Île-de-France, France

Paris

Paris is the city everyone thinks they know from films and photographs, and then it turns out the real version is better. The museums — the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, the Pompidou, the Orangerie — are among the finest on earth and most are free on the first Sunday of the month. The food operates at a level of casual excellence that is disorienting if you arrive from Anglo-American food culture: the bread in the corner boulangerie is better than anything available in most cities, the average bistro steak frites genuinely is that good, and the Michelin-starred restaurants aren't actually where most Parisians eat. The neighborhoods reward walking: Le Marais for the medieval street grid and the contemporary art galleries, Montmartre for the hill and the pre-war atmosphere, Saint-Germain for the cafés, and the Canal Saint-Martin for the Paris that young Parisians actually live in. The Eiffel Tower is impossible to dismiss and lights up at night.

Best time to visitPeak: April, May, June, September, October

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2 Itineraries

5-Day Paris: Museums, Markets & the Real City

5 daysCultural$$29 blocks

ArchitectureCulturalFood & Drink+4 more

3-Day Paris: Eiffel Tower, Louvre & the Left Bank

3 daysCultural$$22 blocks

ArchitectureCulturalFood & Drink+1 more

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Getting there & around

Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is the main international airport, 30 km northeast. RER B train (35 min, €11.80) runs direct to Gare du Nord and Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame — the correct option. A taxi from CDG to central Paris is €55–65 fixed rate; rideshare is similar. Orly (ORY) is closer (25 km south); served by the Orlyval shuttle to RER B (35 min, €14.50) or the tram T7 (45 min, €2). Beauvais (BVA) is 85 km away — Ryanair's "Paris" airport — allow 2.5 hours to the city. The Métro covers the entire city and is the fastest way to move between neighborhoods; a carnet of 10 tickets (€17.35) or a weekly Navigo pass (€30, any number of trips in Zones 1–5) is the best value for multi-day stays. Validate every ticket before boarding; inspectors work all lines. Paris walks well: the distance from Notre-Dame to the Louvre is 1.5 km; from the Eiffel Tower to Saint-Germain is 1.2 km. Book the Louvre and Versailles timed entries online; walk-up queues for both can exceed 2 hours.