🇫🇷 Paris
🇬🇧 LondonParis vs London: Which Should You Visit?
Europe's two biggest city-break destinations are just over two hours apart by train. Paris is more compact, beautiful at street level and centred on food, cafés and art. London is huge and varied, with many free museums, theatre and a big international food scene.
Both are expensive. London's free national museums help the budget; in Paris, eating well at lunch is good value.
Choose Paris if…
- Food and café life are your priority
- You want to walk between sights
- Romance is part of the plan
Choose London if…
- You want free world-class museums
- Theatre and live music matter
- You prefer English-speaking travel
At a glance
| Paris | London | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | 🇫🇷 France | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
| Population | 2.1 million | 8,900,000 |
| Climate | Oceanic | Oceanic |
| Best time to visit | April–October | May–September |
| Budget | €€€€ Expensive | €€€€ Expensive |
| Safety (our rating) | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Known for | Eiffel Tower, Fashion, Cuisine | Big Ben, Royal family, West End theatre |
📅 Best months for both:May, June, July, August, September
Where to go in Paris
Grand boulevards, world-famous museums and a café on every corner.
- The Louvre. Book a timed ticket and choose a few wings rather than trying to see it all.
- Musée d'Orsay. Impressionist masterpieces in a former railway station.
- The Eiffel Tower. Book the summit in advance, or enjoy it from Trocadéro or the Champ de Mars.
- Île de la Cité. Notre-Dame, reopened after restoration, and the stained glass of Sainte-Chapelle.
- Montmartre. Sacré-Cœur and the village streets on the hill.
🛏️ Where to stay
- Le Marais: Central, historic and full of shops and restaurants.
- Saint-Germain and the Latin Quarter: Classic Left Bank cafés and bookshops.
🍽️ What to eat
Bakeries, a bistro set lunch, cheese, crêpes and pastries.
Where to go in London
A huge, varied capital where many of the best museums are free.
- Free museums. The British Museum, National Gallery, Natural History Museum and Tate Modern.
- Tower of London. The Crown Jewels and nearly a thousand years of history.
- The South Bank. A riverside walk from Westminster to Tower Bridge.
- Westminster. Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament.
- The West End. Theatre, with discounted day tickets for many shows.
🛏️ Where to stay
- South Bank and Southwark: Riverside, central and close to Borough Market.
- Kensington: Near the big museums and Hyde Park.
🍽️ What to eat
Borough Market, a Sunday roast, curry, and food from every corner of the world.
Can you visit both?
The Eurostar runs from Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras. Allow time for check-in and passport control.
Journey times are approximate and vary by service. Check the operator before you book. Work out flying times with the flight calculator.
How we compare cities
The table uses the same data as our city guides: our budget and safety ratings, the climate and the months we recommend. The advice on what to see, where to stay and which city to choose is written by our editors. Prices, opening arrangements and timetables change, so check official sources for anything important. To compare any two cities of your choice side by side, use City vs City.