Everyone lines up for Notre-Dame (still recovering from the 2019 fire, worth checking current reopening status before you plan around it), but Sainte-Chapelle a few blocks away has stained glass that turns the entire upper chapel into a wall of colored light, and the lines are dramatically shorter.
Paris
France
Overview
First impressions
Paris doesn't need an introduction, which is exactly the problem — everyone arrives with a mental image built from movies and Instagram, and the real city takes a few days to push past that and show itself. It's bigger, grittier, and more workable as a solo traveler than the postcard version suggests: an efficient metro system, neighborhoods that each feel like their own small city, and a culture of sitting alone at a café table for an hour that makes solo dining feel normal rather than conspicuous.
Give it at least four days — Paris rewards slowing down far more than it rewards a checklist, and the arrondissement system (the city spirals out from the 1st in the center) makes it easy to pick a few neighborhoods and actually get to know them instead of sprinting between landmarks.
History & Stay
- A brief history: Layered with centuries of history, Paris carries the marks of every era of France, from its founding through modern reinvention.
- Recommended stay: At least four days — Paris rewards slowing down far more than it rewards a checklist.
Quick Facts
Everything at a glance
- Language
- French (English common in central, tourist-heavy areas; less so outside them)
- Currency
- Euro (€)
- Visa
- US citizens: visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period (Schengen Area). ETIAS pre-authorization is expected in late 2026 — check etias.com or travel.state.gov before your trip
- Power plugs
- Type E (round pins with a grounding hole) — 230V/50Hz. Most electronics only need a plug adapter, not a full voltage converter
- Main airports
- Charles de Gaulle (CDG) — RER B train direct to central Paris, 35–50 minutes. Orly (ORY) — Orlyval shuttle connects to RER B, or tram/bus options; no direct metro line
- Climate
- Mild, four distinct seasons; summers in the mid-70s°F, winters near or just above freezing
- Best time to visit
- June–August for the warmest weather (also the most crowded and expensive). March–May and September–November for lighter crowds, moderate prices, and honestly nicer light for photos. December–February is coldest but cheapest, and the city still puts on a good show around the holidays
Location
On the map
Paris sits in north-central France on the Seine, organized into arrondissements that spiral out from the 1st in the center.
Budget
What a day actually costs
Backpacker
- AccommodationHostel dorms (~$70–110/day all in).
- FoodSelf-catering — markets and boulangeries instead of restaurants — keeps costs down.
- TransportA Navigo Easy card loaded with individual metro tickets is the cheapest way to move around.
Mid-range
- AccommodationA modest hotel or Airbnb runs $90–130 (~$150–200/day core, up to ~$330/day all-in with entertainment).
- FoodBudget for café breakfasts, a mix of casual bistros and the occasional nicer meal.
- TransportA Paris Visite pass if you're museum-hopping — as of 2026 a one-day adult pass runs around €30.
Luxury
- AccommodationCentral hotel ($300–500+/day all in).
- FoodDining at real restaurants for every meal.
- TransportTaxis over metro, and museum/skip-the-line tickets add up fast — Paris can absorb as much budget as you're willing to give it.
Tipping isn't expected the way it is in the US (service is included by law), so round up rather than calculating a percentage.
Things to Do
What earned its place
Sacré-Cœur and the surrounding artist squares are a tourist trap by mid-morning. Get there early, before the tour groups, and you'll have the steps and the view over Paris almost to yourself, plus better odds of an actual conversation with the street artists.
Less about a single attraction and more about wandering: falafel on Rue des Rosiers, vintage shops, and some of the city's best-preserved medieval streets, all in a neighborhood that rewards no plan at all.
The Louvre is worth doing once, but it's overwhelming and often more crowd than art. The Orsay is smaller, housed in a gorgeous former train station, and its Impressionist collection (Monet, Van Gogh, Degas) is genuinely one of the best in the world without needing three hours to get through it.
Skip the paid river cruise and just walk the banks after dark. The bridges are lit, the crowds thin out, and you get the Eiffel Tower's on-the-hour sparkle show for free from almost any spot along the water.
Transit Tips
Getting around
The Métro is dense enough that you're rarely more than a 10-minute walk from a station, and it's the fastest way to cross the city.
- Navigo Easy card
Buy a Navigo Easy card (a small reusable card you load with tickets) rather than paper tickets — it's more durable and works on Métro, bus, and tram.
- Paris Visite pass
If you're sightseeing heavily for 2+ days, the Paris Visite pass covers unlimited travel and can include the RER out to Versailles or Disneyland Paris.
- Walking
Walking is genuinely the best way to experience central Paris between nearby sights — the city center is more compact than its reputation suggests, and you'll notice far more at street level than you will underground.
Plan & Book
Paris attractions & hotels map
Compare hotels against the attractions above and book directly from the map.