Paris is easily one of our favourite European cities, and one that we return to time and again. It has so much to offer, from beautiful views to world class museums to fabulous food. We’ve visited a number of times, both for short breaks like the 2 days in this Paris itinerary, as well as for more prolonged stays as part of a longer European itinerary.
Speaking of a shorter visit, we wanted to share with you an itinerary for 2 days in Paris that will get you to all our favourite sights.
Fair warning, this is a busy itinerary that covers a lot, so feel free to adjust it accordingly. However if you want to see as much as you can – this will help you do that. If you have slightly longer, you might want to check out our guide to spending 3 days in Paris.
This Paris itinerary is perfect for a first-time visitor, or even a returning visitor looking for a quick 2 days in Paris that includes most of the major attractions.
After the itinerary itself, we’ll share some tips and advice for visiting Paris, as well as some ideas for saving money on your trip. Now onto our suggestions of how to spend the perfect 2 days in Paris.
Table of Contents
2 Day Paris Itinerary
Paris Itinerary: Day 1
Sainte Chapelle
I have to admit, it took multiple visits to Paris before I actually visited Sainte Chapelle. Suffice to say, my mind was blown. This is without doubt one of the prettiest churches I’ve ever visited, and I can’t believe it took me so long to actually go inside.
With almost floor to ceiling stained glass windows, this 13th century gothic chapel will literally take your breath away when you walk inside. Don’t feel bad if you stand there, mouth agape with wonder. I certainly did, until I remembered myself and got to taking some pictures. It’s a truly wonderful place, and an absolute must in Paris.
Sainte Chapelle normally opens at 9am, and we highly recommend you get here by 9am sharp, if not a little earlier, in order to get in before the queues. It’s a relatively small attraction, and the security and ticket lines can be long, so arriving here when it opens will save you a lot of time.
There’s a fee for visiting, and it’s included on the Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass (see our review of the Paris Pass here, and our review of the Paris Museum Pass here).
You can also buy your ticket online in advance from GetYourGuide here, which is highly recommended as the ticket line can be very long.
A quick note on buying tickets online – you can normally do so via the official site or via a third party like GetYourGuide.
We nearly always opt for GetYourGuide because the tickets often come with free cancellation, unlike tickets sold via the official sites. This is very handy for peace of mind. However, you do always need to check and compare prices and policies for each ticket to be sure.
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris
Just near Saint Chapelle is one of Paris’s most well know religious buildings – Notre-Dame Cathedral. With two huge towers and mighty flying buttresses, it’s not hard to see why this has become one of Paris’s iconic attractions, not to mention one of the most famous churches in the world.
Completed in 1345 after nearly 200 years of construction, Notre Dame is a beautiful building that is well worth the visit.
Unfortunately, on April 15th 2019 a devastating fire seriously damaged Notre Dame. The cathedral will be closed for the foreseeable future as a result of this tragic incident. Whilst you can still see the inside, the interior is not currently accessible.
We would suggest that instead you add a nearby attraction like the Conciergerie to your list. This an excellent place to learn all about the French Revolution, and was where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned prior to her execution.
You can get a combined ticket that includes Sainte Chapelle and the Conciergerie here which will save you a bit of money.
Louvre
From Notre Dame it’s a 20-minute walk (or 15-minute metro ride) to one of Paris’s most famous museums – the Louvre.
This is of course home to the Mona Lisa (which many visitors make a bee-line for!) and the Venus de Milo, but the largest and most visited art gallery in the world has a great deal more to offer than these two sights, from Islamic art to Greek antiquities.
You could spend a whole day (or more!) just exploring the Louvre, but that would restrict the rest of your Paris sightseeing, so try and limit yourself to two or three hours if you can!
Also, you should be aware that the Louvre is one of Paris’s most popular attractions, and lines can get long. Usually there are two main entry lines outside the glass pyramid, one fast track security line for those with advance tickets, and one slower line for people without an advance ticket.
On some exceptionally busy days, entrance is only permitted with an advance purchase ticket, and we definitely recommend you buy yours in advance of your visit so as not to miss out. This will also normally save you time as the line for those with tickets is normally a lot quicker.
We’d definitely encourage you to save money and time by either getting a fast-track ticket in advance, or buying a pass that gives you access to the fast-track line.
For example, both the Paris Pass and the Paris Museum Pass offer free entry to the Louvre with fast-track access. It’s also included on the Paris City Card. See more at the end of the post on which pass is going to best for this two-day itinerary.
Note that in the busy times, which tend to be the summer periods especially, the Louvre gets very busy. In fact, the museum often sells out, and only holders of advance purchase tickets or timed reservations were able to enter the museum.
If you have a Paris Pass or Paris Museum Pass, you need to reserve your entry online on the official website. This is mandatory for holders of these passes in order to guarantee entry, and we highly recommend you do this in advance. If you do not reserve your slot in advance, you are not guaranteed entry even with the pass.
If you have a Paris City Card, you’ll book the timeslot you want when you book the card.
If you do not have a pass, you can buy your ticket and reserve your entry time either on GetYourGuide here (where we normally get our tickets ), or online on the official website here.
We’ve sometimes found that GetYourGuide has availability even when the official site is out, so it’s always worth checking if you want to visit and can’t find tickets on the official site.
Finally, you can also book a walking tour of the Louvre like this. This is a great option if you want to learn more about what you are seeing, as well as if you can’t get tickets any other way!
We’d suggest using Take Walks for this – we’ve taken a lot of walking tours with them in cities all around the world, and love the knowledgeable guides and small group sizes. See our suggested Louvre walking tour with Take Walks here.
Note the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays. See opening times and more on the official site here.
Wine Tasting
Depending on how much time you spend at the Louvre, you might have time for a spot of wine tasting afterwards. Note that this activity is one that we suggest you skip though if you feel this itinerary is a bit busy for you.
France is known the world over for wine, so after you’ve sated your cultural curiosity at the Louvre, why not relax a bit over a glass of wine whilst learning all about the art of French wine making. Sound good?
Well, conveniently, right next door to the Louvre you’ll find the “Caves du Louvre”, a relatively new wine tasting experience set in an 18th century wine cellar, formerly home to the wine collection of the King of France himself.
Here, over the period of about an hour, you’ll try three different French wines, whilst learning all about grape varieties and the factors that go into the making of a French wine.
It’s a fun experience, and you can either do it as a self-guided tour using an app, or with a tour leader. There’s a charge for the tour, but it is free for holders of the Paris Pass. You can also book online here.
If you’re not keen on drink, or you’re travelling with children, you might instead want to pop along to the nearby Angelina Café for a divine cup of hot chocolate. Or if you’re into tea, check out Jess’s guide to the best afternoon tea locations in Paris.
Eiffel Tower
This entry is an absolute must when in Paris – the Eiffel Tower. You will have already seen this magnificent construction looming over the skyline as you wandered around Paris, but I promise you, nothing really compares to standing underneath her and looking up.
You can experience the Eiffel Tower in a number of ways. Good views can be had from the Trocadero, on the opposite bank of the Seine.
You can also get a lovely view of the Eiffel Tower at sunset from the Champ de Mars – the landscaped gardens that run to the southeast of the tower. This is a popular spot for the sunset in Paris, and many people bring a picnic to sit outside and enjoy the view in the warmer months, often with a glass of wine in hand.
If you want to climb the tower, we very much recommend that you book your tickets in advance. This will save you from queuing in the often very long lines at the ticket offices. Tickets can be purchased directly from the official website, which usually has the best prices although note that they are non-refundable.
Another option is the Go Paris Explorer Pass or the Paris Pass, both of which include the Eiffel Tower. It’s also included on the Paris City Card, with a choice of timeslots. These passes can be a cost-effective way for sight-seeing as well – see our guide to saving money in Paris further on in the post for more information.
We would say that going to the top of the Eiffel Tower is definitely something to experience, and something everyone should do at least once.
There are also restaurants in the tower, which would make for a romantic spot for your evening meal. If you do choose to do this, we’d definitely recommend researching which restaurant you want to visit (prices vary), and booking in advance so as not to be disappointed. Alternatively, you can do an evening river cruise on the Seine with a meal!
See our complete guide to visiting the Eiffel tower for more tips, and to help you plan your visit.
Seine River Cruise
One thing many people look forward to when visiting Paris is taking a Seine River Cruise. These let you see a good many Parisian sights from a unique perspective, often whilst listening to a commentary.
Most tours last around an hour, and are a nice way to see a lot without too much effort. Just sit back, relax, and let the views roll on by.
Jess has written a detailed post to choosing a Seine River Cruise to help you decide between the various operators. There are a lot of options, and even though the view and route will largely be the same, various factors like commentary and boat size should be considered.
Some also offer a meal, which would be a lovely way to end your day! If that’s of interest, see our guide to the best Seine River dinner cruises which has lots of great options at various price points.
One tip – if you buy the Paris Pass or Paris City Card, a Seine River Cruise is included. This is a good option, and we nearly always use a pass like this when we visit Paris as it usually saves us money.
Alternatively, you can buy a Seine River Cruise ticket in advance here, and one with dinner in advance here.
There are a number of operators offering Seine River Cruises with departure from right next to the Eiffel Tower, which would be our recommendation for this itinerary.
Arc de Triomphe
There are a number of places in Paris that I think offer fantastic views of the city, and the Arc de Triomphe is one of my favourites.
Found at the western end of the Champs Elysees, this fifty metre high monument to those who died for France in both the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars is a must-see when visiting Paris.
You can of course admire the arch from below, and be amazed at the efforts of the traffic to get around this monumental roundabout. But to be honest, for the best experience, you need to climb the steps to the top (or take the lift) and enjoy the magnificent views of the city. Note – to cross to the Arch, take the pedestrian underpass. Don’t try and cross the traffic roundabout!
From the top of the Arc de Triomphe you get wonderful views of the Parisian skyline, including the Eiffel Tower, and the business district La Défense.
I’d also add, if you take the stairs on your way out, there’s a nice photo opportunity as you look down the stair well from the top of the stairs spiralling down. If you’re interested in more good photo opportunity ideas in Paris, check out my guide to the best photography locations in Paris.
Climbing the Arc de Triomphe does incur a fee. It’s included with the Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass.
Alternatively, buy your skip the line ticket in advance here. The Arc de Triomphe is open late, so those of you who still have the stamina for sightseeing will be able to visit this too!
Paris Itinerary: Day 2
Sacre Coeur
Your second day in Paris has you starting at the Sacre Coeur in Montmartre. This beautiful basilica is found at the summit of Montmartre hill, the highest summit in the city. As you would imagine therefore, there are excellent views on offer from up here.
The Basilica is relatively new, with construction being completed in 1914. Its white domes are instantly recognisable, and you can climb to the top for a fantastic view of the city. Entry to the Sacre Coeur itself is free, although there is a fee for accessing the towers.
Montmartre itself is an area which has long been popular with artists, and many famous artists of the Belle Époque era had their studios in this area. Today, you can get your portrait, caricature or silhouette painted at the famous Place du Tertre, a short walk from the Basilica.
Note that the steps of the basilica are particularly popular with “bracelet makers”, folks who will try to encourage you to accept a free bracelet from them. Except once they’ve starting tying your wrist with the free bracelet, they’ll expect some money in return. For tips on avoiding this and other common Paris scams, check out our guide to avoiding scams in Paris.
Dalí Museum
Whilst you are up in the Montmartre area, we suggest you might want to take in the Dalí Museum – Dalí Paris. For fans of the artist, who was a part of the Surrealism group that was headquartered in Montmartre in Paris, this museum is a joy.
This isn’t an essential visit though, so if you would prefer to just get on with your day, this one can easily be skipped.
With over three hundred original artworks on display, this is the only permanent museum in Paris dedicated to the artist. There are sculptures, drawings, watercolours and more on display, and the attached gallery even has some of his artwork for sale.
There’s an entry fee, and it is included for holders of the Paris Pass.
Opera Garnier Tour
From the Dali Museum it’s around a half hour stroll, or half an hour by public transport, to the next stop on our two day Paris itinerary – the Opera Palais Garnier.
We’re not actually going to the Opera though, although that is of course an option for an evening activity. Instead, we suggest that you take a self-guided tour of this spectacular building, which served as the inspiration for the play “Phantom of the Opera”.
The self-guided tour will give you full access to many parts of this gorgeous building, including the 2,000 seat theatre, the gorgeous grand staircase, the incredible seven tonne chandelier, and the balcony. You can book a self-guided tour here.
If you’d prefer a guided tour, these are also available. These tours last for approximately ninety minutes, and are offered in English. You can check times and availability and book on the official website here.
If you are interested in attending a performance at the Opera Garnier, read Jess’s detailed post to booking tickets for the Paris Opera here.
Musee d’Orsay
From the Opera Garnier we’re going to head to another of Paris’s famous museums – the Musee d’Orsay. Found in a former train station on the south bank of the River Seine, this spectacular building picks up where the Louvre finishes off, with a focus on artworks dating from 1848.
We think that the building itselfmakese this museum worth the visit alone. What was formerly the main platform area is now a huge exhibition space which looks stunning, and the beautiful station clocks are seriously photogenic.
Of course, the museum has no shortage of art either, with works from Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne and Renoir all on display, to name but a few.
Free entry with skip the line privileges is provided to Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass holders. You can also purchase ticket and guided tours online here or on the official site here.
Stroll along the Left Bank
Paris is a romantic city, and one of our favourite romantic things you can do in Paris is take a wander along the “Left Bank”.
In case you were wondering where the left bank is, it’s the south side of the river Seine. It’s called the Left Bank because it’s the left side of the river as you look downstream.
From the Musee d’Orsay, it’s a nice stroll along the left bank, if you head in an easterly direction, with views of the Louvre, the Pont des Arts and ultimately, if you keep going, spectacular views of the soon to be restored Notre Dame.
Sunset at Tour Montparnasse
The last two entries on our two-day itinerary can be switched around, depending on what time of year you visit. This is because sunset will vary depending on when you visit, and I’d suggest that the Tour Montparnasse is absolutely best experienced at sunset.
The Tour Montparnasse is the second tallest skyscraper in Paris, and from its rooftop observation deck you get what we think are the best views of Paris. From here you can see all the way to the Eiffel Tower, Montparnasse and La Defense.
At sunset, the view is truly magical, as the sun lights up the sky, and the city lights start to come on. Then – the pièce de résistance – the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower herself.
Access to the Tour Montparnasse viewing deck is free for holders of the Paris Pass. You can also buy a ticket online in advance here.
Centre Pompidou
Last on our list of attractions for our two-day Paris itinerary is the Centre Pompidou. This is home to a number of things, but we think you’ll be most interested in the Musée National d’Art Moderne – Europe’s largest Museum of Modern Art.
This completes the trilogy of art museums in Paris – the Louvre spanning up to 1848, the Musée d’Orsay covers the 19th and early 20th century, with the Centre Pompidou holding the the masters of modern twentieth century art. I’m talking Picasso, Warhol, Kandinsky, and Duchamp.
Conveniently, the museum is open until 9pm, which means you’ll be able to visit either before or after your sunset at Tour Montparnasse. Don’t miss the “view of Paris”, a balcony which offers one of the better view of Montmartre in the city.
There’s a fee to visit the Centre Pompidou and you can book tickets online here. It’s free for holders of the Paris Museum Pass.
Again, this is not a “must-see” in Paris, so feel free to skip this one if you don’t want to feel rushed.
2 Days in Paris Itinerary Map
To help you visualise all the above, we’ve put the attractions onto a map so you can see where you need to be for each day of your Paris visit. You can see this map here on Google.
2 Day Paris Itinerary Overview
- Day 1: Sainte Chapelle, Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, Louvre, Wine Tasting, Eiffel Tower, Seine River Cruise, Arc de Triomphe
- Day 2: Sacre Coeur, Dalí Museum, Opera Garnier, Musee d’Orsay, Left Bank, Tour Montparnasse, Centre Pompidou
When to Visit Paris
Paris is a city that is good to visit throughout the year. As with most European cities, it is particularly busy in the summer months, and lines for attractions in July and August can be long. The summer months do however promise the best weather.
If you want reasonable weather with less people, then the months of May and September will offer some solace. We also love visiting Paris in both fall and winter, when the leaves on the trees turn golden, and the city lights itself up for Christmas.
Basically, we think you’ll have a good time whenever you visit Paris, but just bear in mind that some months are much busier than others.
How to Get Around Paris
Paris is very easy to get around, with a comprehensive underground (the Metropolitan) as well as buses and local trains. Naturally there are also taxis and private hire cars available.
There are currently two main ways to buy tickets for public transport in Paris as a visitor. The traditional cardboard tickets as shows in the image below, and then there’s the new Navigo Easy plastic system.
The Navigo Easy system was introduced in the summer of 2019, and is a rechargeable plastic card that can be pre-loaded with tickets. The goal is for this to replace the cardboard version of the tickets at some point.
The Navigo Easy card costs €2 to buy, and you then top it up with single tickets or as packs of 10, known as a carnet.
Currently, the most cost-effective way to buy tickets in Paris is to buy tickets in packs of 10 on the Navigo Easy system, which represents a fairly significant discount on buying them individually.
Tickets can be bought at pretty much every metro station from the ticket machines, which accept cash and cards, as well as coming with an English language option.
For more on getting around Paris, see our detailed guide to how to get around Paris, which should help you plan all your transport in the city.
How to Save Money on Your Paris trip
The Paris itinerary above packs a lot into two days, and many of the sights and activities have an associated fee. At time of writing, if you chose to do everything in the above list, you’d be looking at spending just under €200 per person.
The good news is that you can save money on your visit to Paris. The answer is to invest in a Paris city passes, like the Paris Museum Pass, Paris Pass, Go Paris Pass, or Paris City Card.
Calculating if a pass is worth it for you will of course depend on exactly which attractions you want to visit.
From our itinerary, here’s what’s included on which passes, as well the cost of individual tickets as of November 2023 and links to book each attraction directly.
- Sainte Chapelle (€11.5) – included on Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass. Book online here.
- Louvre Museum (€17) – included on Paris Pass, Paris Museum Pass and Paris City Card. Book on GetYourGuide here, or on the official site here.
- Wine Tasting (€35) – included on Go Paris Pass and Paris Pass. Book online here.
- Eiffel Tower (€38 for guided tour, €11.30 for standard stair access ticket) – tour included on Paris City Card, Go Paris Pass and Paris Pass. Book tickets on the official website here
- Seine River Cruise (€18) – included on Paris City Card, Go Paris Pass and Paris Pass. Book online here.
- Arc de Triomphe (€13) – included on Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass. Book online here.
- Sacre Coeur (€6) – not on any passes we are aware of, in-person tickets only.
- Dali Museum (€14) – included on Go Paris Pass and Paris Pass. Book online here.
- Opera Garnier Tour (€14) – not on any passes we are aware of. Book online here.
- Musee d’Orsay (€16) – included on Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass. Book online here.
- Tour Montparnasse (€19) – included on Go Paris Pass and Paris Pass. Book online here.
- Centre Pompidou (€15) – included on Paris Pass Paris Museum Pass. Book online here.
Total attraction entry for all the above would cost you around €216.5
As you can see, none of the passes we recommend include all the attractions in our itinerary.
Assuming you planned on visiting all the attractions in our itinerary, then either a 2-day Paris Pass or a 2-day Paris Museum Pass would definitely save you money on the attractions it covers.
The 2-day Paris Pass actually includes a 2-day Paris Museum Pass, and then adds on things like the Eiffel Tower, Seine River Cruise and Wine Tasting. So depending on what you plan on doing, one or the other is likely to save you some money on your visit to Paris.
You can purchase a Paris Pass here.
You can buy a Paris Museum Pass from the official site here or on GetYourGuide here.
Another option to is the Go Paris Pass. This lets you pick a number of top attractions in Paris, and covers many of the attractions listed in this post.
If you aren’t planning on visiting every attraction in this list, then the Go Paris Pass might be a good option, as you can pick from 3, 5 or 7 major attractions, and save on visiting those.
Finally, consider the Paris City Card. This includes a guided Eiffel tower ticket, Seine River cruise and access to the Louvre. It also comes with an audioguide to Paris, as well as a further 10% discount on other Paris attractions.
This is a good option if you aren’t planning on visiting everything in our itinerary. It also has the advantage that you book the timeslots for the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower when you book the card, so can be convenient.
As well as the above, you should be aware that on the first Sunday of every month, access to most museums in Paris is free – although be aware that popular museums like the Louvre get incredibly busy on these days.
In addition, some locations will give you free entry if you are an EU citizen under 26 – you’ll need ID to prove this of course.
Finally, always check opening days for attractions before buying a pass, as you don’t want to be disappointed to discover a museum is closed on the day you plan to visit it.
Our personal favourite card for Paris is the Paris Pass, however it won’t work for everyone. You can read our full review of the Paris Pass here to see if it will be a good investment for you.
Where to Stay in Paris
We’ve stayed at a variety of locations in Paris, from hosted apartments through to hotels and homestays.
There’s a massive choice, and prices are generally reasonable considering this is a capital city. We’d advise picking somewhere within easy walking distance of a metro so that you can easily get around all the sights in this itinerary.
Our favourite way to find the best deals on accommodation is booking.com. They’re easy to use, usually have the best prices, and have everything from hotels to apartments.
- Hotel Dress Code & Spa, a highly reviewed centrally located 4 star hotel right a few hundred yards from the opera house
- Hôtel Eiffel Turenne, a well rated 3* hotel within a ten minute walk of the Eiffel Tower
- Ateliers de Montmartre, an apartment in Montmartre with views of the Sacre Coeur
- The People – Paris Marais, a well-reviewed hostel in the Marais, one of our favourite parts of Paris to stay
- Hotel le Compostelle, a highly rated 3* hotel centrally located near the Louvre Museum
If you prefer an apartment, then we recommend Plum Guide or Vrbo.
Plum Guide carefully curate their listings so their options tend to be of a very high quality whilst still being available at a range of price points. We’ve stayed at a number of their properties around the world, including a beautiful apartment in Paris with spectacular Eiffel Tower views. See their listings for Paris here.
If you can’t find what you want from the above choices, or you want some new options to try out, we wrote a whole post on the best alternatives to AirBnB which you should check out!
We also have a page full of travel resources, which includes our tips for getting the best deals on accommodation, which you can find here.
Practicalities for visiting Paris
Safety in Paris
We’ve not had any problems in Paris, although there are a few scams to be aware of – check our guide to avoiding common Paris scams so you are prepared in advance.
Power in Paris
Electricity is of the 220v standard, with the 2 pin European style plug. Travellers from countries like the UK and the US will need an adapter like this, and US travellers need to check their equipment supports the 220v standard – it will be written clearly on the power adapter.
See more on travel adapters and how to choose one for your trip in our guide to the best travel adapters.
Currency in Paris
Paris is part of the Eurozone, so the currency is the Euro. You can get these from ATM’s, banks and currency exchanges, although credit cards are of course widely accepted.
Internet Access in Paris
Internet access is widely available in the form of WiFi all around the city and in hotels and coffee shops, so you shouldn’t have any trouble getting online. You can also pick up local SIM cards if you have an unlocked phone. If you are travelling from the USA, consider a Google Fi package which lets you use your data overseas.
Alternatively, consider an eSIM service like Airalo.
For more options on getting online when travelling, check out our guide to getting online when travelling to help you figure out the best options. We also have a guide to picking the best travel router, which can help you extend a weak WiFi network and share it across multiple devices.
Drinking Water in Paris
The water in the taps is safe to drink unless otherwise posted. If you don’t like the taste, bottled water is widely available. We usually recommend you travel with a re-usable water bottle like one of these to save on having to buy water bottles.
We love our Klean Kanteen water bottles for travel as they are lightweight, easy to clean and the company is a certified B-Corp.
Eating in Paris
Paris has no shortage of excellent dining options to choose from. Whilst we generally don’t recommend specific restaurants as they can change so quickly, we do have a guide to some of our favourite restaurants in Paris here for inspiration.
We suggest that if you do want to eat at one of the more popular restaurants in Paris that you consider booking in advance.
We recommend and use La Fourchette (the fork), which is the most popular online restaurant booking website in France. It’s easy to use and makes booking a breeze, especially if you don’t speak French. Check it out here to find reviews, sample menus and book a table.
Walking Tours of Paris
If you would like to do a guided tour in Paris for part of your stay, then we suggest you take a look at Take Walks. We’ve used them for walking tours in cities around the world, and have never been disappointed. They focus on small group tours, led by experts, and they have a number of walking tours in Paris we can recommend. These are:
- A full day walking tour of Paris which includes many of the highlights in our post, including a major art museum, the Eiffel Tower, and a Seine River Cruise
- A three hour tour that includes Saint Chapelle and Notre Dame
- They also have more tours in Paris, see all the options here
Of course, there are other operators running tours in Paris, such as this delicious looking food tour, this in-depth tour of Hemingway locations in Paris or this tour of Montmartre.
As you can see, there are lots of good options for walking tours in Paris, whatever your interests!
Further Reading for your Paris trip
And that’s pretty much it for our guide and itinerary to spending the perfect 2 days in Paris! Before you go though, we wanted to share some resources to help you further plan your trip to the French capital. These are:
- A guide to spending 3 Days in Paris, if you want more inspiration or have a little more time
- We also have a guide to spending a day in Paris, if you’re on a really tight schedule and just want to focus on the highlights
- My guide to the best photography locations in Paris, to help you get the best shots on your trip, plus a photo essay of Paris, just to get you excited
- A guide to choosing a Seine river cruise, choosing a Seine River dinner cruise, buying Paris opera tickets, attending a fashion show in Paris, and how to save money on Michelin starred restaurants in Paris
- Galeries Lafayette is one of the most well known stores in Paris. However, there’s more to do here than shop! See our complete guide to visiting Galeries Lafayette for more information.
- Our review of the Paris Pass, to help you decide if it might save you money
- A guide to Airbnb Alternatives to help you find the right accommodation
- If you like afternoon tea, check out our definitive guide to the best afternoon tea locations in Paris
- For walking tours in Paris, we can recommend both Context Tours (link gives 10% off) and Take Walks who both offer tours in Paris.
- We have a detailed guide to attending the famous Moulin Rouge show in Paris
- If you want a guide book to Paris, we always like to recommend the Rick Steves guides – here’s the Rick Steves Paris edition
And that’s it! How would you spend two days in Paris? Do you have anything to add to the above, or any questions? Let us know in the comments below!
Michelle says
Hi Laurence, thanks for the great information you provide in your posts. I have enjoyed reading your London and Paris tips and itineraries for months to help plan. My sister and I are visiting Paris as a part of our European getaway to London, Paris and Amsterdam from June 16-27th. We will be in Paris from June 21st to the 24th. We have purchased the 2 day Paris Pass because we will be arriving by train from London around 13:00. We are staying at Hotel Duquesne Eiffel. What should we do first after settling in on our first day? Also, is following your 2-day itinerary realistic from our hotel? Do you suggest any possible changes? How can I incorporate afternoon tea at a hotel? Thanks for any advice.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Michelle,
It’s our pleasure! So first, obviously you will want to adjust the itinerary based on your specific interests. Your hotel is definitely well located, you should be able to do the itinerary as laid out. The only thing you will want to check is the timing for the Eiffel Tower tour that is included on the Paris Pass, as that might affect your itinerary. As you are so close to the Eiffel Tower, you may want to do the Eiffel Tower / Seine River cruise first, and then the rest of the days activities following on from that. Otherwise though, yes, you should be fine following the itinerary from the hotel.
For your first day (when you arrive) you could definitely do the afternoon tea if you wanted, most afternoon teas in Paris are available fairly late. You are not too far from the Four Seasons George V which is one of my favourite afternoon tea locations in Paris. Alternatively, you could see if there are any activities not included on your Paris Pass that you want to do. Finally, you might just like to take a walk perhaps up to the Seine and then along to the Eiffel Tower.
Have a great time in Paris and let me know if you have any more questions!
Laurence
Lisa Gonçalves says
Hi! We will be in Paris from 7-10th of December with 2 teenagers (15 and 13 years olds), was wondering if the Paris Pass is worth buying for them as some of the attractions are free for under 18. Is there anything that you recommend at this time of the year?
I am also a little confused. I have tried to buy eifel tour tickets on the oficial site, but there are none available for the dates we are in Paris. But the site states that for stairs tickets you can book 15 dyas before, does this mena that I may still be able to book 15 days before or as they are not showing on the site, this will never be a possibility? Many thanks, Lisa.
many thbab
Laurence Norah says
Hi Lisa,
It’s lovely to hear from you, it sounds like you a have a fun trip coming up! So the Paris Pass is likely not going to be great value for your teenagers as most of the museums are free as you say. I would also add that you need to check exactly what is included on the Paris Pass currently, even if buying for adults. Normally it comes as a two part pass, but they have been having inventory issues with the Paris Museum Pass component so it has not been including that for some of the versions recently. You might instead consider one of the Paris City Cards, they come in different versions and account for under 18 access being free.
Normally we would always recommend a Seine River Cruise (just bring warm clothing!) and of course the Eiffel Tower. The Galleries Lafayette department store should also be nicely decorated at this time of year.
For the Eiffel Tower, I think it is unlikely the stairs will have sold out this far in advance, so I think it is likely not showing availability because it is too far out. You’ll want to come back 14 days before your trip which is when sales should show.
Let me know if you have any more questions, we’re happy to help!
Best
Laurence
Tina Mills says
I will be visiting Paris in November for my daughter’s 21st birthday. We will be coming from London on a Monday and will be leaving back to London on Wednesday. I enjoyed reading Paris in two days and will be using it for our trip. We will be staying at a hotel in the rue Casimir Delavigne. Is that a central location? I would love to take a dinner siene river cruise and a do a photo shoot. Do you think we will have time and where would be a great place to shoot. My daughter also loves food. Is there any cooking class around that we could fit in our schedule?
Thanks in advance!
Tina
Laurence Norah says
Hi Tina,
I would say that yes, Rue Casimir is definitely in a central location, you are about 10 minutes walk from Sainte Chapelle / Notre Dame and the highlights of that area. You are also about 30 minutes metro ride to the Eiffel Tower.
You can easily take a dinner Seine river cruise in the evening of one of these days. We have a guide to Seine River cruises here which includes a section on dinner cruises. Some of these depart from near the Musee d’Orsay so would be easy to reach from your apartment.
We have done the Macaron making class at the Galleries Lafayette, that was a lot of fun and you should be able to fit that into the schedule, perhaps instead of the wine tasting. Alternatively, you could do it on the second day. It will depend a bit on your priorities and what you really want to see. You can see more cooking classes here.
In terms of photography, I personally think the Trocadero opposite the Eiffel Tower makes for a good location as you can get lovely photos with the Eiffel Tower in the background.
Have a great trip, and let me know if you have any more questions!
Best
Laurence
RAJA CHIALAKAMARRI says
Hi Laurence, Best wishes.
Excited to find your website is very informative. Would you help our family first trip to Europe. We vegetarians and like to find a place safe and comfortable for around $100-150 per night. Hotel stay is preferred but Ainbnb is also an option.
We 3 adults are thinking for flying in on Tuesday April 26th by noon. We take train to Amsterdam on 28th evening.
One evening our son 24year old youth may be curious to spend a few hours night life.
What we should see? How we can go around? any minor details like holidays, timings and buying in advance ( passes or booking tickets)
Would you suggest for Madrid (4 full days) and Amsterdam(2 full days) too? Our entire trip is between April 22-May1st.
Thanks in advance
Regards
raja
Laurence Norah says
Hi Raja,
Thanks for your comment! So we don’t currently offer personalised itinerary planning services. In terms of where to stay, if the recommended options don’t work for you, I’d recommend using the booking.com filter system to find something that suits. I like to filter by rating (usually 8+) and then you can filter by price. I’ve put that search together for you here. It currently shows around 8-10 properties (it will change based on availability). One option to consider is the Hotel Du Lion, which has good reviews and is quite well located.
In terms of what to see and do, as you are in Paris for two days this guide should cover everything you need to know, including the pass options and how to get around. If you have specific questions I am happy to help, but I think most of your current questions are answered in this guide. We haven’t visited Madrid but we hear it is very nice. I have visited Amsterdam and it is a lovely city, very pretty, although we haven’t written any guides yet as we have not visited for a while.
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Jenny Smith says
Admiring the time and energy you put into your blog and detailed information you provide.
Laurence Norah says
Thanks Jenny!
Minal says
Hi Laurence,
I need some help, for Day 2 – I want to cover below attractions :
1. Opera Garnier,
2. Musee d’Orsay,
3. Left Bank,
4. Tour Montparnasse,
5. Stroll around Champs-Élysées avenue
6. Moulin Rouge at night (not to attend the show)
I have booked my stay in the 14th ARR. so it’s a bit far and hence the confusion.
I wanted help to plan above attractions at best possible time of the day, can you please help me?
I also don’t want to miss the Tour Montparnasse sunset view. 🙂
Laurence Norah says
Hi Minal,
So this should be easy enough to do in a day. The only thing is I don’t know when you are visiting exactly, as some attractions have specific closures. So you should definitely check when each attraction is open specific to your visit.
The Opera Garnier has some closures on certain days and also some days it’s only open in the morning or afternoon. You can see that here: https://www.operadeparis.fr/en/visits/palais-garnier
The Musee d’Orsay is closed on Mondays.
Personally I think the Tour Montparnasses is best at sunset as you can see Paris going from day to night which is really lovely to watch. However, sunset varies depending on time of year, so again this will depend on when you visit. If you’re in the 14th, this will be the closest attraction to you.
Assuming you are visiting when everything is open, I’d suggest starting with Musee d’Orsay. Then Opera Garnier (self guided tour). If you want to do a guided tour, you’ll have to adjust your plan as these only run at certain times, and not every day of the week depending on the time of year.
Then I’d go to Champs Elysees, across to the left bank, and down to the Tour Montparnasse. Finally up to the Moulin Rouge.
This is definitely heading around a bit, but that’s kind of inevitable. I’d also say that you are really close to the Paris Catacombs in the 14th, so you might want to check those out too.
Let me know if I can be of any more help!
Laurence
Minal says
Thanks Laurence 🙂
I am travelling to Paris in June and would be considering this schedule for Sunday. I just checked the Opera Garnier would be closed for Sunday morning – so it would be open around 2.00 PM
thanks again for your detailed answer 🙂
you really helped me a lot!
Laurence Norah says
My pleasure – have an amazing time in Paris!
Minal says
Hi Laurence, Jessica,
Your post helped me a lot in planning in our 2 days in Paris 🙂
Thank you for writing this!
Laurence Norah says
Our pleasure Minal – thanks so much for taking the time to comment and let us know, it means a lot! Have a great time in Paris and let us know if you have any questions 🙂
Laurence
Jennifer says
Hi,
The itinerary that you have provided is so helpful to give me the top sights to see in the most efficient way. I’m looking at the 3 day Paris pass because I will be arriving on a Monday late afternoon, 4 pm and departing on Wednesday at 2 pm.
Is it better to get the 2 day or 3 day pass because of the dates and time?
I also saw that the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays and not sure how to accommodate the itinerary as to when best to fit that in.
Thanks Jennifer
Laurence Norah says
Hi Jennifer!
So I would recommend getting the 2 day Paris pass. The reason being that the pass is made up of two components, a Paris Pass and a Paris Museum Pass. They cover slightly different things, and they can actually be activated separately. In addition, there is no 3 day Paris Museum Pass, so the 3 day Paris Pass only comes with a 2 day Paris Museum pass anyway!
Now, on to your itinerary conundrum. So you have a little less than two full days due to your arrival time, and because the Louvre is closed on Tuesday, you might not get absolutely everything in. Based on your timings, I would probably suggest something like the following:
Monday – Eiffel Tower (it opens late, but reserve your ticket in advance online to skip the lines!), Seine River Cruise, Left Bank. Only activate the Paris Pass for the Seine River Cruise.
Tuesday – Saint Chapelle, Notre Dame (optional as it is closed but you are close so might as well take a peep), wine tasting, Sacre Coeur, Dali Museum, Opera Garnier, Tour Montparnasse, Centre Pompidou. Use both Paris Pass and Paris Museum Pass.
Now, honestly it is going to be a lot to try and do all that. You might want to skip the wine tasting, or the trip out to Montmartre, depending on your specific interests. I’m also not quite sure where to put the Arc de Triomphe. If you just want to view it that would be on your first day, however if you want to climb it you’d have to do it with the Museum Pass on day 2 or 3.
Wednesday – the Louvre, Musee D’orsay. Could also do the Arc de Triomphe if you are feeling quick!
I hope this helps. Happy to help you hone this a bit more if you let me know any “must-see” sights, or things you don’t mind skipping 🙂 Finally, don’t forget the 2 day version of the pass only comes with a 2 day travel card, which is valid for consecutive days rather than a 48h period. So if you start that at 4pm on the Monday, it will stop working at 5.30am on the Wednesday (they are valid for 5.30am -5.30am, regardless of which time of day you activate them).
Laurence
Jennifer says
Thanks so much for responding and giving me great suggestions. Really awesome.
Laurence Norah says
My pleasure – have a great trip 😀
Michelle says
This is a great breakdown! Thank you very much for sharing your expertise. My husband and I will be visiting for the first time at the end of March. We will have some time on arrival day, but figured we would be jet-lagged, but after reading your blog, I’m thinking we should still get a 3-day Paris Pass and after possibly a small nap on our first day, try and visit some of the sights. We then would have two full days to explore before returning home on the following day. Should we rule out the Palace of Versailles on this short trip as I hear it can take much of the day? We will be staying in the Saint Germain area. Also, would you recommend bringing Euros with us or getting them there in Paris? Again, thank you very much!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Michelle!
Sounds like a plan! Just be aware that the 3 day Paris Pass only comes with a 2 day Paris Museum Pass. The two passes can however be used and activated separately. So my tip if you do as you plan would be to visit only those attractions on the Paris Pass itself. That would include things like a Seine River Cruise, wine tasting and a walking tour, which would all be good options for your first day.
For Versailles – obviously this is up to you, but yes, to make the most out of a visit you will want to give it most of a day, especially to explore the gardens and out to the Marie Antoinette area, which is my favourite part. So I’d say as this is your first visit you might want to focus on the main sights in the city itself.
For Euros, this will depend very much on what credit / debit cards you have. Some banks will let you withdraw euros fee free from foreign ATMs, whilst others will charge a hefty fee. So you should check with your bank, and maybe look into getting a card which doesn’t charge fees. Usually if you can order euros in advance before you travel you will get a better rate. Just avoid money exchange at the airport as the rates are going to be dire 🙂
Have a great trip – let me know if you have any more questions!
Laurence
Chanchal says
Hi,
Your post is really good to understand the each and every aspect of paris tour.
I would be really keen to know if you can put tentatively time on each place for 2 days itinerary so that i can plan my start time and end time of these two days.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Chancal,
Sure thing!
Sainte Chapelle, opens at 9am. I recommend arriving around 8.30am to get to the front of the line. Leave by 9.45am
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris – this is closed, so a brief photo stop only. Done by 10am.
Louvre 10.30am – 12.30
WIne Tasting, 12.30 – 1.30
Arc de Triomphe, 2 – 2.30
Eiffel Tower, 3 – 4.30
Seine River Cruise 5pm +
Day 2:
Sacre Coeur opens at 8.30am, so be here then 🙂 allow an hour.
Dalí Museum, opens at 10am. allow 45min – 1 hour
Opera Garnier, 11.30 – 12.30
Musee d’Orsay, 1 – 3
Left Bank, 3 – 4
Tour Montparnasse 5 – 6 (although recommend you adjust timing to be here for sunset)
Centre Pompidou – either before or after Tour Montparnasse. It’s open until quite late usually.
I hope this helps – obviously adjust timings to suit but you should get an idea.
Best
Laurence
Hamid says
Hi there,
I hope you are doing fine.
I want to know your idea whether it is OK to visit paris on 31th Dec to 2nd Jan.
Cheers,
Hamid
Laurence Norah says
Hi Hamid!
Thanks for your message. So the main issue with this is that nearly every attraction in Paris will close on New Years Day (1st January). So you should expect many attractions to be closed on the 1st, and possibly close early on the 31st December.
So if there are specific attractions you want to visit, you will want to check their websites to see when they are open.
In addition, hotel accommodation tends to be more expensive over the New Year period, so you will want to consider that as well.
I hope this helps! I wouldn’t say not to visit, but just to be prepared in advance and have a plan 🙂
Laurence
johnmark says
My wife and I really enjoyed our 4 days in Paris with the Paris Pass. It was very helpful and saved a lot of money. Thank you!
Laurence Norah says
Our pleasure!
Laurence Norah says
Our pleasure 😀
Ketan says
Hi, What are options available for vegetarian traveller? (No egg, meat, seafood).?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Ketan,
I believe there’s a wide range of vegetarian options, most restaurants will have vegetarian or vegan options to choose from 🙂
Have a great trip!
Laurence
KULKARNI says
Hi. I am quite impressed with your itinerary for 2 days in Paris. I just want to to know are there tour operator’s available who can fulfill this itinerary? If so please share this information, if you can.
Regards
U S KULKARNI
Laurence Norah says
Hi Kulkarni,
I’m not sure to be honest – our itineraries are designed for independent travellers. The closest I can suggest are the walking tours we list in the article, the full day Paris tour by Take Walks is likely your best option if you want a guided experience. However if you want the full two days with accommodation you would need to talk to a travel agent I think.
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Melanie Burgess says
Hi there
Awesome itinary I’m going to take on the 2 day one and see how far I will come. I’ve been up the eiffel Tower so will skip the trip up. I’ll be staying in Mont martre and I would like to know if the Paris pass covers that area for transport.
Many thanks
Melanie
Laurence Norah says
Hi Melania!
It covers zones 1-3 if I remember correctly, which includes Montmartre 🙂
Enjoy your time in Paris!
Laurence
Lisa Duncan says
Hi Laurence,
This is a fantastic resource and was exactly what I was looking for to help plan my visit to Paris, including the photography tips ( my hobby). I will also be looking at your London itinerary. We are coming from a stay in Disneyland Paris and will be coming to the city to stay for 2 nights and then heading to CDL.
Can you recommend the train station that is closest to the attractions on your Day 1 itinerary?
I am also looking for a centrally located place to stay that will be close enough to drop off luggage and then start our day.
Are their special precautions when carrying my professional camera throughout Europe. Should I try and find an anti theft camera strap?
Thank you so much
Laurence Norah says
Hi Lisa!
Thanks very much 🙂
So I would say probably Gare Montparnasse, but Gare du Nord is not too far away either. For your camera, my suggestion is to get a sling strap that goes across your body like this Peak Design strap, which is what I use. Holding your camera across your body means it’s a lot harder to grab, and it’s also more comfortable. I cart my full frame Canon cameras around on these straps in cities throughout Europe and have never had a problem (touch wood!)
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Lisa says
Thank you for the advice. One more question- we are going to stay in the Disneyland area for our entire stay and take the train into Paris for our sightseeing days. If I buy the 2 day Paris Pass with the metro option. Can I use it from the RER at the Disneyland station? The Paris pass appears to be the best deal to see most of the tips attractions listed on your itinerary.
Thank you again.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Lisa,
The Paris Pass doesn’t include transport from Disneyland – it’s just for Zones 1 – 3. That covers pretty much everywhere on our itinerary, but not all the way out to Disneyland. So the best option would be to buy tickets at the RER train station for the journey to and from Paris.
Enjoy!
Laurence
Gabrielle says
Hi there! Thanks for your recommendations. I’m trying to find information on how to deal with rental cars while in Paris. Do you know if there’s parking availability in certain areas to leave vehicles? Any input is most appreciated!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Gabrielle,
There are plenty of paid parking structures, but not many free locations. We’d generally advise against driving in Paris though, it’s not very quick!
Best
Laurence
Krish says
Thank for very much for the guidance.Very informative to novice travellers.
Really appreciate taking time to build this website.
Can you please suggest us a good/safe place to stay (Hotel) close to Eiffel tower for a family of 4.
thanks
Krish
Laurence Norah says
Hi Krish!
My pleasure 🙂 So we actually have a full guide to visiting the Eiffel Tower which also has a number of hotel recommendations. I’d suggest checking that out as there are a wide range of options listed 🙂 You can see that here:
https://independenttravelcats.com/eiffel-tower-paris-france/#Where-to-Stay-in-Paris-Near-the-Eiffel-Tower
Enjoy!
Laurence
Carrie says
Hi Laurence,
Great information! I plan on using several of your suggested itineraries when we travel to Europe for a month in June. Technically, we will be in Paris for 2 days, but it’s stretched across 1 full day and two half days: arriving on a Friday around 2pm and departing on Sunday at 1:30pm. Do you think this itinerary is still doable across this split? How would you suggest we go about it? Also, I think the Paris Pass would work for us, as we want to visit most everything you have listed (if we can!). Thank you!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Carrie!
Thanks very much! So I think this will be doable. I would perhaps suggest the following:
Friday arrival:
Seine River Cruise
Eiffel Tower
Walk along the left bank
Tour Montparnasse for sunset
Saturday:
Saint Chapelle
Notre Dame
Opera Garnier Tour
Louvre
Musee d’Orsay
Arc de Triomphe
Sunday:
Dali Museum
Sacre Coeur
Centre Pompidou
Wine tasting
The Opera Garnier Tour runs every day at 11am and 2.30pm, so you would need to figure out where to put this, I suspect the Saturday would be the best day.
For the Paris Pass this has to be used on consecutive days. So if you activate it on the Friday, it would only be valid until the Saturday evening. So you would need the three day Paris Pass in this case.
Let me know if I can help any more!
Laurence
Thang Bui says
Hi Laurence
Love the writing, very insightful. Can i ask: does Paris Explorer Card include public transportation in Paris and 2 ways transport to airport?
Thanks much
Thang
Laurence Norah says
Hi Thang,
Thanks very much! The Paris Explorer Pass does not include public transport in Paris or transport to the airport. It’s just for attractions and sightseeing. This pass (https://paris.ticketbar.eu/en/discountcards/paris-online-city-pass-/) includes one airport transfer and public transport, but you then have to decide on the attractions. So everything has a bit of a compromise!
Best
Laurence
Thang Bui says
Thanks Laurence, much appreciated
Thang
Olaniyi Olatunji says
Hello,
I will be in Paris on 30 – April to 3 – May 2019.
Considering it will be my first time in Europe, I was hoping to find a partner we can take this tour with. I don’t know if i can achieve all of these alone as i do not know anywhere.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Olaniyi!
we’ve never looked for a partner to travel with, however, I have asked around, and folks recommend trying the Lonely Planet Thorn Tree forums or the Couchsurfing community. You could also try Nomadic Matt’s Nomadic Network facebook group: https://facebook.com/groups/nomadicnetwork
As always, practice safety and caution when arranging meet ups and arrangements with strangers 🙂
Laurence
Louise Garrett says
We’ve only got a few days free in the school summer holidays due to my work so thought Paris would be a good place to take our 13 & 16 year old what do you think? Also do you think we could add on Disneyland at the end? Your blog is so well written and as an adult it sounds great just wondering if a teenager would enjoy it? Thanks
Laurence Norah says
Hey Louise!
So we don’t have children of our own, so the only experience I can give is that that when I was a teenager my parents took me on an adventure across Europe, and it’s still one of the best trips I remember having. Jess also visited Paris for the first time when she was 16 and had a wonderful time.
However, everyone is different, so our experiences aren’t of course guaranteed!
That said, Paris is a pretty special place, and I think anyone would love the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and so on.
I definitely can’t speak to Disneyland as I’ve never been, but I have heard good things.
I’m not sure this has helped too much, but hopefully it has been of some use! Have a wonderful trip, whatever you decide to do!
Laurence
Ken says
Great itinerary unfortunately I see no way to do this in two days. We attempted this itinerary in early January when there should have been smaller crowds and had no luck given the lines to get into the various venues. We even had the Paris pass that supposedly got us into venues fast, with no luck.
I would say that you could potentially do all this in three days. By the way, those venues we did get into including LaSalle cathedral were amazing.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Ken!
Thanks for the feedback, that is much appreciated. It is certainly a busy day, but the first day in particular is perhaps a bit optimistic. As such, I’ve updated the text to make it clearer which I’d suggest skipping if you don’t want to feel too rushed. I’m pleased you had a good time though and were able to see everything you wanted!
LAurence
Maynel Alvarez-Requejo says
Hello,
I stumbled across this while looking for the major things to do during a short stay in Paris.
We are doing England and Ireland for my 40th birthday in June and doing a quick side trip to París from London. This is exactly the type of guidance I was hoping to find and thank you so much for being so detailed ans helpful.
Any similar itinerary recommendations for London and southern / central England and southern / western Ireland? Going for almost 3 weeks in June
Laurence Norah says
Hi Maynel!
Certainly, we have quite a few guides to help you out on both our sites 🙂
We have a 6 day London itinerary and a 2 day London itinerary
We have a 1 week, 10 day and 2 week UK itinerary.
We also have content on Ireland 🙂 You can see all our UK content here and our Ireland content here 🙂
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Shakerra Joseph says
I stumbled across your blog today, looking for a pretty good Paris itinerary and I have to say that I am so impressed. This was so well written and gave so much great information. I was so unsure about purchasing the Paris Pass, but after reading your post, I might end up buying it! Thanks so much. – From a new reader!
Laurence Norah says
Thanks Shakerra! I hope the itinerary helps – if you do visit Paris, do come back and let us know how your trip was 😀
Elly says
Hi Laurence and Jess, I am taking my husband on a surprise weekend trip to Paris next month and am so glad to come across your blog. I have never seen a travel blog so extensive, thorough, flexible and enjoyable!! You guys are super talented. Thank you so much!
Laurence Norah says
Gosh Elly, that is so kind of you. Also, you have a very lucky husband obviously – to be surprising him with such a lovely trip 😀 Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts, it means a great deal! Have a fabulous time!
anna chana Weinberg says
thank you so much for this post!! we just got back from our 2 day vacation in Paris and had such an amazing time because of all of your advice!!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Anna! Thanks so much for letting us know! We’re thrilled we were able to help you have a great trip 😀
Soham says
Me and my colleague will be coming to Paris from Brussels on Thursday lunch time and will be leaving on Saturday morning (around eleven). Will come by train and will fly out. What can be the area for stay in Paris? We are okay with some b&b options.
Also one of us have flight at Saturday night. So after checkout in the morning can he dump the luggage somewhere (some cloak room facility) and roam around for the day?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Soham 🙂
We would advise staying in central Paris if you can. You could try this hotel, it is well rated and fairly central. Otherwise you might want to try AirBnB to see what you can find.
In terms of luggage storage, most hotels will let you leave your luggage. if you choose an AirBnb, then you can take your luggage to the train stations, all of the major train stations have left luggage facilities in Paris, for a fairly reasonable fee.
I hope this helps!
Laurence
allie says
Hi, My husband and I will be in Paris for 2 1/2 days. We will arrive on a Sunday after a 15 hour flight. I’d love to wander some of the flea markets on that day. Any suggestions on a good one? On our two full days we would like to go to Giverny one morning. This will take up 5 hours, arriving back in Paris around 1:15 p.m. We are planning to visit the Eiffel Tower at 9:00 p.m., on one of the days and, of course want to go to the Louvre. So many of the places on your 2 day itinerary sound like must dos, but I’m afraid our visit to Giverny is going to cut in to things. Do you have any suggestions as to what we might cut out and any thoughts on how to maximize our time. It’s kind of a blur to me as to how to organize our time. Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Allie
The most famous fleamarkets in Paris are the Les Puces de Saint-Ouen, on a Sunday they will be open until 6pm. So that would be my suggestion. I’ve actually drafted a one day itinerary for Paris that will be going live in the next few weeks, which would probably help clarify your thinking, depending on when you go. But my must-do’s would probably be Saint Chapelle, Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, the Seine River Cruise, and Montmartre. Beyond that it really depends on your interests 🙂
Hope this helps a bit – happy to provide more direction if I can!
Laurence
allie says
Thank You!!
Philip says
Hi … really nice write up…I’ve not stumbled upon such a great guide to Paris… extensive and super informative…
I was actually lost …abt how to plan out 2 days in Paris.
We reach 18th May evening 19.00hrs. and leave on 20th evening 16.30 to Brussels. We are a family with 2 kids 7 &4 yrs….was wondering how to go about…what would be interesting for them and amount of walking they can do…
We maynot be able to cover a lot as per your iterinary…
As you have been there multiple times…can I have your thoughts on it…
Thanks a ton again for the great write-up ..it does make a big difference to first-timers like us…
Regards
Philip
Laurence Norah says
Hi Philip,
Thanks very much! I have to say it’s a bit hard to provide specific advice – partly because we don’t have children, but mostly because everyone’s interests are difference – including kids 🙂 So I’m not sure exactly what they might be into. My suggestion would be to pick those items on the list that you think you and your kids would both enjoy, for example, everyone enjoys the views from the Eiffel tower, and a seine river cruise can be a nice way to let your feet relax and take a break- whilst the Louvre might not be quite so appealing 🙂
Generally, I’d suggest cutting the itinerary in half at least to give you lots of time to rest and take breaks and not be too rushed when travelling with younger people, so this might be a good rule of thumb. Then a mix of activities for everyone. I hope this helps a bit!
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Annemarie Hood says
My boyfriend and I are excited to be spending a day and a half in Paris in early October.
It is the last leg of a trip to Scotland and Ireland and we arriving early afternoon on a Friday and have all day Saturday in Paris.
Your 2-day itinerary was so helpful in deciding what we want to do — just wondering if what we have come up with is doable in a day and a half?
Day One – Notre Dame / Dinner on the Seine River / walk on Left Bank
Day Two – Champs Elysees / Arc de Triomphe / Eiffel Tower / Latin Quarter / The Louvre / Marais / Dinner in Bastille
Laurence Norah says
Hi Annemarie!
That does sound do-able yes! Your second day will be quite busy, but certainly manageable 😀 Definitely for the Eiffel Tower make sure you book your tickets in advance so as not to have to waste time queuing. You can do it on the official website 🙂 Same with the Louvre, although you might find a 1 day Paris pass or 1 day paris museum pass will help – although I’m not sure if you’re going to be seeing enough to make the savings too great – you’ll have to do the math and figure it out 🙂
Have a wonderful trip!
Sharen says
Hi there, this is great info. THANK YOU. I will be travelling to Paris in May with my 14 year old daughter. We are both EU citizens. Do I need to purchase a Paris Pass for her? If I purchase one for myself will she be able to go through the Fast track lane with me?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Sharen!
Thanks very much 🙂 As your daughter is under 26 and an EU citizen, she won’t need to pay to access the majority of Paris’s attractions – just make sure you bring your passport with you 🙂 In terms of fast track access, I’ve done some research and can’t find a definitive answer, but I think if she is with you then you should be ok to use the fast track lane together.
Have a great trip!
Melanie says
My husband and I are hopping up from San Sebastián next week and will only have 2 days so this itinerary is perfect and full of great advice! Wouldn’t have thought to see Saint Chapelle. Would be curious to know your thoughts on dining? Thanks again for putting together such an informative blog!
Laurence Norah says
Hi Melanie! To be honest we usually just google the local restaurants to wherever we are and find options with high recent reviews, or wander around the neighbourhood we’re staying at and check out the menus of the day. We find that restaurants can change in quality so much that recommendations can be a bit hit and miss. I hope you have a wonderful trip!
VL says
Hi – great writeup ! My first time to Paris with my husband and teenage daughter. Your writeup helped me come up with my itinerary of two days. I was wondering why have you not included Palace of Versailles? I am planning to opt out of few attractions for second day especially Sacre Coeur and
Musee d’Orsay. Can I include Palace of Versailles instead? Is it doable?
Laurence Norah says
Thanks very much! For two days, I thought that Versailles would be a challenge (it’s on my three day itinerary: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/3-day-paris-itinerary/).
However if you wanted to opt out of some of the other attractions, you could definitely do Versailles – it’s your trip so it’s important you do what you want 😀 Just be aware it’ll take you around half a day, and you definitely want to get there early – plan to arrive as soon as it opens so you can make the most of your day.
Have a wonderful time in Paris!
Jennifer says
Hello! This itinerary is amazing! Thank you so much for all the work that went into it! Our questions is…we are thinking about going in Nov. 2018…to celebrate my 5oth birthday and our 20th anniversary. We would fly on a Friday but not get in until Saturday mid morning. We would leave on a Wed. Monday is Veteran’s Day and although that won’t be a factor in Paris, we read that many things are closed on Mondays anyway. Our question is…is there a way to split up the 2 day Paris Pass and use it on non-consecutive days? That way we could relax on Saturday, tour on Sunday, relax on Monday and use the pass again on Tuesday?
Thanks so much for your help. 🙂
Laurence Norah says
Hi Jennifer! Thanks very much and congratulations on your milestones 😀
Great question! So, the “easy” answer is that no, you can’t split up the pass as it is for consecutive days, and once activated can’t be paused. So you have a couple of options. The easiest of course would be to buy a longer pass, which comes with longer travel cards and would be easier to manage.
The other options is to get a bit creative. The Paris Pass actually comes as two different passes, which can in fact be activated separately. These are the Paris Museum Pass, and the Paris Attractions Pass. These cover different attractions, and you could activate these separately from each. Of course, the travel pass will only last for two days from activation date, so plan your timing on that based on your transport needs.
So, going through the itinerary, the following attractions are covered by the Paris Museum pass:
Saint Chapelle
Cathedrale Notre Dame towers / crypt
Louvre
Arc de Triomphe
Musee d’Orsay
Centre Pompidou
And the Paris Attractions Pass covers:
Wine tasting
Seine River Cruise
Dali Museum
Opera Garnier Tour
Tour Montparnasse
It also includes the hop on hop off bus, which you could do on one of your days.
The Eiffel Tower isn’t on any pass, neither is the Sacre Couer tower.
So my suggestion would be to split up your days in Paris across the attractions, and see the different attractions for the correct passes. I’d also suggest maybe taking one of the days and visiting Versailles, which is wonderful. That’s included on the Paris Museum Pass. For more ideas, check out my 3 day Paris itinerary here: https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/3-day-paris-itinerary/
Also, just for reference, here’s a handy listing of days that different sites are open:
https://en.parisinfo.com/what-to-see-in-paris/info/guides/weekly-closing-days-of-cultural-sites-in-Paris
Have a great trip!
Val says
Hi
Going to Paris in the first week of April for 3 days
Staying in and area called Boulouge.
Got a few places would like to visit,
How do you recommend we do this ?
Laurence Norah says
Hi Val,
My suggestion would be to check out my just published 3 Day Paris itinerary 🙂
https://www.findingtheuniverse.com/3-day-paris-itinerary/
If you could be more specific about what help you need I will try to help out!
Jenny Smith says
Gosh…. the city of Love ?
I am going next month and your pictures are making me excited to go there soon!
Can’t wait!!
Laurence Norah says
have a wonderful trip!
Vicks says
Hi Laurence ,
Are all the Museums open on Saturday and Sunday as well ?
Thank You
Laurence Norah says
Hi Vicks!
The majority of museums are open on Saturday / Sunday – Monday is a more common day for museums to close in Paris 😉
here’s handy list to save you looking through museums individually:
https://en.parisinfo.com/what-to-see-in-paris/info/guides/weekly-closing-days-of-cultural-sites-in-Paris
best
Laurence
Liza says
Me and my girlfriend will be traveling in Paris around 1st week of May. Just a question the Paris pass (2 day) will give you unlimited access to transportation as well?
Thank you.
Laurence Norah says
Hi Liza,
Yes, the Paris Pass includes free transport for the duration of the pass. It actually comes as a 2 day metrocard ticket, which is good for zones 1-3. So you can’t use it to get to the airport, or outside of those zones (Versailles for example is not included), but everywhere in this itinerary is covered. You can see more here:
https://prf.hn/click/camref:1101lbZC/pubref:FTU2DayParis/destination:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.parispass.com%2Fparis-transport%2F
Have a great trip!
Laurence
Melanie Moore says
I was just in Paris in December and had only 24 hours! Luckily, it was my third visit so I didn’t feel like I had to squeeze everything in. (I wrote about what I did here: mywanderlustblog.me) I am making note from your post to see Saint Chapelle on my next visit. Wow, looks amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Laurence Norah says
24 hours is a short time but I’m pleased you saw a lot still. And yes, definitely make time for Saint Chapelle next time!
Christine says
Thanks for all the tips! I’ll be visiting Paris for the first time in March! I’ll be sure to read the other posts mentioned.
Laurence Norah says
My pleasure! Paris is one of our favourite cities – have a wonderful time!