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Rick Steves Gave Me a Personal Tour of Paris — Here’s How You Can Get One, Too

This informative guided tour of Paris might just be Rick Steves Europe's best-kept secret.

Kelsey Fowler

As someone who doesn’t mind spending time alone on vacations, I find some of my favorite travel memories include walking around a city or exploring a museum on my own. On a recent trip to Paris, I wanted to experience the history and atmosphere more than the last time I had set foot in the City of Light, when I was focused on checking off the “must see” tourist attractions.

So, driven by the mindset of traversing the city more as a traveler and not a tourist this time around, I decided that, rather than hiring an expensive personal guide, or hopping along on a packed group walking tour, I would turn to one of the most trusted guides in European travel: Rick Steves . Steves is a renowned travel writer, synonymous with European travel and his philosophy of embracing local culture while abroad. The Rick Steves guidebooks are hugely popular — in fact, I picked up the pocket version of the Rick Steves Paris book specifically for this trip.

While I couldn’t book Steves to guide me personally through Paris, I did have the next-best-thing : his audio tour. As I set out to explore the Left Bank, I had the convenience — and added company — of hearing Steves directly in my ear as I started my walk. Great audio guides allow the listener to explore cities at their own pace without needing to map out an itinerary in advance. Simply download the audio tour, head to the first landmark, and hit play.

Steves spent a lot of his 2022 travels talking to himself, carefully noting updates and changes for his 60 self-guided audio tours. In April 2023, Rick Steves Europe republished updated versions of these tours , with guides in Athens, London, Salzburg, Paris, and more. The walking tours are excerpted from Rick Steves guidebooks, and the free Rick Steves Audio Europe app includes bonus features like a companion map, tips, and the full script of each tour.

I opted for the Historic Paris Walk audio tour , as it covered a lot of the neighborhood near my hotel . The tour is advertised as a three-mile journey, and Steves recommends two hours for walking, and another two hours if you choose to go inside the sights.

Zachary Scott/New York Times Magazine/Courtesy of Rick Steves' Europe

Starting out at Notre-Dame de Paris, I was instantly immersed in the story of Paris that Steves tells, building on the history of the city and religion that led to the construction of the cathedral. Even though the Gothic landmark is still undergoing repairs from the 2019 fire, I was able to listen to a good portion of the tour anyway, as Steves hits on a lot of the history and architecture on the outside.

One of the great things about the audio tour is each chapter of the narration has a separate title and picture, making it easy to navigate forward or backward in the audio to find the right location. Walking through the center of the city, I enjoyed having Steves as a companion, bringing me from spot to spot with enough insight to keep even my jet-lagged self interested. His style of narration is friendly and informative. 

The tour also includes verbalized step-by-step directions, so, if you have a good sense of direction, you can easily follow the turns and head to the next landmark or street without missing a beat. (I did have to pause once or twice to look around and make sure I was headed in the right direction.) But it’s easiest to follow the tour in the order Steves has laid out, as I completed almost a full loop around Île de la Cité, from Notre-Dame, to Pont Neuf, the Left Bank, the Latin Quarter, and Place Saint-Michel.

Of course, when I got to the famous bookstore Shakespeare and Company , I had to pause the guide to go inside. And that wasn't the only time I deviated from the tour: when I reached Sainte-Chapelle, I decided to skip that section as well. Because of Notre-Dame’s closing, this nearby church is even more popular now, and the line was too long for me to wait that day. In the updated tour found in the Rick Steves Audio Europe app, Steves does point out this is the one place to get an advance ticket for.

But as I walked through Paris, it truly felt like I had a personal guide with me. I didn’t feel like a tourist at all — I never had to pull out a map or a guidebook, and it made me appreciate walking through the city while learning its history.

The next day, I went to the Musée d’Orsay , one of Paris’s most popular museums, perhaps best-known for its extensive Impressionist collection with works by Van Gogh and Monet, among many others. Here, I pulled out my pocket-sized Rick Steves Paris guidebook (and quietly read it aloud to a friend as we walked the vibrant maze of Manets and Picassos). Steves also has an audio tour of the museum, and others, like the Louvre, if you’re more inclined to listen rather than read. 

If you — like me — are not an art student, but still want to appreciate these masterful works, Steves’s guides are helpful in pointing out which works are important to stop at, and what to look for once you’re there. I loved hearing more about the art world throughout history in Paris, and Steves is able to compare and contrast differing styles and movement, and build on that knowledge as you progress in time throughout the museum.

The Steves guides allowed me to explore landmarks and places I wouldn’t have otherwise known about, and get a great understanding of the city without any language barrier. Plus, self-guided tours offer flexibility and independence, while still offering a rewarding and informative experience. 

The Rick Steves audio guides are all completely free. Interested travelers can install the Rick Steves Audio Europe app to download the latest versions of the tours.

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Best of Paris in 7 Days Tour

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• Visits to a pair of the world's most significant medieval Gothic churches
• Enjoy guided neighborhood walks through the city's historic heart
• See the world's greatest collection of Impressionist art - almost next door - at the Orsay Museum
• Enjoy a farewell feast together, sharing travel memories

What's this trip about?

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Travel themes.

• Hiking & Walking
• Small Ship Cruise

Destinations

Attractions.

• Louvre Museum
• Historic sightseeing
• River cruise
• Wine Tasting

Trip includes

• A small, friendly group of 24–28 people — half the size of most tour groups
• Full-time services of a professional Rick Steves guide and local experts who will make the fascinating history, art, and culture of Paris come alive for you
• All tours and admissions — at no extra cost — covering at least 13 group sightseeing events, 7-day Métro subway and bus transportation pass, Paris bus orientation tour, 6-day Paris Museum Pass, allowing free admission throughout the city, Seine River cruise, Louvre Museum tour, Orangerie Museum tour, Orsay and Cluny Museum introductions, Montmartre walking tour, Historic Paris walking tour, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Sainte-Chapelle, Marais walking tour, Versailles tour… and more
• All group transportation during the week in and around Paris
• 6 nights' accommodations in a memorable, centrally located hotel
• All breakfasts and half your dinners
• All tips for guides and driver
• Rick Steves Travel Store credit to use toward guidebooks for your trip
• Guaranteed tour price, locked in the moment you make your deposit
• Optional single supplements — this tour has a limited number of private rooms for solo travelers for an additional fee
• Tour alum discount of $50 for each tour you've taken prior to 2017
• 50% discount on a consulting appointment with our in-house experts to assist with your pre- or post-tour travel plans
• Flexibility should you need to transfer, or cancel/interrupt your tour
• Fine print: You are responsible for the cost of your drinks and free-time sightseeing

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We'll gather at our hotel in Paris at 3 p.m. for a short meeting and orientation stroll around our neighborhood, followed by a panoramic tour of the City of Light aboard a private bus. Then we'll get acquainted with one another over a delicious "Welcome to Paris" dinner together. Sleep in Paris (6 nights). Bus: 2 hrs. Walking: light.

Breakfast is provided, but there are no group activities today. It's a breeze to reach Paris' airports by taxi, shuttle, or public transportation. Your guide will help you with any post-tour planning, leaving you well prepared for the road ahead. Merci et au revoir!

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Dates & Availability

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Rick Steves .

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Rick Steves Reviews & Ratings

This was my first rick steves tour. the hotel was comfortable . . i was underwhelmed..

First, I’m an experienced traveler. I found the group tours to be sluggish and slow and larger than I like, about 25 people. One woman disappeared, not bothering to...

MontvaleTom

Great Tour of Paris

My family and I took the seven day Paris tour run by Rick Steves and had a great time. Excellent guide and perfect mix of scheduled events and free time. The special...

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This is about the store not the tours.

We purchased two backpacks from Rick Steves Europe. One of them arrived damaged and unusable. Their website says that you must contact them if you receive damaged me...

A Perfect 10

Sicily is Pure Eye Candy :: Will Leave You Wanting More :: Seamless Way To Travel The Island

A perfect "10" for the Rick Steves' Best of Sicily 11-Day Tour. My 1st tour with any company. This was a perfect combination of scheduled time and free time .. with ...

Longtime Travelers

Terrible Covid Experience

We are in Ireland now, traveling with Rick Steves Tours and a group of 27. Two days ago a member of the group tested positive for Covid, and we had all been exposed....

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Tour operator, rick steves.

Our mission is to inspire, inform and equip Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable and culturally broadening. We value travel as a powerful way to better understand and contribute to the world in which we live. We strive to keep our own travel style, our world outlook and our business practices consistent with these values.

About Rick Steves

Guidebook author and travel TV host Rick Steves is America's most respected authority on European travel. Rick took his first trip to Europe in 1969, visiting piano factories with his father, a piano importer. As an 18-year-old, Rick began traveling on his own, funding his trips by teaching piano lessons. In 1976, he started his business, Rick Steves' Europe, which has grown from a one-man operation to a company with a staff of 80 full-time, well-travelled employees at his headquarters in Washington state. There he produces more than 50 guidebooks on European travel, America's most popular travel series on public television, a weekly hour-long national public radio show, a weekly syndicated column, and free travel information available through his travel center and website. Rick Steves' Europe also runs a successful European tour program. Rick Steves lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington. His office window overlooks his old junior high school.

--We research and write European guidebooks, produce a public television series and a public radio show

--We organize and lead energetic tours throughout Europe

--We sell select travel bags, guidebooks, maps, DVDs, and other travelers' supplies

--We offer travel consulting and trip planning services

--We teach do-it-yourself travel seminars

--We provide a wealth of free information about travel in Europe via our Travel Center and Website

--We travel a lot

What we don't do

--We are not travel agents, so we don't book flights, hotels, or rental cars

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Your tour deposit is 100% refundable for 30 days from the date it is received, unless noted otherwise below. After 30 days your deposit becomes nonrefundable, and will be forfeited should you decide to cancel your reservation. Deposits made 60–90 days before a tour departs become nonrefundable on the final payment due date. If you book a tour less than 60 days before its departure date, the entire tour cost becomes non-refundable after 7 days

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To Celebrate Our Pocket Guides, I’m Sharing Some Tips on Rome, Paris, and London

My publisher tells us that our new Pocket Guides to London, Paris, and Rome are doing great–not cannibalizing sales of our full-size guidebooks to those cities but getting in on the thriving market for smaller, more colorful, and more portable “best of” and “top ten” guidebooks. To celebrate their success, here’s a fun Q&A for people anticipating trips to my three favorite big cities in Europe:

Best photo op in each city? Rome: The old ladies on their folding chairs as they hang out in the Jewish Quarter; rays of sunlight cutting through St. Peter’s Basilica; the scene on Via del Corso in the early evening when it’s closed to traffic, and the community is out for the passeggiata. Paris: The city from top of Montparnasse Tower (you don’t have to look at the Montparnasse Tower); the neighborhood action on a street like rue Montorgueil; the honey-colored tones of freshly baked bread and pastries at just about any corner bakery. London: Different angles on the Millennium Bridge; the pageantry during the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace; Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament from the top of the London Eye.

Best free yet enriching experience in each town? Rome: Going to a late Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica (most days at 5 p.m.); being all alone in the Pantheon very early or very late; exploring the back streets of Trastevere. Paris : Being in the organ loft at St. Sulpice Church as Daniel Roth plays a short concert between Masses on Sunday; sitting on the steps of Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre as darkness settles on the City of Light. London: Enjoying the many wonderful and free galleries and museums–especially the British Museum and the British Library; taking in Speakers’ Corner at Hyde Park on Sunday; viewing the legal action in the Old Bailey courtrooms.

Favorite single museum and why in each town? Rome: The Borghese Gallery–It must be the most sumptuous palace in Italy even without its many Bernini masterpieces, including my favorite statue anywhere, Apollo and Daphne. Paris: The Louvre–It shows off the greatest collection of art in Europe in what was its biggest palace. London: The British Museum–It’s the chronicle of our Western civilization.

What guilty pleasure do you indulge in each city? Rome: Staying in the decadent Hotel Nazionale and dining at my favorite restaurant, Il Gabriello. Paris: Pigging out on macarons at Ladurée on the Champs-Elysees. London: Riding in the big black taxis just to talk with the cabbies; wandering through the parks, browsing from obscure monument to obscure monument, while people watching.

Biggest mistake time-strapped travelers make in each city, and how to avoid it? Rome: Going to sights like St. Peter’s and the Colosseum when there is a long line. Rather than waiting an hour to get in, you can be all alone at the greatest church in Christendom if you simply go early or late. And the line for the Colosseum is actually a line to buy a ticket, which is a combo-ticket that includes the neighboring Palatine Hill. Simply pick up your ticket at the Palatine Hill entrance a short walk away, and stroll right past the long line waiting for tickets at the Colosseum. Paris: Waiting in long lines for the Louvre, Orsay Museum, Sainte-Chapelle, and Versailles. All can be avoided simply by purchasing the Paris Museum Pass (sold at any city museum). London: Going to a play when you’re suffering from jet lag–that’s one expensive nap. That’s why, if I’m touring England, I go from the airport directly to Bath (a relaxing, smaller town) to get over jet lag. I finish my tour in London when I’m fully adjusted to local time. And that way, nothing will be anticlimactic since I end up in exciting London. It’s the best finale for a trip around Britain.

7 Replies to “To Celebrate Our Pocket Guides, I’m Sharing Some Tips on Rome, Paris, and London”

Loved the short version of Barcelona, Spain. Didn’t need the whole Spain guide. The Barcelona one gave us all we needed.

Wonderful beat ! I would like to apprentice whilst you amend your site, how could i subscribe for a weblog web site? The account aided me a applicable deal. I have been tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided shiny clear idea

So true about the Borghese, amazing museum, and that sculpture in particular is beyond words it is so beautiful!

Fun tips, thanks Rick. Eating @ the restaurants in Rome and on the Champs Elysees may be something to look forward to for me. Probably expensive meals, so I’d budget for it :)

Watching a tv show featuring Dubrovnik last night, I was struck by its beauty but put off by an actor’s reference to 13,000 cruise ship passengers disembarking daily into the city. A travel company could do worse than to heavily promote tours with schedules during the off season. I can’t imagine being elbow to elbow with tourists on a street, on a cruise ship, on a bus, in a church, mosque, museum, restaurant or underground and that also applies to the U.S.

I had a copy of your book with me 5 years ago when I visited Rome, Rick, and your advice was indispensable. I almost felt guilty about walking past the throng at the Colosseum as I’d purchased my ticket up the way at Palatine Hill, and just strolled in to the concrete wonder. That saved me so much time.

Keep up the great work!

I bought your Rome pocket guide and must say i am enjoying reading the material, I also own your regular Rome Guide Book….it’s very informative and well written, something that I wish you had done, like your full book was to list the Gods with their Greek Names and in paranthesis with the Latin names the Romans gave them….I like the way you have them listed with their counterparts in other books, it’s easier to figure out who’s who…I wish you would mention Apollondoros of Damascus, he designed the Forum, Trajans Market and probably the Pantheon…he was very fascinating, he pissed Hadrian off and that was the end of him…LOL…thanks again for your great books

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