Classic highlights of Paris

Nature
The wow factor for nature - does it show nature at its best? Doesn't need to be the wildebeest migration or diving with hundreds of hammerheads. Rather make you pause as you realise just how awesome the natural world can be
2
Culture
How much does this experience showcase some of the better and finer things that us humans can offer? Sure, it can be ancient ruins and renaissance churches, but it can also be festivals or soaking up some of the great modern cities of the world
10
Fun factor/activity
Very simple - was it fun? This is usually linked in with doing some kind of activity - i mean, walking along some cliffs is nice, but paragliding from them, now that is fun. Its a vastly underrated factor in a truly great experience
4
Avoid the crowds
Big tour groups and being surrounded by loud fellow tourists can sap the life out of even the greatest of travel experiences. This score is to reflect just how much you can avoid this. But. . . The score also takes into account if the crowds actually add to the experience, such as with a party town or a bustling local market
2
World famous
How world famous is the experience?
10
unique
How hard is it to have a similar experience in other places round the world?
10
Overall TE Score
The overall travel experiences score:  fun factor + avoid the crowds + (best of nature or culture) + (best of world famous or unique). Then convert into a score out of 100
65 *What the scores mean and where do they come from
RANKING
How this travel experience ranks compared to all the other experiences on this site, based on the travel experience (te) score
228th/454
Top 50%
continent
Europe
country
France
Length of time
1-2 days
Typical daily price
This gives you a rough idea of the daily price based on 2 people travelling where they can split costs like accommodation. It excludes travel there and back, and factors in inflation the numbers in brackets show the price range for the full time of the experience (so not necessarily daily). It is a range to reflect different budget vs higher end
$180 (typically $80 - $290)
Time of year visited
February
Primary Tags
Click on any of the tags to see all travel experiences with the same tag
Art Big city Towers
All Tags
Bridges Christian site Palaces Skyscrapers Sunsets UNESCO world heritage site
Wow Factor
The wow factor reflects just how much you’re likely to say “wow”. As there’s a lot of experiences in the world, and a lot of wows, i’ve gone with a simple ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ to ⭐️ score, and a separate category for the truly "gash"
⭐⭐⭐

Summary

One of the world’s most famous cities and with some of the most recognisable landmarks anywhere, Paris is quite simply one of world’s must-visit destinations.

However, it is unfortunately quite common for people to leave Paris a little disappointed.  In fact, Paris Syndrome (“a sense of disappointment exhibited by individuals when visiting Paris”) is a thing.  This is less down to the lack of allure from the big ticket highlights, and more people’s disappointment that Paris doesn’t meet their romantic dream-like expectations of the peaceful walk along the tree lined streets all to themselves as they drift to find a hidden restaurant with that perfect table sat out the front under the stars with perfect views of the Eiffel Tower . . . ahhhhh how wonderful . . . oh and with the subtle music playing in the background and that perfect (reasonably priced) meal . . . ahhhhh, yes, how dreamy.

Of course, the reality is that Paris is a big expensive modern city with millions of fellow tourists wanting a piece of the action and the ever-present risk of the moody grey Northern French weather.

So, whilst I think many people do get that perfect visit, many don’t as they either don’t know the secrets or don’t have a local to show them round.  I’ve visited Paris several times, but haven’t really had that local knowledge.  So I’m going to score the visit based on that which, in summary, is still “one of the world’s must-visit destinations” based on its big ticket attractions, but don’t build up your expectations to the point that you leave with Paris Syndrome.

 

My only tip is to stay in Montmartre – the centre of Paris can be super busy, expensive and a little samesy.  Montmartre, in comparison, has a much more genuine feel, with pretty cafes spilling out onto the cobbled streets and super views over the city from the Sacré-Coeur basilica.

 

Highlights – 6 must-dos and 4 extra tips

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Must Do #1 - the Eiffel Tower (well, dur).  If can afford it, go big and book dinner on the top floor

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Must Do #2 - the Arc de Triomph. Be sure to get the views from the top as it can be a touch underwhelming starring at it across the 8 lanes of traffic and 12 arterials that radiate out from it

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Must Do #3 - The Louvre. World famous paintings and a stunning setting.  Even if not into art, do it and, if you're one of those who gets knackered in art galleries (you know who you are), give yourself an hour to zip through

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Must Do #4 - Walk along the Seine underneath the lamp-lit bridges. Yes, it can get busy and probably doesn't meet the romantic expectations, but its one of the best way to get a feel for the city

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Must Do #5 - trying escargots (snails) on the Champs Elysees. Hit it that cliché first-time visitor vibe hard

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Must do #6 - the food. France does it so well and, along with Japan, must earn the title of world's best food. Quiches, fois grois, beef tartare, whatever, just jump in

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EXTRA - get views from slightly further out. The best views are from the Eiffel Tower, and, to a lesser extent, the Arc de Triomphe, but also consider one of the views across the city.  For this, the hilltop of Montmartre with the Sacré-Coeur basilica is best, or Montmartre Belleville Park if that suits your route better

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EXTRA - Notre Dame. Gorgeous setting and still worth visiting even after the fire for its fame pre and post fire, but I wouldn't say its a must see

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EXTRA - the locals. Paris is a bit like London in a way, in that the people of London / Paris are a different breed to the rest of the UK / France.  So, not only is Paris a very cosmopolitan city, but generally Parisians are a bit more direct than the more laidback general French.  They have also, of course, managed to further refine their French moodiness so, whilst this moodiness is sometimes unavoidable, it does help considerably to try to speak as much as possible in French . . . even if your only word is Bonjour (and, yes, this is written by an Englishman who prides himself in annoying the French when possible, but its just easier to try)

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EXTRA - The Paris Metro. Don't worry, everyone finds it confusing

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Score Detail

The scores above are the real point of this site.

Over 20+ years and 100+ countries, I’ve tried to rank the world’s best travel experiences — from genuinely mind-blowing ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to the properly gash.

Every one of the 500+ places on this site has both a Wow Factor rating and a more analytical Travel Experience (TE) score based on the things that actually make travel memorable.

If you're curious about the thinking behind it, head to the About page.

Otherwise, explore the map above or on the Home page and see which places truly deliver maximum wow.

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