The City of Lights is known for its romance, style and elegance.
The pride of France and one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Paris needs little introduction. From the Eiffel Tower to the Pont Neuf, you’ll soon be falling in love with everything Paris has to offer.
Where is it? Northern France
Language: French
Population: 2.2 million
Nearest airport: Orly Airport but Charles de Gaulle is the most popular!
Main train/ferry/bus station(s): Gare de l’Est or Gare du Nord
Best time to visit? Springtime is hailed as the most romantic and autumn is best for culture buffs. Summer can get very busy!
Budget level? £££
Paris is an ideal 3-4 day trip but if you’re stuck for time, you can do a whistle-stop tour in 2 days.
Standing proud, overlooking the Seine is Paris’s most iconic landmark, the Eiffel Tower. At 324m tall, the view from the top is incredible. Spend a summer’s day relaxing with a picnic on the Champs de Mars or climbing the tower and searching for the cities monuments dotted along the famous Parisian skyline. At night time, head to Trocadero just across the river for arguably the best view of the Eiffel Tower. Treat yourself to a crepe and admire the view as the tower lights up the sky.
Home to the notorious Notre-Dame cathedral, l’Île de la Cité is one of the two natural islands left in Paris. Unfortunately, since the fire in April 2019 that led to the collapse of Notre-Dame’s roof, the cathedral is no longer open to the public. However, there’s still plenty to do in the area. After taking in the sight of the majestic gothic cathedral, you are only a few minutes walk away from the Sainte-Chapelle or the Conciergerie.
Commissioned in the 13th century by King Louis IX, also known as “Saint Louis”, the Sainte-Chapelle is the chapel of the former royal palace. Originally built to house the relics of the crucifixion of the Christ, the inside of the chapel will amaze you with its most famous features: its fifteen-meter high mid 13th century stained glass windows. They remain the oldest stained glass in Paris and their beauty attracts millions of visitors every year.
Not far from the Sainte-Chapelle is the Conciergerie. Also part of the former royal palace, the Conciergerie had different uses over the centuries. From royal residence to Palace of Justice, the Conciergerie was also a prison during the French Revolution. One of its most famous prisoners is none other than Queen Marie-Antoinette!
If you’re travelling from the UK, the Eurostar will get you from St Pancras in London to Gare du Nord in just over 2 hours. This is usually a quicker door-to-door journey than flying. Paris has good rail connections to the rest of France, plus high speed trains to Brussels, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Switzerland and night trains to Italy.
Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports have plenty of flights to and from lots of cities and are both easy to reach from the city.
The metro is usually the quickest and easiest way to get around Paris. It usually works out cheaper to buy individual tickets for each journey than buying a day pass.
