Paris is the capital of France and one of the most demanded cities to travel for tourists from all over the world. Here you will find a complete tourist guide in Spanish with the essentials for your trip: accommodation, restaurants, neighborhoods, main tourist places and much more.
Below you have an index with all the points that we are going to deal with in this article.
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General Information
Paris, the capital of France, is the city with the largest number of inhabitants in the country. Crossed by the Seine river, has a privileged location in the north of France. Its oldest part is made up of two islands: Île Saint-Louis and the Ile de la Cité.
It is known by the nickname "City of Light" (in French, ville lumiere) due to its fame as a center of arts and education within the European continent, and also for having been one of the first to have extensive urban lighting.
All the tourism figures per year in Paris are consistently among the highest, along with major world capitals such as London o New York. The annual average of foreign visitors is 15,5 million.
The vast majority of tourists come from Europe, especially the United Kingdom, followed by Americans, Germans and Italians. On the other hand, Asians also choose Paris as their vacation destination, especially Japanese and Chinese tourists.
In addition, since September 2014 hotels in Paris have been charging a tourist tax of € 2 per person and night. It is intended to finance the city's metropolitan transport network.
Main neighborhoods
Paris is divided into a total of 20 municipal districts o districts. The number of each district is indicated with the last two digits of the postal codes of the city and they are usually written with Roman numerals, that is, from I to XX.
In surroundings We recommend visiting the Palace of Versailles, the Castle of Fontainebleu, the Mont Saint-Michel, the Castle of Cheverny or the small village of Trouville-sur-Mer.
However, there are a series of neighborhoods of special importance and interest for foreign tourists. These are:
Latin Quarter
Its name owes its origin to the Middle Ages, when it was the area where Latin was exclusively spoken. It is one of the main nightlife areas. Here are the Luxembourg Palace and Gardens and the popular bookstore Shakespeare and Company.
Montparnasse
Here are the famous Catacombs of Paris, the Montparnasse Cemetery and the Montparnasse Tower. It is a residential and commercial area above all. It is located on the left bank of the River Seine, specifically between Boulevard de Montparnasse and Boulevard Raspail.
It is an area known for its bars and cafes, as well as the high number of restaurants specializing in Breton food.
Montmartre
It is one of the most cultural neighborhoods in Paris, with the Sacre Heart and Moulin Rouge, among others, as the main tourist attractions.
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart is another of the key points that cannot be missed on your itinerary. In French call Basilica of the Sacred Heart, is one of the most important religious temples in France. It is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Its architecture is inspired by both Byzantine and Roman styles.
City Island
Here the official foundation of Paris as a city took place. This neighborhood is home to important attractions such as Notre Dame Cathedral, Le Conciergerie and Sainte Chapelle, as well as the main restaurants and cafes.
Trocadero
It is the place that houses the unmistakable Eiffel Tower and the Champ de Mars garden, from which you can take the best photos of the tower. It is the largest urban space in the city.
The Trocadero Gardens are one of the places most frequented by tourists. Its English style, composed of several species of trees (among them, beech and chestnut trees), in addition to the excellent views that can be enjoyed from them, make them an ideal place to stop and recharge.
Butte quail
If you want to know the most alternative and bohemian side of Paris, the Butte Aux Cailles neighborhood is full of street artists, young people of style hipster and, in general, a vintage air. The recommended streets are: Rue Daviel, Rue des Cinq Diamants and Place Paul Verlainn.
Gastronomy
In Paris, as the French capital, you can find a wide range of gastronomic products, both local and imported from each of its regions.
The main typical foods of France are:
- Duck Confit: duck meat mixed with garlic and salt. It is taken after having left it to rest in the refrigerator for 36 hours.
- Coq au vin: chicken accompanied by various vegetables, bay leaf and wine.
- Ratatouille: various vegetables fried and served on the same plate.
- Dumpling: semolina pasta mixed with milk, egg and flour, and accompanied by beef or poultry. It is served with bechamel sauce.
For lovers of cheese, France has an almost endless variety of cheeses: camembert, roquefort, brie, vieux boulogne ... These are just some of the most important, but without a doubt in Paris you can taste as many types as you want.
On the other hand, pastry is another of the specialties of the French cuisine. The Crepes They are probably the best known dessert internationally, but in the city of light you will also find other delicacies such as:
- macarons- Multi-color, multi-flavor cookies made with egg white, ground almond, and sugar.
- Tarte tatin: apple pie in which the pieces are caramelized with sugar and butter.
- Financiers: biscuits that are usually taken to accompany tea.
- Pain d'épices: It is a version similar to gingerbread in which a large amount of honey and spices are added, especially anise and ginger.
If you want to taste their typical breads or pastries, you should know that throughout the city there are more than 350.000 bakeries and pastry shops. The most famous are the ones mentioned below: laduree, famous for its macarons; Pierre Hermé o The Pàtisserie des Rèves, whose specialty is cakes Saint Honoré o Paris Brest.
Where to sleep
Finding accommodation in Paris is a simple task if you plan ahead. The options are varied, although in general it is recommended to stay in hotels. However, there are other options low cost highly recommended especially if you travel as a family.
The cheapest hotels are located around the Charles De Gaulle airport, located 25 km northeast of Paris. Most of them are very well connected to the center, either by metro or taxi. In this area, the room price is around 33 euros per night.
If what you are looking for is a more central area, the area of Elysian Fields It is highly recommended and has several hotels and aparthotels, both standard and luxury categories. In this area the prices are somewhat higher, with an average of € 45 / night in a double room.
Most of the hotels located in the center of Paris have a restaurant and cafeteria and are very well connected to the main tourist attractions of the city both by bus and metro. Breakfast and dinner are usually buffet style.
There are also several hostels that have very good opinions from users who have stayed there previously. Regent's Hostel, Perfect Hostel o The 3 Ducks are good examples of it. With an average price of about 23 euros per night, they are an ideal option for young people.
Where to eat
Paris is an ideal city for gastronomic tourism. However, you should bear in mind that there are three types of restaurants in the French capital depending on the type of food you want to taste:
- Brasseries: They serve meals not as elaborate as in restaurants. They are usually open 24 hours a day.
- Cafeterias: ideal for stopping off and having coffee, tea or a snack.
- Bistrot: they are small restaurants with a family atmosphere. They have a daily menu, which is written on a blackboard or poster at the entrance to the premises. The prices are cheaper (from € 11).
- Traditional restaurants: specialized in serving typical dishes of France, including traditional foods from other French regions. Prices are around € 25-50 on average.
The most popular brasseries are Lip, Tilsit y pente douce. The main advantage of each of them is that they are located in very central areas: the Saint Germain neighborhood, the Champs-Elysées and the area near the Church of the Sacred Heart.
As for traditional restaurants, in the Cordonnerie You will find very varied food and impeccable attention, with quite affordable prices (between 19 and 25 euros per person). In goumard They are specialists in Breton lobster and oysters with carpaccio if you like sea food.
Nightlife
The offer of fun and nightlife is one of the most varied in Europe and suits all tastes. The main pubs, cafes and discos are distributed between the most important neighborhoods.
In the neighborhood Saint Germain, specifically on Boulevard Saint Germain, you can find the most modern premises. It is a good occasion to mingle with the Parisians.
If what you are looking for are places for a younger audience, then we recommend moving between the Marais and Bastille, especially in the area of the rue de Roquette. At the Opera and Palais Royal, venues usually close in the wee hours of the morning.
The most chic area to go out is located on the Champs Elysées and the Trocadero, with VIP venues aimed at more select people.
On the other hand, in the Montmarte area you can find a more liberal and alternative atmosphere, with a wide range of shows from cabaret focused on an adult audience.
Getting around
There are many options available to move around the French capital. He metro It is usually the preferred option for both tourists and Parisians, since it is the fastest and most comfortable way. The hours are from 5:30 to 1:00 from Monday to Thursday, and until 2:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
As to bus, Paris has more than 60 daytime lines and another 40 at night. One of its main advantages is that you can see the urban landscape as we move to our destination. Many lines run through the old town or the quays of the Seine.
The bus schedule varies according to the line, although they generally run from 7:00 to 20:30. However, the main ones may be available until 00:30 hours. The night buses are called Noctilien and they operate from 00:30 to 7:00 in the morning.
Paris also has several tourist buses managed by several companies. One of the best known is Paris OpenTour, yellow and blue. The main advantage is that you can go up and down as many times as you want while the ticket is valid. The price for one day for adults is € 32 and for two days € 36.
Another highly recommended option is to move by bicycle. The Paris bike path covers 300 kilometers. You can enjoy the capital of France by traveling with a rented bicycle. Many rental companies offer the possibility of hiring a private guide.
RER (Reseau Express Regional) It is the name of the regional train network, which in many cases complements some metro routes through the city center. It is recommended to travel by RER to points such as Disneyland, Versailles or Charles De Gaulle airport.
Depending on the duration of your visit, you might be interested in getting a Paris Visite card, which allows unlimited use of public transport in Paris. It is available for periods of 1, 2, 3 or 5 days from a price of € 11,15 (varies by area).
What to see and do
If your stay in Paris is only going to be one weekend (2-3 days), the points that cannot be missed in your itinerary are those that are in the heart of the city and offer the opportunity to do historical tourism at the same time:
- Louvre
- Catacombs of Paris
- Moulin Rouge
- Eiffel Tower and Champ de Mars
- Arch of Triumph
- Elysian Fields
When the visit exceeds 4 days (trips of 5, 6 and 7 days), the range of possibilities expands and we will have more options to know not only the center, but the surroundings of the city. Versailles It is located almost 1 hour from Paris by RER and is one of the most recommended visits, especially in spring and summer.
For those families traveling with young children, Disneyland Paris It is the ideal place for all of you to make the most of the trip. The good thing is that it is located 30 km from Paris, so it is possible to combine urban tourism and enjoy this theme park if your trip is going to last at least a week.
Also known as "the city of love", Paris is an ideal destination for traveling as a couple. One of the key points is the famous padlocks bridge, known as the Bridge of the Arts or the Léopold Sédar Senghor Footbridge, in front of the D'Orsay Museum, where thousands of couples have already sealed their love. Taking a romantic boat trip on the River Seine is another possibility.
Fans of shopping can enjoy the impressive Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, the largest commercial area in the western world and the main commercial center in Europe. Most of the clientele it receives are Chinese tourists, followed by Americans and Japanese.
Good french taste or know-how It is one of the main characteristics of the products that can be found in this large commercial area. Luxury, especially in the perfumery and accessories departments, is what you will find. It is worth visiting at Christmas, when the lighting is turned on and a giant tree is planted in the center of the gallery, the height of which reaches up to the top floor.
Security
Several have been terrorist attacks that the French capital has suffered in the last century. One of the worst tragedies experienced by Parisians occurred at the Charlie Hebdo seminary offices on January 7, 2015.
Twelve people and eleven injured was the result of this massacre in which the attackers were identified as members of the terrorist group Al-Qaeda. After the catastrophe, people from all over the world joined the cause on social networks and other media with the phrase I am Charlie ("I am Charlie").
Another attack took place in November 2015, this time in the suburb of Saint-Denis, at the hands of several suicide bombers. The attacks were later claimed by the jihadist organization Islamic State.
All of this, in addition to the Nice attack on July 14, 2016 or the one that occurred in Belgium on March 22, 2016, have meant that the level of citizen security in Paris at the risk of another possible attack.
The highest level of the plan is currently in effect vigipirate of national security throughout the Île-de-France (Paris) region. This implies maximum protection and exceptional security measures in the main public places.
Therefore, you can continue traveling to Paris without any type of restriction and the situation that you will find in the city will be completely normal.
When to travel
As in most European countries, the best months to visit Paris are June, July and August. At this time of year the climate is more tolerable, with an average of 25 ° C and sunny days.
You should know that they are the most expensive months for being in high season, as well as the times of the year where the highest concentration of tourists and, therefore, there will be more queues at the main tourist attractions. For this reason, we recommend reserving tickets to the Catacombs or the Eiffel Tower at least one month in advance.
However, if you prefer to enjoy its different tourist attractions without stress or large crowds, then autumn and spring are the ideal seasons, especially in October-November and April-May.
If you are going to visit Paris in ChristmasHere are some useful tips to make your trip a success:
- Look for a promotional flight + hotel package in advance; in this way the flight could be cheaper.
- There are tours to see the Christmas lights in the main streets of Paris. It is a very good option to avoid large crowds at peak times.
- You can eat cheaply in one of the Christmas markets outdoors that run along the Champs Elysees.
- If you decide to ice skating and you go with children, look for one of the tracks where free access is allowed for the little ones.
- Do not forget that many restaurants are closed on both December 25 and January 1 (New Year), so book in plenty of time if you don't want to run out of plan.
For its part, traveling in summer It has the advantage that you can walk and walk to get from one point to another in the city without spending money on transport, which will help you reduce the budget for your trip.
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