A Weekend in Paris – What to Do

Book a spontaneous trip with your best friend, they said.  It’ll be fun, they said.  And they were so right!  My best friend and I decided to book a last minute weekend trip to Paris and it was by far one of the best weekends (but not the cheapest) of my 2022.  If you want to know the best places in Paris to visit and how in a short space of time… read on.

First and foremost, the Eiffel tower is the must do in Paris.  Sitting in front of the Eiffel Tower at 9:55pm waiting for the first sparkle at 10pm, with a crepe and my best friend has got to be one of my top core memories and one that everyone needs to experience at least once.  In my brutal opinion, the Eiffel tower looks a lot prettier in the evenings as the lights hide the scaffolding and nets that almost always cover at least one small part of the tower.  Rest assured, it still doesn’t take away the magic in the daytime but it’s something to know in advance to not ruin your expectations.  In regards to climbing the tower, the view is worth every penny and I would say every step too but we paid the extra 10 euros to take the lift.  In our defence, we went up on our last day so our legs had been through a lot that weekend!!

After spending a day walking through the towns and past the Eiffel tower countless times, it left us with only another 2 full days of exploring left and a lot of Paris to see.  We decided the fastest way to see it all was on a hop on hop off bus tour, probably the best 40euros we spent all weekend and it definitely goes to the top of my ‘what to do list’.  We were able to see the Louvre, Arch de Triamph, River Seine and the most gorgeous Paris streets, all in one day.  Although we didn’t go into the Louvre, mostly due to the size of the queue, I have only heard great things about it and know that for museum lovers out there it is a must see. 

Within the square by the Louvre, there’s a beautiful park, an arch that can be  (and was) easily confused with the Arch de Triomphe and a fair ground with a miniature Ferris wheel that is perfect for seeing the whole of Paris from above.  The final stop on the bus tour was the Arch de Triomphe, an incredible structure in the middle of possibly the craziest roundabout but a great spot for some lunch, a great photo and a history lesson too!

The last thing on my ‘what to do list’ would be a Dinner on the Seine.  There are plenty of boat companies surrounding the river that give you a 3 course lunch/dinner while you sail around the Seine passing beautiful landscapes and structures including the Eiffel Tower of course.  Did someone say dinner with a view?!  

Food and Drinks in Paris are some of the most expensive in Europe so finding restaurants that suit your budget can be a challenge but walking the streets of Paris costs nothing so take your time and enjoy every second.  I have another blog with some tips on exploring Paris on a budget… check it out.

Au Revoir!