Imagine it: You’re looking up at the Eiffel tower sparkling in the night with your partner sitting next to you. Or maybe you’re sitting at a prestigious wine bar having a drink together. Or spending all day together exploring the city. With this guide, couples can find the best things to do in Paris based off of what they like to do together.

Because there are literally dozens and dozens of things to do in Paris. You could spend days reading guides and itineraries and still not be able to narrow it down to what you want to do while in the city. But the good news? During our honeymoon in 2018, my husband David and I were able to narrow it down to the top romantic things to do in Paris. During our trip, we narrowed it down between the good and the bad, and we figured out exactly what all couples should do while in Paris, based on what you enjoy the most. So, in this post, we will help you break it down, with the right amount of romantic activities to fill a quick weekend or a week-long trip.

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Things to do in Paris For Foodie Couples

Couples who like to eat or drink (or both!) have it made in Paris. You could spend days eating and drinking in Paris and not experience it all. But the good news is you don’t have to spend days to find some of the best romantic food & drink things to do in Paris because I’ve rounded them up for you below.

1. Eat a Romantic Meal Just the Two of You

Contrary to popular opinion, vacations can actually be exhausting.  You’re running around the city, trying to see it all and take it all in. Even when it’s just the two of you, you often forget to take time to enjoy each other in a new city. And that’s why one of my favorite romantic things to do in Paris is to grab a really long romantic meal just the two of you. Parisians typically enjoy nice, long meals and can often be sitting down to dinner for 2-3 hours at a time. And that’s why this is a perfect romantic activity. Whether you spend the time talking about your vacation and what you want to do next, or just completely relax, taking the time as the two of you over a nice, long meal is a great way for you to connect with each other during your trip.

The good news is that most places that you are going to eat will be delicious. During our time in Paris, we ate at some places we researched beforehand, while also just stopping in anywhere we passed by. Nothing was bad – seriously. We were always able to get a really great meal. However, if you are looking to plan ahead, we have recommended the restaurant Le Coupe Chou in the Latin Quarter to almost everyone we have known that has gone to Paris since we went. And our friends and family have always come back with rave reviews!

One thing to note before you go to Paris is that most of the meals in France are served prix fixe, even during lunch. This means that there are typically limited menus at many restaurants, consisting of a few courses – usually an appetizer or soup or salad, then an entrée, and potentially a drink or half a bottle of wine. So, if you’re ducking into a restaurant, especially at lunchtime, make sure to ask to see the menu before sitting down so that you can make sure that there is something on the menu you want to eat!  

2. Have a picnic (or a drink) near the Eiffel Tower

Seeing the Eiffel Tower is a must-do – and I could probably put a bet down that you had that on your list before you even read this post. And I highly recommend that you take an elevator ride to the top. It’s more than iron up there – the Eiffel tower has a coffee shop, a bar, a restaurant and a gift shop – so there’s plenty to explore, and it’s more than the view. However, after you explore the Iron Lady, head down for the best part of the night – the Eiffel Tower sparkling in the night sky. This happens once an hour on the hour, so it’s best to find a place to sit and watch.

One of the most romantic things to do in Paris, especially for foodies, can be to grab a picnic at a nearby grocery store or boulangerie and set up in the garden in front of the Eiffel Tower to watch the light show called “Champ de Mars.” Technically, alcohol is not allowed in this area, but it’s Europe, and they can be very lax about this – as long as you’re not acting disorderly, they will let you have a drink and enjoy your food here for as long as you want. Grab a blanket, make a meal of some meats and cheese, and have a bottle of wine while taking it all in. You’ll find that setting up in front of the Eiffel Tower, you’ll be around a lot of people – so take some time to either people watch or make some new friends while you’re there!

Another option is to find a nearby restaurant or bar to sit and watch the tower. When we visited, David and I walked along the Seine and ended up finding a pop-up bar right along the river. We grabbed our fair share of beers and sat and watched the Eiffel Tower and talked for hours. It was extremely romantic and one of our favorite things to do in Paris to date. So, no matter what you’re comfortable with, make sure to take some time to take in the sparkling tower, just the two of you.

3. Take a Wine Tasting Class

When David and I talked about the things we wanted to do in Paris, we found that we really wanted to learn more about French wine. We weren’t sure how to do that though, so I took to the internet. And what did I find? That there were a number of places in the city that offered French wine classes! And I highly recommend doing one. It’s fun, interactive and, hey, you get to learn more about French wine.

But I think I found one of the best classes in the city. Honestly, I have to recommend taking a class at O Chateau over any other wine tasting in the city. Why? Because when we visited, we had an absolute blast. We had a sommelier that was as funny as he was knowledgeable, we drank wine to our heart’s content, and we honestly learned so much. (Did you know that the French think Bordeaux is the most over-rated wine? Not to spoil it for you, but we learned that one of the favorites is called Châteauneuf-du-Pape – look it up next time you’re in a wine store!)

We also found that when we talked to other participants that it was typically for people to take a class there every time that they visited Paris – there were many repeat visitors in our class with us. And the best part? We were ushered down to a private wine cave where it was only the people who had signed up for the class! It was really unique. And afterwards, we headed back up to O Chateau’s restaurant, and the sommelier came up and continued to talk with us, recommend wine and food to pair with it, etc. We still talk about it to this day as our favorite experience in Paris and it was so much fun to experience it together.

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Things to do in Paris For Adventurous Couples

Paris may only seem like the city of love, destinated to be a place that you can roam without any excitement or audacious things to do. Au contraire, mon ami! There are plenty of things to do in Paris that can bring your adventurous side out. You can read more about the best ideas below.

4. Explore some Museums

Like any big city, Paris is full of museums. You could spend weeks exploring and not see everything that Paris’ museums have to offer. So, if you’re into museums – find one that catches your fancy and spend an afternoon with your partner exploring! There’s nothing more romantic than spending time and sharing your interests with each other.

But, if you’re like David and me, when you explore, you may not 100% be interested in history – and that’s OK! (Side note: when we went to Dublin, we also tried to do as many non-history things as we could – and we still had a wonderful time.) But I honestly think there is some merit to popping into a few museums here and there throughout the city, even if you’re not seeking to learn a lot about history. As long as you’re on the same page and you want to do the same amount of exploring together. For example, David and I are not art people. It’s not that we don’t appreciate it, it’s just that we don’t necessarily understand it. Maybe someday we will. But even us art neophytes knew that we had to go to the Louvre and the Museé de Orsay.

Rather than waste our precious vacation time viewing art that we didn’t care about; instead, we made a game plan – especially for the Orsay (we went through the Louvre as part of our all-day tour – see more below). We grabbed our Rick Steves’ guidebook, figured out what we wanted to see before we entered, saw it together, and then got out. And while I don’t mean anything against art or the museum, we still feel accomplished about it to this day – and we had so much fun exploring together.

5. Take an All-Day Tour

When you think of romance, you may not think of walking around a city in a group being the most romantic things to do in Paris. But if there is one thing that you need to take away from this list it’s this: spending time doing things together can be the most romantic of them all.

And that’s why I also really recommend taking an all-day tour of Paris. It’s a great way to take the planning out of your trip while also making sure that you see the majority of the city. When we took an all-day Paris tour, it got rid of a majority of the planning in the city. Our tour (we took an all-day Paris tour through our favorite tour company, Walks of Italy) made sure that we were at the “front-of-the-line” for most attractions – including the Louvre, Sacré Coeur, and the Eiffel Tower.

Therefore, this meant that we didn’t have to book anything but the tour itself. And during the tour, there were plenty of opportunities for just us to be together. We stopped and had chances to break off from the small group multiple times during the day – ranging from breakfast to a coffee shop to lunch and then having the afternoon to tour the Eiffel Tower and the Seine on our own.

What I really loved about taking an all-day tour was that it meant that we could ask questions and explore the items that really were important to us as we walked through the city. For example, as we went through the Louvre, we were able to direct our guide to the art we were most interested in, and we were able to ask questions about different neighborhoods in Paris as we walked through them. And the best part? Taking in most of the city in one day means that you can have the rest of the trip to explore just the two of you.

6. Explore Paris’ Catacombs

Kind of like Disney World (except, not really), there is a whole other “world” below Paris. Under the streets of Paris are tunnels lined with human bones. It’s estimated that over six million people are buried down here, and, in order to attract visitors, the bones are arranged in interesting patterns as well as interesting sculptures and statues. Now visitors can walk through these bones and take in what is one of the biggest burial grounds in all of Europe. This attraction is an extremely popular attraction and is meant for those who not only want to learn about the macabre fate of these bones but also see the catacombs underneath the city.

A few tips if you plan to adventure down this path: waiting times are usually extremely long for this attraction. This means that if you plan to go down into the catacombs, then you need to do so extremely early – make sure to get there before their opening time (which is usually around 10 a.m., but check their website for your specific dates)

It’s recommended to get here at least an hour before opening if you want to get in at a reasonable time. However, if you want to purchase tickets ahead of time and you don’t want to wait, you can purchase tickets ahead of time, but this will tie you to a specific time that you have to visit during your trip. Additionally, there are tours who include the catacombs in their admission (such as this one from our favorite Walks of Italy) to help alleviate your waiting time. If you’re really interested in history, these sorts of tours usually explain the exact reasoning behind why the catacombs were created and what led to their rise in popularity.

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Things to do in Paris For Couples Who Want to Relax

Sometimes a vacation is just that: a time where you want to be leisurely, no matter where you are in the world. Unlike many other European cities, the hustle-and-bustle of Paris is easy to get past – there are multiple ways to sit back and relax throughout Paris and really enjoy your time in the city. Here are some of my favorites below:

7. Sit Outside a Café and Enjoy a Meal or Drink Together

One of the most romantic things to do in Paris is to sit on the sidewalk and take in Paris together. Outdoor cafés are a Parisian staple – you can’t turn a corner without seeing one, which is exactly why it is romantic. Find a corner of Paris that you love – maybe next to a monument, near a street musician or just in a quiet neighborhood in the city – and spend time just the two of you.

One of our favorite nights in Paris was when we did nothing – we just explored and took it all in. And afterward, we sat out front of the Notre Dame, had multiple bottles of wine, and paired it with the restaurant’s complimentary potato chips. It ended up being the perfect night – we were able to bask in the glow of the Notre Dame while listening to people speaking French and exploring the city all around us. Because we didn’t need to do anything or go anywhere, it was so much fun to take Paris in while enjoying each other’s company. We had a beautiful night and I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a quiet, relaxing night in Paris.

8. Take in Montmartre (and maybe buy some art!)

Montmartre is a neighborhood in Paris, hidden behind the Saecré-Coeur. When I was doing our research about things to do in Paris before we went, I didn’t read much about Montmarte before we went to Paris and I was surprised at how much there was to do in this one little neighborhood alone. (If you want to learn more, one of my favorite guides for Montmartre is this one from Happy to Wander!)

Montmarte is almost a trip of its own. In this one neighborhood alone, there are classic bars that hosted famous painters and writers, street musicians, crepes, world-famous macarons, and plenty of places to eat and drink. It’s an area that is bustling with Parisian culture and history. Keep wandering past the main square and you’ll see many famous sights, including the famous Moulin de la Galette, to the Moulin Rouge.

Additionally, Montmarte is absolutely filled with street artists – the streets are lined with artists who are selling a wide variety of paintings and statues, especially in Montmartre’s main square called Place du Tertre. And it’s a great place to buy art because in order to be featured in this square, you have to prove your artistry – and then often be on a waitlist for years until you’re included. This means that these artists are the real-deal – if you’re looking to take home a souvenir from your time in Paris, here is a great place to find something unique. Painting prices can be a large range, from €25 to €100. Before buying, look at ALL of the artist’s art, especially if you are having something custom made, to make sure they match your style.

TIP: If you’re looking to buy a painting in Montmartre, but don’t want an expensive price tag, walk down the hill and browse. We ended up finding two beautiful paintings of Paris just outside of the main square for €70 each. They are amazing quality and are still in our living room today as a reminder of our time in Paris!

9. Shop in a French Market Together (And Maybe Cook Some Dinner)

Like many other cities, Paris is filled with a wide variety of markets where you can sample and purchase a wide variety of foods. You almost can’t turn a corner without finding a market in Paris. There are grocery stores, gourmet stores, wine stores, corner stores, and everything in between. I always find that exploring a market is one of the great ways to learn more about a city – you can see what others are buying, sample some of the local foods, and try to make some of your own.

If you’re looking for a truly romantic, but relaxing, night in Paris, you can spend a few hours browsing markets, learning about the different foods that are popular, and buying wines that match. You can then turn it into an even more romantic night by heading back to your hotel or AirBnB and making a dinner just the two of you. You can create a very authentic Parisian-experience by enjoying food, drinking local wine and really acting like you’re a local for the night. It’s a great way to relax and have a romantic night, just the two of you, without the price tag or the hassle of a a big restaurant dinner.

10. Take a Boat Ride Down the Seine

Whether you do it on your first night in the city or your last (or anywhere in between), a ride down the Seine is the perfect way to take in the city, while also relaxing. The rides down the river can be relaxing – but a great way to view the landmarks of Paris. The best time to go is at twilight, where the city really lights up (and you might also get a view of the Eiffel Tower when it does its top-of-the-hour sparkling).

A boat ride down the Seine can be relaxing for more reasons than just taking in the city. For example, some boat rides include dinner, others have drinks onboard and still more include a wide-variety of other options – from singing to live music to dancing while you sail down the river. I always highly recommend Viator for any tour that you may be looking for – I have never had a bad experience with them. They have dozens of different Seine tours that you can take, ranging from a wide variety of times of day. It’s a great way to fit a ride across the Seine, no matter when or where you want to sail.

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Looking for more romantic trips? What about other things to do around Europe? Check out some of our other posts below:

• 45 Vacation Ideas for Couples – The Ultimate Bucket List
• 10 Things to do in Dublin that Aren’t Museums
• The Insider’s Guide to the Ultimate Oktoberfest Experience

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Any Questions?

I hope that you have some ideas of romantic things to do in Paris to add to your travel list! Do you have any questions, or if you want any further recommendations, feel free to ask away in the comments and I will get back to you ASAP!

Want to see more of our trip to Paris? Take a look at my Instagram stories. Have you been to the city of lights? What did you find were the most romantic things to do in Paris? Do you want to go to Paris? What is on your list? Make sure to comment below.

And don’t forget to save this list of the most romantic things to do in Paris via the images below.