Whether sunshine is sparkling on the café terraces of Boulevard Saint-Germain or melancholy mists of the Seine River are shrouding Notre-Dame Cathedral, the magical ambience of Paris has a way of romancing visitors. This incomparable city is filled with grandiose monuments like the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Panthéon. One visit may inspire a lifelong love affair. Find the best places to visit in this magical city with our list of the top 20 tourist attractions in Paris;
1.
EIFFEL TOWER
The most visited tourist attraction in Paris, the Eiffel Tower also ranks high on the list of places to visit in France. The tower consists of 18,000 sturdy iron sections held together by 2.5 million rivets. This innovative structure is now considered a masterful architectural feat and is the most emblematic sight in Paris. Visitors can take an elevator or walk up the 360 steps to arrive at the first level (at 57 meters) and 344 more steps to the second level (at 115 meters). The outlooks from both the first and second level are spectacular and gorgeous. To reach the top level, at the elevation of 276 meters, requires an exhilarating elevator ride from the second level. Visiting the top level is one of the most thrilling things to do in Paris.
2.
LOUVRE MUSEUM
A sumptuous palace that was once the home of France's Kings, the Louvre is the most important of Paris' top museums. Visitors enter the museum in the courtyard of the palace at the glass pyramid. The Louvre Museum possesses more than 30,000 artworks and masterpieces—from antiquities to European paintings of the 15th to 19th centuries.
The most famous piece is the Mona Lisa or La Gioconda (or La Joconde in French) painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1503-1505. Other exceptional works are the ancient Venus de Milo sculpture, the monumental Victory of Samothrace of the Hellenistic period, the immense Wedding Feast at Cana painting by Veronese (1563), and Botticelli's frescoes.
3.
NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL
Even after the fire, The Cathedral is still on the list. A triumph of Gothic architecture, the Notre-Dame stands in the heart of Paris on the Ile de la Cité near the the Latin Quarter. An island in the Seine River, the Ile de la Cité is the historical and geographical center of Paris. On this small plot of land, the Romans built the Gallo-Roman city of Lutetia, and from the 6th century to the 14th century, the Kings of France resided here.
4.
CHAMPS-ELYSEES
The most famous boulevard in Paris used to be a desolate field of marshland until the 16th century, when it was landscaped by André Le Nôtre. A century later, the renowned Parisian city planner Baron Haussman designed the boulevard's buildings.
The Champs-Elysées is famous for its prestigious establishments, such as Maison Ladurée (75 Avenue des Champs-Elysées), a pâtisserie shop renowned for its 18th-century tea salon and delicious pastries (their specialty is "macarons"), and upscale designer boutiques like Tiffany & Co. (62 Avenue des Champs-Élysées), Louis-Vuitton (101 Avenue des Champs-Elysées), and Cartier (154 Avenue des Champs-Élysées).
5.
PALAIS GARNIER, OPERA NATIONAL DE PARIS
Commissioned by Napoleon III in 1860, the Palais Garnier Opera House was designed by Charles Garnier in an exuberant Baroque style. Garnier worked tirelessly on the project for over a decade, from 1862 to 1875. Today, the monument is a symbol of Napoleon's Imperial regime. The facade features classical columns and 8 sculptures representing allegorical figures: Poetry, Music, Idyll, Recitation, Song, Drama, and Dance.
6.
ARC DE TRIOMPHE
The Arc de Triomphe is dedicated to the soldiers who fought in the French armies of the Revolution and the First Empire (Napoleonic Wars). Napoleon commissioned the building of this mighty structure in 1806 but did not live to see its completion in 1836. The massive 50-meter-high arch features bas-reliefs with larger-than-life-size figures, which describes the departure, victories, and glorious return of the French armies.
From the top of the monument, a viewing platform affords panoramic views of the 12 avenues that radiate from the Place de l'Etoile, including the route from the Champs-Elysées to Place de la Concorde and the Louvre. It's possible to see all the way to La Défense, Montmartre, and the Eiffel Tower.
7.
MUSICAL CONCERT AT SAINTE-CHAPELLE
Sainte-Chapelle is rarely used for mass but often serves as a venue for musical concerts. Listening to a choir or classical music performance in this space is a refreshing spiritual experience. Sainte-Chapelle is considered a rare jewel among medieval houses of worship and is certainly one of the most exquisite churches in Paris.
8.
LUXEMBOURG GARDENS
The Luxembourg Gardens are the best known park in Paris after the Tuileries. The gardens were laid out in the 17th century when the Palais du Luxembourg was built. The central feature of the park is the large octagonal fountain-adorned pool, which is flanked by two terraces lined with statues, orderly geometric rows of flowerbeds, and manicured shrubbery. This part of the park exemplifies French classical style, with many chairs spread about for visitors to use.
9.
SACRE COEUR
Sitting at the highest point in Paris like an ornamental decoration, the Basilique Sacré-Coeur has a special aura. Its alabaster facade blends Romanesque and Byzantine styles, and from far away, it looks like a wedding cake (which is its nickname).
10.
PANTHEON
Built as a church to rival Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome and Saint Paul's Cathedral in London, the Panthéon is the national mausoleum of France's greatest citizens. Many famous men (72 in total) are buried here, including philosophers Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the writers Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Emile Zola, and André Malraux. Visitors may ascend to the Panthéon's dome, where a colonnaded balcony provides a sensational viewpoint of the city's landmarks. Panoramas extend from the Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Louvre in the foreground to the Eiffel Tower in the distance.
RECAP;
2. LOUVRE MUSEUM
3. NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL
4. CHAMPS-ELYSEES
5. PALAIS GARNIER, OPERA NATIONAL DE PARIS
6. ARC DE TRIOMPHE
7. MUSICAL CONCERT AT SAINTE-CHAPELLE
8. LUXEMBOURG GARDENS
9. SACRE COEUR
10. PANTHEON