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I worked as a tour guide in Paris. Here are the 5 biggest mistakes I saw tourists make.

October 28, 20240
People travel from all over the world to see the Eiffel Tower.

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Although seeing the Eiffel Tower is a major reason people travel to Paris, staying near this famous landmark can be pricey.

Instead, I recommend staying in the east part of the city, which has a more relaxed vibe but still has lots of restaurant and bar options.

Tourists are missing out by only dining at the most Instagrammable spots.
I’ve found that many tourists are a little disappointed by the view from the top of the Eiffel Tower.

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I’ve probably spent months of my life climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower every day with groups of tourists. The problem? We would spend what felt like forever waiting to get up there, and I could feel their disappointment when they arrived.

They’d look out across the city, and the view wouldn’t mean much to them because you can’t see Paris’ most iconic landmark if you’re standing on top of it. Sometimes, you can’t even see very far out if there’s morning fog or rain.

Instead, I recommend climbing the Montparnasse Tower or going to the rooftop café at Printemps department store to look out across the city.

For a special treat, I always tell tourists to get to a viewpoint at night, when the Eiffel Tower sparkles for five minutes at the top of each hour.

Not saying hello to the locals can be seen as rude.
I like to remind tourists to allow themselves to be on vacation.

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I’ve seen so many tourists compete over who can do the most during their time in Paris. But I often have to remind people that the Olympics are over and seeing the city isn’t an endurance event.

I always tell visitors to allow themselves to be on vacation. After all, nothing is more Parisian than reading a book in a park or enjoying a calm drink on a terrace.