Paris, being one of the most popular dream destinations in the whole world, is often an overwhelming outing to plan and execute. With the innumerable experiences you can have, come innumerable suggestions. Here are the Top 25 Paris travel tips and hacks.

24 Essential Paris Travel Tips & Hacks

1. Visit off the peak season

Best Time to Visit Tip

If you’d like to encounter more locals than tourists, a trip between October and April works best.
The city is extremely crowded in the peak season (generally the summer). This means longer queues, packed streets and limited availability of tickets.

Best Time to Visit Paris

2. Prepare for late dinners

Food Tip

Parisians generally have their dinner after 8 PM, which can even go up to 9:30 PM.
Due to this, many restaurants don’t open until around 7 PM, so you might want to keep some snacks handy for the evenings.

Restaurants in Paris

3. Look out for your metro stations

Transport Tip

An important thing to remember while traveling is that not all metro lines announce the station on arrival.
To avoid missing your stop, keep looking out of the window or keep track of the stations you’ve passed.

Metro map of Paris

4. Covered passages are your best friends

Getting Around Tip

Paris is known for its erratic and heavy rains. Luckily, if you forget an umbrella, there are around 20 Covered Passages mainly around the 2nd, 9th and 10th arrondissements.
They are really pretty and also have shops and cafes.

Weather in Paris

5. Don’t underestimate “Bonjour”

Etiquette Tip

It is considered extremely rude if you don’t greet with “bonjour” on entering a shop, or don’t say “au revoir” or “merci” when leaving.
Greetings are taken very seriously in Paris, so make sure to learn some French phrases beforehand.

Greetings in French

6. Use public transport as much as you can

Transport Tip

Taxis and rental cars are too expensive in Paris. The network of public transport is really well laid out and takes you almost everywhere, cheaply and conveniently!
Not to forget, it makes your experience more ‘homely’, just like a local.

Public transport in Paris

7. Visit museums for free on the first Sunday

Budget Tip

Some of the city’s top museums like The Orsay, and even The Louvre have free entry on the first Sunday of the month.
Plan your visit around the first week of the month to save yourself some bucks!

Best Museums in Paris

8. Tips are not an obligation in Paris

Etiquette Tip

Unlike a lot of other western countries, tipping culture in Paris is much less prominent.
A 15% service charge is levied on each item that you order, and servers and waiters get benefits like paid leave, health care, living wage.

Tipping in Paris

9. Book your accommodation in advance

Accommodation Tip

With such a huge inflow of tourists every year, finding a vacancy in your desired hotel is always toilsome, especially if you delay it for the last moment.
Make sure to book well in advance to not end up compromising.

Choose your stay

10. A Seine cruise is unmissable!

Sight-seeing Tip

Be it morning, evening or night, one of the most worthwhile experiences is enjoying Paris floating along the river Seine on a beautiful cruise.
There are plenty of options for short or long trips, with a hearty meal.

Seine River Cruises

11. Remember that you can’t see everything on one trip

Sight-seeing Tip

With Paris having so much to offer, don’t feel guilty if you’re not able to fit everything in your itinerary (even if they’re “must-sees”).
It is alright to skip some places and enjoy the ones you visit properly instead.

Paris Travel Guide

12. Shop at the flea market

Shopping Tip

Explore one of the world’s largest flea markets, Les Puces and hunt for some dirt cheap souvenirs.
Moreover, wandering through this popular market, admiring the sprawling alleyways and stands is quite a fun and adventurous experience.

Paris flea markets

13. Avoid common tourist traps

Safety Tip

With so many tourists, come so many scams. Stay away from people on the streets offering you bracelets or roses, or those who approach you asking if you know English.
Try to skip cafes and restaurants close to main attractions.

Safety in Paris

14. Pack comfortable footwear

Packing Tip

Once you are in Paris, you realize how much you need to walk. Combine that with the cobblestone laden streets, and you’ll miss your comfy shoes over those fancy sandals.
Be wise and practical, and pack some good shoes.

Packing for Paris

15. Don’t dress like a tourist

Fashion Tip

One thing that some Parisian locals look down on is tourists dressed in gaudy, “touristy” clothes.
You can leave the bold prints, high heels and fancy dresses away, and pack some comfortable and neutral clothes like jeans and T-shirts.

What to wear in Paris

16. Take your IDs everywhere

Budget Tip

Many Parisian attractions offer discounts, and sometimes even free entry to students, seniors, EU residents and youths, depending on the place.
Major museums, the metro and even the Eiffel tower offer such discounts, so check them out before you visit.

Paris on a Budget

17. Go picnicking

Budget Tip

There are plenty of parks, greenspaces and picnic spots like the Parc des Buttes Chaumont, Square du Vert-Galant and Champ de Mars.
Grab some local baguettes, assorted cheese and meat to skip the expensive restaurants for an enchanting experience.

Free things to do in Paris

18. Get travel insurance

Safety Tip

Travel insurance becomes all the more important in tourist cities like Paris, with so many scammers and pickpockets lurking around to prey on tourists.
The peace of mind that the insurance brings is definitely worth the cost.

Travel Insurance Guide

19. Explore at a slow pace

Sight-seeing Tip

Paris might tempt you to cover as many spots as possible in one go, making you rush your visits.
To fully enjoy your experience, grab a map, mark some major places you want to visit and spend some quality time there.

Paris Itineraries

20. The Louvre can be overwhelming

Sight-seeing Tip

Being the largest art museum in the world and housing over 35,000 artworks, it’s not even possible to watch the major artworks, let alone the entire museum in one visit.
Plan your visit in advance to not get overwhelmed.

Explore the Louvre

21. Stay close to major attractions

Accommodation Tip

Time is money on a vacation. Book a central hotel, close to the attractions that you want to visit.
You’ll end up spending too much time traveling around if you reside a bit far from the central locations.

Centrally located hotels in Paris

22. Don’t prioritize going up the Eiffel Tower

Sight-seeing Tip

This might sound surprising, but there are far better views of the majestic Parisian skyline than from the top of Eiffel Tower.
Some of the best viewing spots include the Arc de Triomphe, Montparnasse Tower, Notre Dame and many more. They are easier to access, and less time-consuming especially if you're visiting for a short while.

Best Things to Do in Paris

23. Cover up inside churches

Etiquette Tip

To be respectful, it is a general practice to cover your shoulders and knees inside Parisian churches.
This might not be mentioned outside explicitly, but is definitely a good practice. Also, keep your voice down.

Basic etiquette in Paris

24. Sale season in June and January

Shopping Tip

Shops are only permitted to have sales twice a year - June and January.
If the major purpose of your visit is shopping, plan it in these months to make some incredible bargains. This sale season is called “Les Soldes”.

Sales in Paris

Top Experiences in Paris

Frequently Asked Questions About Paris Travel Tips & Hacks

What are the best Paris travel tips about transport?

Keep your ticket until you leave the train stations, Keep your belongings safe from pickpockets, Stand on the right hand side of the escalators.

What are Paris travel tips to know about sight-seeing?

Explore more wonderful museums than just the Louvre, Try to get skip-the-line tickets wherever available, Don’t try to cover all the attractions in one or two days.

What are Paris travel tips to know about accommodation?

If you’re going for the first time, try staying close to the main attractions, Consider living in an Airbnb, Book your accommodation in advance for better prices.

What are Paris travel tips to know about budget travel?

Entry to most major museums is free on the first Sunday of the month , Drink wine instead of soft drinks because it’s often cheaper, Take public transport instead of Taxis.

What should I avoid in Paris?

Avoid talking to random people who approach you asking if you speak English, Avoid the unsafe and non family friendly areas, Stay away from restaurant patios as they’re full of cigarette smoke.

How should I prepare for a trip to Paris?

Plan your itinerary practically to avoid getting overwhelmed and spending too much time at one place, Learn some common French phrases, Pack comfortable shoes, Paris is full of walking.

How do I travel to Paris for the first time?

When traveling for the first time, don’t be afraid to ask for help, the locals are generally very helpful. Make sure to soak in the history and beauty of the museums, monuments, food and other localities. All in all, make the most out of your visit and you’ll not leave disappointed.

Is it rude to tip in Paris?

Though not considered rude, you're not required to leave a tip in Paris. The price of each item includes a 15% service fee in all cafes, restaurants and bars. Moreover, all the servers get a full wage and benefits like health care, living wage etc.

How many days should you spend in Paris?

Even though there are plenty of good itineraries for short trips to Paris, it is recommended to spend at least four days there to have enough time for world-class attractions as well as some hidden gems. Some extra days can call for great day trips like Disneyland.

Where should I stay on my first trip to Paris?

On your first visit to Paris, it is a good choice to stay close to the main landmarks. Grab a map and mark all the attractions you plan on seeing. Then find a place that’s in close vicinity of most of them.

Is Paris expensive?

With all the glam, yes, you should expect Paris to be more on the expensive side as compared to other European cities. However, there's something for everyone, and plenty of options to consider for a budget trip.

Can you wear jeans in Paris?

Yes! It’s absolutely normal to wear jeans in Paris. It’s all about comfort. Apart from a lot of locals that wear jeans, there are also tourists aplenty who can be spotted in jeans all around the city.