Are guided tours in Paris worth it?

The museums and monuments of Paris are known throughout the world! The Louvre, the Palace of Versailles, the Eiffel Tower... all have their own story, secrets, and fascinating anecdotes that only an expert can unveil to you in the course of a guided tour.



People Also Ask

There are other great advantages for why an Eiffel Tower tour is worth it. You probably know how hard it can be to get tickets on your own, or decide which tickets you want. With a guided tour, your access is guaranteed and you can skip the long admission lines. Plus you might even combine a river cruise!

MORE DETAILS

Should you get skip-the-line tickets for the most popular Paris attractions? Yes. With well over 20 million tourists coming to the City of Lights to see its famous attractions each year, ticket lines get long - very, very, long. Don't waste your time in Paris by standing in ticket lines when you don't have to.

MORE DETAILS

The best way to get around Paris is on foot and by metro. The elegant arrondissements are practically made for pedestrians. Still, Paris is very big, so you should take the efficient metro to travel long distances.

MORE DETAILS

A guide can take you to places that you would never know about. Even if you spend hours searching the Internet or reading guide books, you will never really know the lesser-known places of interest. A good guide can tell you all the best places frequented by the locals and how to experience your trip as a true insider.

MORE DETAILS

It's easily one of the best ways to maximize the experiences at the heart of your trip: gaining some understanding of a different culture, discovering what's fascinating about a destination's sights, and maybe finding a personal connection with a person or people who might otherwise seem foreign.

MORE DETAILS

The Louvre palace is huge, with over 400 rooms and 35,000 artworks! It's impossible to see everything in one day. If you only have an hour or two, we recommend visiting the Denon wing, which houses some of the most famous masterpieces (Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, The Raft of the Medusa, and more).

MORE DETAILS

Is it worth going up the Arc de Triomphe? It depends. If you want a bird's-eye view of one of the city's most celebrated streets, it's amazing for photos and a lovely panorama of Paris. But if you're short on time — say, you have less than hour in the area — even a short walk around the base is fun.

MORE DETAILS

The peak experience is halfway down. By all means, go to the top if you have the time (skip it if your schedule's tight). But I prefer to linger on the second floor: For me, the best views are from this middle level — high enough to see all of Paris, but low enough to pick out distinguishing landmarks.

MORE DETAILS

Climbing the Eiffel Tower steps should be your go-to option if you want to skip the line at the Eiffel Tower. Though it seems like a daunting task, you'll have complete freedom over your ascend, something that the lift does not offer.

MORE DETAILS

Most etiquette experts suggest a tip of 10-20% of the cost of a tour for outdoor guides like ours. A typical gratuity on a full-day tour is $20-$40 per person, and on a half-day trip, $15-$20 per guest. Exceptional service often earns more: Did they go out of their way to show you something you're interested in?

MORE DETAILS

Although the names are practically interchangeable, a tourist guide suggests that the tour in question will include foreign visitors, whereas a tour guide just takes anyone on a tour, regardless of whether they are tourists or not.

MORE DETAILS

Tour guides should never touch a guest — unless it's offering a hand for an awkward step or helping with gear related to the tour. Show interest in where they're from: The number one way to engage with guests is to ask them questions.

MORE DETAILS

Paris is a very walkable city. Not only will you work off some of the calories from those meals you've eaten, you'll also see a lot of wonderful things you can't spot from the Metro or a car!

MORE DETAILS

Tips to Getting Around Paris Google maps on your phone or a paper map from your hotel will lead you around the city to wherever you need to go. Take time to put down the map and get lost. A metro line is always nearby to get you back to your starting point. Explore the city on foot and see what you discover.

MORE DETAILS

Paris is very well laid out for both walking and public transportation. You can also get around with a rental car. I used the tube quite a lot. Some of the tourist attractions have a long line.

MORE DETAILS