By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 6th December 2023 | Updated: 25th April 2024
Flying into Paris at night with the Eiffel Tower lit up and sparkling to greet us started off a perfect 3 days in Paris itinerary. For Matt and I, it was our first trip to the French capital and one we will never forget.
Alongside the likes of London, New York and Milan, Paris, France’s capital, is known for its architecture, fashion and of course, its food. With a population of over 2 million, the City of Light attracts visitors from all over the world and it is easy to see why. So to help you plan a future trip here, (and believe me, you should), here is our perfect 3 days in Paris itinerary.
📍 Day 1: Montmartre & Arc de Triomphe
📍 Day 2: Eiffel Tower, Champ de Mars & Musée d’Orsay
📍 Day 3: The Seine, Musée de Louvre & Notre-Dame
Planning Your Trip? Use our favourite travel resources below:
Accommodation: We recommend Booking.com
Rental Car: We recommend Rentalcars.com
Flights: We recommend Kiwi.com
Tours: We recommend Get Your Guide
Are 3 Days In Paris Enough?
In all honestly, no. Three days in Paris is the perfect amount of time to get a feel for Paris and see some of the main sights, but if you want to really delve deep into Paris you want a couple more days so you can visit galleries and museums without worrying about how little time you’ve got there. We loved our 3 days there but we most definitely be going back in the future to explore further.
The Perfect 3 Days in Paris Itinerary Map
The Perfect 3 Days in Paris Itinerary
3 Days In Paris Itinerary Day 1 – Montmartre & Arc de Triomphe
Paris may not seem like it is suited to wandering on foot, however, it is surprisingly easy to walk around. Plus walking means you get to see bits of the city you wouldn’t otherwise see! Matt and I based ourselves in Montmartre so we were within easy access to a number of sights in the area including, Moulin Rouge, Rue Norvins and Sacre Coeur, and it also meant that Montmartre was the perfect place to start of 3 days in Paris itinerary.
Day 1 Morning – Explore Montmartre
It is easy to see why so many artists call Montmartre their home. The historic buildings and tree-lined squares alongside the cobbled streets brimming with cafes, patisseries and people are a perfect combination.
📍 Start at the Moulin Rouge – Finish at Sacre Coeur
📍 2km – easily spend half a day – 4.5hrs
📍 Moulin Rouge (0.5hrs) → 📍 Moulin de la Galette (0.5hrs) → 📍 Rue Norvins (1hrs) → 📍 Le Mur des Je t’aime (0.5hrs) → 📍 La Maison Rose (0.5hrs) → 📍 Sacre Coeur (1.5hrs)
Walking through the cobbled streets, historic buildings and artist hideouts of Montmartre is an architects, artists and adventurers’ heaven and a must-do if you are in Paris. With quaint cafes and hidden art at every turn, this route allows you to fully immerse yourself in Parisien ways, with a few sweet treats along the way! (Crepes and macaroons I’m looking at you!). Begin at Moulin Rouge before winding your way through the streets past countless galleries and cafes up the hills until you reach Sacre Coeur.
Day 1 Afternoon – Arc de Triomphe
From the Arc de Triomphe, we roamed through the streets back towards out accommodation, eating pre-dinner croissants and enjoying the spring sunshine.
Day 1 Evening – Catch a show a Moulin Rouge
Catch a show at Moulin Rouge if you can, (plan in advance and book ahead of your arrival in Paris as the shows often sell out far in advance). Book your tickets for Moulin Rouge plus a bottle of champagne for the evening, (you are in Paris after all!), here!
For your trip to Paris be sure to check out our post on Things you must see and do in Montmartre
3 Days In Paris Itinerary Day 2 – Eiffel Tower, Champ de Mars & Musée d’Orsay
Day 2 Morning & Afternoon – Walking the Gross-Caillou District from the Eiffel Tower to Musée d’Orsay
📍 Start at the Eiffel Tower – Finish at the Musee d’Orsay
📍 3.5km – easily spend half a day – 5.5hrs
📍 Place du Trocadéro (1hrs) → 📍 Eiffel Tower (1hrs) → 📍 Champ de Mars (1hrs) → 📍 Musee d’Orsay (2.5hrs)
I can’t write a guide to visiting Paris for 3 days and not include a walk that takes in the sights of the Eiffel Tower! So this walk allows you to see the Eiffel Tower from a number of places, all of which are just as stunning as the last.
Start the day off at Place du Trocadéro before wandering over the river to the Eiffel Tower. From here head between the Champ de Mars and Musee d’Orsay, glimpses of the Eiffel Tower at every turn, fully embracing getting lost down streets full of Parisien houses and boulangeries. (Make sure you stop for croissants and/or pastries at multiple locations along this route, there are so many boulangeries to choose from!).
Day 2 Evening – Food with a view
For our final evening in Paris, (and a certain someone’s birthday!) Matt and I headed to Terrass Restaurant in Montmartre, just a short walk from our hotel. If you have never heard of it and are booking a trip to Paris, make sure you reserve an evening table here. The panoramic views over Paris are incredible and the food is just divine, what more do I need to say!
So, after watching the yellow lights of the city getting more intense as the sky darkened, and catching the Eiffel tower sparking to life, we decided to head to Place du Trocadero for the nighttime light show we had only seen from the distance.
Make sure you check out our 2 Week Road Trip in France for even more ideas of where to visit in France.
3 Days In Paris Itinerary Day 3 – The Seine, Musée de Louvre & Notre-Dame
Day 3 Morning – River Cruise on the Seine
For your final day of the 3 days in Paris itinerary how does a leisurely morning cruise along the River Seine sound? With a chance to see the sights from the river, and a chance to rest those legs from all the walking you will have been doing around the city, a river cruise is the perfect thing to do. Be sure to book in advance though for the best cruise options and cheapest tickets.
If you can’t get a trip on a cruise in the morning then opt to book an evening dinner cruise instead, (or as well as!).
Day 3 Afternoon – Walking the Seine
📍 Start at Place de la Concorde – Finish at Pont Neuf
📍 5.5km – easily spend a day – 9.5hrs
📍 Place de la Concorde (0.5hrs) → 📍 Jardin des Tuileries (2hrs) → 📍 Louvre (4hrs) → 📍 Le Palais Royale (0.5hrs) → 📍 Cathedral Notre-Dame (2hrs) → 📍 Pont Neuf (0.5hrs)
For the final afternoon for the 3 days in Paris itinerary spend the afternoon walking along the River Seine and see some of the typical tourist sights of Paris as well as exploring some of the beautiful gardens and galleries that fill the area. From Place de la Concorde we walked through the Jardin des Tuileries before stopping to marvel at the glass pyramids of the Louvre. Here we went to explore Le Palais Royale gardens for a relax around the fountain surrounded by early spring blossom.
After a stroll around the gardens, we then wandered further along the River Seine to the Cathedral Notre-Dame and then back along the island to Pont Neuf.
Day 3 Evening – Say Goodbye to Paris
After wandering around this beautiful city for 3 days we went back to one of our favourite spots in Paris, Place du Trocadero, for one final view of the Eiffel Tower and the beautiful city of Paris.
Where to stay in Paris
We based ourselves in Montmartre and it was the perfect place to be close to the sights but far enough away to get some peace and quiet from the hustle and bustle of Paris.
Check out the map below for the best accommodation options for your stay in Paris.
Top Sights To See In Paris
A perfect 3 days in Paris has to include those bucket list stops everyone has to see.
📍 Eiffel Tower – Nearest Metro stop Champ de Mars, but I recommend heading to Trocadero instead for incredible views down to the Eiffel Tower.
📍 Sacre Coeur – Nearest Metro stop Anvers, but a walk through Montmartre is not to be missed.
📍 Musee du Louvre – Nearest Metro stop Palais Royal / Musee d. Louvre, but I highly recommend getting off at Concorde and wandering through the Jardin des Tuileries to the Louvre instead.
Top Food To Eat In Paris & Where
📍 Banana & chocolate crepes/sugar & lemon crepes in Le Palais Royale gardens
📍 Croissants for breakfast in Montmartre
📍 Any filled baguette you can find in a boulangerie
📍 Onion soup overlooking the River Seine
📍 A glass of wine with views to die for at Terrass Restaurant
Planning your own trip to Paris? Make sure you check out our Travelling Tedaldi Amazon Store Travel Guides for all your guidebooks and maps. (We’ve done the hard work for you and linked all the things we used to plan our trip!)
The Perfect 3 Days in Paris Itinerary FAQs
How to get to Paris
As Paris is the capital of France it has a very well accessed international airport. It is also extremely well linked throughout Europe via trains. If you are arriving from the UK, you can also take the Eurostar train directly into Paris too.
Check out Kiwi.com for the best flight options to and from Paris.
How to get around Paris
The easiest way to get around Paris is by utilising the metro system. Paris is a pretty big city so if you want to save your feet a little, get a metro pass for the 3 days and use them to get you across the various districts before exploring. You can also utilise the bus network, or cycle across the city but be warned, the traffic can get quite busy!
What is the cheapest way to get around Paris?
The cheapest way to get around Paris is via the Metro system. You can buy various day passes for either Zone 1 – 3, from €13.20 per adult / €6.60 per child for 1 day or Zone 1 – 5, from €27.80 per adult / €13.90 per child for 1 day.
Will I be disappointed when visiting Paris?
If you come with extremely high expectations of Paris as this fairytale city full of love and life, (as it is often portrayed in the movies), then depending on where you visit and where you stay then you might be a little disappointed. There are of course some truly wonderful locations to visit around Paris, but you also have to be prepared for the crowds and possible not so magical locations too.
Is Paris safe?
Paris is safe to visit for the most part, but you need to be aware of petty crimes and pickpocketing, as with in any large city, and especially a capital city.
What is the best time to visit Paris?
We visited Paris in early April, just in time for the spring to be hitting the city. It was still a bit cold though, but with only a few tourists around at some of the bigger sights and tourist attractions, we didn’t mind a little cold!
Is Paris expensive?
Being the capital city of France, Paris is of course more expensive than other locations across France. It s also one of the most expensive cities to visit in Europe but don’t let that put you off visiting! If you are sensible with where you eat, (not in the touristy locations), and where you stay you can make a Paris trip affordable for most budgets.
Should you get the Paris Museum Pass or the Paris Pass?
If you are looking to visit a number of the well-known museums and monuments in Paris then the Paris Museum Pass may be right for you as it gives you unlimited admission to over 60 locations as well as jump-the-line capabilities. However, if you are an EU citizen under 25 you can have free access to most of these locations already. Be aware that although it can jump the line, you may still be queuing for quite some time to the more well known places.
If you are visiting Paris and want to spend time exploring the city as well as attractions then the Paris Pass might be a better option. The Paris Pass gives you a one day hop on and off bus tour, a Seine River cruise, admission to various well known attractions and walking tours as well as discounts as restuarants.
Tours in Paris
Tours in capital cities are also a good idea to see more of the city than otherwise you wouldn’t have so check out these top tours in Paris from Get Your Guide – they often sell out quickly so be sure to purchase yours well in advance of your trip.
Day trips from Paris
All roughly 1 hour from Paris these locations make great day trips:
Versailles – UNESCO World Heritage Sites full of beautiful palaces and gardens
Fontainebleau – historical chateaux and gardens surrounded by a famous bouldering forest
Reims – the capital of the champagne region
Conclusion: The Perfect 3 Days in Paris Itinerary
So there you have our perfect 3 days in Paris itinerary for first-time visitors to this wonderful city. From our first, of what are sure to be many future trips to this beautiful location ‘la fin’.
Gemma Tedaldi
Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.