This year's Summer Olympics (Olympic 2024) will take place in Paris from July 26 to August 11. The world's largest sporting event, held every four years, returns to Paris after exactly 100 years.
I first came to Paris (France) in May 1997 on a business trip and this was also my first trip abroad. I was really overwhelmed by the beauty of the city with its old houses, tree-lined streets and historical architecture.
Later, when I had the opportunity to visit many other cities in the world, I still loved Paris the most, perhaps because of its architecture and romantic beauty.
It would take a whole week to explore this city. However, if you only have 2-3 days to visit the city, here is my suggested itinerary.
Day 1
The Louvre is the world’s largest museum, housing millions of works of art and antiquities. It attracts around 8.9 million visitors each year. You should book your tickets in advance (by time slot) to avoid queues.
I have been to this museum 3 times, the last time was in 2016 and did not have to wait in line even though I did not buy tickets in advance. Last year, my friends and I, who were visiting Paris for the first time, had to give up because we did not buy tickets in advance and the museum staff said it would take about 3 hours to wait in line.
The Louvre's most famous work of art is Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa painted in 1503.
It is the most famous, most viewed, most written about, most sung about, and most parodied work of art in the world. Unlike before, when you could freely approach and take pictures with this painting, now you will have to wait 10-15 minutes in line because of the large number of people wanting to see it.
After leaving the museum, you should take a walk in the Tuileries Gardens just ahead. In the 16th century, this was the site of the Tuileries Palace and its gardens. In the late 19th century, the palace burned down during the Paris Commune in 1871 and now only the gardens remain.
Today, this is the largest and most important garden in Paris. From morning to night, tens of thousands of residents and tourists stroll and relax in the rectangular garden with an area of 280,000m2.
From the Tuileries Gardens, you can walk to Notre Dame Cathedral, about 1km away. After a fire in 2019 that collapsed the spire and part of the roof of the 860-year-old Gothic structure, the cathedral has undergone extensive restoration and is expected to reopen in December this year.
The church is located next to the Latin Quarter, one of the most popular tourist destinations thanks to its hotels, restaurants, cafes and famous buildings. Lunch here is my choice every time I visit Paris.
In the Latin Quarter is the Pantheon, where historical figures and people who have made France famous are buried and honored.
Located near the Pantheon is the Luxembourg Gardens, an important garden in Paris, the second largest after the Tuileries Gardens. Built in 1612, the garden also includes the Luxembourg Palace (now the headquarters of the French Senate), the Luxembourg Museum and many other monuments and buildings. This is a favorite walking and meeting place for students in the Latin Quarter, Parisians and tourists.
Late afternoon is the best time to go up to Montmartre hill to watch the sunset. The hill is located at an altitude of 130m, where you can see the Sacré-Cœur church from which you can see the whole of Paris. The hill is considered the most romantic area of Paris and is home to many famous and lesser-known artists.
According to statistics, up to 4,285 artists, including big names such as Vincent van Gogh, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Pablo Picasso, lived in the Montmartre hill area during the 19th and 20th centuries.
The pretty tree-lined streets and small staircases are ideal for a stroll followed by dinner at one of the many restaurants ranging from casual to upscale in the area.
Day 2
Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris and also the highlight of the check-in of anyone coming to this city. You can easily see the tower from many places in the city. If you want to go up to see the city, you should buy tickets online in advance and should buy a skip the line ticket to save time.
The Eiffel Tower was completed in 1889 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, located in the Champ de Mars park.
From 1889 to 1930, the Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure in the world. About 7 million people climbed the Eiffel Tower each year, and about 300 million people have climbed the tower since it opened, making it the most visited paid tourist attraction in the world.
The best places to take photos of the Eiffel Tower are from the Bir-Hakeim bridge or from the Chaillot Palace on the hill in front of the tower. In addition, the two neighborhoods on the side of the tower are also popular with couples for wedding photos. All of these locations are just a few minutes' walk from the base of the tower.
After visiting and taking pictures of the Eiffel Tower, you can buy a ticket for a boat ride along the Seine River. You do not need to buy tickets in advance because there are many boats and many trips during the day. The pier is located near the Eiffel Tower. A boat ride takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes, allowing you to see all the famous architectural works of Paris along the romantic Seine River.
After a cruise along the Seine, you can walk to the Arc de Triomphe, one of the most famous structures in Paris, welcoming about 1 million tourists every year. Along with the Champs-Elysées, this is the place to hold festivals, events or celebrate sports victories, welcome the New Year... of the city of Paris.
Champs-Élysées is considered one of the most famous avenues in the world. Along both sides of the avenue are hotels, restaurants, cafes, cinemas and branded shops. Having lunch at one of the restaurants on this avenue is also one of my choices.
When talking about Paris, it is impossible not to mention the bridges across the Seine. There are 37 bridges across the Seine, but the most famous is the Pont Neuf. Although it means new bridge in French, this is the oldest bridge in Paris.
Completed in 1607, this was the city's first stone bridge. Before that, all bridges in Paris were made of wood.
Pont Alexandre III, located at the beginning of the Champs-Elysees, is one of the most beautiful bridges in Paris. Completed in 1900 along with the Petit Palais and the Grand Palais, Pont Alexandre-III was a gift from Russian Emperor Alexander III to France on the occasion of the International Exhibition in Paris that year.
The bridge connects the Grand Palais and the Invalides, an impressive complex of parks, museums and shrines that houses the tombs of heroes and emperors including Napoleon Bonaparte, the military leader and controversial emperor of France.
If you are a fan of branded shopping, Place Vendôme is a place not to be missed. Located between the Opéra Garnier and the Tuileries gardens, this is a quiet area and one of the most luxurious neighborhoods in Paris. The buildings around the square are all high-end hotels or luxury shops.
The most popular shopping place for any Vietnamese who comes to Paris is the Galeries Lafayette shopping center located near the Opera House. This is a large shopping center and is especially open every day of the week while other stores are closed on Sundays.
Today, the store receives more than 36 million visitors a year, or about 100,000 a day. In total, it is the largest and most important store in Europe by sales.
Paris receives about 47.6 million visitors a year, including 25.9 million international visitors, and summer is the busiest season. Hotel prices are expected to rise this summer due to the expected increase in visitors to Paris due to the Olympics. However, according to the booking site Hotels.com, about 30% of rooms are still available.
Hotels in central Paris are often small because they are located in buildings built hundreds of years ago and have limited height. In return, you can easily travel around and access the main tourist attractions in the city.
Getting around Paris: Public transport such as buses and metro are very convenient and reach all tourist attractions. You don't need to buy tickets, just swipe your credit card at the entrance and exit (for metro) and the system will automatically calculate the fare for you.
For bus tickets, you only need to swipe your credit card when you get on the bus because you only pay once for the whole route. With the points and schedules I suggested above, you can walk, so I also encourage everyone to walk to have more opportunities to experience and see this city.
Paris is probably the worst place in the world for pickpockets and thieves, so be careful when you go out. Don’t carry your passport or a lot of cash with you, and always wear your backpack in front of your chest in crowded places. Don’t talk to strangers to avoid being scammed.
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