City Tours Paris – top 20 places to visit in Paris

Paris, the “City of Light,” is an enchanting tapestry of iconic landmarks, world-class museums, charming neighborhoods, and romantic vistas. From ancient history to cutting-edge fashion, it offers experiences for every visitor.

Best Guided Tour Offer for Paris:

Skip-the-Line Louvre Museum Guided Tour: Maximize your time and delve deep into the Louvre’s most famous masterpieces with an expert guide. This 2-3 hour tour typically includes priority access, ensuring you bypass long queues to fully appreciate iconic works like the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory of Samothrace, with insightful commentary. Price: Typically ranges from €60 – €90 per person, excluding museum entrance fees (which might be included in some premium versions).

Here are my top 20 favorite places to visit in Paris:

1. Eiffel Tower: The quintessential symbol of Paris. Climb to its various levels for breathtaking panoramic views of the city, especially magical at night when it sparkles.
2. Louvre Museum: Home to thousands of works of art, including the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and countless masterpieces. It’s the world’s most visited museum.
3. Notre-Dame Cathedral: A masterpiece of Gothic architecture, currently undergoing restoration but still an awe-inspiring sight from the exterior, located on the Île de la Cité.
4. Arc de Triomphe: Standing majestically at the western end of the Champs-Élysées, commemorating French victories. Climb to the top for stunning views of the twelve avenues radiating from it.
5. Musée d’Orsay: Housed in a magnificent former railway station, this museum boasts an incredible collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist masterpieces by artists like Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh.
6. Champs-Élysées: The most famous avenue in Paris, stretching from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. Perfect for a grand stroll, high-end shopping, or enjoying a café.
7. Sacré-Cœur Basilica (Montmartre): Perched atop the Montmartre hill, this stunning white basilica offers panoramic views over Paris. Explore the charming, artistic neighborhood of Montmartre around it.
8. Seine River Cruise: A fantastic way to see many of Paris’s famous landmarks from a unique perspective. Many cruises offer dinner or commentary.
9. Luxembourg Gardens (Jardin du Luxembourg): Beautiful and serene public gardens on the Left Bank, perfect for a relaxing stroll, picnicking, or people-watching.
10. Sainte-Chapelle: A hidden gem on Île de la Cité, known for its breathtaking stained-glass windows that completely envelop the interior with light and color.
11. Palace of Versailles: While outside central Paris, this opulent former royal residence is a must-visit for its grand architecture, Hall of Mirrors, and vast, exquisite gardens.
12. Le Marais: A historic and trendy district known for its medieval architecture, charming boutiques, art galleries, vibrant Jewish Quarter, and lively LGBTQ+ scene.
13. Latin Quarter: Home to the Sorbonne University, this bohemian district is famous for its narrow streets, historic bookstores (like Shakespeare and Company), jazz clubs, and vibrant student life.
14. Musée Rodin: Dedicated to the works of sculptor Auguste Rodin, featuring “The Thinker” and “The Kiss,” set in a beautiful mansion with a lovely sculpture garden.
15. Panthéon: A neoclassical mausoleum for distinguished French citizens like Voltaire, Rousseau, Marie Curie, and Victor Hugo. Climb to the dome for excellent city views.
16. Palais Garnier (Opéra Garnier): An architectural masterpiece and the historic opera house of Paris, renowned for its opulent interior, grand staircase, and Chagall ceiling.
17. Jardin des Tuileries: Elegant formal gardens stretching between the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde, perfect for a leisurely walk or enjoying the outdoor sculptures.
18. Centre Pompidou: A striking modern art museum with its “inside-out” architecture, housing a vast collection of 20th and 21st-century art.
19. Père Lachaise Cemetery: The most visited cemetery in the world, serving as the final resting place for many famous figures including Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, Édith Piaf, and Chopin.
20. Montparnasse Tower (Tour Montparnasse): Offers some of the best panoramic views of Paris, including an unparalleled vista of the Eiffel Tower, without the crowds of the Eiffel Tower itself.

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Do you know how huge actually Paris is for the french touristic sector? Paris is a huge economic driver for all of France

As someone who loves seeing how cities tick, it’s just mind-blowing how much of an impact tourism has there, beyond just being a pretty place to visit. It’s like this huge, intricate dance between money, culture, and how the city itself is organized. When I dive into the really reliable sources about tourism – not just random blogs, but the big players like international organizations and proper researchers – what I find about Paris is just fascinating.

First off, it’s clear that Paris isn’t just a popular city; it’s a total global powerhouse when it comes to tourism and a massive economic engine. I mean, it consistently pulls in millions of visitors every single year! The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which is basically the go-to authority on how much travel contributes to the economy, actually crowned Paris as the world’s most powerful city destination in 2022 based on how much tourism directly adds to its GDP. While they predict other cities might catch up in total economic value eventually, Paris is absolutely projected to stay a colossal tourism hub. Their reports are packed with details on jobs created, money spent, and all that good stuff, and you can really dig into it on the WTTC website.

And it’s not just them! The Paris Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI Paris Île-de-France) constantly puts out these amazing “Facts and Figures” reports. I saw one for 2025 that basically shouts out that the Paris Region lures in a whopping 47.6 million visitors annually! It truly highlights how much culture, food, and history contribute to making Paris a huge economic driver for all of France. You can check out these reports directly from the CCI Paris Île-de-France.

Then there’s the whole story about tourism trends, how it bounces back, and what the future holds, especially after big global events. The folks at Paris je t’aime (the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau) are always on top of this, releasing these cool “Tourism Barometer” reports. Their April 2025 one showed really strong comeback in international visitors, particularly from places like the U.S. and Spain. It seems like major upcoming events are really giving it a boost too, which is super promising. You can find these detailed insights right there in their media centre Paris je t’aime website. Plus, even the French Ministry of the Economy chimes in with national tourism figures, confirming how huge Paris is for the country. I saw something about 2024 being a record year for international tourism in France, with huge revenues and a fantastic outlook, thanks to things like the Olympics and the reopening of Notre-Dame. Those national insights really underscore Paris’s key role, and you can often find them through government sites or academic portals like Campus France.

Finally, what I find super interesting is the conversation around sustainable tourism and how all these visitors move around the city. With so many people, it’s a big deal! Organizations like Apur (Paris Urbanism Agency) actually do deep dives into how tourists get around Paris and the wider region. Their reports look at how millions of people navigate the city, what kind of environmental footprint they leave, and even cool new trends like “slow tourism” or more people choosing trains. It’s pretty insightful to see how they’re trying to balance all those visitors with keeping the city green and livable, and you can explore this on the Apur website.

So, yeah, it’s a lot more than just pretty pictures! It’s a whole fascinating world of dynamics behind why Paris remains such an undeniable magnet for travelers.