The Perfect 5 Day Paris Itinerary, Planned by a Local

Day 1 – Explore the Heart of Paris

Morning

You’ll start day one of your Paris itinerary exploring the 1st arrondissement (district) and visiting the city center’s iconic monuments. But first, fuel up with breakfast at Baguett’s Café, where you can enjoy a classic French pastry alongside some organic eggs. 

Baguett’s Café is located just outside of the Palais Royal. After breakfast, walk down the street to the Place Colette where you can see the famous Comédie Française Theater. Next, head up the street Av. de l’Opéra to reach Palais Garnier Opera House, which is wherePhantom of the Opera takes place!

After you’re done seeing these theaters, walk back towards the Seine until you reach the Louvre Museum (before you’ve read this post before going though). Finish up your morning wandering around this famous art museum. Here, you’ll see iconic works of art like Venus de Milo by Alexandros of Antioch and of course, the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. Although you may have difficulty getting close to them!

Note that the Louvre Museum is enormous. It’s more than 650,000 square feet. It also has more than 10,000 artworks on display at once. A guided tour can help you see the highlights without spending all day getting lost in the long halls. A Louvre skip-the-line tour with a guide is even better and will save you time getting in. 

Afternoon

After you visit the Louvre, head north to the Jardin du Palais Royal (Palais Royal Garden). King Louis XIV grew up here, but it’s now open to the public. The alleys of trees are great for a picturesque walk. The south end of the garden has columns, which makes for a great spot to pose for a Paris picture.

For lunch, treat yourself at the Restaurant Palais Royal, one of the best Paris restaurants.It has two Michelin stars, so it’s a splurge. However, I’ve had some of the best meals of my life there. It’s also a good deal considering the overall quality of the meals.

👉 Pro Tip: Jet lag can throw off your appetite. Paris bakeries have light sandwiches called “crudités” that you can eat on the go if you don’t feel like having a heavy lunch. Le Stube is a great restaurant for crudités and lighter fare. It’s located just a street over from Jardin du Palais Royal on the Rue de Richelieu.

After lunch, take the Metro Line 1 from the Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre stop to the Charles de Gaulle Étoile stop to visit the Arc de Triomphe. The arch is at the Place Charles de Gaulle. Fun fact: cyclists circle the Arc de Triomphe every year during the Tour de France!

You can enter the Arc de Triomphe and explore the rooms inside on your way to the top. Here, you’ll find some of the best views of Paris, including views of the Eiffel Tower. But the outside of the Arc de Triomphe monument is just as impressive. An eternal flame burns between the two columns in memory of an unknown World War I soldier.

Hop back on the subway to reach the Concorde Métro station and visit the plaza, Place de la Concorde. The Place de la Concorde is worth walking around.

Here, you can see the Champs-Elysées boulevard to the west, the Ritz to the north, the Tuileries to the east, and the Seine River to the south. This is also where you’ll find one of my all-time favorite luxury hotels, the Hotel de Crillon.

Take an afternoon break and treat yourself to a thick cup of hot chocolate at Angelina Paris, located just down the street on the Rue de Rivoli. This French restaurant is famous for its hot chocolate (people line up out the door!). The Mont Blanc dessert is also a good choice if you have a sweet tooth.

When you’re done at Angelina, walk next door to Librarie Galignani (Galignani Bookstore). This charming bookstore is worth a browse.

There’s an English section in the back if you’re interested in picking up a book as a souvenir. A classic book set in France is a great accompaniment to your trip. Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast is a good choice, while Adam Gopnik’s Paris to the Moon is better if you prefer more recent writing.

Evening

For dinner, head east along Rue de Rivoli to reach Granite. Here, you’ll finish the first day of your Paris itinerary. Visitors celebrate this restaurant for its creative twists on classic French cooking. The sommelier makes excellent wine pairings as well.

After dinner, take the Metro Line 1 over to Châtlet to visit Le Duc des Lombards if you’re still feeling energetic. This is one of Paris’s best-known jazz clubs. You can get drinks while listening to a wide range of acts. 

Take care getting home: the area near Châtlet can get rowdy after dark. I recommend taking a taxi instead of the subway for a little extra safety in Paris.

Day 2 – Dive into the Cozy Le Marais District and Islands

Explore Le Marais district and see popular attractions on Paris’s islands on day 2 of your 5 days in Paris. The streets in Marais are artsy and more peaceful than the buzzing city center. Paris’s islands, île Saint-Louis and île de la Cité are in the middle of the Seine River and are the oldest part of Paris. Wandering through these areas is a great way to spend a day.  

Morning

Start your day at the Cour des Vosges, a tea room on the Place des Vosges. You can reach Cour des Vosges by taking the Paris Metro to Saint Paul or Bastille.

The pastries at Cour des Vosges are especially good. Ask when they baked the pain au chocolats (chocolate croissants). Order one immediately if they’ve just been baked. When it’s fresh out of the oven, these croissants are the best in Paris.

👉 Pro Tip: Cour des Vosges is around the corner from one of my favorite Marais hotels, Le Pavillon de la Reine & Spa. This five-star hotel is a peaceful haven behind a plain doorway in the 3rd arrondissement (district).

After breakfast, check out the tea shop, Dammann Frères, right next door. The company has been selling tea for more than three hundred years, including to French royalty. I recommend getting the caramel tea as a souvenir. It’s delicious and an easy gift to carry back home!

Next, head to the southeast corner of the Place des Vosges to check out Victor Hugo’s House. The house is a well-preserved example of nineteenth-century decor. It’s also free because it’s a museum of the City of Paris.

Alternately, circle the arcades around the outside of the Place des Vosges square to window-shop at art galleries. Place des Vosges features many art galleries with mainly modern and contemporary art. Some art galleries occasionally place sculptures outside.

After spending most of the morning at Place des Vosges, go around the corner of the Rue des Francs-Bourgeois to see the Carnavalet Museum. This museum focuses on the history of Paris. Check out street signs, models, and artifacts from the French capital’s history. The temporary exhibitions can be fascinating once you’ve explored the permanent collection. 

Give your feet a break by enjoying a coffee or tea in the museum’s gardens if the weather is nice. Manicured French gardens form the museum’s courtyard. It’s great for enjoying a beverage in a historic atmosphere, but the food is overpriced. 

Afternoon

For lunch, head west toward the Rue des Rosiers if the weather is good. Grab lunch at L’As du Fallafel. This stand is famous for its falafels. It’s a great vegetarian choice in the Marais neighborhood and the kebabs are delicious. It has a powerful reputation, though. Plan on waiting a few minutes to reach the front of the kiosk—it gets busy!

Take your falafel or kebab down the street to the Rosiers Joseph Migneret Garden for a relaxing lunch in the greenery. The park looks like a simple square at first glance. However, the space is larger than it appears if you wander around. 

Choose La Favorite instead if the weather’s bad. This Instagram-worthy restaurant offers many bistro classics. Its interior is more laid-back than the flowery exterior suggests. Service can be slow at busier times, but the servers are friendly.

After lunch, walk south to Paris’s two islands. Start with the eastern island, the île Saint-Louis. This is the more residential island. The île Saint-Louis is small enough that you can take yourself on a walking tour without getting lost. Begin your walk around the edges of the island before cutting through the center.

Check out Berthillon for ice cream if you’re still hungry. It’s located at 46 Rue Saint-Louis en l’Île. This ice cream shop uses incredibly fresh ingredients. The sorbet is a popular choice (and its recipe is a closely guarded secret!).

Cross the Pont Saint-Louis to the île de la Cité. Here, you have three options for the rest of your afternoon.

Île de la Cité Option 1: Notre Dame

Explore Notre Dame Cathedral. This huge monument is unmissable: you’ll see it directly from the bridge. However, there’s plenty to explore inside, too. The stained glass is particularly distinctive. Historians consider it a great example of Gothic architecture.

Notre Dame was briefly closed after the 2019 fire that burned its spire and roof. It is now open to the public again. However, be prepared for scaffolding: it covers most of the outside of the building.

The cathedral’s permanent collection houses ten galleries. The three remaining Catholic relics once held at Saint Chapelle are now in Notre Dame’s collection.

👉 Pro Tip: Notre Dame is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, and lines can be long. I recommend getting the Notre Dame skip-the-line ticket if you can splurge. This ticket also gets you into Sainte Chapelle (below), which is known to have long lines. 

Île de la Cité Option 2: Sainte Chapelle Cathedral

Head further west on the île de la Cité if seeing stained glass windows at Sainte Chapelle Cathedral is high on your list. However, Sainte Chapelle will impress anyone, even if you’re not a history buff or particularly interested in churches. Its famous stained glass windows show over 1,000 scenes.

History buffs will be particularly impressed by the cathedral’s past. It is one of the oldest buildings in one of the oldest parts of Paris. Be sure to visit both the lower and upper parts of the cathedral. The audio guide is worth it: for €3, you get a thorough self-guided tour. Sainte Chapelle is another attraction that you should book in advance.

Île de la Cité Option 3: Conciergerie

Fans of history will want to check out the Conciergerie next to Sainte Chapelle. This national museum is a former prison where Marie Antoinette was held before her execution. It’s not an art museum, but art sometimes gets featured in this Paris museum’s eclectic exhibitions.

Evening

To wrap up day 2 of your Paris itinerary, cross back over to the Right Bank on the Pont Marchand. Then, follow the river east for about six minutes. Dine at Chez Julien, a classic French restaurant that’s featured in several movies and TV shows. Ask for a table on the terrace if the weather’s nice.

Finish your night off with a glass of natural wine at the Chope des Compagnons, near the Hotel de Ville Metro station. Ask the staff for their recommendations—they’re very knowledgeable.

Finally, wander back through Le Marais to Bastille. This is a major subway hub that will take you to most places in Paris. It’s also the location of the former prison whose destruction was a key moment in the French Revolution. Today, a monument is at the center of the intersection where the prison once was.

👉 Pro Tip: Take a taxi back to your lodgings instead if it’s very late or you are traveling alone. There is a taxi stand on the northeast side of the Bastille intersection, across from the opera house.

Day 3 – Wander Through Historical Paris & Enjoy a Food Tour

Spend day 3 of your 5 days in Paris wandering through the Latin Quarter and Saint Germain des Prés. This day is all about historical Paris and very centered around food!

Morning

Start your “food tour” of the Left Bank at Les Deux Magots in the Saint Germain neighborhood. “The Magots” as locals call it, is one of two famous Saint Germain cafés. The other, Café de Flore, is next door.

I recommend The Magots over the Flore because it’s less crowded. My experience with the servers has also been better at The Magots. Plus, Les Deux Magots has its own chic history. Diners here have included everyone from painter Pablo Picasso to chef Julia Child.

After breakfast, walk through Saint Germain to the Luxembourg Gardens (Jardin du Luxembourg). This garden changes dramatically in every season. However, some attractions are worth seeing year-round. Explore the Medici fountain, the pond, and the statues.

👉 Pro Tip: Runners and people who love to take walks should consider staying near the Luxembourg Gardens, which has great paths. The luxurious Hôtel Les Dames du Panthéon is only a five-minute walk away!

Afternoon

For lunch, walk north to Le Procope in the Latin Quarter. This restaurant has an interesting history. It is the oldest continuously running restaurant in Paris. It also played a role in the French Revolution, as revolutionaries met and plotted here. You can reserve a private room for an intimate lunch, but book far in advance. 

After lunch, go north to the Seine River and follow it west. You’ll pass the Pont des Arts, a famous place where lovers used to place a lock on the bridge and drop the key into the river below. However, this isn’t allowed anymore for environmental reasons.

Keep walking west until you arrive at the Musée d’Orsay, about seven minutes away. The Musee d’Orsay is an art museum in a former train station. It focuses on art history from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century.

The Impressionist and Post-Impressionist movement collections here are impressive. Expect to see the work of artists like Claude Monet and Vincent Van Gogh. 

Musée d’Orsay can have extremely long lines, so plan on buying tickets in advance. It’s also worth booking a guided tour of the large museum to see its highlights. 

👉 Pro Tip: The Paris Museum Pass is worth purchasing if you plan on visiting more than two of its included museums, like the Musée d’Orsay. Check the website for all included Paris museums.

Evening

Walk back east for dinner at Roger la Grenouille. Adventurous eaters will love this French bistro. It serves French classics like frog legs and escargot (snails). But it has other dishes, too. I’m personally a fan of their wine-marinated chicken.

After dinner, walk down to the Montparnasse neighborhood. I recommend taking a taxi if it’s after dark. Here, you’ll find famous Paris bars from the Jazz Age like the La Closerie des Lilas.

Enjoy a drink and then take a taxi back to your hotel when you’re done for the night. The main metro station here, Montparnasse-Bienvenüe, is enormous and not the safest at night.

Day 4 – Promenade Through Parks in Paris

You’ve already spent 3 days of your 5 days in Paris! Your Paris itinerary for day 4 will take you through peaceful parks and bustling monuments. I highly recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes for this itinerary day.

Morning

Begin day 4 of your Paris itinerary with breakfast at the Café Varenne. This typical French café opens early and has great croissants. It also has a terrace for excellent people-watching in warmer weather.

Next, head west down Rue de Varenne to the Rodin Museum. This sculpture museum is one of my favorite places to take visitors to Paris, even if they aren’t big art fans. The Paris Museum Pass covers admission to the inside of the houseand the big gardens. Both areas showcase sculptor Auguste Rodin’s modern sculptures. 

The inside of the Rodin Museum is a beautiful private mansion. The outside has manicured gardens dotted with Rodin’s sculptures. This is a great place to relax after you’ve seen the art. Plan to take a book or music in good weather and sit among the art and flowers for a while.

Afternoon

From the Rodin Museum, walk west past Les Invalides. This is where Napoleon is buried. It also houses three military museums. Keep going until you hit the Champ de Mars (you may see this misspelled as the “Champs de Mars,” but they’re the same). This park leads you to the Eiffel Tower.

Go to the top of the Eiffel Tower with a ticket for the elevator, the stairs, or a combination of both. (The stairs only go to the second floor.) 

Take advantage of the views by having an “Eiffel Tower lunch” at one of the two restaurants. Le Jules Verne, on the second floor, has a Michelin star and prices to match. Madame Brasserie, on the first floor, is less pricey.

👉 Pro Tip: The Eiffel Tower’s district, the 7th arrondissement, is a peaceful, residential neighborhood. It makes a great home base in Paris. I recommend the Académie Hôtel Saint Germain on the border between the 6th (Saint Germain) and the 7th to get the best of both worlds.

Cross the river after lunch to the Tuileries Gardens. Here, you’ll find sculptures, ponds, and lots of green alleyways. Wander the many pathways or relax with some music. You can also get an adrenaline boost in summer by riding one of the many carnival rides along the north edge of the park.

Finish your afternoon at L’Orangerie Museum in the southwest corner of the Tuileries Gardens. This museum focuses on Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art from the 19th and 20th centuries. It’s most famous for its huge murals of waterlilies by Claude Monet. They take up an entire room!

Evening

Give your feet a rest for the evening with a Seine River cruiseincluding dinner. This boat tour will take you through the city center along the Seine in “bateaux mouches” which means “fly boats.” A good river cruise will give you enough peace to enjoy the sights, but also enough information to know what you’re looking at.

Day 5 – Discover a Different Side of Paris in Montmartre

Spend the last of your 5 days in Paris with a different kind of Paris itinerary. For your final day in Paris, head north: you’ll be visiting Montmartre! This village-within-a-city is famous for its artistic history. It also has hilly cobblestone streets and an intimate feel.

Morning

Start your morning at Abbesses Metro station. Take a peek at the “ I Love You Wall” in the Square Jehan Rictus just behind the station. Then, walk down the cobblestone street, Rue des Abbesses, and turn left on Rue Lepic. Here, you’ll find the Café des Deux Moulins from the 2001 film Amélie. 

Prepare yourself for a climb: it’s time to go uphill! Use the rest of your morning to explore the Montmartre Museum. This art museum once belonged to the Impressionist painter Auguste Renoir. It’s also one of the oldest buildings in the area, dating from the 17th century. It provides information on the history of the area as well as on art history.

Afternoon

Lunch Option 1: French Cooking Class

Learn to make French specialties yourself with a cooking class. The Cook’n With school is in the Montmartre area and allows you to book private classes. Come home with skills you didn’t have before! Just make sure to book your slot well in advance.

Lunch Option 2: Guided Food Tour of Montmartre

Spoil yourself with a Montmartre Hill Sweet & Savory Gourmet Food & Wine Tasting Tour. This three-hour tour hits many of Montmartre’s gourmet highlights. You’ll also get a local take on the neighborhood’s sites along the way.

In the late afternoon, climb to the top of the hill to visit the Sacré Coeur Basilica. Tour the basilica itself. Then, check out the views from the second-highest site in Paris. The area behind Sacré Coeur Basilica has viewfinders that let you see the rest of the city, from the Eiffel Tower to the Tour Montparnasse ( Montparnasse Tower).

Evening

For dinner, walk partway down the hill to La Maison Rose. La Maison Rose is in a charming pink restaurant that serves classic French food and organic wine. It’s recently become more popular after being featured on the TV showEmily in Paris, so I recommend making reservations online ahead of time.

Night

End your night at the risqué Moulin Rouge. Moulin Rouge is a cabaret at the foot of the Montmartre hill that was made famous in the 2001 filmMoulin Rouge!

Note that Moulin Rouge is near the Pigalle metro station, which can attract pickpockets. Keep an eye on your belongings but don’t let that stop you from enjoying the show! 

👉 Pro Tip: Montmartre is a great place to stay after your first trip to Paris. It’s not central, but its neighborhood energy is charming. I recommend the boutique hotel Hôtel Particulier Montmartre for ultra-chic lodgings. 

Paris Itinerary Map

Here is a Google Map with all the stops, attractions, and hotels mentioned in this post.

Where to Stay in Paris

Best Hotels

Your Paris itinerary will be much easier on your feet if you stay at a centrally located hotel! There are charming and centrally located hotels in almost every neighborhood, no matter which part of this Paris itinerary attracts you most. Here are my favorite picks for where to stay in Paris:

• 🏆 Best Overall Hotel – L’Hôtel
• 🗺️ Best Location – J.K Place Paris
• 💎 Best Luxury Hotel – ​​ Hôtel de Crillon
• 👪 Best for Families – Résidence & Spa Le Prince Régent
• 💻 Best for Business – Padam Hôtel
• 🛎️ Best Boutique Hotel – La Belle Juliette
• 🌹 Best Near the Luxembourg Gardens – Hôtel Les Dames du Panthéon
• 🏨 Best Hostel – The People – Paris Nation
• 🛏️ Best Budget – Moris Grands Boulevards

Best Neighborhoods & Areas

The neighborhood where you stay in Paris is as important as the lodging itself. These are my recommendations for neighborhoods in Paris based on charm, different interests, and whether or not you’ve been to Paris before:

• The Marais ( Search apartments in the Marais) – The Marais is central. All areas on this Paris itinerary are within walking distance. You can reach Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle, and many Paris museums on foot easily. It also has charming, cobblestone streets.
• Gros Caillou ( Search apartments in Gros Caillou) – This area is home to the Eiffel Tower, but much quieter than you’d think once you’re away from the Champ de Mars. It’s slightly out of the way of many famous sites but easy to reach by public transport.
• Saint-Germain-des-Prés ( Search apartments in Saint Germain des Prés) – This neighborhood in the 6th arrondissement has chic residences, famous stores like Ladurée, and historic monuments. This includes the church that gives the area its name. It’s also central enough that most major destinations are walkable.
• Montmartre ( Search apartments in Montmartre)– This neighborhood in the 18th arrondissement is the perfect location for travelers who have visited Paris before. It’s not central, but it has a village-like feel and welcoming locals. It also has many attractions of its own, from the Montmartre Museum to Sacré Coeur.

How to Get Around in Paris

Ⓜ️ Paris Metro – This Paris itinerary is easiest to do on foot or by the Paris Metro (the subway system). Metro stops are close together in most parts of Paris.

🚌 Buses – Buses may slow down your Paris itinerary. Buses are not as reliable as the Metro, and you may wait half an hour before realizing no bus is coming.

🚕 Taxis & Rideshare – I recommend taking taxis after dark. The G7 app works like a rideshare app, except it summons licensed cabs. Uber is also an option, but Lyft does not work in Paris.

🚲 Biking – Paris has a bikeshare program called Vélib’. However, I have many local friends who’ve gotten into biking accidents in Paris. I wouldn’t recommend it. Scooters are outlawed as of September 2023.

🚗 Driving – Paris is a terrible city for driving. It has low speed limits, many one-way streets, and angry drivers. Avoid driving unless you’re leaving the city for a day trip. If you do, read my guide to driving a car in Paris first.

Paris Itinerary Planning Tips

Tip #1 – Book Guided Tours for Large Attractions

Paris has some of the world’s top attractions–but they’re huge. A local guide can help you hit the high points. A guided tour of the Louvre, for example, can make the 652,300 square-foot art museum much more manageable!

Tip #2 – Time Your Trip Well

Visiting Paris in the summer is incredibly popular. But the best time to visit Paris is in the spring or fall because you can experience the best of the city with fewer crowds. Winter also has its benefits. For example, the winter brings great window displays and sometimes snow. 

Tip #3 – Get Skip the Line Passes

You won’t be able to achieve everything on your Paris itinerary if you have to spend all day in line. You can buy early tickets and even skip-the-line passes for popular attractions. These include the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, and Notre Dame. Some come with a guided tour.

Tip #4 – Don’t Fixate on the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is a key part of any Paris itinerary, especially for first-time visitors. The area around the Eiffel Tower in the 7th arrondissement is also beautiful. But it’s very residential. This makes it a great place to stay, but I recommend venturing outside the Eiffel Tower to other areas after you’ve experienced the views and restaurants there.

Tip #5 – Don’t Rely on Google Maps’ Timing

Google Maps is very optimistic regarding Paris Metro and Paris bus speeds. Paris trains and buses can be unpredictable. Give yourself a 20-minute cushion when you’re riding the Metro. A 30-minute cushion is better for the bus.

Tip #6 – Hire Me to Help Plan Your Trip to Perfection

Are you the type of traveler who wants to personalize your itinerary to perfection? Then check out my custom Paris itinerary planning services!

I’ll work with you directly to come up with the PERFECT itinerary tailored just for you. It even includes an (optional) video call where I’ll connect with you to make sure every single part of the itinerary is exactly according to your needs.

FAQ

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Feel free to tweak this Paris itinerary to your interests. By doing so you’ll hit up all the Paris highlights and even discover some hidden gems along the way. For more travel guides on Europe, read our article on London vs Paris next!