BEST THINGS TO DO IN PARIS FOR FIRST TIMERS W/ MAP (2024) | 20+ Must-Dos, Hidden Gems & More!

there's a lot more to Paris than just the Eiffel Tower and in this video I'll be sharing a thorough Roundup of things to do in the city of light separated by neighborhood of course for ease of exploration in case you're new here hi I'm Christina from happyto wanderer.com and this channel is all about practical travel advice so be sure to like And subscribe if that sounds like your kind of thing and be sure to stick around until the end for a map that includes all the activities mentioned in this video alongside food and drink recommendations now before we get into a big list of sites broken down by area there are two activities I think every visitor needs to do the first is a long walk along the said this is my favorite free thing to do in Paris and it's something I have to squeeze into every trip the sen is a river that flows through the heart of Paris with many of the city's most famous monuments built right along its Scenic banks on a single walk here you'll get to see architectural Knockouts like the not am the Lou P Alexa and even the Eiffel Tower among many other impressive monuments it's also a go-to spot for picnics and hangouts so it's a great place for people watching as well schedule your walk for Sunset and I promise you'll fall in love on a similar note while Paris has many touristy activities one that I think is definitely worthwhile is a sen river cruise this is one of the best ways to enjoy paris's most famous landmarks all in one go much better than a bus tour which is prone to traffic luckily there are loads of cruises to choose from from affordable and basic to more extravagant Affairs featuring multi-course meals no matter how you do it though I can highly recommend a sightseeing Cruise if it's your first time in Paris now let's break down the main SES and must by approximate area starting with things to do in the first four AI small or arism we'll start with a big one and that's to visit the Lou also known as the world's largest museum housed of course in a former Royal Palace this massive museum is home to over 35,000 works of art including Ultra famous pieces like the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa which as many guides will advise is often considered one of the most disappointing tourist attractions in the world still it's a very beautiful and impressive Museum that's well worth visiting if you're an art lover and have a few hours to spare though I should stress it does get busy here so come at off peak periods and don't force yourself to go unless you're very interested in art because this place can be very overwhelming it's worth noting at this point that the Lou is only one of many many museums in Paris so really don't force yourself to visit just because it's the most famous on this side of the river there's plenty more options like the SRO pomu which is as Europe's largest modern art museum the national Picasso Museum not to mention plenty more choices around the city like the Muse D across the river which contains the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces in the world all housed of course in a magnificent boak railway station so be sure to choose an option that speaks to your personal interests another must nearby are the elegant jaland Tuli picturess Gardens full of meticulously manicured Lawns statues and fountains one special highlight worth seeing in the gardens is the muse de where you can Marvel at Monet's water lies displayed in two oval-shaped rooms specially designed to immerse visitors in his famous masterpieces a short walk from here you'll find the beautiful pal Royale An Elegant 17th century Palace surrounded by arcades manicured Gardens and the now very famous col Deon art installation which makes for great photos and great skipping opportunities while in this area you're close to a very underrated Paris activity that I love to recommend which is a wander through the city's enchanting covered passages or passage K which were popular shopping venues in the 18th and 19th centuries usually with glass rooftops and elaborate embellishments today there's about 20 of these passages that remain for your nosy perusal though some are definitely more elaborate than the rest my personal favorites are probably gallery viven gallery ve DOA passage de Panama and Passa but honestly it's super fun to just wander and Snoop around the ones you see another Street worth checking out close to these passages is the famous h monoy a beautiful pedestrianized Street in the heart of Paris known for its vibrant Market atmosphere and Gourmet Delights namely special Food Shops cheese mongers and bakeries including the oldest Patisserie in Paris laon if you plan on doing a picnic while you're in town which I highly recommend this could be a fun place to grab all your ingredients next on our list is to explore the m a historically well-to-do neighborhood filled with a number of beautiful mansions art galleries and medieval streets that feel like a step back in time some highlights of a visit here include plast de the oldest plant Square in Paris which is also home to Victor Hugo's house now a popular Museum as well as paris's oldest Museum Muse canav dedicated to the history of the city on the outskirts of the m is the otel de paris's magnificent City Hall known for its intricately decorated facade adorned with sculptures carvings and ornate design now from here you can continue your Explorations around the city with a visit to Il deite an island in the middle of the sen River that is often considered the birthplace of Paris since it was here over 2,000 years ago that a Celtic tribe called the perzi first established a settlement needless to say this island is home to a number of iconic sites highlights of which include the famous nram Cathedral known for its a inspiring Gothic design and lengthy history of over 800 years but there's also s Chappelle another gorgeous Gothic Chapel known for its intricate stained glass windows as well as the conier which is a gorgeous Palace turned prison best known for being where Mary Antoinette was held before her execution and P Nerf a stone bridge that is actually the oldest in the city needless to say there are many beautiful sites all around this compact Island so a walk around is a must once again I've saved all my favorite spots in my special Paris map which you can find in the written version of this guide to make the most of it though you should make sure you have internet access during your trip on that note this week's video is sponsored by AO my go-to eim provider that provides instant and affordable connectivity for over 200 countries and regions including France of course which means you'd have access to my map as soon as you arrive if you've never used one eim stands for embedded Sim which means it's pre-installed on your device and works 100% digitally to connect you with your Telecom providers Network so you'll have data access as soon as you land without the need to switch your sim card in and out they even have Regional Sims that work across multiple countries which is what I got for my recent Europe trip and it was super easy I just used the aolo app to buy and activate the eim while waiting to board my flight and it was ready to go as soon as I landed again for a fraction of the cost of roaming so if you need a full tutorial for setup you can check out my complete heow guide for step-by-step instructions and scan this QR code to easily download the app using this code here to save $3 off your next eim thanks again to AO for sponsoring this week's video now let's move across the river with things to do in a r dispense 5 to 7 first is a visit to the iconic English Bookshop Shakespeare and Co one of the best known literary in institutions in the world located right by the sun this legendary Bookshop is best known for its prominence as a hangout spot for Lost Generation writers like Ernest Hemingway and F Scott Fitzgerald as well as thousands of other guests who have slept in its cozy confines over the years in exchange for reading a book a day helping at the shop for a few hours and writing a short one-page autobiography for the bookstore archives known as tumble weeds it's said that the shop has hosted over 30,000 guests in this fashion a practice that continues even today 5 minutes away there's another far quieter English language Bookshop that's worth checking out the Abby Bookshop which happens to be Canadian and Oho cozy another Musto on this side of the river is of course a wander through the Latin quarter or the C lat this historic student district is one of the oldest in the city best known for its narrow cobblestone streets Lively caf and vibrant atmosphere with a name of chorus that references the prominence of Latin as a spoken language here back in the Middle Ages there are a lot of highlights to enjoy in the Latin quarter the most famous of which is no doubt the pantheon a neoclassical Mausoleum that is absolutely breathtaking on the inside completed in 1790 and originally intended to be a church today the pantheon is best known for the many iconic French figures who are interred here like Marie curri volter Russo and Victor Hugo other highlights include the beautiful Sam Melle Fountain as well as the sbon building and of course there's quite a few nice museums here as well including the Muse clun one of the world's most extensive collections of medieval art and artifacts as well as the Museum of Natural History housed in the beautiful jaland de plant while in this area history nerds can also check out the aand Lutes an ancient Amphitheater dating back to the 1st Century or for something a bit more offbeat to do in Paris you can head to the K MOS de a stunning architectural Masterpiece inspired by morish Design filled with intricate tile work Lush Gardens and Serene Courtyards in terms of iconic Parks this part of Paris has another beautiful option for picnics and general strolling the incredible Luxembourg Gardens a verdant Oasis in the heart of Paris with tree and flower Lin paths a big pond where visitors play with toy sailboats and the elegant Luxembourg Palace which today is home to the French Cate another historic neighborhood to explore just north of here is the gorgeous CER San de renowned for its literary cafes Galleries and plenty of shopping opportunities granted These Days Cafe deflor and Cafe Leo are more tourist hubs than Rogue meeting places for haunted creatives but they are pretty just like the rest of the neighborhood with key highlights like a s ready for your nosy perusal honestly the best way to enjoy this neighborhood like with many others is to just soak up the atmosphere while dreamily walking around now if you spent a comically disproportionate amount of time learning about Napoleon in History Class another interesting attraction in Paris is his tomb which is fittingly disproportionately large you can find this grandio sarcophagus in the iconic gold top do en valit which was actually the tallest structure in Paris before the Eiffel Tower turned up on that note of course a highlight of the seventh AI small is the most famous symbol of Paris the Eiffel Tower at the time of its construction for the 1889 Worlds Fair in Paris it was actually the tallest man-made structure in the world a title it held until 1930 when it was dethroned by the Chrysler Building while considered by many to be an eyesore initially there's no doubt that the Eiffel Tower today is synonymous with Paris so you definitely have to see it if you're short on time I'd say there's no need to pay and wait in line to go up the tower after all the most iconic views of Paris contain the Eiffel Tower in them which makes the views up there feel weirdly incomplete instead remember you can get great Eiffel Tower views from tons of different areas the most popular being from trokadero or shond de but with plenty of side streets and bridges offering unique f points as well with a fraction of the crowds so don't be afraid to explore and Branch out a classic view can be found on the line six Metro between the pezi and be hakeim stations now it's time to move on to things to do in arism 8 and N we'll start with the classic actum a Monumental triumphal Arch that commemorates France's military victories this is probably one of the most famous sites in the entire city at least as far as photo photo ops are concerned and while almost everyone comes here for a photo far fewer actually make the visit up to the top which I think is a shame because the views are truly stunning just be warned that there is a tunnel that takes you over to the arch and you're not meant to Sprint across the roundabout as you'll see many tourists doing from here you can enjoy a walk along one of paris's most famous boulevards the Shan forever immortalized in a classic song of the same name to be honest this isn't the best street to shop or eat in Paris with many tourist traps along the way but it is still an iconic stop and worth doing if you continue your walk till the end which is when you'll reach one of the largest public squares in Paris de la conord with a golden Egyptian obelisk as its centerpiece and two dreamy decorative fountains this is a beautiful Square well worth seeing not so beautiful however is its history this Square was famously the execution site of many notable figures during the French Revolution including Mar Antoinette though today it's mainly just a nice spot for photos from here you're about a 15-minute walk away from one of the most beautiful attractions in Paris the p g also known as the Paris opera house and yes the real life layer of the Phantom of the Opera this legendary opera house is a masterpiece of 19th century architecture and while the grandus facade is nice to look at you really do need to step inside for the full impact with its magnificent grand staircase dazzling chandeliers and Sumptuous gilded Decor all around even if you can't experience a live show in this cultural Landmark I can highly recommend booking a ticket to see the inside because it's honestly stunning close by you'll also find some of paris's most luxurious department stores Gallery Lafayette and plon even if you're not a fan of design shopping a visit to these two is worth it if even just to admire their ornate belly Puck interiors and glorious rooftop views finally let's move on to more things to do in Paris outside of these Central Aris Ms there are of course so many but I'll just highlight some of my favorites first I'd say every visitor needs to visit monmart once a village filled with artists today a neighborhood filled with tourists that said touristy as it may be these days it's still one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Paris highlights include the iconic Sako Basilica with its striking white domes and panoramic views artist filled plaster tent the adorable wall of I love yous and of course the famous Mulan Rouge Honestly though the best thing to do here is to just explore and wander around while it does get intensely busy there are still some cool sites and side streets to take in where you can actually escape the crowds especially if you come early I'm talking Sunrise early but it honestly is so worth it next just north of the 18th you'll find the delightful marus the S known as one of the largest and oldest flea markets in the world here visitors can browse through eclectic stalls selling everything from retro clothing and antique furniture to quirky Collectibles and unique souvenirs definitely a really cool spot to check out out in the 10th there's another great area worth exploring Canal San M this picturesque Waterway is lined with fun cafes shops and restaurants making it a go-to spot for locals and tourists Al like to enjoy an afternoon or evening if you're looking for a lively place to hang out in Paris with a chiller Vibe than the tourist center this is a great pick close to here you'll also find one of paris's most famous squares PL labasi built on the site of the former prison of the same name whose historic storming played a key role in the early days of the French Revolution today there's not much to do here apart from admire the kond monument but it may still be of interest for history Buffs over in the 11th you'll also find the atellier de lumier a super cool exhibition space known for their immersive multimedia installations housed in a former steel foundry of course for optimal cool points today it's home to floor to ceiling projections that bring iconic artworks to Life with music and dynamic animations I went to one about Vango and it was honestly amazing now out in the 14th you'll find the world's most famous uary the catacombs of Paris a spooky attraction perfect for those who are looking for lowkey creepy things to do this maob underground Labyrinth is said to contain the bones of about six million parisians a spooky solution for the increasingly overcrowded cemeteries of the late 18th century today a small portion of these tunnels are open to the public allowing you to frolic among a sea of skulls and bones if that's your kind of thing now sticking out like a dark sore thumb in paris's 15this is the tul m a tower often referred to as the ugliest building in Paris this Tower is actually paris's tallest skysc paper and therefore offer sweeping views of the city's iconic landmarks and Skyline though to be honest there's tons of great views around the city so I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to come here in terms of beautiful Parks though one of my favorites in Paris can be found in the 19th the park debal a Whimsical Parkland featuring dramatic Cliffs cascading waterfalls and picturesque Bridges definitely a great place to escape the tourist masses for an afternoon finally out in the 20th is the historic Peres Cemetery the final resting place of countless notable figures from the worlds of art literature and politics including Oscar Wild Jim Morrison and Edith PF sure visiting a cemetery seems like a strange thing to do but if you have the time this is definitely a peaceful and beautiful corner of the city to put on your list now speaking of lists for a full list with way more recommendations as well as a map with all these activities be sure to check out the written version of this guide thank you so much for watching I'll see you guys next week bye

Channel: Happy to Wander

Views: 54,256

Keywords:

Id: RBd5VXQTOuQ

Length: 20min 7sec (1207 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 19 2024