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Bucket list experience:

Last updated: 09 November, 2022
Expert travel writer: Anna Brooke

At first sight, Paris’s gorgeous golden stone gives the city an apparently uniform classical image. But beneath the illusion are numerous distinct periods of Parisian history – centuries of grandiose urban planning schemes, when kings and presidents left their mark on the city’s look and landscape.

Today Paris stands out for its elegant squares and broad boulevards, peppered with Gothic churches, Baroque palaces and mansions, strings of prim, balconied Hausmann-style apartment buildings and adventurous modern icons.

Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience

Price: Free
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 18+
When: All year around
Duration: 3 hours

Eiffel Tower

Paris, Ile-de-France, United Kingdom (UK)

Gustave Eiffel’s eccentric, iron-clad tower built as a temporary exhibit for the World Fair in 1889, has views all over the city and has become iconic symbol of Paris.

Best for ages: 4+ | £23

The Grand Foyer in Palais Garnier, where there are large black and gold podiums lined across the perimeter of the hall.
Experience

Garnier Palace

Paris, Ile-de-France, France

Charles Garnier’s opera house oozes Second Empire style, with its green copper dome, florid marble, bronze sculptures, chandeliers and painted ceilings.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Outside view of Centre Pompidou, where it was designed in the style of high-tech architecture. The use of aluminium, steel and glass.
Experience

Georges Pompidou Centre

Paris, Ile-de-France, France

Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano’s iconic inside-out building has a glass- and steel-frame, colour-coded exposed pipes, ducts and escalators.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Inside view of Grand Palais ceiling that has enormous conservatory style glass roof.
Experience

Grand Palais

Paris, Ile-de-France, France

A brilliant example of glass and steel architecture, the Grand Palais mixes Classicism and Art Nouveau, colonnades and bravura sculptural groups.

Best for ages: 18+ | Free

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Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Bastille's Architecture & Artisans Self-Guided Walking Tour

Bastille's Architecture & Artisans Self-Guided Walking Tour

Paris

Discover the mesmerising district of Bastille in Paris, renowned for its architecture, secret treasures and beautiful photo stops! On this ...

£13 | Rating 4.73 / 5 [15 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Art Nouveau and other architecture wonders from St. Lazare to Opera

Art Nouveau and other architecture wonders from St. Lazare to Opera

Paris

Gaze up at Paris' stunning Art Nouveau architecture on this 2-hour walking tour of the 8th and 9th arrondissements. Admire some of the most ...

€76 | Rating 5 / 5 [14 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Neoclassical Paris Architecture 2-Hour Private Walking Tour

Neoclassical Paris Architecture 2-Hour Private Walking Tour

Paris

Have you ever thought of Paris as of a copy of another, older place? While being the most beautiful city in the world it is modeled after an...

€300 | Rating 5 / 5 [6 ratings]

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Tour supplied by:

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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first

Le Bristol Paris

Paris, Ile-de-France, France

A legendary Paris grande dame hotel and altar to old-school opulence, at the historical heart of the city. 

Official star rating:

Hotel Bachaumont

Paris, Ile-de-France, France

A hip, Haussmann-style hotel is a fab base for anyone looking to mix sightseeing with shopping and nightlife. Uber-central, close to the Louvre, and with a brasserie and bars worth staying in for.

Official star rating:

Hotel Duo Paris

Paris, Ile-de-France, France

A designer boutique bolthole that’s perfectly positioned for the stylish, gay-friendly Marais district and Centre Pompidou.

Official star rating:

Hotel Le Relais Montmartre

Paris, Ile-de-France, France

Homely country-cottage charm and welcoming calm in this 26-room boutique hotel, halfway between magical Montmartre and louche Pigalle.

Official star rating:

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Paris

Ile-de-France, France

Crammed with iconic buildings, world-class art and a culinary scene steeped in history, Paris is one of the world’s great capitals, overflowing with style, romance, and art de vivre. 

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