Paris: The Things I’m Glad I Saw — and the Things I Wish I’d Known Before I Went

Paris is one of those cities you think you know before you arrive.

You’ve seen the Eiffel Tower. You’ve heard of the Louvre. You’ve watched the films, admired the photographs and probably imagined yourself sitting at a little café watching the world go by.

Then you arrive.

And Paris is bigger, busier, noisier and far more complicated than the picture postcard.

But that’s also what makes it wonderful.

On my recent visit, I discovered that some of my favourite Paris moments weren't necessarily the famous sights. They were wandering through Montmartre before the crowds arrived, discovering hidden covered passages, standing beneath the magnificent glass dome at Galeries Lafayette, sitting in a famous café, finding a tiny shop filled with miniature furniture and watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle after dark.

So, rather than giving you another list of "the 20 best things to do in Paris", here is my version:

What I saw, what surprised me, what I would do differently next time—and the things I think you shouldn't miss.

First tip: Don't try to conquer Paris

This is probably the most important advice I can give you.

Paris is not a city to tick off.

You could spend weeks here and still not see everything.

Instead, choose a few areas and explore them properly. Walk. Stop for coffee. Look up. Go down a side street. Sit in a park. Wander into a shop.

Some of the best discoveries happen when you aren't looking for them.

And wear comfortable shoes. Seriously.

1. Start early in Montmartre

If you only take one piece of advice from this blog, make it this:

Go to Montmartre early.

I spent a morning wandering through Montmartre and it was one of my favourite experiences in Paris.

By later in the day, the streets become crowded with visitors, but early in the morning there is still a sense of neighbourhood life.

Montmartre was once a village outside Paris and became the home of an extraordinary collection of artists, including Picasso, Van Gogh, Renoir and Toulouse-Lautrec.

You can still feel that artistic, slightly bohemian character as you wander through the cobbled streets.

Look out for:

La Maison Rose – the famous pink house that has become one of the most photographed buildings in Montmartre.

Rue de l'Abreuvoir – one of the prettiest little streets in Paris.

Sacré-Cœur – magnificent from the outside and offering wonderful views across Paris.

But don't just follow the crowds.

Wander.

That is the secret to Montmartre.

2. The Eiffel Tower – see it twice

Of course, you have to see the Eiffel Tower.

But I discovered that daytime Eiffel Tower and nighttime Eiffel Tower are two completely different experiences.

During the day, you can appreciate the size and structure of it.

At night, it becomes something else entirely.

When the tower sparkles after dark, the whole experience feels almost theatrical.

My tip?

Don't just take the obligatory photograph and leave.

Find somewhere to sit, watch the tower light up and give yourself time to enjoy it.

Sometimes the simplest travel moments are the ones you remember.

3. Palais Garnier – go early

If you love beautiful buildings, do not miss the Palais Garnier.

Opened in 1875, the Paris Opera House is almost ridiculously extravagant.

Grand staircases.

Gold everywhere.

Chandeliers.

Painted ceilings.

Sculptures.

And then you look up and see the incredible ceiling painted by Marc Chagall.

It is spectacular.

There is also a wonderfully mysterious story attached to the building.

The Phantom of the Opera legend was inspired partly by the underground area beneath the opera house, including its famous water reservoir. Box 5 is traditionally associated with the Phantom.

But here is the thing I wish I'd known:

It gets very busy.

Queues can start early in the morning, so don't stroll up at lunchtime expecting to walk straight in.

Plan ahead and get there early.

4. Don't just shop at Galeries Lafayette — look up

I have to admit, there wasn't much in Galeries Lafayette that was going to make its way into my shopping bag!

But I'm very glad I went.

The reason?

Look up.

The magnificent Art Nouveau glass dome inside the department store is worth seeing even if you have absolutely no intention of shopping.

The building dates from the early 1900s and the dome floods the interior with colour and light.

And there is another reason to visit:

the rooftop.

You get one of those wonderful Paris views that reminds you just how beautiful the city's rooftops are.

So my advice is simple:

Go shopping if you can afford it.

Otherwise, go sightseeing.

5. Find the Paris that hides behind the streets

One of my favourite discoveries was the network of covered passages tucked away behind the busy streets.

They are incredibly easy to miss.

You can walk straight past the entrance without realising there is another world inside.

Many date from the 18th and 19th centuries and have beautiful glass roofs, tiled floors, old-fashioned shopfronts and cafés.

They offer a quieter way of exploring Paris and a glimpse of a very different side of the city.

And then I discovered something I certainly wasn't expecting.

Miniature shops.

There are shops devoted entirely to tiny objects for dollhouses.

Furniture.

Food.

Books.

Lamps.

Kitchen equipment.

Pretty much anything you could possibly imagine — in miniature.

I could have spent hours looking.

This is exactly why I love wandering rather than simply following a sightseeing list.

6. Go to Rue Montorgueil when you want to see everyday Paris

If you want to see a little of how Parisians actually shop and eat, head to Rue Montorgueil.

It has been a market street since the 1600s and still has that wonderful old-fashioned food-market atmosphere.

There are no endless rows of chain stores.

Instead you'll find independent shops, cheese sellers, bakeries, fruit and vegetable shops, cafés and food specialists.

And, of course, Stohrer.

Established in 1730, Stohrer is regarded as the oldest pastry shop in Paris.

Even if you aren't hungry, go inside.

The shop itself is part of the experience.

I also spotted Frenchie nearby, a restaurant that was awarded a Michelin star in 2025.

But honestly, my favourite thing about Rue Montorgueil was simply walking along it.

Sometimes the best sightseeing is watching people buy their bread, cheese and vegetables for dinner.

7. Have a coffee at Café de Flore

There are cafés.

And then there are Paris cafés with a history.

Café de Flore is one of the famous ones.

Located in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, it became a gathering place for writers, artists and intellectuals, including Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir.

Today it is undeniably touristy and undeniably expensive.

But I think that's beside the point.

Go for the atmosphere.

Sit outside.

Order a coffee.

Watch the Paris world go past.

You're not really paying for the coffee.

You're buying a little piece of Parisian theatre.

8. See The Thinker — but don't rush through the Rodin Museum

One of my favourite art experiences was seeing The Thinker by Auguste Rodin.

But the real pleasure is the setting.

The Musée Rodin is housed in the beautiful Hôtel Biron and has a wonderful sculpture garden.

The Thinker is so familiar that you might think seeing the actual sculpture wouldn't feel particularly special.

It does.

There's something about seeing an artwork you've known all your life in real life that photographs simply can't reproduce.

And don't just go in, find The Thinker and leave.

Take your time in the gardens.

9. Have lunch at Le Train Bleu

Here's another Paris experience I would recommend for the building as much as the food.

Le Train Bleu is located inside Gare de Lyon and is one of the most extraordinary railway station restaurants you'll ever see.

Opened for the 1900 Paris Exposition, the restaurant is decorated with enormous paintings, chandeliers, ornate gold detailing and grand Belle Époque interiors.

It feels less like having lunch in a railway station and more like stepping into another era.

And that's one of the things I discovered about Paris:

sometimes the building is as memorable as the meal.

10. Paris rewards people who look up

This became one of my unofficial rules for Paris.

Look up.

The balconies.

The rooftops.

The sculptures.

The ceilings.

The domes.

The old signs.

The architecture.

The details around doorways.

The spectacular glass roof at Galeries Lafayette.

The painted ceiling at Palais Garnier.

The buildings around every corner.

Paris is a city built for looking at.

And sometimes the thing above your head is far more interesting than the attraction you came to see.

11. Don't be afraid of the famous places

There's a tendency among experienced travellers to say:

"Don't go to the touristy places. Find the hidden gems."

I disagree.

Some tourist attractions are tourist attractions for a reason.

The Eiffel Tower is worth seeing.

Montmartre is worth seeing.

The Palais Garnier is worth seeing.

And if you've always wanted to see something, go and see it.

You don't win a travel prize for avoiding the famous sights.

The trick is to combine them with the lesser-known experiences.

See the Eiffel Tower — then wander through a neighbourhood.

Visit the Louvre — then sit in a café.

See Montmartre — then get lost down a side street.

That's when Paris starts to feel like your Paris.

12. A few things I wish I'd known before visiting Paris

Go early

This is particularly important for Montmartre and Palais Garnier.

The difference between arriving early and arriving later can be enormous.

Book ahead

For popular attractions, don't assume you can simply turn up.

Paris attracts millions of visitors and the queues can be long.

Group attractions by neighbourhood

Paris looks compact on a map, but you can spend a lot of time getting from one side of the city to another.

Plan your days around areas rather than attractions.

Don't over-plan

Leave gaps.

Some of my favourite moments came from simply wandering.

Comfortable shoes are essential

Paris is a walking city.

And those beautiful cobblestones aren't nearly as romantic after several hours in uncomfortable shoes.

Take the Metro—but walk when you can

The Metro is brilliant for getting around, but don't use it for every journey.

Sometimes the walk between two attractions is where you discover the best bits.

Learn a few French words

A simple bonjour, merci and s'il vous plaît goes a long way.

And always greet someone with bonjour before asking a question.

Don't expect Paris to be cheap

Cafés, attractions and restaurants can add up quickly.

But you don't have to spend a fortune to enjoy Paris.

Walking is free.

The architecture is free.

The atmosphere is free.

And some of the best experiences cost nothing at all.

My Paris lesson

Before this trip, I thought I needed a list of places to see.

After this trip, I think I needed something completely different.

I needed time.

Time to wander.

Time to sit.

Time to look up.

Time to get slightly lost.

Time to stop taking photographs and actually look at something.

Paris is not just the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Champs-Élysées.

It is a tiny pastry shop that has been making cakes since 1730.

It's a hidden covered passage.

It's a miniature shop you weren't expecting to find.

It's Montmartre before the crowds.

It's sitting at Café de Flore pretending you're a Parisian for an hour.

It's standing in front of The Thinker.

It's the ceiling of Galeries Lafayette.

It's the Eiffel Tower sparkling at night.

It's having lunch beneath the chandeliers at Le Train Bleu.

And it's walking around a corner and discovering something you didn't know existed.

That's the Paris I loved.

And if you're planning your own Paris adventure, my best advice is this:

Make a list of the things you absolutely want to see — and then leave enough room for the things you don't know about yet.

Because sometimes those are the things you'll remember.

Planning a Paris trip?

I've put together more Travel Hints 60 tips and ideas to help you plan your trip without feeling overwhelmed.

Visit www.travelhints60.com and follow @travelhints60 on Facebook and Instagram for more travel inspiration, practical tips and the occasional discovery that I wish someone had told me about before I went!