Paris is, undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. With its rich history and architectural prowess, it has become one of the most traveled cities in the world. And, being the fashion capital of the world, it always attracts people for its glitz and glamor. So, I am sure many of you have it on your bucket list if you haven’t already checked it off. And I am going to try and do my best to provide a detailed Paris itinerary to help you all plan that perfect trip.
My husband and I recently visited Paris from the US in the month of July. The weather was beautiful so we were able to do a lot in the 5 days that we were there. If it’s your first time here, I am sure you’ll have a lot of questions on your mind. Don’t worry, I got you! There’s a separate blog on my page for a detailed travel guide to help you plan ahead. That guide covers all important questions such as how to get a travel visa for Paris, how many days are enough, what to pack, where to stay, what is the best time to visit etc. so be sure to give it a read.
So, without further ado, let me jump straight into our 5-day Paris itinerary. I have tried to cover all the details such as links to making reservations, links to google maps and the costs involved to give you a better idea of how it all fits together.
Important note on this Paris itinerary
This Paris itinerary is quite packed because that’s how we wanted it. But if you’re looking for some relaxation and want to keep it lighter, you can always cut a few things off. Since we had only 5 days to cover all the major landmarks and attractions, we tried to squeeze in as much as possible but feel free to tweak it to suit your needs.
An important tip before you go
Wherever possible, try to make advance reservations because almost all of these sites are usually very crowded, especially if you’re visiting in the summer. So, chances are that you may not even be able to see some places if you don’t have an advance reservation. I started making the reservations as soon as we booked our flight and hotel. Also, try to read through all the instructions and tips on the websites of these places to make sure you plan your visit accordingly.
DAY 1 – CHECK IN, LUNCH AND PALACE OF VERSAILLES
9:00 AM – Reach hotel and check in || $966 for 5 nights
We flew in from the US and landed around 7:00 AM local time in Paris. Our hotel was nice enough to give us an early check in. So we reached our hotel around 9:00 AM, checked in and rested for a bit. We stayed at the Palais De Chaillot hotel and it cost us $966 for 5 nights. While it was a small hotel like many others, it was pretty affordable considering the central location it was in. The room was very small, but if you’re going to be out all day and only coming back to sleep, this should be an economical option.
For coffee and breakfast, we found a really cute cafe near our hotel called Noir. It has pretty good ratings and we really liked the coffee here. Here’s the google map link to this cafe.
12:00 PM – Lunch at Cocorico || $80 for 2 people
After a good rest, we then got ready and headed out for lunch. I had made an advance reservation at this restaurant called Cocorico. I came across this restaurant on one of the blogs online and it has good ratings on Google so we decided to give it a try. Make sure to make a reservation on their website ahead of time.
1:30 PM – Collect the Paris Museum Pass || $201 for 2 people for a 4-day pass with river cruise
If you’re visiting Paris, I am sure museums are on your list. And if you plan to visit more than 3-4 museums, then Paris Museum Pass is a more economical option than buying individual tickets for these museums. I did the math and this pass seemed to be much cheaper than individual tickets for the museums I wanted to visit. My blog on Paris travel guide here covers a list of all top sights that you should not miss. This museum pass covers all of those major sights and gives you skip-the-line access for most attractions. It also has an optional river cruise on the Seine river which is another great way to explore the city.
Keep in mind, though, that once you’ve purchased this pass from the GetYourGuide website, you will need to go and physically collect this pass from their office before you start your tour. The address for their office is – 3Pl. des Pyramides, 75001 Paris, France and the office is open 7 days a week from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM local time so plan accordingly.
Also, after you’ve purchased this pass, you’ll need to book your time slots for the Louvre museum and here’s the link to do that. There’s a few other museums that the pass requires you to make advance reservations for, so if you plan on visiting them, just carefully follow the instructions on your voucher.
2:00 PM – Walk along the riverside
The walk along the Seine river is beautiful. You could stop across some of the famous bridges on the way such as Pont Alexandre III. This bridge is magnificent and offers some great views of the Eiffel Tower and the River Seine. It also makes a great spot for photos. Along the sidewalk, you’ll also pass street vendors and cafes so you can stop by and do some souvenir shopping here too.
3:00 PM – Head to Palace of Versailles || Covered in Paris Museum Pass
From the riverwalk, make your way to the Musee D’orsay because right next to that is the train station for catching a train to the Palace of Versailles. There are many trains throughout the day and the whole journey takes about 30-35 minutes. However, there are a lot of trains that go in that direction so be sure to check the one you take. The train you need to catch will be line C that goes in the direction of Versailles Château Rive Gauche station.
We bought a Paris metro card of 10 trips (which was enough) because we knew we’d be using the Paris metro a lot for our commute around the city. But keep in mind that this metro card will not be enough for visiting the Palace of Versailles. You will need to buy a separate ticket at the station. It’s also important to note that the Palace closes entry at 5:00 PM so if you want to visit the inside of the Palace, make sure you enter before 5:00 PM. The gardens open late at around 8:00 PM so if you get there after 5, you can still access the gardens but you will miss the Palace. So, plan accordingly if you want to visit both inside and outside of the palace.
Another important tip
All the restaurants inside the palace close at 6:00 PM so if you’ll be staying back late, plan to pack dinner. The old town of Versailles, which is where you will get off from the train, has a lot of good food options so you can stop by and get your dinner packed from here before heading to the palace. Read my full guide here on important tips for planning a visit to the palace.
We went to the palace on a Saturday and the reason to do that was to be able to attend the Musical Fountain show and the Fountains Night Show that only happens on Saturdays. The musical fountain show runs from April through October and only happens on certain days of the week. This is when the magnificent fountains in the gardens are turned on for a display and it’s a spectacle to not be missed. The palace also hosts night fountain shows from June through September where the colorful and dramatic lighting effects offer a stunning visual.
The Paris Museum Pass covers access to the palace but if you want to watch the musical fountain show and the night show, you will need to buy separate tickets here. The cost was around $67 for two people. It was completely worth it and some of our favorite fountains were the Latona fountain and the Dragon fountain. Inside the palace, some of the things to not miss are the Hall of Mirrors, the Royal Chapel and the King’s State Apartment. You will need at least 3-4 hours to tour the inside of the palace and the gardens so plan accordingly.
DAY 2 – ILE DE LA CITÉ, ARC DE TRIOMPHE AND CHAMPS ELYSÉES
GOOGLE MAP FOR DAY 2 OF PARIS ITINERARY – HERE
9:00 AM – Leave for Île de la Cité
Île de la Cité is a small island in the middle of the River Seine, and is best known for Notre Dame Cathedral. This was the birthplace of Paris. We started with Pont Neuf, which is the oldest stone bridge in Paris. Here’s a link you can follow if you’re wondering how to get there. This bridge makes for a great walk in the morning and is a great location for pictures.
9:30 AM – Square du Vert-Galant and clock tower || Covered in museum pass
Next stop was Square du Vert-Galant for some beautiful views of the city. We then made our way to the Conciergerie and clock tower, both of which are covered in the museum pass. The clock tower was built in the 14th century and is the oldest public clock in France. You can see it easily from the street. The Conciergerie is a former courthouse that also served as a prison. Its a museum now and you could keep it optional if you don’t have much time. We just spent about 15-20 minutes inside but you can totally skip it.
11:00 AM – Sainte-Chapelle || Covered in museum pass
Sainte-Chapelle was our next stop and I had made an advance booking here before going. This church is covered in the museum pass but you may just want to reserve your time slot to guarantee entry. There are two chapels here connected by a staircase- one is at the lower level and other is at the upper level. Both are equally stunning but the upper one is more impressive so absolutely do not miss it. Keep in mind that it’s closed for lunch from 1:00-2:15 PM, no selfie sticks or tripods are allowed and there are no washrooms.
12:00 PM – Notre Dame Cathedral
We then made our way to the Notre Dame Cathedral. Because of the 2019 fire, this is closed to the public and you can only see it from outside as it’s being rebuilt. You can still see the two tours from behind the fences but that’s really it. It’s still worth spending a few minutes and staring at this architectural marvel. They have put up detailed information around the campus entailing the details of the fire and how its being rebuilt. It’s really sad to see the amount of destruction that this fire caused and the enormous amount of work it’s taking to rebuild.
1:00 PM – Lunch Reservation at Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole
We then took a break and made our way to lunch at Au Vieux Paris d’Arcole since it was close to the Notre Dame Cathedral. This place was decent and we made an advance reservation on their website. Another option you could try is St. Regis.
2:30 PM – Explore Place Dauphine and flower market
Place Dauphine is a small town square that you can stroll through and the flower market is just a short photo spot that you can check out.
4:00 PM – Arc de Triomphe Rooftop || Covered in museum pass
We then made our way to the famous Arc de Triomphe Rooftop. On our way here, we stopped at a coffee shop right across the Arc and grabbed coffee and a few quick bites. The arc is covered in the museum pass so you don’t need to purchase separate tickets. You can just show the Paris museum pass at the entrance and skip the line. This is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Paris and you need at least an hour here. Under the arc, you can see a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and every evening at 6:30 PM a flame is rekindled here to pay tribute. The best part is the rooftop that offers gorgeous panoramic views of the city. So make your way to the top using the 284 stairs and be amazed by the stunning views.
5:30 PM – Champs Elysees
Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a very famous street in Paris lined with luxury stores and cafes. This avenue is 2 kilometers long but we didn’t walk the entire stretch. We mostly hung out near the Arc de Triomphe part of the avenue as that was the liveliest part. On our way here, we stopped at the very famous Macaron shop called Pierre Herme. This place is known for its macarons and we tried four different flavors – Chocolate, Vanilla, Pistachio Strawberry and Rose. These are some of their best selling flavors. It has a few other locations as well and is a must try.
We also stopped for coffee at the very famous cafe called Laduree. This cafe offers a true Parisian experience and is known for its sweet pastries and macarons so it’s totally worth a try. Given its popularity, it may be crowded so expect some wait.
8:00 PM – Dinner at La Flamme || $80 for two people
We finally ended our second day with a scrumptious dinner at La Flamme. The service and food here were amazing and it was pretty affordable. I would recommend booking ahead of time.
DAY 3 – LOUVRE MUSEUM AND ARC DE TRIOMPHE DU CARROUSEL
GOOGLE MAP FOR DAY 3 OF PARIS ITINERARY – HERE
9:00 AM – Breakfast at Cafe de Flore || $60 for two people
We started our day with a nice and filling breakfast at Cafe de Flore. It’s one of the longest running coffeehouses in Paris and is a very famous tourist attraction today. So be sure to make a reservation here ahead of time. We made an advance reservation for breakfast and were able to skip the long line. We enjoyed delicious cappuccinos here and tried their veggie omelette.
10:00 AM – Place de la Concorde and Tuileries Gardens
Place de la Concorde is the largest square in Paris and is a sight to not miss. From here, you can make your way to Egyptian Obelisk and then walk to Tuileries Gardens next. It’s a public garden located between Place de la Concorde and the Louvre. The garden has free entry and is open all year round. There are chairs near the fountain in the middle and also plenty of benches to sit on. It’s a nice place to sit down and relax.
12:00 PM – Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
Next spot to check out is the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. It’s right in front of the Louvre and is worth making a stop at. It was built in 1806-1808.
1:00 PM – Lunch at Kodawari Ramen || $30 for two people
Head to lunch at Kodawari Ramen. They don’t take reservations so you can just walk in but its usually a bit crowded here so expect some wait.
2:00 PM – Louvre museum || Covered in Paris museum pass
Our final stop for the day was the very famous and sought after Louvre museum. Even though it’s covered in the Paris museum pass, like I mentioned before you will need to make an advance booking to just reserve your time slot. You can do that here.
An important tip
Make sure that you arrive at least 15-20 minutes before your assigned time slot. You will have to line up with everyone else as they will let you in only at the time you have booked. But if you arrive late, you might end up losing entry if its too crowded.
Inside the musuem
The museum is enormously huge and you can end up spending the whole day here if you want to. There’s just so much to explore and because it’s always crowded, it will take longer to explore. So plan for at least 3-4 hours when here. However, you don’t have to see everything if you don’t have that kind of time and that’s what we ended up doing. We targeted the most famous and important artworks first so that’s where you could start as well. Some of my top recommendations are Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. To be honest, we felt the Mona Lisa is overhyped and it wasn’t as stunning as it’s said to be. But we still wanted to check it off our list.
I’ve heard that many people prefer to do the closing time tour of the Louvre because it’s a great way to skip the lines and see everything in a shorter amount of time. Since we went at the peak time, there was a very long queue to see the Mona Lisa and we were only allowed to stand there for literally 30 seconds. It wasn’t enough but we couldn’t really do much about it. So, if you really want to skip all that hassle, you could check the closing tour option here.
And finally, as you make your way out, be sure to spend some time outside the stunning Louvre pyramid. It makes for some nice pictures, especially around sunset.
7:00 PM – Dinner at Pizzeria Popolare || $50 for two people
We ended the day with pizza at Pizzeria Popolare. This place has a lot of great reviews on Google and some great choices on their menu. Also, it has a great ambience and it’s usually very busy in the evenings. So be sure to give it a try.
DAY 4 – EIFFEL TOWER
9:00 AM – Reach Eiffel Tower || $37.74 per person on weekdays
Day 4 was all about the Eiffel Tower and was the most awaited day for us. Eiffel Tower is the number one bucket list item for every tourist visiting Paris. And I can say that it’s worth all the hype. The Paris museum pass doesn’t cover Eiffel Tower entry so you will need to purchase a tour separately. We purchased it from GetYourGuide and purchased the second floor access. There’s usually two types of accesses- 2nd floor and summit access.
We felt the 2nd floor views were much better and much clearer than at the summit. Because the summit is at a much higher spot, it will be difficult to get clear views. Also, summit access is more expensive compared to the 2nd floor access. So you should be good by just doing the 2nd floor and skipping the summit. You can also take a guided tour if you want but we took a self guided option as we wanted to explore at our own pace.
For food and drinks, there’s also a restaurant on the 2nd floor from where you can get stunning views of the city. So, on your way back from the tour you can make a quick stop here. At the bottom of the tower, there are many photographers usually hanging out in case you wanted to get a photoshoot in front of the tower.
11:00 AM – Pont de Bir Hakeim and Trocadero gardens
If you want to get more amazing views of the tower, walk up to the Pont de Bir Hakeim bridge and soak in some nice views. It’s just a short walk and makes for an amazing photo spot too. You can then cross the bridge and head to the Trocadero gardens. If you head to the upper level, you will get even more amazing views of the tower. This is where we stood to watch the sparkle on the tower in the night.
1:00 PM – Lunch at New Jawad || $60 for two people
Next, we made our way to lunch at New Jawad. If you’re craving some nice Indian food, you could try this place. It usually takes reservations but walk-ins are also welcome. We liked the vibe and the food here.
2:30 PM – Walk along the riverside
Since the riverwalk is a huge stretch and we hadn’t spent enough time here on our first day, we made our way back to explore some beautiful bridges and the architecture here. One of the most beautiful bridges to marvel at is the Pont Alexandre III. It was inaugurated in 1900 and is lined with beautiful lamp posts and sculptures.
If you keep walking further, about 15 minutes from the bridge you will reach the Hotel des Invalides. It’s a military museum and you could visit the tomb in about half an hour. Another museum to explore is the Rodin Museum and it is covered in the museum pass. This museum is dedicated to the works of a French sculptor Auguste Rodin, depicting his styles and techniques. So, if you really devour art then you should visit this museum.
9:00 PM – Evening river cruise
We then made our way back to the Eiffel Tower to take the sunset cruise. The sunset cruise option is covered in the museum pass if you select that option and you will need to pay a little extra for this option. But it’s highly recommended and we really enjoyed the sunset cruise. The cruise is an hour long and offers so many amazing views of the city. It is a guided tour that took us through the famous landmarks such as the Louvre and Notre Dame. It was a great way for us to see the city from a different angle. We also witnessed a beautiful sunset while sailing through the river and it was a spectacle to remember.
It was a very relaxing way to end our day. We hung out near the Eiffel Tower after that to see it sparkle. Because we visited in the summer, the sunset was around 10:00 PM so we got dinner near the tower before our cruise. And by 10:00 PM we made our way to the Trocadero garden right after the cruise as that’s one of the best locations to see the tower lit up. The tower sparkles every hour at the hour for 5 minutes from sunset to 11:00 PM. It stops sparkling after midnight so be sure to catch the sparkle at least once before that.
There are many viewing spots and its usually a very lively environment. When we were there around 10:00 PM, the whole place was crowded. There were many vendors selling wine and champagne, people had gathered to get pictures, there were also some photoshoots taking place and there was lively music. The whole vibe of the place was so amazing. You absolutely shouldn’t miss it!
DAY 5 – PLACE VENDÔME, PARIS OPÉRA, GALERIES LAFAYETTE AND MONTMARTRE
10:00 AM – Head to Paris Opera
Paris Opera was the first stop for our last day in Paris. It’s one of the places that has to be on your list no matter what. It can easily take up to 2-3 hours to tour this place and it was undoubtedly one of the best places I have visited in Paris. It’s also a very iconic location in the fashion world because many Haute Couture shows are held here. The architecture and grandeur of this place is just breathtaking. Its the largest opera house in Europe and has very impressive interiors.
It is not covered in the museum pass so we purchased the tickets here in advance. It sometimes can be closed for special events so be sure to check the calendar and book accordingly.
12:00 PM – Galeries Lafayette and lunch
Right across the Opera, there’s a grand mall called Galeries Lafayette. Its a very famous mall in Paris and has all the big brands. This is where all the rich tourists shop and you could literally spend hours here. Its interiors are stunning so even if you don’t want to shop, you should still check it out. The central area has a stunning glass dome that you absolutely shouldn’t miss. And if you have time, make sure to also visit the rooftop terrace. The views from here are quite nice. There’s also a lot of good food options here. We tried a restaurant called Pierre Sang Express. We tried their veggie curry bowl and it was delicious. Their packaging was also very unique and it was affordable. So, I’d highly recommend it if you want a healthy option for lunch.
2:00 PM – Place Vendôme
After lunch, we started walking towards Place Vendome. It’s one of the most famous squares in Paris and it’s lined with designer stores. The main landmark here is Colonne Vendome and it’s a 44 meters high bronze column that dates back to the 19th century. We just walked around this area and spent about 30 minutes walking around and taking some pictures. We also did some shopping at some of the local French luxury perfume and jewelry stores.
3:00 PM – Sacre Coeur and Montmartre
We then made our way to the famous church of Sacre Coeur. This church is in the Montmartre district and you can get here via Paris metro. It’s one of the most famous landmarks in this district and is usually very crowded. You can get here by climbing about 300 steps of stairs if you’re fit to do so. Otherwise you can take a funicular up. You will still have to walk some distance on your own, even if you take the funicular. This is also not covered in the museum pass so we purchased the tickets on the spot from the counter.
It’s good to spend around half an hour here before heading down. It also provides stunning panoramic views from the top which are so worth it. We had an unpleasant experience on our way down from here. We came across some scammers that tried to dupe us into giving money to them. They forcefully tied strings around our wrists and then asked us for money. They were in a group of around 8-10 people so we really couldn’t do much and had to give them some money. It was unpleasant so be wary of that as this is a very common issue in all major landmarks in Paris.
After heading down, we then just explored the town of Montmartre on foot. We just walked around the neighborhood and stopped at some famous points like The-Passer-Through-Walls.
6:00 PM – Covered passages and dinner
Our last stop for the day was the covered passages. They say that there used to be around 150 or so covered passages back in the day but now only 20 of them remain. These covered passages are a unique feature of the French capital’s extraordinary heritage. They house shops, restaurants and theaters. Some passages worth checking out are Passage Jouffroy and Passage des Panoramas. The Passage des Panoramas was built in 1799 and is the first covered passage of Paris and also one of the most famous in the capital.
It was here that we found a very unique restaurant called Kimochi thats known for their sushi burgers. It was a small sit down place and had a nice vibe. This was our first time trying a sushi burger and we absolutely loved it. I’d highly recommend giving this place a try. So after exploring the passages, we sat down here for a nice dinner and then made our way back to our hotel.
And that sums up our 5 days in Paris itinerary. I really hope that this detailed guide was helpful as you plan your trip to Paris. I know it can be overwhelming to plan a trip and that’s why I hope this Paris itinerary will be able to provide you with a good direction. Hope you enjoyed reading it!
Here’s a few other resources if you’re planning a trip to Paris,
