es
en
Paris in 3 days
Paris is best enjoyed by neighbourhood rather than by isolated monuments. This guide groups each day by nearby areas and includes the compulsory bookings and closing days worth knowing before you set off.
3 days · France ·
How many days will you spend in Paris?
Choose the length of your trip and the itinerary adapts.
With 3 days you can see the main sights and also discover a few less obvious corners. If you're planning a trip and have 3 days to explore Paris, I've put together this itinerary so you can make the most of your time, see the most important places and add a few Civitatis activities that are well worth it. The idea is to combine self-guided walks with guided visits, so you get to know the city without rushing from one place to another the whole trip.
- Day 1
Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysées and Arc de Triomphe
A day for the great icons on the west bank of the Seine, from the Eiffel Tower to the Arc de Triomphe. Book the Eiffel Tower in advance: it is the hardest visit to improvise.
- 9:00
Eiffel Tower: Advance booking is recommended, including for visitors who wish to climb the stairs. There are 674 steps to the second floor. From there, access to the summit is by lift; there is no public stairway access to the summit. Availability and prices depend on the type of ticket.
- 11:00
Trocadéro: cross the Seine by the Pont d'Iéna to the Trocadéro gardens, which give the classic view of the Eiffel Tower. It is the place for photos, but also for pushy street sellers: do not accept bracelets or gifts.
- 12:30
Lunch on rue Cler: this pedestrian shopping street near the tower has cheese, bread and fruit shops. It is ideal for buying a picnic to eat on the Champ de Mars.
- 14:00
Champ de Mars: a large garden at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, perfect for resting on the grass. At night, on the hour every hour, the tower sparkles for about five minutes.
- 16:00
Arc de Triomphe: climb to the terrace, 284 steps, to see the twelve avenues that radiate from the square. You get there through an underground passage: do not try to cross the roundabout on foot. The flame of the Unknown Soldier burns beneath the arch.
- 17:30
Avenue des Champs-Élysées: walk down the avenue to Place de la Concorde, about two kilometres. It is full of designer shops and the cafés are expensive. If you want something quieter, turn into the side streets.
- 19:30
Seine River Cruise: there are one-hour cruises that leave near the Eiffel Tower and the Pont Neuf. The best moment is sunset or night, when the monuments light up. Book the most popular departure times in advance.
Civitatis activities for this day
- 9:00
- Day 2
Louvre Museum, Notre-Dame and the Historic Centre
Historic Paris, almost all on foot. Book the Louvre with a time slot and remember that it is closed on Tuesdays.
- 9:00
Louvre Museum: the museum requires a timed ticket. Enter through the Carrousel du Louvre, the underground entrance, to avoid the pyramid queue. It is huge: choose two or three wings, such as the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace, instead of trying to see everything. On Wednesdays and Fridays it opens late into the evening.
- 13:00
Tuileries Garden: French-style gardens linking the Louvre with Place de la Concorde. There are metal chairs beside the pond, ideal for a break before continuing.
- 14:30
Île de la Cité: this is the island where Paris was born. Cross the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in the city despite its name, to the small Vert-Galant park at the tip of the island.
- 15:00
Notre-Dame Cathedral: it reopened in December 2024 after the 2019 fire and its restoration is spectacular. Entry to the cathedral is free; check the official website to see whether it is worth booking a time slot to avoid the queue.
- 16:30
Sainte-Chapelle: a 13th-century Gothic chapel with fifteen enormous stained-glass windows covering almost all the walls. Visit it when the sky is clear so the colour is more intense. There is a security check, so expect a bit of a queue.
- 18:00
Latin Quarter: narrow streets, bookshops and cafés. Visit the Shakespeare and Company bookshop beside the Seine, and climb up to the Panthéon, where Victor Hugo, Marie Curie and Voltaire are buried.
- 20:00
Dinner in the Latin Quarter: this is a very touristy area: avoid restaurants with set menus designed to lure people in and waiters hawking for customers at the door. Look for bistros on the streets that climb towards the Panthéon and try a steak frites or a coq au vin.
Civitatis activities for this day
- 9:00
- Day 3
Montmartre, Sacré-Cœur and Bohemian Paris
A day of hills and cobbled streets. Wear comfortable shoes: Montmartre stands on a hill, although there is a funicular that is paid for with a metro ticket.
- 9:00
Basilica of Sacré-Cœur: entry to the basilica is free; climbing to the dome, around 300 steps, is paid separately. From the steps outside the view of Paris is free, and first thing in the morning there are far fewer people.
- 10:30
Place du Tertre: a square of painters and portrait artists, very touristy. If you want a portrait, ask the price before they start drawing.
- 11:30
Streets of Montmartre: look for the Maison Rose, the Moulin de la Galette and the Wall of Love, with the phrase written in around 250 languages. There is also a vineyard in the middle of the city, the Clos Montmartre.
- 13:00
Lunch in Montmartre: the restaurants on Place du Tertre are expensive. Head down side streets, such as rue des Abbesses, to find bistros and bakeries.
- 15:00
Opéra Garnier: Visit the building to admire its 19th-century architecture, grand staircase and Grand Foyer. Access to the auditorium may be restricted due to rehearsals, performances or technical reasons, so entry cannot be guaranteed during your visit. Check the visiting conditions and book in advance.
- 16:30
Galeries Lafayette: the department store, from 1912, has a glass dome and Art Nouveau stained glass. The panoramic terrace on the top floor is free and looks out over the Opéra and the Eiffel Tower.
- 20:00
Moulin Rouge: the cabaret is in the Pigalle district, which is lively at night. To see the show you must book well ahead and follow a dress code; if you only want to see the famous red windmill, it is free.
Civitatis activities for this day
- 9:00
- Day 4
Palace of Versailles
A full-day trip. The Palace of Versailles is closed on Mondays. It is best to arrive at opening time: at midday the queues are very long and the gardens are enormous.
- 8:30
Departure for Versailles: take the RER C to Versailles-Château Rive Gauche: it is about 40 minutes from the centre. Buy a timed ticket before you go. An organised tour includes transport and queue-free access.
- 9:30
Palace of Versailles: the most visited parts are the State Apartments and the Hall of Mirrors, 73 metres long with 357 mirrors. An audio guide is usually worth it to understand how Louis XIV's court lived.
- 12:00
Gardens of Versailles: designed by André Le Nôtre, they include fountains, ponds and the Grand Canal. On Grandes Eaux Musicales days, with fountain shows, there is an entrance fee for the gardens: check the calendar.
- 13:30
Lunch: you can eat at one of the restaurants in the grounds or have a picnic if the weather is good.
- 14:30
Grand and Petit Trianon: they are a long walk from the palace, about 1.5 kilometres. If your energy flags, hire a golf cart or a bicycle, or use the tourist train. They are more intimate than the palace, and the Queen's Hamlet was Marie Antoinette's favourite corner.
- 17:00
Return to Paris: check the train times: after 5pm they fill up with people leaving work.
- 8:30
- Day 5
Musée d'Orsay, Le Marais and Île Saint-Louis
The last day combines art and charming neighbourhoods, at a calmer pace. The Musée d'Orsay is closed on Mondays, so do not schedule this day for a Monday.
- 9:30
Musée d'Orsay: it is housed in a former railway station from 1900. The top floor holds one of the finest Impressionist collections in the world, with Monet, Renoir, Degas and Van Gogh. Look out for the great glass clock, from which you can see Montmartre. Book a time slot and arrive at opening.
- 12:00
Saint-Germain-des-Prés: a district of historic cafés, such as the Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots, frequented by writers and philosophers such as Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. A drink there is expensive, but you can feel the history.
- 14:30
Luxembourg Gardens: a park from 1612 with green chairs to sit wherever you like, the Medici Fountain and a pond where children sail wooden boats. The Luxembourg Palace is now the seat of the Senate.
- 16:00
Le Marais: a district of 17th-century hôtels particuliers, with boutiques and galleries. Its museums include the Picasso Museum and the Carnavalet Museum, devoted to the history of Paris, with free entry to its permanent collections.
- 17:00
Place des Vosges: the oldest planned square in Paris, from 1612, with red-brick arcades and a garden in the middle. Victor Hugo lived at number 6, now a house museum.
- 18:00
Rue des Rosiers: the heart of Paris's Jewish quarter, famous for its falafel and pastries. There can be queues at the best-known places; the bakeries nearby are a good alternative.
- 19:00
Île Saint-Louis: cross the Pont de Sully to this quiet island, with narrow streets and 17th-century houses. This is where the Berthillon ice-cream shop, famous in Paris, is. Stroll along the Quai de Bourbon at sunset.
- 9:30
My recommendation
If I had to choose just three Civitatis activities for this trip, I'd book:
- Eiffel Tower Climb (Opens in a new tab)
- Guided tour of the Louvre Museum (Opens in a new tab)
- Free walking tour of Montmartre (Opens in a new tab)
They are experiences that complement exploring on your own really well.
Can you add one more day?
I'd spend it on this: Palace of Versailles. It's well worth it.
Other Civitatis activities you can add to your trip
If you have more time or want to swap a visit, these are other interesting things to do in Paris:
| Activity | Approximate duration |
|---|---|
| Night tour of Paris (Opens in a new tab) | 2 h |
| Disneyland Paris Ticket (Opens in a new tab) | Full day |
Activities, times, languages and prices may vary depending on the date. See all options on Civitatis Paris
A few tips for planning your trip to Paris
- Book the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre in advance. Both run on time slots and sell out in high season.
- The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays; the Musée d'Orsay and Versailles on Mondays. Check the day before assigning each visit.
- Use the metro: it is the most practical way to get around between neighbourhoods. Check which ticket or card you need before buying.
- Look after your belongings in very crowded places such as the metro, the Eiffel Tower and Montmartre.
- Say "bonjour" when you walk into shops and restaurants. It is basic courtesy and appreciated.
- In restaurants you can ask for "une carafe d'eau": it is free tap water. Service is already included in the bill, although leaving some small change is appreciated.
- Book the activities you are most interested in well in advance, especially in high season.
- Leave free time: do not fill every slot with excursions. Wandering around without a plan is also part of the fun.
Keep exploring Europe
Would you like to receive travel inspiration?
Subscribe and get ideas, tips and news.
By subscribing you agree to receive emails from Reverie Destinations and accept the privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.