A Detailed Paris Itinerary for 3-5 Days (Updated 2023)

Last Updated: 5/13/23 | May thirteenth, 2023

Paris. It’s certainly one of my favourite locations in your complete world and a metropolis that may take a lifetime to see.

I’ve been to town extra occasions than I keep in mind — I even moved there for some time — but I’ve barely scratched its floor.

Understandably, planning a visit to Paris is tough. Just if you assume you’ve seen every thing town has to supply, you discover new sights, new cafés, or new markets to discover (to not point out visiting Disneyland Paris). There are layers to this metropolis — which is partially why I like it a lot.

Most vacationers appear to go to Paris for round three days earlier than shifting on. They see the highlights, snap some photographs, and transfer on.

While three days is healthier than nothing, I believe you want extra time than that. Ideally, I believe it is best to plan on spending at the least 5 days in Paris in an effort to see the naked minimal of what the City of Lights has to supply. There’s simply an excessive amount of to do.

To allow you to plan your journey to Paris and determine what to see, what to do, the place to remain, and the place to eat, right here’s my steered itinerary for a five-day go to (and another solutions in case you determine to spend longer there!)

What to See in Paris: Day 1

Spend your first day strolling round Paris. There’s lots to see, and you’ll spend a great half day (or complete day) wandering the cobblestone streets, parks, and neighborhoods of town. If you need to orient your self with a free strolling tour, New Europe runs common strolling excursions that cowl the highlights. Just be sure that to tip your information on the finish.

For paid excursions, try Get Your Guide. They have every kind of strolling excursions (in addition to museum and meals excursions). There’s one thing for each curiosity!

However, if you wish to comply with my very own strolling tour, right here’s my steered route for an “orientation walk” round Paris:

Start on the Champs-Élysées and see the Arc de Triomphe. There isn’t normally a line, and also you’ll get sweeping views of town to start out your day. Stroll down the Champs-Élysées and thru Place de la Concorde, the place you will notice the Luxor Obelisk, which the French stole from the Egyptians. It’s over 3,000 years previous and stands 75-meters (246 toes) tall. This sq. was additionally the place they guillotined individuals through the French Revolution (1789-1799).

Walk down the Champs-Élysées by the Jardin des Tuileries, an attractive backyard that was as soon as residence to a palace that burned down within the 1800s. Stop and admire the Louvre earlier than persevering with down Rue Rivoli and crossing into the unique part of town on the Île de la Cité. This is the place the Romans constructed their unique settlement, (referred to as Lutetia, which was the premise for the modern-day metropolis of Paris.

Enjoy the Pont Neuf and the statue of Henry IV. This stone bridge, the primary in Paris, was in-built 1578. Stroll to my favourite church of all time, Sainte Chapelle, with its unimaginable Twelfth-century stained glass. There’s normally a line, so guide tickets prematurely (11.50 EUR) if you wish to see the inside.

After that, head to the underground Roman ruins after which go to Notre Dame, the world’s most well-known Gothic church. It was broken in a hearth in 2019 and continues to be closed, nonetheless, you’ll be able to nonetheless admire the constructing because it’s nonetheless being repaired.

Next, head south towards the Latin Quarter. This space is relatively touristy however in the event you get off the principle drag, you’ll end up in a labyrinth of alleys and café-lined squares which are far-off from the native vacationer hangouts.

Visit the Pantheon and honor France’s most well-known useless residents earlier than heading west towards the Jardin du Luxembourg, the place you’ll be able to calm down and watch life go by. There’s nice people-watching right here, and it’s among the finest parks within the metropolis.

After that, head north to see Saint Sulpice. If you’re into The Da Vinci Code, you’ll be in search of symbols and hidden meanings all through this church. If symbols don’t curiosity you, simply marvel at how grandiose this place is.

By this time, it ought to be late within the afternoon and an ideal time to cease in a café, order some wine, and calm down the Parisian approach.

What to See in Paris: Day 2

The Louvre

With over 1,000,000 items of artwork, you possibly can spend an entire month within the Louvre and nonetheless not see every thing. I don’t significantly take pleasure in medieval artwork; it’s too spiritual for me, and I can solely see so many footage of Mary and Jesus earlier than I get bored.

If that’s not your factor, there are many impressionist interval gems like Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, and different masters. Nevertheless, the museum is price seeing, and I spent about 5 hours exploring all of the masterpieces and marveling on the previous royal palace. You may simply spend extra time in the event you’re an artwork buff too. If you’d identical to to see the highlights, anticipate to spend a few hours.

Timed skip-the-line tickets value 17 EUR.

Musée du Louvre, 1st arrondissement, +33 1 40 20 53 17, louvre.fr. Open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and weekends from 9am–6pm, and Fridays from 9am–9:45pm. Closed Tuesdays. Admission is 17 EUR. They additionally provide free admission for all guests on the primary Sunday of every month October-March and on Bastille Day (14 July). Admission can also be free for EU residents below 26. To keep away from the huge traces, enter through the Carrousel du Louvre entrance and also you’ll get proper to the ticket counter. You also can skip the traces you probably have a Paris Museum Pass.

Musée d’Orsay

The Musée d’Orsay, situated in shut proximity to the Louvre, homes the perfect impressionist and post-impressionist work in Paris. It’s one of many largest museums in Europe and my favourite museum in Paris. I all the time go once I’m on the town. The museum sees over 3 million guests every year and is residence to masterpieces by all the good artists of the world, together with Degas, Monet, Manet, and Van Gogh, to call a couple of. I may spend hours right here and by no means get bored.

1 Rue de la Légion d’Honneur, seventh arrondissement, +33 1 40 49 48 14, musee-orsay.fr. Open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday-Sunday from 9:30am–6pm and Thursdays from 9:30am–9:45pm. Closed Mondays. Admission is 17 EUR (or 9 EUR after 4:30pm daily however Thursday). It’s free on the primary Sunday of the month.

Musée de l’Orangerie
Finish off a wild museum day with this Monet showcase. The museum shows eight tapestry-sized Nymphéas (water lilies), housed in two plain oval rooms. Monet painted these photographs later in his life, and each represents a unique time of day and season. There’s a backside ground that reveals different works too. It’s an attractive museum.

Jardin des Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, 1st arrondissement, +33 1 44 50 43 00, musee-orangerie.fr. Open Wednesday-Monday from 9am–6pm; final entry at 5:15pm. Closed Tuesdays. Admission is 12.50 EUR and is free on the primary Sunday of the month.

Budget journey tip: Get the Paris Museum Pass. This go covers over 50 museums and sights in Paris. It covers all of the museums above, so getting this go and utilizing it to see all of the sights listed on this article will prevent a ton of cash. A two-day go prices 55 EUR, a four-day go prices 70 EUR, and a six-day go prices 85 EUR.

NOTE: People will say “That’s an excessive amount of to do in a day! Those museums take a day every! And they’re proper. These museums can really take DAYS to see. But, in the event you’re brief on time, you’ll be able to see the highlights of every in a really lengthy day. Or don’t and take your time in every museum. This itinerary is only a mere suggestion anyhow!

What to See in Paris: Day 3

The Palace of Versailles

Located simply exterior of Paris, the Palace of Versailles was a searching lodge earlier than changing into the first residence of the Kings of France till the French Revolution. A decadent image of royal energy, the palace sees over 10 million guests every year.

It takes a full day to actually take pleasure in a visit right here. Spend the day exploring the château, get misplaced within the surrounding gardens, and take in the extravagant life-style of France’s former monarchy. Make certain you see the property of Trianon (generally known as Marie Antoinette’s property) as properly, which features a faux peasant village created to supply scenic views and contemporary milk and eggs for the Queen.

Versailles is very large and delightful so don’t rush your go to. Most individuals see the Palace first, then the gardens, after which Marie-Antoinette’s property. If you do every thing in reverse, you’ll be capable of keep away from the crowds. Additionally, go on a weekday to keep away from the worst of the crowds.

Here’s a video tour of the Palace of Versailles to whet your urge for food:

Place d’Armes, Versailles, +33 1 30 83 78 00, en.chateauversailles.fr. Open Tuesday–Sunday 9am–5:30pm with the final entry at 5pm. Closed Mondays. “The Passport” ticket provides you admission to all of the palace excursions (grounds, Trianon Palaces, and Marie Antoinette’s property), the Musical Fountain Show, the Musical Gardens, and the exhibitions for 28.50 EUR (21.50 EUR through the off-season). Guided excursions with skip-the-line entry value 55 EUR.

Père Lachaise Cemetery

Finish off the day with a prepare experience east of town heart to go to Paris’s most well-known graveyard, the place you’ll see the graves of celebrities like Antonio de La Gandara, Honoré de Balzac, Sarah Bernhardt, Frédéric Chopin, Jim Morrison, Édith Piaf, Camille Pissarro, Gertrude Stein, and Oscar Wilde.

Built in 1804, it’s named after Louis XIV’s confessor, Père François de la Chaise (1624–1709), who lived in a home close to the cemetery. Initially, the locals thought-about the cemetery too removed from town so directors devised a plan. They moved the stays of Jean de La Fontaine (fabulist) and Molière (playwright), two of Paris’s most well-known artists, to Père Lachaise, hoping that folks would need to be buried close to France’s well-known heroes.

It labored, and in the present day it’s town’s most iconic graveyard — and essentially the most visited cemetery on this planet. Just ensure you’re out earlier than it closes at 5:30pm.

Guided excursions value 20 EUR and final three hours.
 

What to See in Paris: Day 4

Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is Paris’ most iconic monument. Built within the Eighties for the 1889 World Fair, it was really disliked by many individuals when it was first constructed. Today, the locals like it; it’s a logo of town and one of the vital acknowledged buildings on this planet. Standing 324 meters (1,062 toes) tall, it provides the perfect views of your complete metropolis. To beat the crowds, get right here early within the morning. If you wait till the afternoon, you’ll end up ready in line for hours.

Afterward, have a picnic on the grass and benefit from the sunshine and the views. It’s certainly one of my favourite issues to do within the metropolis.

Champ de Mars, seventh arrondissement, +33 8 92 70 12 39, toureiffel.paris. Open every day (9am–midnight) through the summer time, with barely shorter hours throughout the remainder of the 12 months. Admission is eighteen.10-28.30 EUR per individual, relying on how excessive you go. You also can pay for direct entry to an elevator that takes you to the highest for 52 EUR.

Wander Rue Cler
Located close to the Eiffel Tower, this road is crammed with good Parisian eateries. You’ll discover cheese, meat, bread, vegetable, and chocolate shops to discover. I by no means stroll away from this road and not using a pile of meals and wine.

Whenever I’m right here, I eat my approach by this road after which purchase extra for later. It’s certainly one of my favourite streets in Paris.

Paris Sewer Museum
This tour is certainly an off-the-beaten-path attraction and isn’t too far-off from the Eiffel Tower. You’ll study concerning the attention-grabbing historical past of Paris’s sewer system.

You could also be delay by the concept of a “sewer tour,” however don’t be. It doesn’t odor down there and also you’ll find out how trendy Paris got here to be. Before there was an appropriate drainage system, waste from town simply ended up within the river. It then unfold illness and polluted your complete space, placing your complete metropolis in danger. It wasn’t till town developed a posh sewer system that it was capable of overcome ailments, increase commerce, and turn into the world-class metropolis that it’s in the present day.

Pont de l’Alma, Left Bank, reverse 93 Quai d’Orsay, seventh arrondissement, +33 1 53 68 27 81, musee-egouts.paris.fr/en/. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am–5pm. Admission is 9 EUR.

Les Invalides (The Tomb of Napoleon)
Also generally known as Hôtel National des Invalides, this huge complicated was in-built 1670 by Louis XIV as a hospital for wounded troopers. Nowadays, it’s residence to a number of museums and monuments, together with the Musée de l’Armée (the Military Museum of the Army of France) and Napoleon’s tomb. It is without doubt one of the most complete historical past museums I’ve ever visited, and also you’ll want at the least three hours to see it correctly.

While navy historical past could seem boring, this museum is mostly a historical past of France, the Revolution, and Napoleon. It is fascinating and unimaginable in its depth. I can not advocate it sufficient.

Place des Invalides, Musée de l’Armée, 129 Rue de Grenelle, seventh arrondissement, +33 810 11 33 99. Open every day from April by October (10am–6pm; Tuesdays till 9pm), and 10am–5pm from November by March. Admission is 14 EUR.

The Museum of the Shoah (The Holocaust Museum)
Despite having a wonderful exhibit on France, anti-Semitism, and the Holocaust, the Museum of the Shoah by no means attracts lots of people. It’s an actual disgrace, as the data and assortment right here is admittedly nice and in-depth. I’ve been to many Holocaust museums, and this is without doubt one of the greatest and most detailed on this planet. I extremely advocate it.

17 Rue Geoffroy l’Asnier, 4th arrondissement, +33 1 42 77 44 72, memorialdelashoah.org. Open Sunday–Friday 10am–6pm and Thursdays from 10am–10pm. Closed Saturdays. Admission is free and a free guided tour is given at 3pm (in English) on the second Sunday of each month.
 

What to See in Paris: Day 5

Paris Catacombs

The Catacombs of Paris are a captivating however grim vacationer attraction. They go on for miles (nobody actually is aware of how far) and the limitless winding tunnels home 1000’s of bones. Only a small part of the tunnels is open, and there’s a ton of historical past and details about the expansion of Paris. The Catacombs themselves are literally previous stone quarries that have been situated far exterior the sting of town throughout medieval occasions. There’s all the time a protracted line, so guide your skip-the-line tickets on-line beforehand and don’t wait exterior!

1 Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, 14th arrondissement, +33 1 43 22 47 63, catacombes.paris.fr. Open Tuesday–Sunday 9:45am–8:30pm; final admission at 7:30pm. Closed Mondays. Check the web site earlier than you go — the Catacombs are typically closed with out warning or rationalization. Admission is eighteen EUR for last-minute tickets bought the day of. The audio information is 5 EUR. Advanced tickets are 29 EUR (together with the audio information).

Rue Mouffetard
This pedestrian road is crammed with cafés and retailers and has an outside market. It’s nice to simply wander down or for sitting in entrance of a café and watch Parisian life go by. Make certain to cease by the close by Place de la Contrescarpe too. There are some good and cheap eating places within the space, making it a pleasant place to cease for some time and watch life go by.

Musée de Cluny
The Cluny Museum, often known as the National Museum of the Middle Ages, is the best surviving instance of medieval structure in Paris. Built within the fifteenth century, it was the previous residence of the abbots of Cluny and now homes Roman and medieval artwork, together with many architectural fragments discovered throughout excavations across the metropolis.

The museum additionally comprises the adjoining rooms of a Roman bathtub, which the abbey was constructed over. It is by far one of the vital attention-grabbing historical past museums within the metropolis and value each euro of the admission price!

6 Place Paul Painlevé, fifth arrondissement, +33 1 53 73 78 16, musee-moyenage.fr. Open Tuesday to Sunday 9:30am–6:15pm. Closed Mondays. Admission is 12 EUR and free on the primary Sunday of each month.

Bibliothèque Nationale de France
One of the grandest libraries on this planet, the Bibliothèque Nationale de France was based in 1368 by Charles V. Stop in for a fast go to and make sure to take a peek on the previous rotunda of the artwork library and the 20-foot globes within the everlasting assortment. The assortment is very large at over 40 million gadgets, together with some 15 million books and over 5,000 manuscripts from Ancient Greece.

Quai François Mauriac, thirteenth arrondissement, +33 1 53 79 59 59, bnf.fr. Open Monday from 2pm-8pm), Tuesday-Saturday from 9am-8pm, and Sundays from 1pm-7pm. Admission is free.

Montmartre

Another inventive heart of Paris, that is the place artists and writers like Hemingway spent their time. There’s nonetheless lots of artwork, and also you’ll discover galleries and artists all through the realm. The streets are quiet and delightful to wander round. Sacré-Cœur (the church right here) provides an excellent view of town and is a superb place to have lunch. You also can see the well-known “sinking house” right here too (an Insta-famous home that, from the fitting angle, seems prefer it’s sinking into the hill).

In the night, the steps close to the church refill with individuals watching the sundown, chatting, and ingesting. There are normally a number of buskers right here too making it among the finest locations within the metropolis to absorb town within the night.
 

Where to Eat in Paris

Looking for some steered locations to eat? Here are a few of my favourite locations to eat once I’m in Paris:

• Café Père & Fils — Café Père & Fils is a Parisian brasserie and occasional store with out of doors seating for lunch and drinks.
• Florence Kahn — This good little store has a blue mosaic shopfront. They make actually scrumptious sandwiches — strive the pastrami.
• ISTR — ISTR is extraordinarily fashionable and normally busy for dinner, however I extremely advocate its blissful hour, when the wine and oysters are low-cost.
• King Falafel Place — Some of the perfect falafel in Paris. There’s normally a line however it strikes rapidly.
• La Crêperie des Pêcheurs — This tiny to-go crêperie is the perfect in all of Paris (in my view). Cheap, scrumptious, and enormous parts — you’ll be able to’t go unsuitable right here.
• Le Dit Vin — The costs are cheap, there’s a massive wine choice, and the meals is wealthy, savory, and scrumptious. The menu modifications every day relying on what’s contemporary.

Admittedly, even with 5 days in Paris, you’ll barely scratch the floor of town. It’s simply too huge, nuanced, and layered. The historical past, the structure, the attraction — it’s in contrast to every other place on this planet.

However, you’ll nonetheless be capable of see lots of the highlights and get a way of simply how wonderful Paris actually is. But need to get away from the crowds? Want different suggestion? Here’s an inventory of off-beat sights, distinctive strolling excursions, and day journeys from town.

Paris is greatest explored slowly. It’s a metropolis meant to be unraveled, found. There’s a lot that simply pops up that you simply need to be like a neighborhood and simply let your day unfold unexpectedly. Meander within the gardens and parks, take a protracted lunch, watch that band, sit by the Seine, and linger over that bottle of wine. Live your greatest life in Paris.

Use this steered itinerary as your start line and see the place your journey takes you. I promise it received’t disappoint!

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