My Guide to Paris From my Experience

Paris has won the title again for the most visited city in the world, a title that the city has held for multiple years. Paris got over 34 million tourists in 2022 alone, that number is quickly approaching pre-pandemic levels. Paris has captured the hearts of millions of people who travel here to see icons such as the Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower. The city is way more than just beautiful icons though, it’s home to famous bakeries, luxury shops, interesting cuisine, and a language that I’ve spent over half of my life trying to learn. All of this influenced our decision to include Paris on the list of Going Locations Top 10 Best Places to Travel to in 2024. This city has more to it than words can describe as it’s way more than just a city with cool architecture. In this blog post, I’ll give you the full experience of what it’s like to travel to Paris and what you need to see if you’re also planning to visit.

Background

Paris has had a long history. The city has been around since the BC era and archaeological evidence shows that people have been around this city for over 10,000 years. While Paris and the greater country of France have mostly been prosperous, that doesn’t undermine the city’s challenges. The Siege of Paris in 1870 left many historic buildings damaged and destroyed, and the fall of Paris to Germany turned this city into a warzone destroying much of the city.

Luckily, the city made it through and has grown to prosper in modern times, becoming the epicenter for tourism and the home to over 2 million people. In Paris, you’ll mostly see historic structures that serve as apartments, shops, and all other needs. Most of these buildings are tastefully restored with a modern feel on the inside. Almost all of the offices are located west of the city in the business district, this is where all of the tall newly built buildings reside.

5 Things To Do in the City

Take it from my experience, you have to do these five things when visiting Paris. When I visited this city, there were five things that I was told I had to do. I’m glad I listened because these five things were the highlight of my trip. Without further waiting, let’s jump right in!

1. Louvre

The Louvre was originally built as a palace in the 1500s and opened to the public as a museum in 1793. Since then, it has become the #1 museum in the world bringing in over 7.5 million visitors per year. The museum is home to over 480,000 works including the famous (but overrated) Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. Even though the Louvre is considered priceless, one historian estimates the value of the Louvre to be at least 45 billion dollars. That price is over 30 times the value of the famous Burj Khalifa. The Louvre is a sight to see, it’s so interesting and intriguing that I spent the whole day in this museum without even realizing it. The inside feels almost never-ending with billions of dollars worth of art surrounding you, some pieces dating back thousands of years. A trip to Paris wouldn’t be complete without seeing the Louvre, the world’s largest museum will blow your mind.

2. Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris, this 1,083-foot (330 meter) structure stood as the tallest man-made structure in the world for almost four decades. Believe it or not, the Eiffel Tower wasn’t built to be permanent, it was built for the 1889 Paris World’s Fair and was supposed to be dismantled in 1910. Gladly, the use of a giant radio tower saved the structure that mesmerizes millions today. Do you know what’s cooler than seeing the Eiffel Tower? Getting to the top of it. So once you get those awesome photos of the Eiffel Tower, get yourself some tickets and make your way to the top of the tower. Trust me, the views will make it worth it. The second floor of the Eiffel Tower also hosts a newly opened Michelin-starred restaurant called Jules Verne. Here, you can enjoy a 5-7 course meal while taking in views of the city from the Eiffel Tower, how cool is that!

3. Palace of Versailles

Just a short train ride out of the city of Paris gets you this. The Palace of Versailles was built shortly after the Louvre and opened as a museum in 1837. The gardens outside the palace are beautifully maintained with over 350,000 trees surrounding the palace. All of this doesn’t come cheap as the palace costs over 15 million euros per year to maintain. Walking through the Gardens of Versailles is crazy as there is so much greenery and all of the plants are so precisely maintained. Inside the palace, the hall of mirrors has over 350 mirrors and is a gorgeous room, it’s also the place where the Treaty of Versailles was signed which officially ended World War 1. As mentioned earlier, the Palace of Versailles isn’t located in the city of Paris, but in a wealthy suburb of Paris conveniently named Versailles. A train ride to the Palace of Versailles will take around 1 hour so take that into account if you plan on visiting this place.

4. Pastry/Dessert Shop

You can’t visit Paris without trying their famous pastries. French bakeries or boulangeries as they call them in France are popular spots for tourists and locals. Don’t be worried about finding a bakery in Paris because there are over 30,000 of them in Paris, it’s pretty much impossible to not walk past one. You can find all sorts of baked goods such as the famous croissant and baguette which were both not invented in France but have become popular throughout the country. Something that was invented in France was crêpes, you can find a whole variety of them in France and they are delicious. If you’re wondering which bakery to eat at, some of my favorites were Boulangerie Poilâne and Boulangerie Utopie. Though you can’t go wrong with whichever bakery you chose.

5. Notre Dame

Located in the heart of Paris, Notre Dame never fails to impress. Millions of people per year crowd here to see the famous architecture and Gothic facade. Construction began on Notre Dame in 1160 and took 182 years to complete; it’s been an icon of Paris ever since. As you might know, Notre Dame caught on fire in 2019 which left the roof of the cathedral significantly damaged. The famous spire also collapsed during the fire leaving more damage to the building.

Luckily, the building was salvageable and is undergoing restoration. The inside of the cathedral is set to open to the public in late 2024 but there is an underground exhibition right next to Notre Dame that opened in March 2023. There, visitors can get a glimpse into the reconstruction of the famous landmark and see some pieces that were burned by the fire, all of this free of charge. Sadly, Notre Dame won’t be able to open in time for the Paris 2024 Olympics so travelers visiting Paris before or around the time of the Olympic games will have to make a returning trip if they desire to see the inside of the landmark.

My Thoughts on Paris

My thoughts on Paris are that it’s a culture-rich city with a long history. Times were not always good for this city, but now, the city couldn’t be doing better. Famous icons are spread throughout the city and these landmarks have gathered millions of tourists, and rightfully so as all of these places have withstood hundreds of years and have grown to be masterpieces in today’s time. It’s an iconic city with history throughout, most of Paris was built in the 1800s and still stands today. For these reasons alone, it rightfully deserved a spot in Going Locations Top 10 Best Places to Travel to in 2024. Whether you’re planning a trip to Paris or anywhere else on this list, you can be certain that you’re not making the wrong choice.