Last Updated: 1/19/20 | January 19th, 2020
Parigi. It’s one of my favorite destinations in the entire world and a city that would take a lifetime to see.
I’ve been to the city a lot more times than I remember — I even moved there for a while — yet I’ve barely scratched its surface.
Understandably, planning a trip to Paris is hard. just when you think you’ve seen everything the city has to offer, you find new attractions, new cafés, or new markets to explore. There are layers to this city — which is partially why I love it so much.
Most travelers seem to visit Paris for around three days before moving on. They see the highlights, snap some photos, and step on.
While three days i better than nothing, I think you need a lot more time than that. Ideally, I think you must plan on spending at least five days in Paris in buy to see the bare minimum of what the City of Lights has to offer. There’s just too much to do.
To help you plan your trip to Paris and figure out what to see, what to do, where to stay, and where to eat, here’s my suggested travel plan for a five-day visit (and some other suggestions in case you decide to spend longer there!)
Paris travel plan Highlights
Day 1: Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe, the Latin Quarter, & more!
Day 2: Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Musée de l’Orangerie, & more!
Day 3: The palace of Versailles, Père Lachaise Cemetery, & more!
Day 4: Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, Holocaust Museum, & more!
Day 5: Paris Catacombs, Rue Mouffetard, Musée de Cluny, & more!
Where to Eat: My favorite restaurants in Paris
What to See in Paris: Day 1
Spend your first day walking around Paris. There’s a lot to see, and you can spend a good half day (or whole day) wandering the cobblestone streets, parks, and neighborhoods of the city. If you want to orient yourself with a complimentary walking tour, these are really good:
Discover Walks
City complimentary Tour
New Europe Tour
For paid tours, check out get Your Guide. They have all kinds of walking excursions (as well as museum and food tours). There’s something for every interest!
However, if you want to follow my walking tour, here’s my suggestion for an “orientation walk” around Paris:
Start at the Champs-Élysées and see the Arc de Triomphe. There isn’t normally a line, and you’ll get sweeping views of the city to start your day. stroll down the Champs-Élysées and through place de la Concorde, where you will see the Luxor Obelisk, which the French stole from the Egyptians. It’s over 3,000 years old and stands 75-meters tall. This square was also where they guillotined people during the French revolution 1789-1799.
Walk down the Champs-Élysées through the Jardin des Tuileries, a beautiful garden that was once home to a palace that burned down in the 1800s. stop and admire the Louvre before continuing down Rue Rivoli and crossing into the original section of the city on the Île de la Cité. This is where the Romans built their original settlement.
Enjoy the Pont Neuf and the statue of Henry IV. This stone bridge, the first in Paris, was built in 1578. stroll to my favorite church of all time, Saint Chapelle, with its extraordinary 12th-century stained glass. There’s normally a line, so book tickets in development if you want to see the interior.
After that, head to the underground Roman ruins and then visit Notre Dame, the world’s a lot of popular Gothic church. It was damaged in a fire in 2019 and is closed, however, you can still take in the ruins.
Next, head south toward the Latin Quarter. This area is rather touristy but if you get off the main drag, you’ll find yourself in a labyrinth of alleys and café-lined squares that are far away from the local vacationer hangouts.
Visit the Pantheon and honor France’s a lot of popular dead citizens before heading west toward the Jardin du Luxembourg, where you can kick back and enjoy life go by. There’s great people-watching here, and it’s one of the best parks in the city.
After that, head north to see Saint Sulpice. If you’re into The Da Vinci Code, you’ll be trying to find symbols and hidden meanings throughout this church. If symbols don’t interest you, just marvel at how grandiose this place is.
By this time, it must be late in the afternoon and a best time to stop in a café, buy some wine, and kick back the Parisian way.
Ô Chateau
This is one of the best places in Paris to attend a white wine tasting class or have a white wine and cheese luncheon. The food is plentiful, and the wines are very generously poured and refilled. I highly recommend the lunch white wine class as it’s more affordable and you’ll get really full for the day; it also goes into great detail about the history of white wine in France.
68 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 1st arrondissement, +33 1 44 73 97 80, o-chateau.com. check the web site for last-minute deals. prices start around 65 EUR.
What to See in Paris: Day 2
Il Louvre
With over a million pieces of art, yoPotresti trascorrere un mese intero nel Louvre e ancora non vedere tutto! Non mi diverto in particolare all’arte medievale; È troppo religioso per me e posso vedere solo così tante foto di Maria e Gesù prima di annoiarmi. Tuttavia, vale la pena vedere il museo e ho trascorso circa cinque ore a esplorare tutti i capolavori e meravigliarmi del vecchio palazzo reale. Potresti facilmente passare molto più tempo se sei anche un appassionato d’arte. Se desideri solo vedere i punti salienti, aspettati di passare un paio d’ore.
Musée du Louvre, 1 ° arrondissement, +33 1 40 20 53 17, Louvre.fr. Orari di apertura: M, TH, SA – SU (9:00 alle 18:00), W, F (9: 00-19: 45pm), Tu (chiuso). L’ammissione è di 17 eur. Offrono anche un ammissione gratuita per tutti i visitatori il primo sabato di ogni mese dalle 18:00 alle 21:45. e il giorno della Bastille (14 luglio). L’ammissione è anche gratuita per i residenti dell’UE sotto i 26 anni.
Musée d’Orsay
Il Musée d’Orsay, situato nelle immediate vicinanze del Louvre, ospita il miglior lavoro impressionista e postimpressionista a Parigi. È uno dei più grandi musei in Europa e il mio museo preferito di Parigi. Vado sempre quando sono in città. Il museo vede oltre 3 milioni di visitatori ogni anno ed ospita capolavori di tutti i grandi artisti del mondo, tra cui Degas, Monet, Manet e Van Gogh, per citarne alcuni. Potrei passare ore qui e non annoiarmi mai.
1 Rue de la Légion d’Onneur, 7 ° arrondissement, +33 1 40 49 48 14, Musee-Osay.fr. Orari di apertura: Tu – W, F – SU (9:30-18: 00), TH (9:30-19:45), M (chiuso). L’ammissione è di 14 EUR e la prima domenica del mese gratuita.
Musée de l’Orangerie
Termina un giorno di museo selvaggio con questa vetrina Monet. Il museo mostra otto ninféas di dimensioni di arazzi (gigli d’acqua), alloggiati in due semplici sale ovali. Monet ha dipinto queste immagini più avanti nella sua vita e ognuno rappresenta un periodo diverso del giorno e della stagione. C’è un piano inferiore che mostra anche altri lavori.
Jardin des Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, 1 ° arrondissement, +33 1 44 50 43 00, musee-orangerie.fr. Orari di apertura: W – M (9:00 alle 18:00), ultima voce alle 17:15, TU (chiuso). L’ammissione è di 9 EUR, gratuita la prima domenica del mese.
Suggerimento di viaggio in budget: prendi il Pass del Museo di Parigi. Questo passaggio di quattro giorni costa 66 EUR e copre oltre 50 musei e attrazioni a Parigi. Copre tutti i musei sopra, quindi ottenere questo passaggio e usarlo per vedere tutte le attrazioni fornite in questo post ti farà risparmiare circa 50 EUR! Puoi anche ottenere un passaggio di due giorni per 52 EUR o un passaggio di sei giorni per 78 EUR.
Vuoi viaggiare in Europa come un esperto?
Ottieni tutte le mie migliori idee di viaggio in Europa e un toolkit di pianificazione gratuita che include le seguenti guide inviate alla tua casella di posta:
Come rimanere oltre il limite di 90 giorni
61 consigli di viaggio esperti
L’elenco di controllo massimo di imballaggio
Le mie aziende preferite da utilizzare
La mia guida per la pianificazione del viaggio passo-passo
Mandami consigli di viaggio!
Cosa vedere a Parigi: Giorno 3
Il palazzo di Versailles
Ci vuole un’intera giornata per provare davvero piacere in un viaggio nel palazzo di Versailles. Situato a circa un’ora da Parigi, trascorri la giornata esplorando il castello, perdersi nei giardini circostanti e assorbire l’elegante stile di vita dell’ex monarchia francese. Assicurati di vedere anche la tenuta di Trianon (conosciuta come la tenuta di Marie Antoinette), che include un falso villaggio contadino creato per fornire viste pittoresche e latte fresco e uova per la regina.
Versailles è un grande e bello, quindi non affrettare la tua visita. Molte persone vedono prima il palazzo, poi i giardini e poi la tenuta di Marie-Antoinette. If you do everything in reverse, you’ll be able to avoid the crowds. Additionally, go on a weekday to avoid the worst of the crowds.
What’s the inside of the palace like? Here’s a video excursion of the palace of Versailles to whet your appetite:
Place d’Armes, Versailles, +33 1 30 83 78 00, en.chateauversailles.fr. opening hours: Tu–Su (9am–6:30pm), last entry at 5:45pm, M (closed).
“The Passport” ticket gives you admission to all the palace excursions (grounds, Trianon Palaces, and Marie Antoinette’s estate), the musical Fountain Show, the musical Gardens, and the exhibitions: 27 EUR (one day, with passport), 30 EUR (due giorni).
Père Lachaise Cemetery
Finish off the day with a train ride east of the city center to visit Paris’s a lot of popular graveyard, where 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.
It’s a beautiful place for a quiet, reflective stroll. just make sure you’re out before it closes at 5:30pm.
LEARN MORE: checking out Père Lachaise Cemetery
What to See in Paris: Day 4
Torre Eiffel
The Eiffel Tower is Paris’ a lot of famous monument. built in the 1880s, it was actually disliked by lots of people when it was first built. Standing 324m (1,63ft) tall, it uses the best views of the entire city. To beat the crowds, get here early in the morning. If you wait until the afternoon, you’ll find yourself waiting in line for hours.
Afterward, have a picnic on the lawn and take pleasure in the sunshine and the views. It’s one of my favorite things to do in the city.
Champ de Mars, 7th arrondissement, +33 8 92 70 12 39, toureiffel.paris. opening hours: daily (9am–midnight) during the summer, with slightly shorter hours during the rest of the year. Admission is 10.40-25.90 EUR per person, depending on how high you go.
Wander Rue Cler
Located near the Eiffel Tower, this street is filled with good Parisian eateries. You’ll find cheese, meat, bread, vegetable, and chocolate stores to explore. I never walk away from this street without a pile of food and wine.
Whenver I’m here, I eat my way through this street and then get a lot more for later. It’s one of my favorite streets in Paris.
Paris Sewer Tour
This excursion is absolutely an off-the-beaten-path attraction and isn’t too far away from the Eiffel Tower. You’ll learn about the interesting history of Paris’s sewer system.
You may be put off by the idea of a “sewer tour,” but don’t be. It doesn’t smell down there and you’ll learn how modern Paris pertained to be. before there was a suitable drainage system, waste from the city just ended up int the river. It then spread disease and polluted the entire area, putting the entire city at risk. It wasn’t until the city developed a complex sewer system that it was able to get rid of diseases, improve trade, and develop into the world-class city that it is today.
Note: The sewers are closed for restorations until sometime in 2020.
Les Invalides (The tomb of Napoleon)
Also known as Hôtel national des Invalides, this massive complex was built in 1670 by Louis XIV as a healthcare facility for wounded soldiers. Nowadays it’s home to several museums and monuments, including the Musée de l’Armée (the military museum of the army of France) and Napoleon’s tomb.
It is one of the most detailed history museums I’ve ever visited, and you’ll need at least three hours to see it properly. While military history may seem boring, this museum is really a history of France, the Revolution, and Napoleon. It is fascinating and extraordinary in its depth. Non posso consigliarlo abbastanza.
Place des Invalides, Musée de l’Armée, 129 Rue de Grenelle, 7th arrondissement, +33 810 11 33 99. opening hours: daily from April through October (10am–6pm), and daily from November through March (10am–5pm). Admission is 12 EUR.
The museum of the Shoah (the Holocaust Museum)
Despite having an exceptional exhibit on France, anti-Semitism, and the Holocaust, the museum of the Shoah never draws a lot of people. It’s a real shame, as the information and collection here is really great and in depth. I’ve been to lots of Holocaust museums, and this is one of the best and a lot of in-depth in the world. I highly recommend it.
17 Rue Geoffroy l’Asnier, 4th arrondissement, +33 1 42 77 44 72, memorialdelashoah.org. opening hours: Su–F (10am–6pm), Th (10am–10pm), Sa (closed). Admission is complimentary and a complimentary guided excursion is given at 3pm (in English) on the second Sunday of every month.
What to See in Paris: Day 5
Paris Catacombs
The Catacombs of Paris are a fascinating but grim vacationer attraction. They go on for miles (no one really knows how far) and the limitless winding tunnels house thousands of bones. only a small section of the tunnels are open, and there’s a ton of history and information about the growth of Paris. The Catacombs themselves are actually old stone quarries that were located far outside the edge of the city during medieval times. There’s always a long line, so book your ticket online beforehand and don’t wait outside!
1 Avenue du Colonel Henri R