Iconic attractions in the iconic city Paris

My partner and I stayed in “Hotel Le Marquis by Inwood Hotels” in Paris for two nights to celebrate her birthday! The hotel is located very close by to the Eiffel Tower, providing beautiful views and meaning it was easily accessible by public transport and Uber. The hotel was small and quaint, with only three floors and very few rooms. Our hotel manager was very accommodating, chatty and bubbly. He provided us with a great personal service from start to finish! We had a lovely selection of bars and restaurants within a five minute walk too. All in all, the location was perfect.

I have put together a list of activities and sights that you have to visit during your stay in iconic Paris.  

La Nouvelle Eve Cabaret Show

On our first night, we experienced one of Paris’s most famous entertainment shows: a Moulin Rouge-esque cabaret show at La Nouvelle Eve within the city’s Pigalle district. This was like something we’d never experienced before, and was well worth the money. The venue was definitely one-of-a-kind with an intimate feel, lamp-lit tables and encircling the stage. The show provided an incredible range of entertainment including singers, dancers, acrobatics and even ventriloquism! We were kept fully on our toes and smiling from start to finish.

Seine River Dinner Cruise

On our second night we enjoyed a 1.5-hour long cruise sailing along the River Seine, with beautiful views of Paris’s most famous landmarks including the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay and more! We absolutely devoured a delicious three course fine dining meal aboard. We were treated to city views both from our table, and from the outside viewing area which provided fantastic opportunities for photos.

This was all for a great price of just €65 per person too.

Pont de Bir Hakeim

Towards the end of our final night we made a stop at Pont de Bir Hakeim, located about a 10-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower. This was the perfect location for photo opportunities with an Eiffel Tower background, as it lit up the city in the dark with its sparkling lights shimmering on the River Seine too. It’s no surprise that there were so many other people also taking full advantage of the opportunity, and capturing photos too. We even witnessed a proposal between a happy couple only yards away from us which was lovely to see, and of course the surrounding crowd all clapped and joined their celebrations!

Louvre Museum

We were actually surprised by the low entry fee for the beautiful museum (around €22 per person), and how quickly we got through the queues and into the facility. We were pleasantly surprised about how stress-free it was walking around the various parts of the museum! With it being one of the world’s most famous museums and home to “the world’s most famous painting”, we anticipated high queues, busy crowds through the museum, and altogether a slightly ‘full on’ experience – but we were incredibly surprised as it couldn’t have been easier.

There are so many interesting parts to the museum showcasing all sorts of history and art styles. We were even mesmerised by the hand-painted ceilings and completely recommend this iconic attraction. We then saw the main attraction… The Mona Lisa! This again was very accessible and easy to get a bucket-list look at, with little to no waiting time and fantastic photo opportunities. The museum is also home to a great café we ate in as we headed out and many lovely shops and boutiques.

Champs-Élysées

This is another must-do for any new visitors to Paris. This was a lovely way to spend a couple of hours in the daytime, as this world-famous avenue is well known for its theatres, cafés, but mostly for its luxury shops. Some of the most famous names in fashion and jewellery can be found on the Champs-Élysées including Cartier, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Bulgari and so many more. It’s absolutely well-worth a visit for guests either staying in Paris pre- or post- cruise, or even for those some time to spend in the city independently while their ship is docked in Paris mid-cruise.

To conclude

Logistically, Paris was on the whole very easy and accessible.

Our flight from Manchester landed in Charles de Gaulle Airport in little over an hour, and it was a breeze through the airport before making our way to the hotel by Uber costing around €70. While in the city, we made use of the underground transport system, again very easy and cost efficient, and more of the city’s Ubers to get around.