Let’s be honest…trying to figure out how to spend 3 days in Paris is overwhelming. The city is huge, there’s so much to do! Between the countless museums, churches, landmarks, and gorgeous French cafes, it seems like you need a lifetime to see it all. I planned this 3-day Paris itinerary when I visited the city for the first time with my friend Kelly, and I left feeling like I got a great taste of the culture, the food, and the iconic sights that make Paris so special. If we haven’t met, I’m Gina, and I’m so excited to help you spend 3 days in Paris!
Since my 2022 trip, I’ve been back to Paris multiple times, so I’ve added things to this post over the years. (Remember how I said it’s hard to cram everything you want to do into 3 days? I had to come back!) If you end up loving Paris, I highly recommend visiting Paris during the Christmas season, especially with a loved one. I went as a solo traveler, and it was still incredibly magical, but I fully intend on experiencing it with the LOML one day.
But First: My Top Itinerary Tip for Sightseeing Around Paris
If you want to experience the best of Paris in the easiest way possible, getting The Paris Pass is the best way to do it!
Purchase the Paris Pass from the Go City
- The Paris Pass is a great way to save money and will allow you to book attractions, tours, and more. You will see me refer to things I did using the Paris Pass multiple times throughout this post.
- You can choose the number of days that you want your pass for, but it must be used in consecutive days.
- The more things you do from the Paris Pass, the more money you will save.
- For a more detailed Paris Pass description, check out my post about Why You Need The Paris Pass
Museum Lovers: Get the Paris Museum Pass
If you intend on seeing any of the museums through the Paris Pass, you MUST ALSO get a Paris Museum Pass. Lucky for us, Go City has recently included the Museum Pass in their All Inclusive Pass Plus option!
Paris Day 1: Welcome to Paris! Getting Lost, Wine Tasting, Seine River Cruise, and the Eiffel Tower
There’s no better way to start your first day in Paris than with a chocolate croissant and a cappuccino (or, a double cappuccino. I won’t judge you. If you’re like me, you barely slept on the plane!).
After landing and eating breakfast, my friend Kelly and I spent the beginning of our first day familiarizing ourselves with the streets of Paris the best way I know how – by getting “lost!” When I have free time on my travel day, I love to leave my hotel, pick a direction, and just start walking. You’ll be amazed at how much you discover when you have no idea what’s there…in fact, we even stumbled upon the Louvre this way!
Wine tasting at Les Caves du Louvre
- Booked through the Paris Pass; reservation required.
- During the tasting, they let us taste 3 different kinds of wine (1 white, 2 red) while the sommelier educated us on the different wines in the regions of France.
- At the end, you can buy wine and champagne from their shop next door.
Take a Seine River Cruise
A Seine River cruise allows you to see the beauty of Paris from the water. You’ll pass by the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and Musée d’Orsay. You can go during the day, or take a sunset cruise at night. The ships have an open air deck so you can see Paris with zero obstructions.
- Booked through the Paris Pass
- Cruises start every hour on the hour
- No need to make a reservation; however, there will likely be a long line!
The Eiffel Tower
- We ended our first day by (what else?) seeing the Eiffel Tower! I will never forget seeing it for the first time…I really felt as though it had the “wow” factor that I always imagined it would.
- You can see the Eiffel Tower up close – many people come sit on the grass in front of it for picnics, or even just to hang out. You can also go inside the Eiffel Tower via the Paris Pass, but in my opinion, seeing it from the outside is better!
Seeing the Eiffel Tower Lit Up at Night
The Eiffel Tower lights up at dusk and stays lit until 1:00 AM. Every hour on the hour is a glittering light show that lasts for 5 minutes and is 100% worth seeing. Of note, it stays light outside MUCH longer in Paris, so dusk usually isn’t until after 9:00 PM! I will never forget getting off the subway with Kelly during our last night in Paris and sprinting towards the Eiffel Tower for one last view of the light show before we left. It had seemingly just gotten dark an hour or two earlier, and we didn’t realize it was after midnight!
- Pro Tip: The Eiffel Tower’s lighting and sparkling lights are protected by copyright, so professional use of images of the Eiffel Tower at night require prior authorization and may be subject to a fee.
The Best Place to See the Eiffel Tower From a Distance
If you want to see the Eiffel Tower from a distance (not to mention, get Instagrammable photos!), the best place is Plaza del Trocadéro.
At the end of the plaza, there are steps you can go down to get an even better view. If you go all the way to the bottom, you will be able to walk along the Seine River.
Paris Day 2: Authentic French Cafe, The Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, Saint Chapelle, Arc de Triomphe, and Champs-Élysées
First things first: You need breakfast at an authentic French cafe. And yes, I’m talking about the romantic-looking ones with flowers outside. Since Paris is so huge and I don’t know where you’re staying, I’m not going to recommend a certain one…but they’re everywhere, and look like this:
The Louvre Museum
- Booked through the Paris Pass; reservation required.
- Go early in the morning; you could easily spend hours here if you wanted.
- The Louvre is CLOSED on Tuesdays.
- You MUST also get a Paris Museum Pass, which can be obtained from Big Bus Information Center. The Paris Museum Pass website is also great to browse if you want to see more museums than just the Louvre.
The Mona Lisa
The highlight of the Louvre is, of course, The Mona Lisa.
- The most famous painting in the Louvre (and quite possibly the world); painted by Leonardo da Vinci
- There are signs in the museum that help guide you to where this painting is, and there will be a line of people waiting to get a close-up photo.
You’ve probably heard rumors that the Mona Lisa painting is much smaller than people expect. This is especially true when you compare her to the giant painting of The Wedding Feast at Cana across the room. I didn’t get a photo of this one, but it’s the largest painting in the entire museum. It seems unfair to put her across from this, but perhaps the staff thought the weight of her fame and status matched the grandeur of this much larger work of art!
- Side note: I’m not much of a museum person, so I’ll be honest and say Kelly and I peaced after we saw the Mona Lisa. However, if you love museums, Paris has a multitude of amazing ones to choose from (and some are included in the Paris Pass)!
Go Inside Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle
The Notre Dame Cathedral is about a 20 minute walk from the Louvre. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to go in when we visited in 2022 due to damages from the fire. Despite having returned to Paris multiple times, I still haven’t made it to see the inside of Notre Dame, but I promise you it’s on my list! If you get to see it, feel free to add to my FOMO in the comments.
- Can book through the Paris Pass – reservation required
A short walk away from the cathedral is Sainte Chapelle, a gothic-style cathedral originally built to house relics of Christ. Although not as famous as Notre Dame, you CAN tour this one!
- Paris Pass – reservation required
- Known for it’s high ceilings and (equally high) gorgeous, stained-glass windows.
Walk Down Champs-Élysées
- Paris’s most iconic shopping street.
- This street has some affordable shops, but it was also very ritzy. You will find everything from Zara to Chanel.
- A nearby landmark is the Pont Alexandre III bridge.You can walk across the bridge and admire its stunning, extravagant architecture, along with great views of the Seine River!
At the opposite end of Champs-Élysées from the bridge stands the Arc de Triomphe, a massive structure built to honor those who died in the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars. You can make a reservation through the Paris Pass to go up to the top of the tower and get a great view of the city!
Paris Day 3: Palace of Versailles, Le Marais, Montmartre, and Moulin Rouge
The Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles is an absolute must-see day trip if you have enough time. Aside from seeing the Eiffel Tower at night, it was my favorite thing we did during my first visit.
- Booked through The Paris Pass
- You MUST also get a Paris Museum Pass to be allowed to enter the Palace.
- The Palace of Versailles is CLOSED on Mondays.
- There is a link on the Go City app with the Paris Pass to book your reservation time.
The Palace of Versallies is an absolutely magnificent building adorned in bright gold, and the interior has a variety of different chambers and suites that are replicas of the royal era.
- Originally built by King Louis XIII to be used as a hunting lodge, and then later turned into a chateau. The chateau was eventually expanded by King Louis XIV into a palace.
- Today it is declared a UNESCO World Heritage site and is one of the top tourist attractions in the world.
We chose to only tour the palace since we had other things planned for today, but you could easily spend an entire day here if you wanted to.
There are ticket options that allow you to tour the Gardens, which are absolutely massive, and which also include the Estate of Trianon (Marie Antoinette’s estate). To give you an idea of just how massive:
- Walking from the Palace of Versailles to the Grand Canal of the gardens would take you 15 minutes (there are other sections of the gardens, such as Apollo’s Bath Grove, that are much closer).
- Walking to the Estate of Trianon would take you 25 minutes.
When touring the inside of the palace, it is important to enter on the right wing side as opposed to the left. We entered on the wrong side and ended up accidentally going out the exit way before we were ready! (Thankfully, they let us back in, but we had to go through security again!)
The Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles
After you enter on the correct side of the palace, you will go through the Gallery of the History of the Palace, and up the stairs to the Louis XIV rooms. From here, you will enter the State Apartment rooms which eventually leads to the Hall of Mirrors.
The Hall of Mirrors was my favorite room in the entire palace. It is a massive space with huge windows, a painted ceiling, and multiple sparkling chandeliers.
Explore Le Marais
When we got back to Paris from Versailles, we decided to explore Le Marais, a chic, trendy spot that is known for being LGBQT+ friendly. It is a vibrant community with shops and restaurants that’s located right on the Seine river. It’s not a must-do, but definitely worth walking around if you have some extra time.
We ate at this restaurant (Les Deux Colombes), which had views of the famous Hotel de Ville:
Walk Through Montmartre
Montmartre is known as the most romantic neighborhood of Paris and became my favorite area out of everything that we visited. It is what I always pictured when I envisioned the quintessential “French neighborhood.” It attracted a lot of artists back in the day, such as Ernest Hemingway and Picasso.
Moulin Rouge
The most famous thing in Montmartre is, of course, Moulin Rouge. You can buy tickets to see live dancers perform the legendary French cabaret shows. Although Kelly and I didn’t do this our first time in Paris, I was finally able to check a Moulin Rouge show off my bucket list 2 years later with my friend Jess. The show was absolutely incredible, and the theater is beautiful. However, we did not realize it was a topless performance! Jess and I were expecting something more like an NYC Broadway show, so you can imagine our initial surprise. Overall, it was one of the best performances I’ve ever seen, and if you’re about the theater life, you should absolutely get tickets.
Montmartre Walking Tour
To see the best of Montmartre, I recommend taking a Montmartre Walking Tour – booked through the Paris Pass. Kelly and I did this, and we thought it was a great way to explore this part of Paris.
- A guide takes you up and down the streets of Montmartre and tells you about the history, landmarks, and other quintessential things you may not find on your own. This was the perfect way to familiarize ourselves with the city!
- One of my favorite things we saw was the Les Mur des Je t’aime (aka the Wall of Love), a navy blue tiled wall that has “I love you” written in 312 languages.
- The tour ends at Sacre Coeur Basilica, a massive Catholic church with stunning architecture. You are allowed to go inside the church and look around.
Two minutes from the Sacre Coeur Basilica is a restaurant called Au Cadet de Gascogne, which was featured in the Paris Pass under “Champagne Gourmand.” Basically, you walk up, show them your pass, and they give you a glass of free champagne with a small tray of French pastries and desserts. Yes, you read that correctly. After walking the hills of Montmartre for the past hour and a half, it was the perfect way to relax.
Paris Free Time Suggestions
- Hop on/hop off bus tour through the city (Paris Pass)
- Multiple walking tours throughout the city (Paris Pass)
- Musee d’Orsay – this is probably Paris’s second-most famous museum (only to the Louvre). Set in what used to be one of Paris’s main train stations. (Paris Pass)
- Pere Lachaise Cemetery – Oscar Wilde is buried here! (Paris Pass)
- Tour Palais Garnier, Paris’s opera house
- Parks in Paris
- Most famous: Jardin du Luxembourg and Jardin des Tuileries
- Other parks: Parc des Buttes Chaumont, Bois de Vincennes
Planning Your Trip to Paris
Now that you know what to do each day, let’s figure out where you’re staying, how you’re getting there, and when to visit!
Where To Stay: Paris Arrondissements
The different neighborhoods in Paris are called “arrondissements,” and there are 20 total. Arrondissement #1 is in the center of the city, with the numbers increasing in a clockwise spiral pattern the further out of the center that you get.
Many of the tourist attractions are in different arrondissements. For example:
- The Eiffel Tower is in Arrondissement #7.
- The Louvre is in Arrondissement #1.
- Notre Dame is in Arrondissement #4.
Source: https://maps-paris.com/maps-paris-districts/map-of-paris-arrondissements-with-attractions
Hotels in Paris
- During our first trip, Kelly and I stayed in Hotel Alison in Arrondissement #8. Almost everything we wanted to see was a 20-30 minute walk or metro ride away from our hotel, which was pretty good considering how big Paris is!
- A few years later, Jess and I stayed in Villa Saxe Eiffel, which is a short walk from the Eiffel Tower in Arrondissement #7.
Explore All Paris Hotels
The Best Way to Get Around Paris
There are many transportation options in Paris. The easiest way to get around Paris is to either walk, depending on where you want to go, or take the metro.
- Paris is largely a walkable city – we found most places we wanted to go to be roughly 20-30 minutes walking distance from each other and/or from our hotel.
- The only time we took an Uber was to the Palace of Versailles and to/from the airport.
- You can also take the metro from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport and/or Orly (ORY) airport into the city.
- If you’re flying internationally, you’ll likely fly into CDG
Individual Metro Tickets vs. The Passe Navigo Card
Depending on your travel plans and length of stay, you can either purchase individual metro tickets OR get a Passe Navigo card. Kelly and I purchased individual metro tickets at the station, which is what I would recommend doing if you’re going to be in Paris for less than 3 to 4 days.
If you decide to go the Passe Navigo route, here are some things to know to help decide if it’s worthwhile/more cost effective:
- Costs €5 to activate; can purchase weekly or monthly cards
- Must be used in full weeks (ex. Monday – Sunday)
- Must show photo identification
- The cost of your Passe Navigo card will depend on what zones you are trying to visit.
- Typical tourist things are in Zone 1.
- You can also take the metro to Charles de Gaulle airport using the Passe Navigo card, but you will have to purchase a pass for Zones 1-5.
When is The Best Time to Visit Paris?
As with most touristy cities, Paris is going to be the most crowded in the summer months (June-August). If you want to avoid crowds, it is best to go in the fall (September-October) or spring (March-April). Paris will be cheaper during the off-season (November-March), although the weather will be colder and potentially not as nice. I was also told by a local that you cannot rely on weather apps, as the weather can change at a moment’s notice (this is moreso directed towards the possibility of rain during the warmer months).
What to Wear in Paris
Even though Paris is considered to be one of the top fashion capitals of the world, I have to be honest and say I’ve been disappointed by the fashion when I’ve visited. To be fair, I have gone to Paris mostly in the summer, so a lot of what I saw could be tourists. BUT STILL…I was expecting…I don’t know…Vogue??
Overall, I would say to take comfortable walking shoes, a light jacket, sundresses (if in season), jeans, and a few trendy tops. During my recent trip, I saw a lot of people embrace the “baggy jeans/cargo pants” trend paired with a neutral colored tank and dark sunglasses. However – if you’re anything like me, and you use your vacations to fashionably show up – I would tell you to bring your pink, your polka dots, your tulle skirts, your ruffles and lace, and live your best life.
Explore Paris With Get Your Guide
If you choose not to do the Paris Pass, Get Your Guide has plenty of fantastic options when it comes to things to do in the City of Light. Explore walking tours, food tours, entry tickets, and more.
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