Paris city guide: itinerary, costs and local tips

Day by day

Days 1–3 are the core trip. Staying longer? Days 4–5 carry on from the same base, with their own cost breakdown below.

1. Day 1 — Louvre and the Right Bank

   ~€340

   Morning.

   The Louvre at opening, entering by the Porte des Lions to skip the pyramid queue.

   Afternoon.

   Walk the Tuileries to Place de la Concorde and up the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe.

   Evening.

   Dinner in the Marais, then a slow walk back along the lit riverbank.

2. Day 2 — Eiffel Tower, Île de la Cité and the Left Bank

   ~€330

   Morning.

   Eiffel Tower with a timed ticket, or the view from Trocadéro if you would rather not queue.

   Afternoon.

   Cross to Île de la Cité for Notre-Dame and the stained glass of the Sainte-Chapelle, then Musée d'Orsay for the Impressionists (closed Mondays) and a walk through Saint-Germain to the Jardin du Luxembourg.

   Evening.

   Steak-frites or duck confit at a bistro in the 5th, then an hour-long Seine cruise from Pont Neuf, about €15–17 a head, with the monuments lit.

3. Day 3 — Montmartre and the canal

   ~€280

   Morning.

   A bakery stop for a baguette tradition and a pain au chocolat, then Sacré-Cœur early, before the steps fill, and the lanes behind it.

   Afternoon.

   Lunch in Montmartre, then down to Canal Saint-Martin for a very Parisian afternoon.

   Evening.

   Wine bar dinner in the 11th, ten minutes from most hotels in the area.

4. Day 4 — Versaillesif you stay longer

   ~€260

   Morning.

   RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche, about 40 minutes (€5 each way on the regional train ticket). Enter the palace at the 09:00 opening with a timed Passeport (€22 low / €32 high season for EU residents, €25 / €35 for non-EU visitors) and go straight to the Hall of Mirrors before the groups.

   Afternoon.

   The gardens and the Grand Canal, then Marie-Antoinette's estate and the Queen's Hamlet at the far end of the park. Reason to go: it is the calmest part of Versailles and most visitors run out of time before they reach it.

   Evening.

   Back in Paris for dinner at a bouillon, the 19th-century workers' canteens serving œufs mayonnaise, blanquette de veau and crème caramel at old prices.

5. Day 5 — The Marais, Île Saint-Louis and the Latin Quarterif you stay longer

   ~€210

   Morning.

   Place des Vosges, the oldest planned square in Paris, then the Musée Carnavalet, the free museum of the city's own history.

   Afternoon.

   Cross to Île Saint-Louis for a Berthillon sorbet, then the Panthéon, Rue Mouffetard's market street and the Jardin des Plantes.

   Evening.

   A last bistro dinner in the 5th — soupe à l'oignon gratinée or a navarin d'agneau — and a walk along the lit quays.

Best time to visit Paris

April to June and September to early October: mild, long days, gardens at their best. August is quiet but many neighbourhood restaurants shut. January and February are cheapest, with short queues at the big museums.

Getting in from the airport

Cheapest.

RoissyBus or RER B from Charles de Gaulle, €11.80–€16.60, 45–60 minutes.

Fastest.

Taxi at the fixed fare of €56 to the Right Bank and €65 to the Left Bank, 40–60 minutes.

Where to stay in Paris

Le Marais.

central walking, cafés, museums — around €150–200 a night for two.

Latin Quarter.

students, cheap dinners, the Seine nearby — around €120–170 a night for two.

Batignolles / 17th.

calmer, better value, 15 minutes to the centre — around €100–140 a night for two.

Getting around

Paper carnets have been withdrawn: buy a Navigo Easy card for €2 and load 10 t+ tickets onto it for €17.35, shareable between two people, or load the same tickets onto an Android phone. Most of central Paris is walkable between neighbouring arrondissements.

What to skip

• Skip the Eiffel Tower summit queue — the Trocadéro view, or Montparnasse tower, shows you the tower itself.
• Skip the cafés on the Champs-Élysées; a coffee there costs three times what it does two streets away.

Deep Research: verified sights & local spots

What travellers consistently praise and warn about, checked against recent reviews.

AI-generated synthesis of public reviews (Tripadvisor, Google Maps, Booking.com, Reddit); not Wayfare.live's opinion. Last AI analysis update: October 2026 · Review & rating disclaimer

Staying longer?

With 5 days add Versailles on a weekday morning (€21, RER C) and a slow day in Montmartre and Canal Saint-Martin.

Paris for couples: romantic spots

Three days in Paris works as a romantic trip when each day ends somewhere unhurried rather than in another queue. These are the places worth timing for late light, and where to eat afterwards without paying tourist prices.

Montmartre behind the basilica.

Skip the crowded front steps of Sacré-Cœur and walk the lanes behind it — Rue de l'Abreuvoir, Place Dalida and the vineyard on Rue des Saules. Come up around an hour before sunset, when the coach groups have gone and the streets are almost empty.

The Seine quays and Île Saint-Louis.

The lower quay between Pont de Sully and Pont Marie is free, quiet and lit at night. Buy a bottle and two glasses on Rue Saint-Louis-en-l'Île, sit on the stone edge and watch the boats — the cheapest good evening in the city.

Pont Alexandre III and the Trocadéro view.

For the Eiffel Tower itself, the view beats the summit. Trocadéro at the top of the hour catches the five-minute sparkle; Pont Alexandre III gives you the gold lamps and the tower together, and costs nothing.

For dinner, aim for the 11th around Rue Paul Bert and Rue Oberkampf, or the quieter streets of the Marais north of Rue des Francs-Bourgeois. A bistro main each, a starter to share and a half-carafe of wine runs about €65–85 for two, against €120 or more on the riverside terraces. Book for 20:00 or later and avoid any place with a laminated menu in four languages.

Seeing Paris without feeling rushed

Paris only feels rushed when you cross the river twice a day. This plan keeps each day on one bank and puts the ticketed sights at the very start of the morning, which is what buys you slow afternoons.

Louvre at opening, by the right door.

Book the first slot and enter through the Porte des Lions or the Carrousel entrance rather than the glass pyramid. You get the Denon wing almost to yourself and can be out by lunch, before the afternoon crush.

Eiffel Tower — book early or don't go up.

Summit tickets open about 60 days ahead and sell out. If they are gone, do not queue on the day: the tower looks better from Trocadéro or the Montparnasse rooftop, both of which take minutes instead of hours.

One bank per day.

Louvre, Tuileries and the Marais on the Right Bank; Orsay, Saint-Germain and the Luxembourg gardens on the Left. Everything in each group is 15–20 minutes apart on foot, so you walk instead of waiting for the metro.

Keep one empty block a day.

One museum plus one long lunch is a full Parisian day. Leave the late afternoon for a café terrace or a park bench — that gap is what makes the trip feel like Paris rather than a checklist.

Worth knowing

• Book the Louvre, Orsay and Eiffel Tower online; every one of them sells timed slots that go days ahead.
• 2026 prices depend on residence: the Louvre is €22 for EU/EEA residents and €32 for non-EU visitors; the Versailles Passeport is €22–€32 (EU) or €25–€35 (non-EU) depending on season. Carry ID.
• Check the closing days before you fix your plan: the Louvre shuts on Tuesdays and the Musée d'Orsay on Mondays.
• Paper carnets are gone — load t+ tickets onto a Navigo Easy card (€2 for the card) or onto your phone, which still beats buying singles.
• The Paris Museum Pass starts at about €85 for 48 hours and only pays off if you visit four or more museums; on a three-day trip built around the Louvre and Orsay, separate timed tickets are usually cheaper.
• Museums are free for under-26 EU residents and on some first Sundays — check before you pay.
• An hour on the Seine at dusk, from Pont Neuf or Pont de l'Alma, costs €15–17 and shows you more of the city than any bus tour.

Paris questions, answered

How much does 3 days in Paris cost for two people?

About €950 excluding flights: €405 on three nights, €300 on food and drink, €145 on museums and the Eiffel Tower, €60 on the metro and €40 kept back.

Is 3 days enough for Paris?

Yes for the essentials — the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Orsay, Montmartre and two or three good dinners, which is days 1 to 3 of this plan. Versailles needs a day of its own, which is why day 4 is set aside for it.

When is the best time to visit Paris?

April to June and September to October. Terraces are open, queues are shorter than midsummer and hotel prices stay below the peak.

Do you need to book museum tickets in Paris?

For the Louvre, Orsay and the Eiffel Tower, yes. Timed entry is the difference between walking in and losing an hour in line.

Where should you stay in Paris on a budget?

The 11th, 12th or 18th arrondissements. All are on the metro, all have real neighbourhood restaurants and rooms cost noticeably less than the 1st to 7th.

Is 3 days in Paris enough for a couple?

Yes, if you build each day around one unhurried evening. Montmartre behind the basilica at sunset, the lower Seine quays by Île Saint-Louis and Pont Alexandre III after dark are the three that matter, and none of them costs anything.

How do you see Paris in 3 days without feeling rushed?

Keep each day on one side of the river, book the Louvre for the first slot of the morning and leave the late afternoon empty. One museum plus one long lunch is a full Parisian day.

What does a 3-day trip to Paris cost for two people?

About €950 excluding flights: €405 for three nights, €300 on food and drink, €145 on museums and the Eiffel Tower, €60 on transport and €40 held back — roughly €475 each.

Which days are the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay closed?

The Louvre closes every Tuesday and the Musée d'Orsay every Monday. On a three-day trip that single detail decides your running order, so check it before you book timed slots — arriving on a Tuesday and planning the Louvre for that afternoon is the most common way people lose half a day in Paris.

Is the Paris Museum Pass worth it for 3 days?

Usually not for EU residents. The pass starts at around €85 for 48 hours, and a typical plan takes in the Louvre (€22 for EU/EEA residents, €32 for non-EU visitors) and the Orsay (€16). Non-EU visitors adding Versailles reach break-even sooner. It pays off with four or more included sites in two days, and you still reserve a timed Louvre entry separately.

How much do Louvre and Versailles tickets cost in 2026?

Since 2026 both use two price levels. The Louvre costs €22 for EU/EEA residents and €32 for visitors from outside the EU; under-18s enter free, as do EU residents under 26. The Versailles Passeport costs €22 in low season and €32 in high season for EU/EEA residents, against €25 and €35 for non-EU visitors. Bring ID showing residence — it is checked at the door.

Is a Seine river cruise worth doing in Paris?

Yes, and it is the best value hour in the city. A one-hour sightseeing cruise costs about €15–17 with operators leaving from Pont Neuf, Pont de l'Alma or below the Eiffel Tower. Take the last departure before dark to see Notre-Dame, the Louvre and the bridges lit, and book online in summer.

Do you still buy paper metro tickets in Paris?

No. The old paper carnet has been withdrawn. Buy a Navigo Easy card for €2 at any station machine and load t+ tickets onto it, or load the same tickets onto an Android phone; both of you can share one loaded card by passing it back at the gate.

Can you see Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle in 3 days in Paris?

Easily — both stand on Île de la Cité, two minutes apart, and fit into one afternoon between the Eiffel Tower and the Left Bank. Notre-Dame is free to enter but reserve a free slot online to avoid the queue; Sainte-Chapelle costs about €13 and is best on a bright day, when the stained glass is at its strongest.

What food should you eat in Paris in 3 days?

Start each morning at a boulangerie with a baguette tradition and a pain au chocolat, and eat at least one bistro dinner of steak-frites or duck confit. Add a savoury galette bretonne for lunch and cheese from a fromagerie for a picnic in the Luxembourg gardens — better and cheaper than any restaurant near the landmarks.

What should you add on days 4 and 5 in Paris?

Day 4 is Versailles: the RER C in about 40 minutes, the palace at the 09:00 opening, then the gardens and the Queen's Hamlet. Day 5 is a slow day in the Marais, Île Saint-Louis and the Latin Quarter, with the free Musée Carnavalet. Five days costs about €1,505 for two.

How do I get from the airport into Paris?

RoissyBus or RER B from Charles de Gaulle, €11.80–€16.60, 45–60 minutes. If you would rather not carry bags on public transport: taxi at the fixed fare of €56 to the right bank and €65 to the left bank, 40–60 minutes.

Is Paris walkable?

Largely, yes — this plan is built so each day is walkable with at most a couple of short transport hops. Paper carnets have been withdrawn: buy a Navigo Easy card for €2 and load 10 t+ tickets onto it for €17.35, shareable between two people, or load the same tickets onto an Android phone. Most of central Paris is walkable between neighbouring arrondissements.

Where should I stay in Paris?

Le Marais for central walking, cafés, museums (€150–200 a night); Latin Quarter for students, cheap dinners, the Seine nearby (€120–170 a night); Batignolles / 17th for calmer, better value, 15 minutes to the centre (€100–140 a night). This plan budgets €135 a night for two.

Working to a fixed budget? Read our step-by-step guide to planning a trip on a budget.

Still torn? Read our Paris vs London comparison →

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