mentioned above, may be out of date, and you should also (mostly) disregard the restaurant and hotel information.  For the best value, look for a cheap used copy.

Michelin's Paris: The Green Guide

Michelin guide books are known for their comprehensive coverage and numerous details, and their Paris: The Green Guide is no exception.  Color photos, site plans, maps (with walking routes), and diagrams help bring the text to life.

Starting with the first four Paris arrondissements, the guide includes descriptions of the top attractions in the arrondissements' major neighborhoods.  In the often overlooked 13th, 14th, and 15th arrondissements, for example, the section on the Javel-André-Citroen neighborhood includes brief descriptions of several themed gardens in Parc André-Citroen, the Beaugrenelle complex (although strangely, there is no mention of the shopping center), the huge Aquaboulevard water park.  Just like Michelin does with restaurants, this guide assigns 0-3 stars to each attraction.  You may or may not always agree with them.

Paris: The Green Guide also includes small sections on getting around, Paris history, contemporary Paris culture, shopping, where to stay, and where to eat - although for restaurants, you may prefer to get the latest edition (2021, in French) of their Paris restaurant guide if you can read French well enough to glean at least the basics. 

Please note:  This guide has not been updated since 2018.  However, as long as you disregard pricing and similar details, it delivers lots of useful still-timely information.

Michelin Green Guide Short Stays: Paris Travel Guide

This Michelin Guide "Short Stays" guidebook to Paris is packed with useful, mostly evergreen (luckily, since the last update was in 2020) information about Paris neighborhoods, things to do, and itineraries.  Like the regular Green Guides, this guidebook uses Michelin's star-rating system for most of the categories it reviews.

Travel tips, though brief, are to the point.  And restaurant and hotel recommendations are solid, because the guide sticks with the "classics" that don't change much over time.  You won't find the newest and trendiest places to eat or stay, but you'll find enough in this book to do 90% of your trip planning.

Small maps of specific location and appealing photographs add to the book's appeal.

How does Michelin's "Short Stay: Paris" book compare with the regular Green Guide for Paris?

If you're planning a first or return trip, you'll probably find this "Short Stays" version much easier (and more interesting, thanks to the photos, format, and writing style) to use.

If you want to do a deep-dive into the history and details about a particular site, then go for the regular Michelin Green Guide (or Blue Guide's Paris book, which includes even more details). 

What you should ignore this book are the pricing and cost details - although surprisingly, they haven't changed by a huge margin.

Buy Now 

Paris Guides to Walking Tours & Getting Around the City

Paris in Stride: An Insider's Walking Guide

By Jessie Kenelos Weiner & Sorah Moroz

Delightful watercolors and maps with walking routes illustrate each of Paris in Stride's 10 chapters devoted to showing you the best places to visit in a specific Paris neighborhood.  Of course you'll find areas popular with tourists such as the Marais, Montmartre, and Saint-Germain-des-Prés, but equally fascinating and perhaps even more interesting to explore are lesser-known areas such as Rue de Charonne/Place d'Aligre and the corner of the 16th arrondissement dubbed "Museum Hub" by the authors. 

In addition to all the places you'd expect to find profiled, you'll also discover (perhaps) new-to-you concept stores, chocolatiers, galleries, and places to eat and drink in Paris in Stride.   Each chapter also contains bonus how-to sections with useful information for you use during your walk:  how to navigate an open-air street market, how to "apero" (ie, the Parisian tradition of enjoy a glass or two of wine or an apéritif accompanied by snacks or small plates during the early evening hours, and incidentally, a short list of the best natural wine specialists in the city), and how to choose cheese in a fromagerie.

Recommended for:   Everyone who's planning to walk around Paris and explore, eat, and drink along the way.  (Warning: This book may make you hungry - so if you're reading this book at home while plotting your trip to Paris, be kind to yourself and have a glass of wine, some chocolates, and ideally a few macaroons close at hand.)

Moon MapGuide Paris

By Aurelia d'Andrea

Ten fold-out maps at the beginning of MapGuide Paris cover popular neighborhoods from the Latin Quarter to Grand Boulevards to Canal Saint-Martin, each with location markers for top choices in a half-dozen categories: sights, restaurants, nightlife, shops, arts and leisure, and hotels.

Following the maps, sections devoted to each of these categories provide descriptions, addresses, and other pertinent information for attractions marked in each map, from Map 1 to Map 10.  Although MapGuide Paris doesn't recommend specific walking routes, you can easily do this yourself after you pick out exactly what you want to see in each neighborhood.  Although almost every page of this handy guide features small photos, the maps are the real stars.

Recommended for:   Paris visitors who love a methodical approach to planning and like the idea of plotting your own walking route based on your own specific interests.

Moon Paris Walks: See the City Like a Local

If you like the detailed maps of Moon MapGuide Paris but would prefer pre-defined walks along with commentary about what you'll see and experience plus detailed fold-out maps, Moon Paris Walks: See the City Like a Local may be the guide book for you. 

Although Paris Walks includes only six routes, each one covers two or more distinct neighborhoods, such as Walk 1: Batignolles & Montmartre, or Walk 6: Belleville, Canal Saint-Martin & Ménilmontant.   And as you can see from these examples, several of the walking routes introduce you to interesting lesser-known neighborhoods where you can see more of the "real" Paris.  But don't worry, others such as Walk 5: Eiffel Tower, Invalides & Champs-Elysees cover all the famous attractions.

You could certainly cover any of these six walking routes in a day or perhaps less if you don't linger over lunch - but Paris Walks designs them so that you can pick the segments of most interest to you and do a leisurely exploration.

Recommended for:   Paris first time and return visitors who want to follow defined walking routes.

National Geographic's Walking Paris: The Best of the City

By Pas Paschali and Brian Robinson

National Geographic's Walking Paris: The Best of the City combines "whirlwind tour" walking guides designed for a day, a weekend, fun, and a weekend with kids with more detailed walking guides for nine different Paris neighborhoods. 

Each section has its own map marked with a walking route plus information about the attractions you'll see, interspersed with gorgeous color photos.   One of Walking Paris's strengths is its contextual information in each section about history, culture, architecture, cuisine, street markets, and more.

The final part of the book provides basic travel information and recommendations for about 60 hotels.

Recommended for:   Paris visitors and return visitors who want walking routes through the city's best-known neighborhoods. 

Guides to Secret Gardens & Special Places

Secret Paris

By Thomas Jonglez

Want to know about truly obscure secret places and sights in Paris? 

Esoteric and unusual suggestions pack this compact Secret Paris guide book, such as where to see a chunk of French King Philippe-Auguste's 12th century city wall in an underground parking garage, where to visit a hidden Zen garden, where to find a little-known church in the 7th arrondissement with a 14th century Italian Renaissance masterpiece by Tintoretto of the Last Supper.  

And you definitely should not miss the wine-making firefighters or the war-wounded palm trees.  (Yes, Paris really does have palm trees - more than you might expect!)

Secret Paris also includes numerous high-quality color photographs, maps, and suggestions about other secret places to visit near the major sites covered, plus a wealth of other details, tips, and information.  In the "hidden Paris" genre, this book stands out!

Recommended for:   You, if you like to explore and discover interesting things beyond the usual tourist attractions when you travel.

Hidden Gardens of Paris

By Susan Cahill

The 40 or so gardens covered in Hidden Gardens of Paris include well-known parks such as Luxembourg Garden and Champ de Mars as well as less obvious spots such as the garden at Musée Zadkine and Musée de la Vie Romantic, where Chopin and writer George Sand used to hang out in the 19th century. 

Hidden Gardens of Paris includes color photos along with the descriptions of what you might see and experience in these gardens, but as a bonus also includes "nearby" suggestions for each destination.  This is where you'll find truly hidden city Edens, such as the gorgeous rose-filled (and fairly hard to find) Jardin Saint-Gilles Grand Veneur and the lovely formal flower beds and orange trees in the garden behind Hotel Sully near Place des Vosges.

Recommended for:   Everyone who loves parks, gardens, and the thrill of discovering places off the well-worn tourist track in Paris.

Hidden Parks of Paris

By Gregory Ross with Julian Darius

Part memoir, part travel guide, and part ode to a lost love named Caroline, Hidden Parks of Paris contains short but evocative descriptions of over 100 of Paris's almost 500 parks, public gardens, and green spaces accompanied by black and white photos.

You'll find useful suggestions related to well-known places such as Jardin des Plantes and the magnificent Musée Rodin garden, but this book's strength comes from descriptions of what do see and do at obscure and hidden spaces such as Square de Santiago du Chili, Square Roger-Stephane, and Square Boucicaut, all in the 7th arrondissement.

Recommended for:   Anyone who likes travel memoirs and enjoys discovering less known and hidden places in the middle of Paris.

Where to Buy?   Unfortunately, this book is out of print, so you'll need to look for a used copy.  Goodreads provides some links for you to search.

Guides to Paris Culture, Special Places, & Hidden Treasures

Stuff Parisians Like

To get a taste of contemporary Parisian culture and perspectives, you can't find a better introduction than this fun book of very short essays by Parisian Olivier Magny (who, incidentally, also owns the popular Ô Chateau wine bar/bistro in the 1st arrondissement). 

Stuff Parisians Like covers everything - tongue in cheek, of course - from why Parisians like the sun to their love affair with "le burger."  In between, you'll find out why Parisians like to go to the movies on Sundays, why young Parisians are more likely to spend their time hanging out with friends at house parties instead of bars, and lots, lots more.  "Useful Tips" and "Sound like a Parisian" sections at the end of each chapter are priceless. 

Even better:  When you arrive in Paris, stop by Ô Chateau (68 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau) for a drink and perhaps some charcouterie, and if Olivier happens to be behind the bar that day, you can tell him how much you like his book.  You can also sign up for one of their special wine-tasting experiences while you're there (or reserve a spot in advance before you travel).

Recommended for:   Paris visitors who want light-hearted (but serious) tips at understanding Parisians and their unique social culture.

Want more from Olivier Magny?  Get his latest book, WTF?! (which stands for What the French, vs what you may have thought), packed hilarious insights about modern France and its various idiosyncrasies.

Paris, paris:  Journey into the City of Light

By David Downie

Each of the short essays in Paris, paris:  Journey into the City of Light focus on places and people observed by writer and long-time Paris resident David Downie during his rambling walks around his adopted city.

A view of Rue Saint-Martin from Centre Pompidou's rooftop terrace starts his musings about how this road predates the Romans, which then leads more thoughts about historic sites along other ancient Paris roads (and a 3-month trek with his wife along Roman roads criss-crossing France, although that's another story).  A glass of white wine on a spring night turns into an exploration of the boat people of the Seine.  And so on.  Each essay in Paris, paris transports you to places, people, and information you might not discover on your own - information that will enrich your own experience of this ever-fascinating city.

Recommended for:   Anyone who loves to be transported beyond their own experiences - and of course anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the strands of history and people who make up Paris.

300 Reasons to Love Paris

By Judith Ritchie

Even if you plan to focus your first trip to Paris on visiting iconic attractions such as the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum, it's still fun to squeeze in a hour or two each day to explore a hidden garden, indulge in a superb but out-of-the-way pastry shop, shop along a quintessentially Parisian market street, stop by the latest trendy juice bar or wine bar, shop at the below-the-radar outlet stores for famous Paris designers, gaze at the best historic jewelry collections by world-famous jewelers, make your own custom perfume, dine at at hip rooftop bar, and have a drink in the city's coolest underground bars.

That's what 300 Reasons to Love Paris is about - an insider's list of secret or little-known places as overlooked pleasures at better-known attractions that most tourists never discover on their own, especially on a first visit.  Need more inspiration?  Numerous color photos and detailed location maps make finding these places easy!

Recommended for:   First-time and return visitors who want to experience a bit of the "real" Paris.

Paris: An Inspiring Tour of the City's Creative Heart

By Janelle McCulloch

The beautifully designed Paris: An Inspiring Tour of the City's Creative Heart focuses on all things related to creativity in Paris - and yes, that covers a lot of ground.

Neighborhood strolls in a dozen arrondissements form the heart of Paris: An Inspiring Tour.   In the Montorgueil neighborhood which crosses the 2nd and 9th, that means a look at the popular bars and bistros, bakeries and pastry shops, produce and cheese sellers along the famous market street as well as detours into 19th century covered passages and the design showrooms such as Pierre Frey on Rue Montmartre/Rue du Mail.

In Bastille (11th) and Canal Martin (10th), you'll learn about trendy boutiques, artisan workshops lining the labyrinth of passages and courtyards, the Viaduc des arts arcade, and bars and nightspots you shouldn't miss.  And finally, toward the book's end, you'll find useful addresses: where to buy great lingerie, fabrics, Chanel's latest collection, ballet flats, and so forth - plus a curated list of tea rooms, bistros, bakeries, and gourmet food markets.

Recommended for:   Anyone who wants to learn about and explore Paris's hubs of creativity - or even just find the best bakeries, jewelry makers, antique and vintage shops, tea salons, and ice cream.  This is also a fabulous book for when you want to curl up in a comfy chair, look at lush photos, and dream about your future trip to Paris.

111 Places in Paris That You Shouldn't Miss

By Sybil Canac, René Grimaud, Katia Thomas

The three authors of the somewhat quirky, always fascinating 111 Places in Paris That You Shouldn't Miss have dug deep to come up with secret places and hidden treasures, and as a result, you'll learn about some very cool things here.  For example, a Japanese-inspired cat cafe for when you crave feline company with you café au lait.  Or the oldest fountain in Paris, when you can find near Centre Pompidou (and stop by the wonderful Stravinsky Fountain while you're there.  Or in the hills of Montmartre, a secret staircase in Passage de la Sorcière ("The Witch's Passage) which is close to the public but, as the book reveals, there are two ways you might get in.

One or two photographs accompany each place described in 111 Places,  plus the authors recommend other things to do and see nearby.  One thing to be aware while a few of the cafes and bars have closed or moved on, other recommendations have evolved.   For example, Place #48, Halle Pajol, is still a great suggestion and nearby Marché de la Chapelle is still a wonderful market, but there's now more to see and do in the neighborhood:  the Rosa Luxembourg Garden and on the other side of the railroad tracks, the large modern Eole Garden (which is more like a park).  Watch for an updated edition!

Recommended for:   First time Paris visitors who want to visit a couple of "hidden treasures," and return visitors who want to see the "real" Paris, and everyone else who likes to seek out cool things.

Books about Paris Food & Markets

Sundays in Paris

By Yasmin Zeinab

Sundays in Paris grew out of a curated list of the best places to eat on Sundays started by the author years ago when she first arrived in Paris from Lyon and discovered that some places close on that day.  Although she includes her recommendations for places to enjoy coffee, brunch, and dinner and drinks in almost all 20 Paris arrondissements (strangely, she omits the 15th, a mostly upscale residential district with tons of good places open on Sundays), she also devotes almost the second half of the book to cultural attractions, gardens, shopping areas, and markets for you to visit on Sundays.

Dip into Sundays in Paris at any point in the book, and you're sure to find a mouth-watering description of food or cultural experiences.  Some are well-known, like Gregory Marchand's Frenchie bistro on Rue de Nil in the 2nd district, but others like the hidden terrace at Ralph's, the extension of the Ralph Lauren store on the Left Bank, may be a surprise.

Recommended for:   Everyone who wishes for a Parisian friend willing to share her favorite addresses for food, culture, and shopping on a leisurely Sunday.

The Only Street in Paris: Life on the Rue des Martyrs

By Elaine Sciolino

Rue des Martyrs runs for about half a mile from Montmartre through the heart of SoPi , the newly trendy neighborhood south of Pigalle in the 9th arrondissement.  Lined with unassuming butchers, fruit shops, bakeries, wine sellers, cafes, and an assortment of other businesses, it harkens back to an older working-class Paris, even as cute clothing boutiques and modern bistros catering to newly arrived bobos ("bourgeois-​bohemians") threaten to erode its authenticity.

In The Only Street in Paris, former New York Times Paris bureau chief and Rue des Martyrs resident Elaine Sciolino, brings the street to life with stories about the neighborhood's history, merchants and residents, and most all all its food.  Read the book before you travel, and once you arrive, stroll down the rue and savor its pleasures for yourself.

Recommended for:   Anyone who enjoys mesmerizing travel writing that brings a place and its people to life.

The French Market Cookbook:  Vegetarian Recipes from My Parisian Kitchen

Written by Clotilde Dusoulier

You may already know Clotilde Dusoulier's fresh perspective of French cuisine from her popular Chocolate and Zucchini blog (chocolateandzucchine.com), where she writes about cooking and shares recipes for (mostly) simple dishes based on fresh ingredients straight from the markets of Paris. 

In The French Market Cookbook, Dusoulier shares 90 new vegetarian recipes such as an asparagus buckwheat tart and peach, almond, and cardamom clafoutis.  Best of all (unlike many recipes posted on the web by people who you suspect have never actually made the dishes because when you do, the results are, let's just say, not great), these recipes are virtually foolproof and produce delicious results.

Why, you may be wondering, is a cookbook included in an article about Paris guide books?  Simple - if you rent an apartment for your stay in Paris, you'll have the opportunity to shop in Paris' wonderful markets for fresh produce, cheese, and other ingredients and then use them to prepare meals in your apartment's kitchen.  This cookbook and its mouth-watering photographs will give you lots of inspiration!

Recommended for:   Anyone who loves to cook and wants to make contemporary French vegetarian cuisine - either in your own home kitchen or in your apartment in Paris.

Markets of Paris

By Dixon Long & Marjorie R. Williams

Planning to visit any of Paris's wonderful markets?

If so, Markets of Paris will be an essential resource for you as you decide which markets to visit.  In 20 chapters, one for each of Paris's 20 arrondissements, the authors provide details about the district's open-air and covered food markets (the stars of this book), as well as other markets:  flea markets, a bird market, book markets, antiques markets and dealers, the booksellers (les bouquinistes) along the Seine, arts and crafts markets, and even the historic covered passages and arcades. 

Lush color photos will make you a) feel really hungry, and b) wish you were in Paris RIGHT NOW!  As a bonus, the authors include a list of their favorite restaurants in each district, which will make you feel a) even hungrier, and b) even more impatient to be there.

Recommended for:   Everyone who plans to shop in any of Paris's huge spectrum of traditional markets.

Join a Paris Food Tour

Some of these food tours typically involve trips to markets:

Paris, City of Dreams:  Napoleon III, Baron Haussmann, and the Creation of Paris

By Mary McAuliffe

If you're interested in learning (while also being entertained) about how Paris made the transition from a dank, congested, and smelly medieval center to the beautiful metropolis with broad boulevards and excellent sewer and transportation systems of today, you may be too fascinated by Paris, City of Dreams to put it down once you start reading. 

Paris, City of Dreams focuses on the years between 1848 and 1871 when Napoleon III and his right-hand person, Baron Haussmann, transformed the metropolis during the Second Empire.  But although this book provides plenty of interesting details about their efforts and successes in remaking the city, the descriptions of the upheavals taking place in Paris society, art, theater, and even banking that will keep you riveted.

Why read this book?   You'll not only get an appreciation for Napoleon III and Haussmann's profound contributions to the Paris of today, but you'll also get a much deeper understanding for the foundations of modern Parisian society.

The Architecture of Paris

By Andrew Ayers

Paris is unquestionably one of the world's most beautiful cities, packed with breathtaking medieval jewels, modern masterpieces, and everything in between.  The overall effect is harmonious, but once you start looking at specific buildings, you'll become aware of the incredible variety and richness of detail.  Every building has a story - and The Architecture of Paris is the book to turn to when you want to find out what it is.

In the 400+ pages of The Architecture of Paris,  you'll find detailed descriptions of the history and architectural details of the most important and interesting buildings (and sometimes fountains and other structures) in each of the city's 20 arrondissements, nearby suburbs including Versailles and Fontainebleau.  There are even short sections on 19th century covered arcades, Seine River bridges, and "street furniture" - lamps, trash bins, and other city street furnishings. 

Occasional black and white photos break up the tightly packed text but the value of this book is the information conveyed by the written content.  Fortunately, Ayers' writing is succinct but never dull or boring.

Who will get the most enjoyment from this book?   You, if you want to know the history and architectural details behind Paris's most important buildings, either while you're there or before you visit.

The Making of Paris

By Russell Kelley

History and architecture share center stage in The Making of Paris, a fascinating look at how Paris has evolved during the past 2,000+ years from a tiny fishing village on the banks of the Seine River to the beautiful, exciting, and people-friendly city of today.  

Numerous black and white drawings and vintage photos as well as timelines bring the book's factual content to life.  The special strength of The Making of Paris, aside from Kelley's lively writing style, is focusing on places such Notre Dame, the Vendôme Column, and the city's famous open air markets and covered arcades that you'll see as you walk around the city today.  Thanks to this book, you'll also know and appreciate their backstory.

Why you should read this book:   It's a fun read while you're planning your visit to Paris, and you'll absorb lots of interesting details that will add to your appreciation and enjoyment when you see the city's famous monuments, buildings, bridges, and other features.

Why wait to buy these guides when you're in Paris instead of before you travel?

Simple - they are published in France and may not be available in your home country, at least not at a reasonable price.

The two books in the middle, Paris Pratique and Paris Districts (this is an English-language version; the French version is called Paris Arrondissements ), contain detailed maps of each arrondissement, an index which lists every street, park, and other places and tells you the page and coordinates where you can find it in the book, and metro, train, RER, and bus maps.  They are invaluable for when you need better views than you can get on your phone - and also for when you don't want to use up your data supply or can't get a connection.

Of the two, Paris Districts is thinner, smaller, and lighter weight, so it is the best one to carry with you.  It costs about 9€, which is a bargain considering how useful it is.  Almost every news kiosk in the city used to carry them before mobile phones and cheap data became so ubiquitous, but now they're a little harder to find - but worth the search.  The one in the photo above came from the news kiosk on Champs-Elysees.

If you can't find the Paris Districts arrondissements map book, Paris Pratique is an excellent second choice, although slightly larger and 2-3 euros pricier.  You can find it (or other similar arrondissement map books) in most bookstores and also in many Paris Fnacs. - try the one at 74 Champs Elysees.  (Fnac is a popular French chain known for its electronics, books, toys, and household appliances.)

Some cheese shops (fromageries) sell Les 54 Fromages, which will tell you everything you need and want to know about the most important French cheeses.  It's a fun souvenir, plus a great gift.

Look for Paris Visite Guidée in Pavillon de l'Arsenal (21 Boulevard Morland, 4th arr).  It's a wonderful book that details the history of Paris from an urban planning and architectural perspective, starting with the "enclosed" city of 1190, continuing through Baron Haussmann's modernization of Paris in the 1850s, and ending with the continued renovations, re-imaginings, and planned developments of today.  Despite the title, the book is in English. 

Pavillon de l'Arsenal, by the way, combines a center for urban planning and architecture, a related museum, and a fabulous bookstore (free admission to all).  Most books are in French, but you'll find a small but interesting selection of titles in English, German, Spanish, and Italian.  It's close to the Seine (and the Sully-Morland metro station) and well worth a visit.

Fun Ways to Tour Paris

More articles about planning your trip to paris.

• Why Visit Paris?
• Top 10 Paris Attractions
• Get acquainted with Paris arrondissements 
• Should you get travel insurance?  (Hint: the answer is yes!)
• What to expect in Paris hotels 

Need a Paris Hotel or Apartment? 

Planning to visit Paris soon?  Use this Paris hotel and apartment booking map to find accommodations and make your reservations:

Check out the newest Paris hotels

Top Attractions & Tours

• Eiffel Tower - Enjoy sweeping views of Paris
• Louvre Tour - Soak up art & see the Mona Lisa
• Palace of Versailles - Best way to see the famous Chateau
• Paris Museum Pass - Choose 2, 4, or 6 days
• Paris Disneyland - Get express tickets & transport from Paris

Happening in Paris

January in Paris

• The famous Paris winter sales, concerts, new museum exhibits

February in Paris

• Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year Parades

March in Paris

• Mardi Gras, Fountain Shows at Versailles, French Open

April in Paris

• Paris Marathon, Easter concerts, spring flowers

May in Paris

• Mother's Day, jazz festival, concerts

June in Paris

• Summer sales, Pride week, music fests, air show

July in Paris

• Bastille Day, Tour de France, beaches

August in Paris

• Free concerts & movies, Rock En Seine

September in Paris

• European Heritage Days, Fashion Week

October in Paris

• Wine festival, Halloween, Motor Show

November in Paris

• Armistice Day, Salon du Chocolat

December in Paris

• Christmas, New Year's Eve

Hanukkuh in Paris

• Menorah lightings 

Christmas in Paris

• Holiday celebrations & decorations

Christmas Markets

• Gifts, holiday food, mulled wine, and Santa

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22 Best Paris Guide Books To Help You Plan Your Trip Well

Want to plan a trip to the French capital with ease? These Paris guide books will give you all the details and tips you need to enjoy a trip to Paris.

Paris has so much to offer that it is physically impossible to see everything in just one trip unless that trip spans a couple of months.

But with a bit of planning, and with the right information, you can see a great deal of Paris and that’s where these best Paris guide books will come in handy; to help you plan your trip and maximize your sightseeing efforts.

Disclaimer:  This post might contain affiliate links. This means we may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) should you choose to sign up for a program or make a purchase using one of our links. It’s okay – We love all of the products we recommend anyway, and you will too! Also, that commission helps us keep this awesome free blog up to date! You can read our  full disclosure here  for more details!

These guide books have insights on where to stay, what to do, what to see, and how to get the most out of your trip. Interspersed with maps, itineraries, and photographs, there is something for everybody.

Though you can easily find some of this information on blogs, in most cases, guide books go an extra mile to provide every little detail as they have more resources and time dedicated to research.

So, to help you choose the best Paris travel guide depending on the type of traveler you are, here are my favorite 22 Paris guide books which will help you plan and execute your perfect Paris adventure with ease.

Before You Go, Here’s How to Plan Your Visit To Paris: Practical Quick Tips

WHERE TO STAY Best Eiffel Tower Views:  Hôtel Le Walt  (9.0) Luxury stay:  Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel  (8.2) Mid-range stay:  Hôtel Eiffel  (8.7) Budget Stay:  People – Paris Bercy  (8.9) Apartment Rental:  Résidence Charles Floquet  (9.1)  

BEST GUIDED TOURS Louvre Museum guided tour : (4.5/5) Seine River Dinner Cruise : (4.7/5) Montmartre Walking Tour : (4.8/5) Le Marais Walking Food Tour : (4.5/5) Versailles Guided Tour : (4.8/5) Eiffel Tower Guided Tour : (4.4/5) 

• Considering travel insurance for your trip? World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 adventure activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation, and more.
• Prepare your trip extensively with this Paris Travel guidebook .
• Don’t forget a universal travel adapter , a travel neck pouch , and comfortable walking shoes .
• Consider getting either the museum pass or the Paris city pass if you plan to visit many attractions. The city pass comes with free transportation and access to the hop-on-hop-off bus. You can read my Paris museum pass review to see if it’s right for you.
• Book this private transfer from CDG airport to Paris to avoid the hustle of figuring out how to get to Paris.

Pro tip* : If you’re an avid reader, you probably have your kindle E-reader already, but if not, then you can  buy it from here  so that you don’t have to buy all the hard copies of these books especially if you plan to travel with them. With  this Kindle Paperwhite , you can download all these Paris books for a few bucks! But if you’re all about the freebies, you can actually download all these books for free by signing up for a  Kindle Unlimited subscription here ! The best part is that even if you haven’t made up your mind about the subscription, you can  sign-up for a free 30-day trial here  to see how it works! If it works for you, you can continue the subscription but if not, you can cancel it anytime!

Best Paris Guide Books To read Before You Go to Paris

In no particular order, here are some of the best Paris guidebooks which will give you all the information you need to navigate through the Parisian lanes and its top attractions.

They have all the useful tips and tricks that will help you on your trip to make it the most memorable one in the City of Light.

1. Rick Steves Paris by Rick Steves

Perfect for: People looking for all Paris travel tips in one place and first-time visitors !

Through his comprehensive guidebook, Rick Steves gives you all the tips, tricks, and hacks a first-time visitor to Paris would need.

In fact, it is one of the best Paris guide books BECAUSE it is so exhaustive! He even suggests things to do with kids, and the book includes a fold-out map which will help if you’re planning on going for a walking tour.

Apart from the top attractions like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum and the lesser-known haunts around the corners in Paris, this guidebook also includes other regions of France so it will be there for you whether you want to see it all in a day, a week, a month or even a year (Friends fans will get the sentence reference )!

2. Fodor’s Paris 2022 by Fodor’s Travel Guides

Perfect for: People looking for itineraries and an experiences guide !

Fodor’s Travel Guide on Paris is an illustrated experiences guide showing you the things you must see, do and experience in the City of Light.

It also includes recommendations by locals and cultural insights into Parisian life.

The multiple itineraries and a list of useful French words and phrases will help you plan out your days, and like the earlier guide book, this one too has a pull-out map to help you navigate the streets of Paris .

3. DK Eyewitness Paris by DK Eyewitness

Perfect for: People looking for pictorial references and detailed Paris maps for walking tours !

The DK Eyewitness Paris guide book includes useful tips, must-sees, and hidden gems. It also gives detailed timelines to help you logistically. The various chapters are even color-coded.

But the part that’s most interesting in this guide to Paris book is the amazing photos and the elaborate maps which will help you visualize your trip even before you set foot in the city.

4. A Table in Paris: The Cafés, Bistros, and Brasseries of the World’s Most Romantic City by John Donohue

Perfect for: People looking for recommendations on where and what to eat !

This Paris travel book includes helpful tips that come very handy for first-timers or others when indulging in scrumptious meals at eateries in Paris, be it restaurants , cafés , or bistros. It will also tell you the difference between those 3.

John goes a step further to give a little history about the places he’s talking about, which are great anecdotes for when you actually visit them.

Apart from eateries, he also tells you what to eat, dishes Paris is famous for, and what locals have in terms of food and drinks.

5. Lonely Planet Paris Travel Guide by Catherine Le Nevez, Christopher Pitts

Perfect for: First-time visitors who want a comprehensive guide on popular tourist attractions !

I’m sure most of you have heard about Lonely Planet. If you haven’t, don’t worry; it’s a travel guide publication that is known for dishing out interesting travel information along with offbeat experiences. Their guidebook series is just as comprehensive and good.

This guidebook , in particular, covers Paris’ famous landmarks that any first-time visitor would love to read about and explore.

It also lists itineraries for various budgets, cultural tips to help you navigate the City of Love like a local, and other pointers to save money. All of this with colorful maps and photos to keep you engaged.

Psst… Don’t miss the “Don’t Miss” pages!

6. Insight Guides City Guide Paris by Insight Guides

Perfect for: Walking tours !

The Insight City Guide of Paris is another comprehensive guide that includes detailed information on places to see, colorful maps, and many photographs.

I’m sure you’ll like the quirky topics and sections like “Paris After Dark” and “Disney Paris” that it has to offer. The pocket edition comes pretty handily too!

One of the salient features of this city guide to Paris book is that if you want to prioritize top attractions and famous places to see, it has “Best of Paris” and “Editor’s Choice” sections, which list out recommendations on what to do, see and where to eat.

7. Kids’ Travel Guide – Paris: The fun way to discover Paris by Shira Halperin & FlyingKids

Perfect for: Parents traveling with kids !

This is one of the best travel books on Paris if you’re traveling with kids! This Kids’ Travel Guide is not only educative, but it also makes it fun for children to learn about Paris, its history, its culture, and the language.

It also includes illustrations and photographs for them to recognize monuments while learning about them.

As a bonus, it is also engaging when you want your kids to be occupied with something while you explore, eat or just relax as it includes fun quizzes and coloring pages.

8. National Geographic Walking Guide: Paris by Pas Paschali & Brian Robinson

This National Geographic Walking Guide is a great book to plan a walking tour around the neighborhoods of Paris or join the numerous readily available walking tours.

The maps and itineraries in this walking guide book on Paris will help you plan your schedule well.

It includes iconic Paris landmarks and locally known hotspots while giving you insights and useful tips about the various attractions.

It also has sections on travel essentials which include common French phrases to learn, items to pack for Paris, and hotel recommendations.

9. Paris in Stride: An Insider’s Walking Guide by Jessie Kanelos Weiner

Perfect for: People who want to walk around Paris to discover new things !

If Nancy Sinatra’s song, “These boots are made for walkin,” is your jam, then this is the best Paris travel guide to match it.

This guidebook lists out walking routes across various Parisian streets. You will not only get to see popular tourist attractions and lesser-known areas, but the author also helps you with useful how-tos to enjoy on the stroll.

The guidebook makes your journey worthwhile by listing out pitstops; places you can stop and see or eat at along the way.

10. Stuff Parisians Like by Olivier Magny

Perfect for: People who want to learn and understand Parisian life and culture !

A book by a Parisian about Parisian idiosyncrasies must be the best guidebook for Paris, right? At least to help you understand the local culture, behavior, and why they do what they do.

Stuff Parisians Like was even liked by the Parisians SO much so that it became a national bestseller.

This book even lists out popular phrases and tricks so you can blend in a conversation at a restaurant or bar.

Psst… Young Parisians don’t hang out much at a bar but prefer spending time at their friends’ house –this is something you’ll learn when you read this book.

11. Michelin Green Guide Paris by Michelin

Perfect for: People who want a detailed and extensive guide on Paris and its sights !

The Green Guide by Michelin is a thorough guidebook that extensively covers Paris and its attractions.

It has maps with walking routes that will help you visit historic places, museums, and other unmissable sights.

It assigns stars to these places, just like they do with their restaurants, so if you like their rating system, you can follow it and cover the top ones first.

Speaking of restaurants, there’s also a section with recommendations on where to eat. Although they do have another detailed guidebook for that too.

12. Paris: An Inspiring Tour of the City’s Creative Heart By Janelle McCulloch

Perfect for: People who want to read about the creative spots of Paris !

This guidebook is all about Paris’ artistic, creative, and cultural side. You will find curated lists of gorgeous ateliers, trendy boutiques, restaurants, popular nightspots, local bakeries, bistros, tea rooms, gourmet food markets, and much more.

It is a great read if you want to browse antique and vintage shops where you can pick up souvenirs or take a workshop at.

The pretty photos will leave you dreaming about life in Paris dressed in haute couture with trendy jewelry eating a croissant at a bistro.

13. Mission Paris: A Scavenger Hunt Adventure By Catherine Aragon

Perfect for: People traveling with kids !

It’s tough to keep children occupied, and that’s where this guidebook comes in super handy!

The book, like the title suggests, is designed like a scavenger hunt with hidden clues in popular tourist attractions like the Notre Dame and Louvre.

When they find the mysteries, they earn points that will keep them entertained, allowing you to enjoy the places.

Mission Paris is not only fun and games, but it also provides informative content about museums, French art, culture, and history so your kids can learn while having fun which is a great combo!

14. Paris Travel Guide for Women by Erica Stewart

Perfect for: Female travelers !

Among the travel books about Paris dedicated to women, the Paris Travel Guide for Women is the ultimate guidebook that female travelers will enjoy.

Erica lists out all the sights and attractions that you need to see while also highlighting useful tips and things to keep in mind while doing so. She even tells you the overrated sights you should skip.

There are dedicated chapters and sections on the best spots for shopping, dining, beauty, and spas so you can plan an all-girls trip with your girlfriends with this handy travel guide .

15. Blue Guide Paris by Delia Gray-Durant

Perfect for: People looking for detailed information on attractions in Paris !

Blue Guide Paris is an extensive Paris guide book with detailed and in-depth information on popular and lesser-known attractions of Paris .

Each attraction has multiple pages dedicated to it; for example, almost 60 pages focus on the important pieces of art in the Louvre. So, you will know what to look for when you are in front of these attractions.

This guidebook also has maps for each neighborhood in Paris with suggested walking tours. It also provides a list of hotels in different price ranges across the various neighborhoods of Paris.

16. Let’s Eat France! by François-Régis Gaudry

Perfect for: People who want to read and know about French cuisine !

Heads up… This book is HUUGE! And I mean the humongous kind, like an encyclopedia because frankly it can be renamed the French Food Encyclopedia. The word exhaustive also seems small compared to the detailing in this book.

François-Régis Gaudry and his friends who contributed left no stone unturned to educate people about the history and art of French food and where to eat the best kind.

If all this isn’t enough, there are recipes included in the book too, in case you want to be adventurous and try making French dishes in the comfort of your home.

17. Paris: A Curious Traveler’s Guide by Eleanor Aldridge

Perfect for: Young travelers !

A Curious Traveler’s Guide to Paris is dedicated to young travelers who want to know the hip joints and happening places.

This informative guide lists cool spots to check out, the best neo-bistros to eat at, and happening nightlife places to experience.

This is one of the best travel books on Paris for millennials with tips and tricks on how to beat the queues and where to find secret spots.

18. Easy French Phrase Book by Lingo Master

Perfect for: People who want to learn the French language and common phrases !

Learning a language is difficult for a lot of people, and if you are someone who struggles with French or you just want to learn a few French phrases before your trip, then this Easy French Phrase Book will be very helpful.

This is a great book to read, especially if you want to converse with the locals or need to know French for daily use.

It lists over 1500 common phrases and everyday lingo that you can master just before you head to the French capital.

19. Markets of Paris by Dixon Long & Marjorie R. Williams

Perfect for: People who want to explore the markets of Paris !

As the title suggests, this guidebook is all about the Markets of Paris. It is ideal for someone who wants to know the ins and outs and general workings of Parisian markets.

When I say markets, I do not mean only food, there are flea markets, antique markets, art and craft markets, and book markets too.

The photos might leave you drooling with a desire to explore them right away!

20.  Nomadic Matt’s Guide to Paris by Matthew Kepnes

Perfect for: Budget travelers !

Nomadic Matt’s Guide to Paris is the best Paris travel guide for budget travelers. Matt made a complete guide to take care of all your budget travel needs.

There are itineraries, money-saving tips, budget accommodations , and the best local places to see, eat or drink at.

He also included maps and transportation tips to help you out. You will love the non-touristy and unique sights included in this book .

Being a budget travel expert himself, you can be assured of great budget tips so be sure to check out his personal favorites section!

21. The Little(r) Museums of Paris: An Illustrated Guide to the City’s Hidden Gems by Emma Jacobs

Perfect for: People who want to explore the museums of Paris !

If you are someone who loves museums or is an art aficionado, then this is the best travel guide for Paris for you!

The Little(r) Museums of Paris is an illustrative guidebook that will take you through the offbeat and lesser-known museums. It details their history, their treasures, and describes their collections too.

The mini-map and watercolor illustrations have my heart, and I’m sure you will love them too.

22. Curiosities of Paris by Dominique Lesbros and Simon Beaver

Perfect for: People who love history and timeless tales !

This is a unique guide that offers photos of locations and transports you back in time with historic tales related to those places.

Imagine walking down a lane in Paris and looking at it through a medieval window or learning about the old signages you see above the century-old establishments.

That’s not all, this book also includes ancient ruins, unique tombs, relics, and vestiges of wars. The history buff in you will be fascinated and in awe after reading this Paris travel guide.

Final Thoughts on the Best Paris Guide Books

It may seem like a daunting task to plan a trip to Paris but with the help of these best travel books for Paris, you can be assured of an amazing trip!

And regardless of the kind of traveler you are, you can be assured of finding the perfect Paris book that suits your need!

Have you read any of the Paris guide books listed above? Did they make your trip planning process easier? Let me know in the comments below.

And if there is a guide to Paris book that blew your mind but you can’t see it on the list, still let me know and I’ll give it a read too!

NEVER TRAVEL TO PARIS WITHOUT TRAVEL INSURANCE One of the biggest mistakes you’ll ever make when planning a trip to Paris is to forego Travel Insurance ! You might think that it’s expensive, but when you think of how much it will save you when you lose your valuables or even get sick, then you’ll know that it’s NOT that expensive! Unfortunately, things can and do go wrong when you travel. World Nomads offers coverage for more than 150 activities as well as emergency medical, lost luggage, trip cancellation, and more. If you’re considering travel insurance for your trip, check out World Nomads .

Check out these posts to help you plan your trip to Paris

• Bes Paris Instagram captions
• Funny Paris puns
• Best French songs to add to your playlist
• Romantic French songs that will make you fall in love
• Interesting quotes about Paris
• Songs about Paris that will transport you to the city

Was this post of the best Paris travel books helpful? Then please consider sharing it with others.

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Esther is the face and voice behind Dreams in Paris! She has always been obsessed with Paris even before she moved there. She has lived in Paris for a couple of years, and that obsession has not changed! That love for Paris, plus her passion for writing led to the birth of Dreams in Paris! She now shares all the practical tips and guides she’s picked along the way to help you plan a memorable trip to the city of love! You can learn more about her here !

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16 Best Books Set in Paris You Must Read

Books set in Paris have a unique charm, enveloping you in the enchanting atmosphere of this iconic city, where every story is as rich and diverse as Paris itself. The city doesn’t merely serve as a backdrop but becomes an essential character in these narratives.

In this article, we’ll delve into 16 exceptional books that embody the essence of Paris, guiding you through the historic nooks of Montmartre to the sophisticated avenues of the Rive Gauche. These selections reflect the city’s endless capacity to foster romance, art, intrigue, and so much more.

Get ready to embark on a literary voyage to the world’s most romantic city, discovering the allure and complexity of Paris through the pages of these enthralling books.

Salut, I am Lena – Travel Planning Expert and parisienne since 2006 🩷

The list of novels set in Paris is long, covering any genre and epoch. Get your favorite Paris travel book today and get ready for Paris! (or use those Paris books to refresh your memory!)

Interesting read:   Paris hidden gems – 80+ secret tips and well-kept secrets around Paris

Shortlist of the Best Books Set in Paris!

As there are plenty of books to read before going to Paris and even more books about France . But I asked around avid readers and Paris lovers and got a solid list of favorite Paris novels (or books set in France!) in return.

However, I want to go first 🙂

My two absolute favorite novels set in Paris are “Hunting and Gathering” by Anna Gavalda and “Have Mercy On Us All” by Fred Vargas and can not be missing from this list of best books about Paris.

You also might like : 8 quaint English Bookstores in Paris you shouldn’t miss

#1 Hunting and Gathering – Anna Gavalda

A book about friendship, life, love, and four very different Parisians: Camille, an anorexic artist, Philibert, shy, socially awkward, and upper class, Franck, a foul-mouthed, grumpy cook, and his lonely grandmother, Paulette.

The 4 misfits end up being flatmates and slowly but surely discovering their better selves and the good in life. The French title is “ Ensemble, c’est tout ” – “Together, that’s everything”, a way better match!

#2 Have Mercy On Us All – Fred Vargas

It’s the first book of a series of 9 (at the time of writing) about the hardheaded Commissaire Adamsberg.

Near Montparnasse, a modern town crier earns his living by announcing daily local news. It happens that lately, many are evolving around the plaque. But can it be? And are they related to the dead bodies found with flea bite marks? Did the plague return to Paris?

#3 All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr

submitted by Maggie Turansky from  Books like this one

This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel follows the life of a young blind girl, Marie-Laure, in Paris until she and her father are forced to flee the city.

It also follows a young German boy, Werner, and his rise through the Hitler Youth and Nazi Party. Eventually, Marie-Laure’s and Werner’s paths collide and the beautiful language and outstanding prose are sure to have you engrossed. It’s a perfect historical fiction to better understand what France was like during the Second World War.

#4 Sarah’s Key – Tatiana de Rosnay

Submitted by Tori-Leigh

Sarah’s Key follows a young Jewish girl, Sarah Starzynski, who is arrested with her family during the Vel d’Hiv Roundup. Believing she will return home soon, Sarah locks her brother in a cupboard to keep him safe. Sarah, however, is separated from her family and sent to Auschwitz, all while keeping safe the key to the cupboard.

60 years later, Julia Jarmond, an American journalist, is writing about the Roundup. She learns of Sarah’s story and becomes obsessed with retracing her heartbreaking steps.

#5 The Little Paris Bookshop – Nina George

submitted by  Vanilla Papers

Monsieur Perdu owns a floating bookstore on Paris’ Seine River and has a knack for recommending just the right novels to his troubled clientele. But his own personal life is just as troubled: the great love of his life left him with only a letter and he can’t bear to open it.

When he finally cracks that envelope, he sets off on an adventure to the south of France filled with memorable characters and life wisdom. This novel from Nina George is great if you are looking for romance novels set in France!

#6 The Lost Girls of Paris – Pam Jenoff

submitted by Mary Jo Manzanares from Traveling with MJ

This New York Times bestseller starts with an abandoned suitcase in New York and propels the reader to WWII-Paris. Inspired by true events, the story follows the lives of a network of female secret agents who served in Paris, as well as other destinations within Occupied Europe, working to help the resistance.

The women served as radio operators and couriers during the war, and many of them did not survive. It’s a story of loyalty and betrayal, courage and bravery, patriotism and love of country, and the special place in history that these forgotten women deserve.

#7 The Paris Wife – Paula McLain

submitted by Ladona Stork at Walking The Parks

The Paris Wife brings to life the explosion of the Jazz Age in Paris through the story of Hemingway’s first wife Hadley Richardson. This historical fiction novel captures the passionate romance between Hemingway and Hadley and the challenges the wild lifestyle places on their love.

Woven into their story are intriguing glimpses of other creatives of the period, such as F Scott Fitzgerald and Gertrude Stein, as they craft their skills. After reading this novel, it will be hard to sit in a Paris café and not imagine a tormented Hemingway feverishly writing The Sun Also Rises.

#8 Paris Letters – Janice MacLeod

submitted by Sanur Bali Guide 

Almost burnt out, and fed up with her job, Janice Macleod saves for 2 years, quits her job, sells up, and heads off to travel Europe. On her Paris stop, she meets her future husband, Christophe in a real-life whirlwind Paris romance.

With dwindling funds, Janice returns to her two loves, writing and art. This is where Paris Letters are born. Through her adventures and explorations of Paris, she describes the Paris and people she discovers using words and pictures making her own postcards. An inspiring journey and a real-life account of how to cast your fears aside and follow your heart and dreams.

#9 The Elegance of the Hedgehog – Muriel Barbery

submitted by My Adventures Across The World 

The book tells the story of Renée Michel, concierge in a luxury building on 7 Rue de Grenelle, one of the most elegant residential areas in Paris. Seemingly a very simple person, Renée is actually a very well (self)educated philosophy and literature lover; an avid reader who conceals her identity in an effort not to lose her job.

The only person in the building that suspects Renée’s intelligence is Paloma Josse, a 12-year-old student who, much like the concierge, hides her real intelligence in order to avoid conflict at school.

#10 The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown

submitted by Lee from The Travel Scribes

When one of the Louvre’s leading curators is found dead with a range of cryptic clues and symbols strewn across and around his body, an international investigation is sparked.

Led by the victim’s granddaughter and leading cryptographer, Sophie Neveu, along with prominent US symbology expert, Robert Langdon, the investigation sees a religious mystery start to unfold. Delving into a connection to a secret underground Catholic society, an obscure mathematical reference, and iconic works like Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, this book is a page-turning thriller that have you questioning what you know about Christianity.

#11 Time Was Soft There – Jeremy Mercer

submitted by Wendy Werneth of The Nomadic Vegan

Published in the UK under the title “Books, Baguettes, and Bedbugs”, this is Jeremy Mercer’s memoir of the five months he spent living inside the Shakespeare and Company bookstore in Paris in the year 2000.

Run by an eccentric octogenarian named George Whitman, the iconic bookstore right next to Notre Dame had become a refuge for writers, misfits, and lost souls. This memoir offers a peek inside a corner of bohemian Paris that, remarkably, is still thriving today. It’s certainly a good read if you looking for books based in Paris!

#12 Anna And The French Kiss – Stephanie Perkins

submitted by Volumes and Voyages

Anna and the French Kiss follows a senior named Anna who is sent abroad to Paris for her final year of high school. Isn’t this a great beginning for romance novels set in Paris? However,  unfortunately, she doesn’t know any French, so she doesn’t know how well she will do in France!

While there, she meets a cute boy named Etienne St. Clair, but there is just one catch – he has a girlfriend, and almost everybody else has a crush on Etienne as well. Before long, both of them start becoming really close friends, and maybe even more.

#13 A Moveable Feast – Ernest Hemmingway

submitted by Laura No Està 

A Moveable Feast is one of the most well-known Hemingway books and the source of some of his most known quotes about Paris . It is also one of the best novels set in Paris. 

In this book, he gives us a glimpse into the life of the authors that formed the lost generation and we get to discover the struggles they faced. One of the nicest things about this book it’s that Hemingway is constantly naming places that still exist. If you’re thinking of visiting Paris I strongly recommend you to read the book first and follow the steps of the author on your trip.

#14 Henry And June – Anaïs Nin

submitted by Steph from  vanilla is the new kink

Henry and June draw on the memoirs of Anaïs Nin, exploring her emerging eroticism after meeting writer Henry Miller and his wife June.

The book explores the intense, complex, and sexually charged love triangle that formed between them in the 1930s. Set against the backdrop of Nin’s birthplace of Paris, it is an unfiltered view of her creative and erotic awakening. If you are searching for romance books set in Paris, this one should be on your list!

#15 Paris Metro Tales – Helen Constantine

submitted by The Platinum Line (Anne Fraser)

A collection of short stories based around stations on the Paris Metro starting at the Gare du Nord. Some are by famous writers like Zola or Simeon and some by writers unknown to English-speaking readers.

Together they give a flavor of the different arrondissements. The book also includes photographs and a map.

 #16 Just One Day – Gayle Forman

submitted by Alexandra | The Adventure Classroom

“Just One Day” follows high school student Allyson on her graduation trip to Europe. In London, she meets Willem, a Dutch actor, and they spontaneously decide to spend one day together in Paris.

In the city of love with a stranger, Allyson is taking more risks than ever before. But when an unexpected event occurs, Allyson spends the following months learning more about herself and what it means to be brave.

Tip: If you are in Paris, these books make fantastic Souvenirs from France . Buy them at Shakespeare and Company and get them stamped with their Logo!

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One woman's summer of pleasure in Paris

Mary Louise Kelly

Courtney Dorning

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks to author Glynnis Macnicol about her new memoir, I’m Mostly Here To Enjoy Myself.

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

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Europe Travel Guide

Last Updated: April 18, 2024

From beautiful Paris to smoke-filled coffeeshops in Amsterdam, Oktoberfest to La Tomatina, Europe is a massive, diverse continent with an unlimited assortment of things to see and do. You won’t have any problem filling your time, whether you’re backpacking Europe for a few months on a budget or just spending a few weeks there on a well-earned vacation.

The continent boasts wonderful beaches, historical architecture, amazing wine, and tons of world-class festivals. Every country is incredibly different from the next too, providing limitless variety in what you do during your trip.

I first backpacked Europe in 2006 and was hooked immediately. I’ve been visiting every year since, have run tours around the continent, and even wrote a book on traveling in Europe . It’s a destination I love and never get tired of exploring.

This guide will give you an overview of Europe and the tips and tricks you need to start planning your trip. I’ve also written extensive travel guides to each country on the continent (linked below in this post) so you can get more in-depth information for your specific itinerary too!

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• Where to Stay
• How to Get Around
• How to Stay Safe
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on Europe

Click Here for Country Guides

Top 5 things to see and do in europe.

1. Tour the Greek Islands

These islands are the mecca of summer beach fun and each is unique in its own great way. There’s Ios (beach party central with archeological ruins and awesome boat tours); Kos (ancient ruins and nature); Crete (Bronze Age ruins of Knossos, hiking, beaches, and wine), Santorini (iconic blue water, white buildings, and local wineries); Mykonos , (the upscale party island with beautiful beaches, villages, and sunsets), Naxos (best island in the Cyclades). Plus, Milos, Corfu, Lemnos, Zakynthos, and so many more! With hundreds of islands in the country, you can always find what you are looking for!

2. Ride the rails

Europe is famous for its international rail system. Rail passes like the Eurail Pass have been around forever and still make it very easy to get from country to country on a relatively small budget (and with lots of flexibility). Europe has some of the fastest trains in the world that travel up to an incredible 217 mph (350 kph). The whole continent is connected by trains and there’s a growing push for even more connections and long-distance, high-speed trains in order to reduce flying and help combat climate change. There’s nothing more quintessential than riding the trains in Europe and I encourage you to take as many trains as possible. It’s one of the best ways to see the continent.

3. Get lost in Paris

The “City of Lights” is everything people say it is. I fell in love with it the first time I stepped foot in Paris . The city is just magical. You have a ton of museums, cafes, jazz clubs, famous art, and beautiful architecture. I love just strolling around the streets of the Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter) or Montmartre neighborhood as it makes for a breathtaking day. Another one of my favorite things to do here is just sit in the Jardin des Champs-Élysées park and picnic like the Parisians. For something a bit different, check out the famous Catacombs and Paris Sewer Museum. With so much to offer in the way of culture, history, and gastronomy, it would take years to see everything here but you can still get a good feel of the city in a few days.

4. Go city hopping

There are so many amazing cities in Europe that we’d need a top 100 to list them all. Here are some of my personal favorites and must-see cities: London is rich in history, culture, and the famous Big Ben clock; Edinburgh is a vibrant medieval city with cozy pubs and a famous castle with a huge New Year’s Eve Party; Amsterdam has cozy coffee shops and canopied tree-covered canals; Berlin has a wild party scene, street art, and the Berlin Wall; Barcelona has tapas, beach, and unique Gaudi architecture; coastal Lisbon has colorful tiles, old tramcars, cobblestone streets and plenty of fresh seafood; Prague has a beautiful intact Old Town, incredible architecture and eclectic bars; Tallinn Estonia has beautiful medieval buildings with colorful roofs. Florence  is a mecca for Italian Renaissance architecture, art history, and gelato; Stockholm mixes medieval architecture and modern art and design. Crisscross the continent, take in the culture, and enjoy all the historic cities!

5. Hit the Alps

Whether you go skiing in the winter or hiking in the summer, the Alps hold some of the most breathtaking views in all the world. You don’t even need to be an expert hiker because there are mountain trails for all levels and crystal-clear Alpine lakes. Check out the spectacular Eibsee trail loop in Bavaria at the foot of Die Zugspitze, Germany’s tallest mountain, for the clearest, multi-colored, sparkling lake you’ve ever seen. Or the Männlichen Kleine Scheidegg Panorama trail in Switzerland’s stunning green and snow-capped Alps. Or visit Italy’s Dolomites in South Tyrol for the scenic Seceda trail. The Alps have trails for every fitness level and in every season.

Other Things to See and Do in Europe

1. tour amsterdam.

I love Amsterdam so much that I lived here for a short period of time in 2006. Here cobblestone and brick streets weave around lovely canals as people ride their bikes to and fro. My favorite things to enjoy here are Amsterdam’s vibrant art and music scene and there are also a ton of interesting museums here like the Anne Frank House, FOAM, the history museum, and the hemp museum. Be sure you get out of the center into Jordaan and Oost with their wonderful outdoor cafes and fewer tourists. Also, a visit to Amsterdam wouldn’t be complete without a canal cruise to visit the many islands and there are many to choose from that include snacks and drinks, sunset cruises, live guided tours, and more.

2. Hang out in Barcelona

Barcelona is a city that goes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It truly could give NYC a run for the “city that never sleeps” title. Be prepared for late-night dinners and parties until dawn. Besides a great food and nightlife scene, there is a wonderful beach, tons of Gaudi architecture (including the fairytale-like Parc Güell, as well as the iconic Sagrada Familia , which has been under construction for over 100 years!), incredible food tours, one of the best history museums in the country, and lots of outdoor spaces. What I love about Barcelona is that when you’re ready to chill, you can wander around Parc de la Ciutadella and marvel at the majestic fountains, plant life, and buildings created from an ornate military fortress.

3. Visit Berlin

Hip and trendy Berlin is an energetic destination. It is one of Europe’s most affordable capital cities, with a vibrant music and art scene and a growing foodie movement. Be sure to spend some time learning about the city’s darker history via the many excellent museums, memorials, and landmarks. The East Side Gallery, a section of the Berlin Wall that’s now painted with murals, and the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe are two especially powerful reminders of Germany’s past. For all periods of German history, don’t miss the Deutsches Historisches Museum (German Historical Museum) – it’s one of the best history museums in the world. Once you’ve had your fill of history, relax in Berlin’s many green spaces, from Tempelhof Field, the site of a former airfield and popular local hangout spot, to Tiergarten, a tree-covered former hunting ground for 17th-century aristocrats.

4. Drink beer at Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest is a must for anyone going to Germany at the end of September. While not a budget option since beers now cost 15 € a maß, I love the energy and friendly camaraderie this event inspires. For two weeks, millions of people from all over the world gather for lots of beer, excitement, music, and wild fun. Watching thousands of people sing together, raising quart-sized beer mugs for endless toasts, and enjoying the general party atmosphere makes you feel good about the world. (Or maybe that’s just the beer?) Just be sure to book your accommodation well in advance and be prepared to pay top prices for them. If you don’t have an outfit, don’t worry, there are plenty of shops even at the main train station where you can buy a Bavarian dirndl dress and men’s lederhosen.

5. Experience London

Get a taste of English culture in diverse London . The museums here are some of the best in the world (most are free) and include the Tate, the British Museum, the City Museum, the National Gallery, the Historical Museum. There’s no shortage of iconic sights here as well, with Big Ben, the House of Parliament, the London Eye, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, and of course, Buckingham Palace. I love London’s diversity because of the countless international eateries with great food and wonderful pub culture, perfect for after a long day seeing the sights. Head to Brick Lane on the weekends for some amazing food and craft markets. I prefer Paris to London, but there is something sophisticated and fun about London. Just watch those pints — London is not a cheap destination!

6. Get outdoors in Scandinavia

My favorite region in Europe is Scandinavia. The quality of life here is high, the people are beautiful and friendly, and the cities are clean and historic. Cycling the cities, taking canal tours, hiking the vast forested areas, archipelago hopping, enjoying fika (a Swedish coffee break), and warming up in saunas are just a few of the popular activities that await you here. True, this area of Europe is not cheap, but there are plenty of ways to reduce your expenses. Don’t let the high prices scare you away. Highlights for me include Copenhagen , Stockholm , Gotland, Norway’s fjords, and Lapland in Finland .

7. Get enchanted in Prague

Prague has an amazing history and is one of the most beautiful and picturesque cities I’ve ever seen. Highlights include the 9th-century Prague Castle, the magnificent Charles Bridge (built in the 14th century and one of the oldest standing bridges in the world), the 10th-century old square with its iconic astronomical clock, and the winding Jewish Quarter. Even if you only have a few days there don’t miss the free walking tour which is one of my favorites in Europe and the best way to learn about the Old Town and the tragic history of the city that went from thriving Bohemian capital of art, music, and literature to part of the Iron Curtain after WWII. Some of my favorite gems here include the fantastic black light theater shows in 4D and the one-of-a-kind medieval dinner show in an old tavern complete with musicians and jugglers not to mention hearty food and drinks. During the weekends it heaves with people enjoying the bars, cheap beer, and delicious food so try to visit during the week (and in the spring or fall) to beat the crowds.

8. Relax on the French Riviera

Here, you can pretend to live the high life for a little bit. Have fun in the sun, relax on the beach, swim in azure blue water, hobnob with the rich and famous, and sail on (or gaze at) gigantic yachts. As for cities, Nice is nice with its palm-tree-lined promenade, old town, and many art museums. If you want to go see how the rich and famous live, spend an afternoon checking out Cannes to soak up some glamorous vibes on La Croisette where they hold the famous Cannes Film Festival. The kingdom of Monaco with its tiny streets, beautiful buildings, and world-famous casino is just a skip away too.

9. Enjoy the great outdoors in Interlaken

Located in the beautiful mountains of Switzerland, Interlaken is a gorgeous place to unwind with fantastic hiking, delicious hot chocolate, and plenty of outdoor sports. The area is full of natural attractions to explore, including the St. Beatus Caves (complete with a legendary dragon), the cascading 500-meter-high (1,640 feet) Giessbach Waterfalls, the Jungfraujoch mountain railway (which leads to the highest train station on the continent), and a plethora of lakes (hence the town’s name). It’s a good alternative to all the cities and museums. Interlaken is also a popular party destination for backpackers and other young travelers. By far, my favorite scenic and visually stunning trail was the Oberberghorn panoramic hike, where you can wander the green mountain ridge ogling the amazing views and the turquoise-blue Brienzersee.

10. Experience history in Rome

In this thriving historical city, you can’t walk two feet without stumbling over a ruin, making Rome a history buff’s dream. Its tiny streets are perfect for wandering as you explore the Colosseum, see the Forum and Palatine Hill, visit the Pantheon, spend time in Vatican City, admire the Spanish Steps, and toss coins into the famous Trevi Fountain. The skip-the-line tickets can definitely be worth it so you don’t waste time waiting outside attractions. Rome also has amazing food (it’s Italy, after all) and nightlife. Visit the Trastevere area for a taste of “local” Rome and chill bars. It’s my favorite area in the city because you feel like you’re in a small village in the middle of a big city.

11. Hike around the Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre is my favorite part of Italy. These five beautiful cliffside towns are perched near warm waters and beautiful olive and grape groves. There are wondrous and strenuous hikes in these hills; for a real challenge, take trail #8. Or just walk the coastline for something less difficult. Many activities here revolve around the coastline: kayaking, swimming, having a beach picnic or visiting the Technical Naval Museum. If you happen to be here in December or January, don’t miss the Nativity Manarola, the world’s biggest lighted nativity scene.

12. Tour Krakow

Krakow looks like it stepped out of a medieval postcard. It’s a hip, trendy, and youthful city that’s the center of education in Poland, meaning there are a lot of university students here. Most travelers come to party here (the vodka is cheap) but try to enjoy the city’s history and food besides just the bars. Walk the Royal Road through the Old Town to the 13th-century Wawel Castle, tour Schindler’s Factory (where Schindler saved over 1,200 Jews during World War II), and visit the sobering Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. You can also take a fascinating day trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Wieliczka Salt Mine, a 13th-century mine with cavernous chambers, statues, chapels, chandeliers, and cathedrals all carved out of salt.

13. Visit the ruin bars in Budapest

The coolest nightlife in all of Europe is found in Budapest . Built in abandoned buildings, ruin bars feature funky art installations, repurposed furniture, and quirky decor. They are amazing, fun, and great places to meet locals, as people of all ages flock here. Open since 2001, Szimpla Kert is the original ruin bar and one of my favorites, along with Instant-Fogas Complex, which takes up an entire building and is actually many different bars in one. Don’t skip the ruin bars — they’re one of the most unique things about the city!

14. Explore Cornwall

The best part of England is outside London, yet unfortunately, not a lot of travelers leave London. Head west to the area of Cornwall for cheaper prices, welcoming locals, natural beauty, great hiking, rolling hills, plenty of medieval castles, and picturesque small towns. If you like biking, the Camel Trail from Bodmin to Padstow is worth the trip and you even pass by a local vineyard. It’s an easy way to spend a day (and it’s pretty flat so it’s not too hard to do.) Plus, I had the best fish and chips in Cornwall! Overall, it’s what you think of as “traditional England.”

15. Walk the Camino

El Camino de Santiago (The Way of Saint James) is an ancient pilgrimage route that stretches from France all the way across northern Spain. It is a 500 mile (800 km) trail that winds through incredible terrain, ending in Santiago de Compostela at the cathedral where St. James is supposedly buried. As a pilgrim, you get a “pilgrim’s passport” which allows you to stay in affordable pilgrim-only hostels, making this a surprisingly budget-friendly adventure. While it usually takes over a month to complete, you can just walk a section if you don’t have the time. To receive a “Compostela” (certificate of completion), you just need to walk the last 62 miles (100 km), which generally takes 4-5 days.

16. Throw tomatoes during La Tomatina

By far my favorite festival, the largest food fight in the world happens during the last Wednesday of August in Bunol, Spain. What started in 1945 as a local brawl has turned into a massive event drawing tens of thousands of people from all over the world. For about an hour, everyone throws tomatoes at each other, leaving streets ankle-deep in tomato juice. Afterward, everyone walks down to the river, cleans off, and then heads to the town square for sangria and music.

17. Find Dracula in Romania

Not a lot of people visit Romania but this underrated country in Eastern Europe has undiscovered yet picturesque medieval towns like Brasov (home to “Dracula’s castle”), Sighisoara, and Sibiu; gorgeous beaches on the Black Sea; and incredible hiking in the Fagaras Mountains — all at dirt-cheap prices. Other major sights include frescoed Byzantine monasteries, the steepled wooden churches of Transylvania, the hip university town Cluj-Napoca, the post-communist capital of Bucharest, and the Danube Delta, a huge nature reserve.

18. Drink whisky in Islay

Whisky has a long history on Islay , an island off Scotland’s west coast. It’s been made there since the 16th-century — first in backyards and then, starting in the 19th-century, in large distilleries. Over the years, whisky from the island came to be considered a specialty and was used to flavor a lot of other blends on the mainland. There are currently nine working distilleries on the island, all located along the island’s shores, with Laphroaig, Ardbeg, and Lagavulin being the most famous. Most distilleries here make single-malt Scotch, meaning that only one type of grain (barley) is used. My visit here was amazing and, even if you don’t like whisky, there are tons of good hikes and walks throughout this magnificent island.

19. Explore Iceland

Iceland is a magical country with majestic waterfalls, hidden hot springs around every corner, and sweeping vistas unlike anywhere else in the world. After my first visit, the country quickly became one of my favorite countries. With whale watching in the summer, the northern lights in the winter, and geothermal baths for soaking in year-round, there really is no bad time to visit! While Iceland’s main draw is the epic natural landscapes, it’s worth spending a couple of days in Reykjavik with its café culture, artsy feel, and brightly colored wooden row houses.

20. Sail the Croatian coast

With calm winds, short distances, a coastline littered with over 1,000 islands, and countless historical sites, Croatia is one of the world’s best sailing destinations. If you can, go during the shoulder season when you can find some great deals. Plan to stay at least a couple of days on one of the islands, with the most popular being Brac, Hvar, Krk, Cres, and Lošinj. However, don’t be afraid to get off the beaten path and explore some of the lesser-known islands such as Silba, Vis, and Lastovo. If you want to splash out and spend a week partying on a yacht, check out The Yacht Week, which hosts week-long parties, complete with DJs, from May-September. You can book a full boat to share with friends or just a cabin if you’re traveling solo. Prices start at 5,250 HRK per person and go up to 9,300 HRK.

21. Explore the Balkans

While the Balkans have become more popular with backpackers in recent years, it’s still largely overlooked by most budget travelers, despite being an extremely budget-friendly region. The Balkan peninsula is home to great (and again, overlooked) wine, beautiful medieval towns like Kotor and Mostar, stunning mountainous landscapes, beautiful pebble beaches, coffee culture, fresh, hearty yet inexpensive food, and museums covering the area’s history, including the most recent turbulent events of the early 1990s. I especially loved my time in Albania . Don’t miss the beautiful beaches in Ksamil, nicknamed the “Maldives of Europe’ as well as the mountain village of Gjirokastër, which was occupied by Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans. The Balkans have so much to offer for every budget and every country has its unique cultural flavor.

22. Take a wine tour in the Loire Valley

Located in central France, the picturesque Loire Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site and stretches 280 kilometers (174 miles) along the Loire River. One of the major wine-producing regions of France, the area is home to some of the best wines in the world, with over 1,000 vineyards open to the public. Even those who don’t drink wine will enjoy the beautiful small towns, great food, and the region’s over 300 impressive chateaux. I loved the medieval Chenonceau Castle and Chateau Villandry and the small villages like Saint-Florent-le-Vieil. Spring and Autumn are my favorite times to visit because you can go biking and do outdoor activities when it’s not too hot and there are fewer people. It’s an area not to be missed.

23. See Fado in Portugal

Fado is an important musical tradition in Portugal , originating in Lisbon and stretching back some 200 years. The word “fado” likely stems from the Latin word for fate, and it’s very haunting, poetic, and emotional music. Most of the songs follow themes of loss and mourning, and the music was popular with the working class (especially sailors). Performances normally take place in restaurants during dinner. In Lisbon, head to Clube de Fado, Tasca do Chico, Parreirinha de Alfama, or Senhor Vinho.

24. Tour green Slovenia

Slovenia is one of Europe’s least-visited destinations, which is mind-blowing to me because it’s an amazing place to visit. Slovenia offers all the beauty of Western Europe but at a fraction of the cost and with a fraction of the crowds. Perfect for outdoor adventure lovers, Slovenia offers rugged mountains, untouched landscapes, fantastic ski resorts, plentiful wine, sprawling cave systems, incredible food, and postcard-perfect lakes, such as the famous Lake Bled with its castle on an island. I loved Piran, Slovenia’s often overlooked coastal Venetian-style harbor town that was actually founded 3000 years ago. Stroll around its beautiful windy cobble-stoned streets, beautiful plazas, and take advantage of the many affordable restaurants right on the water. Make sure to also spend a few days in the country’s capital, Ljubljana, known as one of the continent’s greenest and most livable cities. Take a river cruise to see the city and enjoy the friendliness of the locals.

  For more information on specific countries in Europe, check out the guides below:

• Albania Travel Guide
• Austria Travel Guide
• Belgium Travel Guide
• Belarus Travel Guide
• Bosnia & Herzegovina Travel Guide
• Bulgaria Travel Guide
• Czechia Travel Guide
• Croatia Travel Guide
• Denmark Travel Guide
• England Travel Guide
• Estonia Travel Guide
• Finland Travel Guide
• France Travel Guide
• Germany Travel Guide
• Greece Travel Guide
• Hungary Travel Guide
• Iceland Travel Guide
• Ireland Travel Guide
• Italy Travel Guide
• Latvia Travel Guide
• Lithuania Travel Guide
• Malta Travel Guide
• Moldova Travel Guide
• Montenegro Travel Guide
• Netherlands Travel Guide
• Norway Travel Guide
• Portugal Travel Guide
• Poland Travel Guide
• Romania Travel Guide
• Scotland Travel Guide
• Slovakia Travel Guide
• Slovenia Travel Guide
• Spain Travel Guide
• Sweden Travel Guide
• Switzerland Travel Guide
• Ukraine Travel Guide

Europe Travel Costs

Accommodation – Accommodation prices vary greatly by region. In Western Europe, hostel dorm rooms cost between 25-45 EUR per night, depending on the room’s size and the popularity of the hostel. I stayed in a 6-bed dorm in Berlin for 20 EUR, while the same one would have cost me around 45 EUR in Paris. A room in Paris costs on the higher end and a room in cheaper Athens costs on the lower end.

In Eastern Europe, hostel dorm rooms cost between 10-15 EUR per night depending on the size of the dorm room and the popularity of the hostel. The further east you go, the cheaper it gets. Expect to pay around 30-60 EUR per night for a private room that sleeps two.

In Scandinavia, hostel dorm beds cost around 25-45 EUR, while private rooms are 65-80 EUR. Budget hotels start around 85 EUR.

Most accommodations offer free linens, free Wi-Fi, and a lot offer free breakfast, but it’s important to check specific websites for exact amenities.

Campsites cost between 10-15 EUR per night for a basic plot for two without electricity.

Food – Food traditions in Europe run deep, stretching back centuries to become integral parts of each country’s culture. From baguettes in France to tapas in Spain, from hearty Eastern European stews and goulash to the fresh vegetables and olive oils of the Mediterranean, European cuisine varies as much as the countries themselves. Food prices differ greatly across the continent, so check individual country guides for specifics.

But no matter where you are, even in the more expensive countries, finding places to eat within your budget is easier than you might think. Throughout Western Europe, you can find small shops, street food stalls, or food trucks where you can get sandwiches, gyros, kebabs, slices of pizza, or sausages for between 3-7 EUR. These shops are most often found in train stations, bus stations, and main pedestrian areas, and offer cheap food alternatives that can have you eating on 12-17 EUR per day. Fast food (think McDonald’s) costs around 7-10 EUR for a combo meal.

Turkish, Middle Eastern, and Vietnamese eateries abound in Germany, while Indian food is incredible and everywhere in the United Kingdom. Meals at these restaurants usually cost between 8-12 EUR.

Restaurant meals in casual, traditional eateries generally cost around 13-25 EUR for a main dish and drink. Food is much cheaper in the east than in the west, and in the west, northern regions like Scandinavia and the UK are more expensive than southern countries like Spain, Portugal, and Italy.

In Eastern Europe, even if you are eating out for all your meals, you can still get by on a food budget of as little as 15 EUR per day.

For drinks, a pint of beer is 2-5 EUR, a glass of wine is 2-7 EUR, a cappuccino is 2-5 EUR, and cocktails range from 6-14 EUR.

If you eat out, do so at lunch and get the prix-fixe menu (two-course or three-course set menu). Restaurants offer this set menu during lunch, and with prices between 10-20 EUR, it’s a way better deal than the regular dinner menu. You can also get affordable lunches at outdoor markets. So many European cities have huge fresh food markets throughout town.

You can cook your own food for around 45-65 EUR per week. This gets you basic staples like rice, pasta, seasonal produce, bread, and some meat. You can save money by shopping at discount supermarkets like Profi, Lidl, Aldi, and Penny Market.

If you want to save big money on meals, head to one of the markets, pick up some cheese, wine, bread, meats, or anything else, and go to the park for a picnic. (Or grab a sandwich for later!) You’ll find the locals doing the same thing, and it’s one of the cheaper ways to get a true taste of local food.

Backpacking Europe Suggested Budgets

Prices for travel in Europe vary greatly depending on how far north, east, south, or west you travel. If you stick to the budget accommodations, food, and tours listed here and use all my tips on saving money, you need about 65-110 EUR per day in Western Europe, 40-50 EUR in Eastern Europe, and about 85-130 EUR in Scandinavia.

Those numbers reflect a traveler who stays in hostels, cooks some meals and eats out cheaply, enjoys a few drinks, and sticks to free and cheap activities like hiking, walking tours, and enjoying nature. This is your typical backpacker budget. You aren’t going to have a fancy time, but you aren’t going to want for anything either.

However, by getting tourist cards and rail passes, avoiding flights, occasionally Couchsurfing or camping, cooking all your meals, and not drinking, you can travel a lot cheaper. On this budget, you could do Western Europe on 35-45 EUR per day, Eastern Europe on 20-25 EUR, and Scandinavia on 50-65 EUR. That would require you to take a train or a bus or hitchhike everywhere, skip most museums, and limit how often you go out.

Generally, the suggested daily budget for Europe is 80-120 EUR. You can use the chart below to get an idea of how much you need to budget daily. Keep in mind these are daily averages – some days you’ll spend more, some days you’ll spend less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in EUR.

Europe Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

Individual country guides have more specific information on how to save money in them but here are some general tips on cutting your costs while you explore Europe:

• Picnic – This continent has a lot of little shops where you can buy pre-made sandwiches or ingredients to make your own. Many supermarkets have delis as well where you can get food to go. Buy some food, eat outside, and watch the city and its people go by. It’s a much more enjoyable and cheaper way to eat.
• Eat local and cheap – Not into picnicking? Eat at local sandwich shops, pizza parlors, Maoz, Wok to Walks, and outdoor street vendors. Avoiding restaurants and eating at a lot of the local “grab n’ go” places gives you a taste of the local cuisine at a much cheaper price. If you’re really on a budget, use your creative cooking skills to prepare meals at the hostel as well.
• Stay with a local – Hostels can add up really quickly. If you don’t have any friends with whom you can stay, consider using Couchsurfing , which connects you with locals who let you stay with them for free. Plus, they tend to also have meetups to meet other locals and travelers. It’s a great way to save on accommodation and meet a local who can share their insider tips and advice.
• Camp in a garden – A very good camping service specific to Europe is Campspace , which allows you to pitch a tent in someone’s backyard for free or for a small fee (around 10-20 EUR). All of the garden owners have profiles that tell you what services and facilities they offer. Also, many countries allow wild camping (like Sweden), which can save you a fortune if you have a tent.
• Take the bus – Budget bus companies like Flixbus can take you across the continent for cheap. I personally feel it’s best for day travel as sitting up for an overnight bus isn’t really ideal for sleeping. It isn’t glamorous, but with tickets starting at 5 EUR, you really can’t complain!
• Get a Rail Pass – Eurail Passes have saved me hundreds of dollars. If you are traveling far distances and through many countries, they are a great deal.
• Take the free city tours – One of the great things about Europe is that you can find free walking tours in all the major cities. They can be a great way to see the city attractions, take in some history, and learn your bearings without spending any money. Just make sure to tip your guide at the end!
• Plan accordingly – Plan your trip around Europe so you avoid doubling back. Transportation is a big expense so proper planning can save you a lot of money (and time). Go in a straight line or a loop. Booking your accommodation ahead helps you save as well since cheap, good places unsurprisingly get reserved first. One thing I’ve learned is that waiting until the last minute means you get stuck with expensive places or cheap places no one wants.
• Fly cheap – If you know where you are going and a train won’t do, try to book flights early. You can often get round trip fares for as little as 5 EUR from many of the European discount airlines like Ryanair or Wizz. Many capital cities have smaller airports farther from the city with ‘inconvenient’ times but cheaper fares. Keep in mind you might need to factor in an early morning Uber or taxi if the busses aren’t running and you have an early flight!
• Drink less – Those 5 EUR beers add up. Hit happy hours or pick and choose when you party. Hostel bars are a good place to get cheap drinks or buy your alcohol at the supermarket. Plus, in Europe, it’s legal to drink outside in parks, plazas, by the lakes or rivers. You’ll find you can save a lot of money by not going to bars and clubs. Partying your way across the continent will destroy your bank balance in no time.
• Get a city tourist card – Many local tourism offices sell a tourism card for all their attractions, tours, and restaurants. This card gives you free entry and substantial discounts on all the attractions and tours in a city, free local public transportation (a huge plus), and discounts at a few restaurants and shopping malls. They save a ton of money. If you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing, get one of these cards.
• Rideshare – If you’re flexible in your schedule, use the ridesharing service BlaBlaCar to catch rides with locals between cities (or countries) by paying a small fee. It’s like Airbnb but for rides. I used this service in Switzerland and, not only did I save a lot of money, but I got to meet interesting people and learn about local culture and life. Drivers are verified and it’s perfectly safe, though sometimes rides cancel at the last minute (which is why you need to be flexible). Check their ratings first and try to use rides where the person has done many trips.
• Bring a water bottle – The tap water is safe to drink in most of Europe, so bring a reusable water bottle to save money and reduce your plastic use. LifeStraw is my go-to brand as their bottles have built-in filters to ensure your water is always clean and safe.
• Get a HostelPass – HostelPass is a discount membership for hostels in Europe. Members get 10-20% off select hostels around Europe, as well as perks like free breakfast or free drinks. There are discounts on tours and activities too. It’s a great way to save money if you’re bouncing around Europe as they have hostels in 18 countries around the continent.

Where to Stay in Europe

Europe has a ton of budget accommodation options. The individual country and city guides have tons of recommendations but here’s a short list of some of my favorite budget hostels and hotels around Europe:

• The Flying Pig (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
• Hotel 54 (Barcelona, Spain)
• Generator Hostel (Copenhagen, Denmark)
• Harcourt Hotel (Dublin, Ireland)
• Castle Rock (Edinburgh, Scotland)
• Ios Palm Pansion (Ios, Greece)
• Greg and Tom’s Party Hostel (Krakow, Poland)
• Largo da Sé Guest House (Lisbon, Portugal)
• Sophie’s Hostel (Prague, Czech Republic)
• The Yellow (Rome, Italy)
• City Backpackers (Stockholm, Sweden)

How to Get Around Europe

Public transportation – Transportation around most European cities is by tram, subway, or bus. Prices are typically around 2 EUR for a one-way ticket in Western Europe and closer to 1 EUR in Eastern Europe. Most large cities also have day passes available that offer unlimited public transportation. These passes are usually 5-12 EUR per day.

In large cities with international airports, there is usually a bus or train available that ferries travelers from the downtown core to the airport. Expect to pay around 5-15 EUR to get to/from the airport.

Bus – Buses are not quite as comfortable as Europe’s trains, although certain lines do have great amenities (like roomy seats and Wi-Fi). While buses are not the most efficient way to travel around the continent, they’re certainly dependable, reliable, and cheap. You can find last-minute rides for as little as 5 EUR. A route from Berlin to Munich is about 25 EUR, while Paris to Bordeaux can be as low as 10 EUR. Longer routes, like Amsterdam to Copenhagen, start at around 47 EUR.

Each country has its own national bus service, but some lines also take you long distances internationally. Megabus and Flixbus (which now owns Eurolines) are the most popular companies.

Train – Train travel is a great way to see Europe. Intercity train prices vary wildly from country to country, depending on whether you take the slow train or a high-speed train and how far in advance you book. For example, a high-speed train from Berlin to Munich costs around 38-60 EUR, Bordeaux to Paris is about 50-85 EUR, and Madrid to Barcelona ranges from 45-85 EUR. Non-high-speed trains and other intercity lines are a lot cheaper, generally costing about 40-50% of the price of high-speed trains. Eastern Europe inter-country trains usually cost between 45-100 EUR when the ticket is booked last minute. Short train rides of 2-3 hours within countries cost about 27 EUR.

To find routes and prices for trains around Europe, use Trainline .

You may also want to consider getting a Eurail Pass , which allows travelers to explore Europe by providing a set number of stops in a specific time period. These passes are continent-wide, country-specific, or regional. It can potentially save you hundreds of dollars.

Ridesharing/Car sharing – If your schedule is flexible, use a ridesharing service and catch rides with locals between cities (or countries). Drivers are verified and it’s perfectly safe. BlaBlaCar is the most popular.

If you’d rather rent a car yourself and find passengers to share a ride with, use Discover Cars to find the best car rental prices.

Flying – Budget airlines are so prolific that competition helps keep fares low. You can often find tickets where the fare is just 5 EUR round-trip! Companies like EasyJet, Ryanair, Wizz, and Vueling offer mind-blowingly cheap flights throughout Europe. Book at least a month early to scoop up great deals.

Make sure that the airport they fly into isn’t too far out of your way (transportation from the secondary airport sometimes negates the savings from using the budget airline itself).

Keep in mind that you’ll have to pay to check your baggage on these cheap flights. It costs about 25-39 EUR for one checked bag. If you wait to pay for your luggage at the gate, you end up paying almost double. Travel carry-on only to avoid this added cost.

Hitchhiking – Hitchhiking in Europe is very safe, but it’s not for everyone. Hitching is quite common around the continent and I’ve met a number of travelers who have done it (I, myself, traveled this way in Bulgaria and Iceland). Some countries are very supportive (Romania, Iceland, Germany) while others may be a bit more time-consuming (Italy, Spain). HitchWiki is the best website for hitchhiking info.

Here are my suggested articles for how to get around Europe:

• 7 Cheap Ways to Travel Across Europe
• Are Eurail Passes a Giant Scam or Do They Save You Money?
• The Ultimate Guide to Finding Cheap Flights

When to Go to Europe

There’s no wrong time to visit Europe. Peak season is summer, when Europe gets crowded and August is the time most European families are at the beach so everything becomes more crowded and expensive. But the overall atmosphere and weather are great during this time, so it’s still worth visiting during peak season (just book your accommodation in advance — especially in August). Keep in mind it’s much hotter in summer so if you like AC, be sure to check that your hostel or hotel has it before you book. You can expect the most crowds in Western Europe. For this reason, I feel summer is a great time to visit the Balkans and the Baltics because many people head to the beaches in Spain, France, Italy, Croatia, and Greece.

Shoulder season is spring and fall (April-May and September-October). It’s still warm during this time but there aren’t as many crowds and prices are cheaper. This is my favorite time to visit hotspot places like Spain, Croatia and Greece, where it’s still hot enough to swim in the sea but you have way more room on the beach. It’s also a good time to go hiking in the Alps in Germany, northern Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland because it’s cooler during the day so you’re much less sweaty on the mountain without shade. The weather is good, the crowds are smaller, and the prices lower.

Winter is from November to February but in much of Central Europe, it’s wet and cold until March or April. It gets cold, even as far south as it gets (like Greece). On the other hand, the Christmas season has Christmas markets and festivals galore! Even if it’s cold, this is a cultural tradition you can’t miss and why I love Europe in December. There is hot mulled wine, sweets, and plenty of hot snacks, which vary by country. One of my favorites is Prague because the Old Town Square is lit up with a gigantic tree with aromas of crispy cinnamon pastries and mulled wine. Berlin takes their Christmas markets very seriously, so there are around 80 different markets with special themes.

Winter is fantastic in Europe for skiing and snowboarding but it doesn’t have to break the bank if you plan carefully. While Switzerland and France are probably the most famous, they are also expensive, but there are plenty of budget winter options.

How to Stay Safe in Europe

Europe is very safe for backpacking and solo traveling, even if you’re traveling solo, and even as a solo female traveler. Violent crimes against tourists are very rare. In fact, some of the safest countries in the world are in Europe. (I wrote a whole article about how Europe is safe to visit right now .)

That said, there are scams and petty crimes you should watch out for, especially around popular tourist landmarks. The most important thing to be aware of is pickpockets in crowds and on public transportation. Zip your bags and don’t put your mobile phone in a jacket pocket where someone could quickly take it. This should be obvious but don’t flash your money to let everyone know you have a huge wad of cash.

When choosing a hostel, look for ones with lockers. It’s always a good idea to carry around a padlock or combination lock. Most hostels are safe and travelers respect each other and I’ve rarely seen things happen to people’s valuables. Nevertheless, I always think that prevention is better.

As anywhere, the standard precautions apply (never leave your drink unattended at the bar, never walk home alone intoxicated, etc.). When at the bar, always keep an eye on your drink. Avoid walking home alone at night if you’re intoxicated.

For female travelers in particular, it’s always a good idea to have a bit of extra money on you just in case you need to take an Uber or taxi back by yourself so you don’t take unnecessary risks to save money. If you’re using apps to date people while traveling, please use common sense and meet in public places. Since I’m not a female traveler, please check out the numerous female bloggers who have first hand knowledge of this.

If you’re worried about scams, you can read about common travel scams to avoid here.

If you rent a vehicle, don’t leave any valuables in it overnight. Break-ins are rare, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Be aware that the UK drives on the left and that most rental cars in Europe will have manual transmissions unless you request otherwise.

When hiking, always bring water, sunscreen, and bandaids or foot plasters. There is nothing worse than being halfway up the mountain with a blister and nothing you can do about it!

Likewise, when at the coast, don’t forget not only to wear sunscreen! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people get burnt to a crisp the first day. Be sure to check the weather before you depart and dress accordingly.

If you do experience an emergency, dial 112 for assistance.

Always trust your gut instinct. Make copies of your personal documents, including your passport and ID. Forward your itinerary to loved ones so they know where you are.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. You can use the widget below to find the policy right for you:

Europe Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• HostelPass – This new card gives you up to 20% off hostels throughout Europe. It’s a great way to save money. They’re constantly adding new hostels too. I’ve always wanted something like this and glad it finallt exists.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• The Man in Seat 61 – This website is the ultimate guide to train travel anywhere in the world. They have the most comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions. If you are planning a long train journey or some epic train trip, consult this site.
• Rome2Rio – This website allows you to see how to get from point A to point B the best and cheapest way possible. It will give you all the bus, train, plane, or boat routes that can get you there as well as how much they cost.
• FlixBus – Flixbus has routes between 20 European countries with prices starting as low 5 EUR! Their buses include WiFi, electrical outlets, a free checked bag.
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
• Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!

GO DEEPER: Nomadic Matt’s In-Depth Budget Guide to Europe!

While I have a lot of free tips on Europe, I also wrote an entire book that goes into great detail on everything you need to plan a trip here on a budget! You’ll get suggested itineraries, budgets, even more ways to save money, my favorite restaurants, prices, practical information (i.e. phone numbers, websites, prices, safety advice, etc etc), and cultural tips.

I’ll give the insider view of Europe that I got from years of traveling and living here! The downloadable guide can be used on your Kindle, iPad, phone, or computer so you can have it with you when you go. Click here to learn more about my book on Europe!

Europe Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more tips for your trip? Check out all the articles I’ve written on Europe travel and continue planning your trip:

The 7 Best Hotels in London

10 Scotland Road Trip Tips You Need to Know Before You Go

The Perfect 7-Day Croatia Itinerary

The 6 Best Hotels in Copenhagen

The 6 Best Hotels in Florence

The 7 Best Hotels in Madrid

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Your Guide to the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics

By Jenny McCoy, C.P.T.

Whether you’re a casual sports fan , a rabid must-watch-it-all viewer, or simply curious about what all the chatter is about, the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics is an event you’ll definitely want to mark on your calendar.

This historic international competition brings together the best of the best athletes from around the world for a thrilling few weeks of competitions, rivalries, and can’t-miss cultural moments. An anticipated 10,500 athletes across 32 sports will soon flock to France for the 33rd edition of the Summer Games, and trust us: You don’t want to miss any of the action.

With that in mind, we compiled the all-inclusive guide below to answer all your important Olympics questions. From intel on when and exactly where the Games take place to key stats on the different sporting events and how to tune in from home—plus a whole bunch more—here’s what you need to know. Let the countdown to Games begin!

So, when are the Olympics?

The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics will officially run from Friday, July 26, to Sunday, August 11, with the opening and closing ceremonies happening on those dates. A few sporting events, including handball, soccer, and rugby, will kick off earlier, on July 24, but the bulk of the competition will take place in between the opening and closing ceremonies.

And where exactly will the Games be held?

You’d expect all the events for the Paris Olympics to take place in, well, Paris. But here’s the twist: Competitions will actually be held throughout France, plus one will actually be in Tahiti (!), an island that’s part of French Polynesia. There are 35 different sporting venues, including 13 in the Paris area, 12 in the Île-de-France (a broader region that surrounds the capital city), and nine scattered across other parts of the country (and Tahiti).

These include a soccer stadium in Nice (a city on the southern coast of France), a sailing venue in Marseille (also on the country’s southern coast), and a basketball and handball arena in Villeneuve-d’Ascq in northern France. Then of course, there’s Tahiti, which will host five days of surfing competition off the shores of the coastal city of Teahupo’o.

Where will the Olympic stadium be?

The Olympic Stadium is the Stade de France, the country’s largest stadium, located in Saint-Denis, a suburb north of Paris. Constructed in the ’90s to bolster France’s chances of hosting the 1998 FIFA World Cup , the Stade de France will host the closing ceremonies, along with various sport events, including rugby matches and lots of track and field competitions.

How many sports and events will be at the Paris Games?

There will be 329 total events at the Games across 32 different sports. This includes breaking (a.k.a. break dancing, a brand-new Olympics sport this year!), plus a bunch of others. You can expect all the classics—like swimming, tennis, gymnastics, and athletics (i.e. track and field)—as well as more niche ones, like archery, skateboarding, and trampoline, to name a few.

How many countries are competing in the 2024 Games?

Athletes from more than 200 countries will participate in the Games, along with members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Refugee Olympic Team . The Refugee Olympic Team was first created for the 2016 Rio Summer Games to both offer a symbol of hope for and shine a light on the global refugee crisis; it formed again for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games. The 2024 team is still in the works, but the IOC website currently lists several dozen athletes as members. They come from countries such as Syria , Iran , Eritrea , and others, and will compete in a number of different sports, like cycling , swimming , taekwondo , track and field , and more.

What will the opening ceremony be like?

Short answer: pretty cool. For the first time in Olympic Summer Games history, the opening ceremonies won’t be held in a stadium—instead, they’ll likely happen along the Seine, the iconic river that charts through the heart of Paris. (The caveat: There’s a chance the festivities could be moved to the Stade de France due to security threats, French president Emmanuel Macron announced in April, according to the Associated Press .)

If the Seine plans hold, there will be boats floating in the river for each national delegation, and the athletes will parade along a six-kilometer route that ends at the Trocadéro , an area facing the Eiffel Tower. That’s where the ceremonies will wrap up with several final shows and Olympic protocols.

What’s especially neat is that the opening ceremonies will be free to some 220,000 spectators, who will be granted access to watch it from the upper banks via invitation, the AP reported in March . (Originally, Olympic organizers planned for the event to be open to the general public, with no tickets required for most spots, but the French government scaled back those plans in March over concerns about logistics and security, per the AP .) Access to certain up-close areas along the river, though, will require paid tickets, which can get pretty pricey.

This all sounds so great that I kinda want to see it in person. Can I still buy tickets?

Eager to catch all the action IRL? You can buy tickets to the Games through the official ticketing website . The price varies widely based on which events you’re eyeing—for example, as of press time, tickets to certain soccer matches were as cheap as 24 euros while prime seats for the opening ceremonies cost a whopping 2,700 euros a pop.

Keep in mind: Tickets for the Games are only sold through the official ticketing website, meaning no other platforms are authorized to sell them. So, if you buy them from another source, there’s a chance it could backfire—you may not actually receive the tickets or they may not actually be legit. That would obviously be a a big bummer, which is why it’s probably wisest to just go through the official channels.

A trip to France isn’t in the cards right now. I can watch the Olympics at home, right?

Absolutely. NBC is the official US network, so it’ll be hosting all US coverage of the 2024 Games—-from live broadcasts of competitions throughout the day to nightly recaps of highlights.

You can watch via your local NBC channel, USA Network, GOLF Channel, CNBC, E!, Telemundo, and Universo, or stream coverage through a subscription to Peacock Premium, which will cost you $5.99 a month or $59.99 a year (plus tax). Another option: Access live streaming coverage, highlights, and commentary via various NBC platforms, including NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, the NBC Olympics app, the NBC Sports app, and the NBC app. Here’s a detailed schedule of when all the events are happening.

Will the time difference in Paris mess with watching the Games?

Potentially, depending on your schedule. Paris time is six hours ahead of Eastern Time here in the US, and nine hours ahead of Pacific Time. That means for us folks tuning in from North America, many of the live events will be held in the wee hours of the morning and during the earlier part of the day. So consider setting your alarm (and maybe brew some extra coffee) to catch any must-watch live events as they unfold in real time!

So…once the Paris Games are in the books, what comes next?

We still have plenty of competition to look forward to in France, but if you’re already wondering what happens after 2024, we’ve got you covered there too. Let us pass on the exciting news: The next iteration of the Summer Olympics will be held in the US— Los Angeles to be exact —in July 2028! So if you’ve always wanted to watch the Olympics live, well, now might be a great time to start planning and saving for a California trip.

• 14 Best Moments of the 2020 Olympics That Show the Grit, Power, and Passion of Sport
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• We Asked a Psychologist Why So Many Average Men Think They Can Beat a Top Female Athlete in Her Sport

SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

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Culture Ministry launches publishing, book events in France for Paris Olympics

Children participate in a book-themed workshop. [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

The government is holding a string of events to promote the Korean publishing industry in France in tandem with the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, featuring exhibitions, talk sessions and more.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Publication Industry Promotion Agency of Korea (KPIPA) is hosting four events related to the Korean publishing market in France, starting this month and running until October. There are also book talks being held from Tuesday to Friday. 

An exhibition is running from June to August, with lectures from Korean authors scheduled for August and a culture fair scheduled for October.

The exhibition showcasing 110 major Korean books kicked off at the Korean Culture Center in France last week under the theme of "K-Book: The Origin of K-Culture," featuring winners of the newly established 2023 Korea Picture Book Award. It includes wordless picture books, Korean literary works published in France and web novels that have inspired webtoons and dramas.

The picture book section will feature eight award-winning works from the Korea Picture Book Award, such as “The Disappeared Dinner” (translated) (2022) by Kwon Jung-min and “A Round of Tightrope Walking” (translated) (2022) by Min Ha.

The Korean literature exhibition will present 38 translated works, including "I Do Not Bid Farewell" (2021) by Han Kang, who won the 2024 Émile Guimet Prize for Asian Literature and the 2022 Prix Médicis étranger. Thirteen web novels that have been turned into webtoons and dramas, such as "What's Wrong with Secretary Kim?" (2013) by Jeong Gyeong-yun and "Semantic Error" (2018) by Jeo Suri, will be showcased as well.

A series of meet and greet sessions with four Korean authors also kicked off on Tuesday and will run until Friday.

The exhibition is themed around the phrase ″K-Book: The Origin of K-Culture.” [MINISTRY OF CULTURE, SPORTS AND TOURISM]

The sessions will take place at eight different places around the Parisian streets, including bookstores Gros Calin and Libellule et Coccinelle, libraries Bibliothèque Louise Michel and the University Library Of Languages & Civilizations (BULAC), museums La Maison des histoires and Musée de poche and schools Armand Silvestre Elementary School and Gerson Private School. The sessions will include various events for local children.

The four authors will get together with French writers Adrien Parlange and Marie Caudry to delve deeper into the world of books and stories at BULAC on Friday.

Additional events will take place on Aug. 6 and 7 at the Paris Olympics' Korea House featuring Korean authors. A "K-Expo" event focusing on Korean culture will take place in October, according to the Culture Ministry.

"As global interest in Korean books increases, expanding the international readership, we aim to showcase the limitless charm of Korean books to European readers through the Paris Olympics, a festival of sports and culture,” said Kim Yong-sup, director-general of the Culture Ministry's Media Policy Division. “It will open a new chapter for Korean publishing on the world stage." 

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]