The neighbourhoods of Paris

The oldest part of Paris, where the city began on the Île de la Cité, with Notre-Dame and the Sainte-Chapelle. Across the Seine, the Latin Quarter is a student district of narrow streets, bookshops and cafés, with the Panthéon on the hill. It is easy on foot; the islands are busiest in the middle of the day.

Sights: Notre-Dame de Paris, Sainte-Chapelle, Panthéon, Musée de Cluny, Conciergerie, Ménagerie, Jardin des Plantes, Grande Galerie de l'Évolution, Île Saint-Louis

🍽️ Restaurants: 11 · ☕ Breakfast: 2 · 🌙 Evening out: 3

The grand, central Paris of the Louvre, the Tuileries garden and Place de la Concorde, running up to the Opéra and the big department stores on Boulevard Haussmann. Quieter corners include the Palais-Royal gardens and the old covered passages. Good for a long walk, and the Louvre is worth a full morning.

Sights: Musée du Louvre, Jardin des Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, Palais Garnier, Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, Musée de l'Orangerie, À la Mère de Famille, Printemps Haussmann, Covered passages (Panoramas, Vivienne), Rue Montorgueil, Palais-Royal Gardens

🍽️ Restaurants: 10 · ☕ Breakfast: 5 · 🌙 Evening out: 8

A historic district of old mansions, small museums, boutiques and cafés, centred on the elegant Place des Vosges. It is lively in the afternoon and evening, and on Sundays many shops are open. Part of the area is quieter and more local around the Canal Saint-Martin, which is a short metro ride or a longer walk away.

Sights: Place des Vosges, Musée Carnavalet, Musée Picasso, Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, Choco-Story Paris, Jacques Genin (chocolatier), Marché des Enfants Rouges, Père Lachaise Cemetery, Canal Saint-Martin, Paname Brewing Company

🍽️ Restaurants: 10 · ☕ Breakfast: 2 · 🌙 Evening out: 7

The classic left-bank Paris of literary cafés, art galleries and bookshops around Saint-Germain-des-Prés. It is also home to the Musée d'Orsay and the Jardin du Luxembourg, where Parisians sit with a book or watch the model boats. A pleasant, walkable area, and the Orsay is best visited early or late.

Sights: Musée d’Orsay, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Jardin du Luxembourg, Catacombs of Paris

🍽️ Restaurants: 8 · ☕ Breakfast: 2 · 🌙 Evening out: 1

The elegant western side of the city, with the Eiffel Tower on the Champ de Mars and the Trocadéro across the river for the classic view. The Musée Rodin and the Invalides, with Napoleon's tomb, are close by. It is spacious and calmer in feel than the centre; the tower area is busiest in the afternoon.

Sights: Eiffel Tower, Trocadéro, Hôtel des Invalides, Musée Rodin

🍽️ Restaurants: 11 · ☕ Breakfast: 2 · 🌙 Evening out: 2

Paris on a grand scale: the Arc de Triomphe at the top of the famous avenue, with luxury shops, theatres and cafés along it. Nearby are the glass-roofed Grand Palais, the Petit Palais and the ornate Pont Alexandre III. It is a place to stroll rather than linger; the metro to Charles de Gaulle–Étoile is the easiest way in.

Sights: Arc de Triomphe, Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Grand Palais, Petit Palais, Jardin d'Acclimatation, Pont Alexandre III

🍽️ Restaurants: 10 · ☕ Breakfast: 1 · 🌙 Evening out: 4

A hilltop village feel in the north of Paris, with steep streets, steps, small squares and the white Sacré-Cœur at the top. Artists once worked here, and the Place du Tertre still has painters. Wear comfortable shoes, go early or at sunset to avoid the crowds, and take the funicular if the climb is too much.

Sights: Sacré-Cœur, Place du Tertre, Brasserie de la Goutte d'Or

🍽️ Restaurants: 11 · ☕ Breakfast: 2 · 🌙 Evening out: 7