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Travel to Paris…

Planning a trip to Paris?

4 days in Paris itinerary, 3 day Paris itinerary, or 2 days in Paris itinerary

Paris is one of the most incredible cities in the world and a top bucket list travel destination. There are so many beautiful places to visit in Paris and lots of things to do for any type of traveler.

As the capital of France, Paris is full of French culture and is known for its beauty, art, and fashion. It’s a dream destination and there is a long list of must-see Paris attractions and sites.

This Paris travel itinerary and guide will help you have the best trip, whether you have 2 days, 3 days, or 4 days in Paris.

I have visited this beautiful city with friends, as a family with young kids, with teens, and now I am living in Paris solo! This itinerary for Paris is fun for any age traveler.

I have put together the ultimate 4 day Paris itinerary, which you can use for a 3 day Paris itinerary or 2 day Paris itinerary, by speeding up the pace or just prioritizing the sites and activities that sound the most interesting to you.

Ready to get the Paris itineraries with the best things to do in Paris?

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This was the view from my Paris apartment in the 5th arrondissement, near the Latin Quarter

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4 days in Paris travel itinerary

Where to stay when in Paris?

The best area to stay in Paris is in the central part, either in the posh and beautiful Saint Germain des Pres (in the 6th arrondissement) or near the Historic and more affordable, Latin Quarter (in the 5th arrondissement). If you would rather have an incredible view, you may want to look at the hotels in Paris with a view of the Eiffel Tower below.

For the best places to stay in Paris, rent an apartment on VRBO, or Booking.com, or book one of the hotels below.

Where to Stay in Paris

Looking for the best place to stay in Paris? Book a top-rated hotel here:

Luxury Hotels in Paris with Eiffel Tower View

Here are the top Paris hotels with Eiffel Tower View:

Plaza Athenee– Click here for the latest prices
The Peninsula Paris– Click here for the latest prices
Sofitel Paris Baltimore– Click here for the latest prices
Shangri La Paris– Click here for the latest prices

Click here to rent an apartment in Paris

Click on Booking.com or Agoda.com to check their latest prices and read reviews

Where to stay in Paris with kids? Click here to rent a family apartment in Paris

Top things to do in Paris (the must-see in Paris!)

2 Day Paris Itinerary to 4 Day Paris Itinerary

DAY 1: Day of arrival

Take a Self-Guided Walking Tour of Paris

Click here to book a good private or group walking tour in Paris now

Paris Travel Tip: Download an offline map. Get this app and all of the other essential apps for Europe here

This 2-3 hour stroll is great for the day you arrive in Paris.

Walk throughout the streets of the Historic Latin Quarter and indulge in a crepe with Nutella and cream. (See the link below for delicious crepe recipes!)

Visit the Historical Shakespeare & Co Bookstore

Walk over the Seine on the Pont St. Michel Bridge on Ile de la Cité

Walk by Sainte-Chapelle– This Gothic monument was built by King Saint-Louis, in 1248, for his collection of religious artifacts. The stunning paned glass depicts 1,113 scenes from the Old and New Testaments.

Walk down the river and get as close as you can to Notre-Dame Cathedral. This 12th-century Gothic masterpiece is one of my favorite places to go.

***Due to the devastating fire in April 2019, Notre Dame will be closed until mid 2024.

Check out Point Zero– this bronze plaque set in the cobblestones in front of Notre Dame marks the center of Paris. This is the place from which all distances in France are measured. Make sure to get a photo of everyone’s foot touching the plaque.

Walk around the church and continue on to Ile St. Louis for fantastique ice cream at Berthillon Glacier.

In the late afternoon or evening, visit one of the best museums for families in Paris (listed below.)

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Paris itinerary 2 days to 4 days…

Top Places to Visit in Paris (the must do in Paris)

Visit one of the two most famous museums in Paris:

Musee d’Orsay

French art dating from 1848 to 1914- including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography with the largest collection of impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces in the world, by painters including Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, and Van Gogh

For fewer crowds, go on Thursday nights when they are open until 9:45 pm. Buy tickets online and print. Free entrance on the first Sunday of the month.

Louvre

Considered to be one of the world’s greatest art museums, the highlight is Leonardo da Vinci’s, Mona Lisa. This museum is enormous and packed with people, my advice is to come on a Wednesday or Friday night when it is open until 10:00 pm. You can be entertained by the street performers before or after your visit. Avoid waiting in line by buying your tickets online. Free entrance on the first Sunday of the month.

Booking.com

2 Days in Paris- Paris Itinerary 2 Days

DAY 2

Get up early and walk to the Seine

Enjoy a croissant and coffee from Le Boulanger de la Tour, or one of the other amazing places in the Latin Quarter

Visit the oldest farmers market in Paris (since 1547) at Place Maubert, Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday 7:00 am – 2:30 pm. Take a bag and pick up some items for a picnic lunch, or a snack before you eat lunch at one of the amazing cafes or restaurants.

Tip: For summer travel, a thin packable cooler bag is great to put inside your pack with one or two frozen water bottles. If it’s hot, take more so you can drink cold water as it melts!

Take a Bike Tour of Paris! Click here to book a fun bike tour in Paris

Get the Best Travel Apps for your trip to Paris

A bike tour is an excellent introduction to Paris. The bikes are easy to ride, most companies keep the groups small, and the guides are knowledgeable and entertaining.

* For families with younger children, I highly recommend a double-decker hop-on-hop-off bus. I did this the first time I went to Paris with children ages 4, 6, and 8, and had a great time sitting on the top of the bus, and seeing all of the sights. You can hop off at any of the sights on the route, then catch the next bus that comes along when you are ready. Tickets are usually good for 24 hours, so you can purchase them late in the day, use the bus for the evening, then start again in the morning. Click here to book your bus tour of Paris

Hop-on Hop-off Bus With Kids

Here’s an example of a 4-hour bike tour plan:

Notre Dame Cathedral, Musée d’Orsay, the Seine River, Pont Alexandre III Bridge, other historical bridges, Hotel des Invalides (learn about the most famous general France ever had, Napoleon Bonaparte), the market street Rue Cler …

Continue on to the Eiffel Tower, Grand, and Petit Palais buildings, and the famous Champs-Elysées Avenue with a stop to hear the history of the guillotine and Marie-Antoinette at Place de la Concorde, Tuileries Gardens, and finish riding to the amazing Louvre Museum.

After returning the bikes, you can sit at the Tuileries Garden (less than a mile back) while sipping on a delicious hot cocoa ever from the famous, Angelina, across the street at 226 Rue de Rivoli.

In the afternoon…

Return to any place that you saw on the bike tour. If you want to go up the Eiffel Tower, book your tickets in advance and plan on standing in a long line. (For the 3 or 4 day Paris itinerary, you will return to the Eiffel Tower on Day 3.)

Or, visit the Louvre or Musee d’Orsay.

Or, shop…

Visit one of the Popular Shopping Streets in Paris:

Avenue des Champs d’Elysees in the 8th is the most famous shopping street in Paris with endless stores, including my favorite, the largest Zara in Paris

Rue De Rivoli– big brand names, street vendors, etc. Runs parallel to the Seine near the Louvre

Boulevard St. Germain in the 6th for fashionable boutiques and home decor

Rue Saint Dominique, Rue de Grenelle, and Rue Cler in the 7th for charming boutiques and cafes

Le Halles– a large indoor shopping mall

Click here to enjoy a Paris dining experience, do a cooking class, or go on a food tour with locals

3 Days in Paris itinerary (Day 3 of 4 days itinerary in Paris)

DAY 3

Start out your day with a croissant and coffee from Maison Mulot in Saint Germain des Prés. You can also pick up some gourmet food for a picnic at one of the many gourmet grocery stores or go to my favorite place for takeout, Francart.

Choose a museum, or site or do some shopping.

Collecting a Picnic In Paris

Collecting a Picnic in Paris with kids

Take the metro or other transportation to the…

Eiffel Tower

The global cultural icon of France, this tower is the most-visited paid monument in the world, as you will see. If you go up to see the spectacular view, I would recommend coming back and going very late at night (the last entry is midnight in the summer, at 11 pm for the top) or booking a skip-the-line tour.

Click here to book your Eiffel Tour and skip the line

Enjoy a picnic at the park close to the tower, looking up at the majestic iron structure. If it is summer, hundreds of people will be lined up, waiting for hours to get in.

Stroll back along the banks of the Seine (on the left bank, river level).

Exit the riverwalk around Pont Royal and enter the posh St. Germain neighborhood to walk around to shop at the many beautiful strores and sample food from some of the many patisserie, boulagerie…

Try a macaroon from the famous Laduree

Look at Cafe Procope, the world’s oldest cafe, founded in 1686, and has seen many of the most famous people in history eat there, including Benjamin Franklin, Louis XVI, Voltaire, and Napoleon!

Walk to Jardin du Luxembourg

It’s no surprise that Paris has one of the most beautiful, clean, and serene parks in the world! The gardens cover 25 hectares of land and are split into French gardens and English gardens and complete with many statues, fountains, and ponds.

Small sail boats can be rented in the warm weather months

Other Places to Visit in Paris, A Little Further Out in the 18th Arrondissement:

Sacre-Coeur

This Roman Catholic church is located at the summit of the butte Montmartre, the highest point in the city. The church is beautiful as is the view of Paris.

Walk down to the Montmartre and grab some food on rue Lepic and rue des Abbesses. Make sure to visit an artisan Boulangerie, as this area is known to have some of the best baguettes in Paris!

On the weekend mornings, you can visit one of the Montmartre Flea Markets.

If you are doing a 4 day Paris itinerary, consider spending more time discovering the very local feeling, Montemarte, neighborhood

Click here to enjoy a Paris dining experience, do a cooking class, or go on a food tour with locals

Paris Itinerary 4 Days

What to in Paris in 4 days?

For a 4 days in Paris itinerary, take a day trip from Paris (one of the best day trips from Paris)

The Palace of Versailles is an opulent 11th-century royal château in Versailles and its fascinating. Versailles is only 10 miles from the center of Paris and is easily reachable by train.

A walking or biking tour is highly recommended

Click here to book a good tour or get tickets now

Crepe with Nutella and cream from a street vendor in the Latin Quarter

More information on where and what to eat in Paris

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Recommended Guidebook: Rick Steves Paris