Best Louvre Guided Tours to Take in 2024
The Louvre Museum is one of the most popular attractions in Paris and the most visited museum in the world.
Although you will hear many people saying that it is too big and that requires days to visit, don’t let it discourage you.
Visiting the Louvre Museum is doable even for those spending only a few days in the French capital, and although it is indeed a huge museum, with many corridors and galleries to explore, this will not be an issue if you book a guided tour.
Louvre Museum tours are available in all forms, and schedules, from fast runs to immersive long experiences, from family guided tours where your kids will be entertained, to chill night tours where you will have the museum all for yourself.
To help you choose your best Louvre tour, I have curated this list of Louvre guided tours to take in 2024.
Disclosure: This post does contain affiliate links that I earn a small commission for at no extra cost to you. Any purchases you make through my links help keep the site running. Thanks in advance for your support!
The iconic Louvre Museum in Paris is the biggest in the world, this fact makes some people step back and put their visit to the Louvre aside, especially if they have a short stay in Paris, as it would demand a lot of time to enjoy the visit fully.
To have an idea, it would take you around 100 days to visit every room of the Louvre if you only spent 30 seconds on each piece!
But trust me, a visit to the Louvre is so worth it, even if you are not a history or art enthusiast, and with these tours listed above, you will be able to see the best of the Louvre Museum, and save time to head to other Paris attractions after your tour.
👉Is the Louvre free?: Entrance to the Louvre is free on the 1st Saturday of each month, for anyone from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm. The museum is also free for anyone under 26 with European citizenship or anyone under 18 with any citizenship. On July 14th, the national holiday of the Bastille, entry is also free for everyone.
Is a Louvre Tour Worth It?
Yes, taking a Louvre guided tour is definitely worth it! Although this is not mandatory and you can visit it alone, I highly recommend you take a guided tour instead.
The Louvre Museum is a massive building, with many rooms to be visited, and especially if you don’t have a whole day to see it, a guide is indispensable, you might easily get lost there, but your guide will not.
Think of your guide as your GPS, guiding you through the artistic labyrinth.
Now, picture this, you go to the Louvre, get inside and suddenly remember your score in History and Art wasn’t that great back at the college.
Suddenly you find yourself feeling lost in a sea of artifacts. With a guide, you will be on a curated journey, hitting the highlights while avoiding those “I think we’ve been here before” moments!
Booking a tour is also a good way to skip the huge queue at the entrance of the Louvre, by the way! Those can take hours depending on the time of the year you visit it.
Self Guided Tour of the Louvre
1. Ticket to the Louvre
For those who want to explore the Louvre freely, without the guided tour, you can always get an Entrance ticket to the Louvre.
The ticket gives you access to the whole museum, where you will walk through its corridors and galleries and admire the artworks without any rush.
It is great if you already have some history & culture knowledge so you don’t need a guide to give you a background about each piece on display.
2. Self-guided Audiobook Tour
As the name suggests, this ticket includes an audiobook that will guide you through the museum.
Each artwork in the museum has a number, which you will insert in the audiobook and it will return you the information about this specific artwork. Very self-explanatory and easy to use.
This is a good option if time is not a problem, and you just want to roam freely at the Louvre.
Best Louvre Skip the Line Tour
1. Skip-the-Line Louvre Museum Masterpieces Guided Tour
This is one of the most searched-for tours available online for the Louvre, as it offers a ‘complete’ visit in a short period.
This 3-hour tour will cover all the must-see masterpieces at the Louvre Museum.
In it, you get a skip-the-line ticket, so you won’t have to waste time in a queue and get guided through the Louvre Museum accompanied by a professional guide.
From Monalise to the Great Sphinx of Tanis, this tour will cover everything you MUST see inside the museum, in a 3-hour tour.
Details:
- 3 hours tour
- Skip-the-line-ticket
- Mona Lisa and other masterpieces
- Free cancellation
- Private or small groups
2. Skip-the-Line Small Group Guided Tour
If you are looking for a tour with fewer people, this is your best option.
In this semi-private tour, you will see the Louvre’s highlights with a guide almost exclusively for you, so you will have more time to ask your questions and interact with the guide.
In this 2-hours tour, you will cover the most important areas of the museum, visiting the Roman and Greek statues, such as Venus de Milo and Winged Victory, and head to the Renaissance period, where you will be able to see the beloved Mona Lisa and also the monumental Coronation of Napoleon.
Details:
- 2 hours tour
- Skip-the-line-ticket
- Mona Lisa, and other masterpieces
- Free cancellation
- Semi-private tour (max 6 people)
3. Guided Tour of the Must-Sees of the Louvre Museum
For those of you who want to see the highlights of the Louvre, but still, don’t have 3 hours to spend inside the museum, don’t worry, on this tour, you will cover the most important pieces of the Louvre Museum in 1.5 hours!
It is perfect for those who have long layovers in Paris, or just 2 days to explore the city.
Louvre Museum does demand some time to see it all, and you probably won’t have a full experience of it with this tour.
However, it will be enough for you to see masterpieces such as Monalisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory.
It is a guided tour, so even though you won’t spend much time in front of each piece, you will be able to learn at least a little about each one.
The tour, of course, offers a skip-the-line entrance so if your goal is to save time, this is the perfect tour for you.
Details:
- 1.5 hours tour
- Skip-the-line-ticket
- Mona Lisa, and the main masterpieces
- Free cancellation
- Small groups
Best Louvre Private Tours
1. Private Tour Louvre Museum
Taking a private tour of the Louvre is like upgrading your museum experience from coach to first-class.
You might be asking if it is really necessary to take a private tour when there are group tours available, the answer is: Heck yes, it makes all the difference!
In private tours you will have way more freedom to tailor your tour to fit your needs and desires, you will be able to ask questions and have a better personal experience.
Your guide will be able to give you much more attention, it is like having a private teacher, and you will still have some time to stop to catch some air if you feel the need.
Of course, this is a more expensive option for a normal visit to the Louvre Museum, but if you have a good budget for your Paris trip, I can’t recommend booking a private tour more!
Details:
- 3 hours tour
- Skip-the-line-ticket
- Mona Lisa, and other masterpieces
- Free cancellation
- Private tour
2. Louvre Highlights Tour for Kids with Skip the Ticket Line
Traveling with kids can be challenging sometimes, it can be hard to find tours that accept kids, and when you do, sometimes they are not entertaining enough.
Kids are curious creatures, but let’s face it, the idea of standing still for hours might not be their idea of fun.
A guided tour keeps things lively and engaging.
It’s like having a real-life storyteller who can spin tales about kings, queens, and legendary adventures, making art come alive with every word.
Kids love being amazed, and the Louvre is basically a warehouse of ‘wow.’
A guide can turn every corner into a surprise, revealing hidden gems and jaw-dropping stories that make the Louvre not just a museum but a magical kingdom.
If you are traveling with your kids, this is the tour for you!
This stress-free, family-friendly tour will cover the highlights of the Louvre passing by only the rooms that interest the most.
You can choose between two durations, a 3 hours group tour, and a 2 hours private tour.
Details:
- 2 or 3 hours tour
- Skip-the-line-ticket
- Mona Lisa, and Louvre’s most interesting rooms
- Free cancellation
- Private or group
3. Private tour of the Louvre By Night
Visiting the Louvre Museum can be a pretty mainstream thing to do in Paris, but what about visiting it at night?
In this Louvre Museum tour you do exactly that: have the Louvre Museum all for yourself.
Louvre during the day can be pretty hectic, there are usually many groups of people all over, as you can imagine.
The scenario during the night though changes drastically!
If you are looking for a unique experience, where you will be able to see the museum in a more quiet and empty situation, this tour is for you.
Details:
- 4 hours tour
- Skip-the-line-ticket
- Night visit
- Free cancellation
- Private tour
Quick links to plan your visit to Paris
Get around Paris
・Car: Secure the best rates with DiscoverCars.
・Trains: Check Omio for schedules and book your ticket online.
・Transfer: Book your private airport transfer.
・Paris Sightseeing Bus: An easy way to navigate the city.
Recommended Accommodation
・Villa Des Princes – 5 minutes away from the Jardin du Luxembourg.
・Hotel Beaugrenelle Tour Eiffel – Located close to the Eiffel Tower.
・Le Jardins D’Eiffel – Budget hotel with Eiffel Tower view.
・Hotel San Regis – Luxury Hotel with a beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower.
France Travel Essentials
- FLIGHT TICKET: Get the best flight deal with Skyscanner.
- ACCOMMODATION: Find the perfect accommodation on Booking.
- VISA: Apply for a Visa on iVisa.
- eSIM: Stay connected throughout your trip with Airalo eSim. It offers packages from 7 to 30 days for accessible prices.
- PRIVATE TRANSFER: Book your private airport transfer.
- RENT A CAR: Find the best rates on DiscoverCars.
- GUIDED TOUR: Find the best tours in Italy on GetYourGuide