Louvre Museum

The nearest Metro station is Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre. Queues at the main Pyramid entrance can be vast; try one of the other entrances – at the Porte des Lions, just east of the Pont Royal; at 99 rue du Rivoli; or at the Arc du Carousel.

There are audio guides for iPhone, Android and Nintendo 3DS available at the entrance for a small extra fee – you can book them ahead of time to avoid queueing for them once inside. They also offer several online ‘visitor trails’ focusing on different themes or parts of the collection. There’s a particularly useful one on ‘masterpieces’ to ensure you see all the greatest works in one visit. There are guided tours on Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 11am that will also take you to see the masterpieces, and explain the museum’s history – great for first-timers.

Allow around four hours to really take in the scale of the museum. There are more than 15 cafés, restaurants and stalls inside the Louvre and neighbouring Tuileries when you need a pit stop. Tickets for the Louvre are valid all day, so you can take a break in the Tuileries gardens in the middle of your arts fix.

The museum is open year-round, seven days a week.

Although always popular, it’s slightly quieter on weekdays, especially mornings. Avoid visiting on the first Sunday of the month, when entrance is free and queues are fierce. Look out for evening opening hours on Wednesdays and Fridays, which have more of a civilised feel.