A Dream Vacation in Paris: Your Perfect 4-Day Itinerary
Introduction:
A dream vacation in Paris is what I’ve always wished for because there’s so much to see and do, and I want to do it all. However, I often find that people put together itineraries that are overpacked and just unrealistic, or they miss out on must-see things because they overslept from jet lag. So, I put together the Paris itinerary I wish I had on my first trip, so you can travel with confidence and ease, and not stress out about wasting time and money or missing out on some of the best experiences that Paris has to offer. I’ve included four perfect days in this Paris itinerary so you can choose the one you like best.
Before I talk about your Paris itinerary, I need to address the elephant in the room, which is where to book your hotel in Paris. I know that people want a hotel near the attractions, but the attractions are all over the place in Paris. Taxis and Uber are available just like in the U.S., and the Paris Metro is quite effective and easy to use once you know how, especially during peak traffic hours. I’ve done videos on both taxis and how to buy a Metro ticket and navigate the system, so pretty much wherever you book, you’ll be able to get easy transportation to the sites you want to see on your Paris itinerary.
Day-1: Discovering the Essentials of Your Paris Itinerary
9 am – 1 pm in between
Well, on this Paris itinerary that would be my first perfect day — starting at the Louvre. The Louvre is a very popular stop on any Paris itinerary as it’s the largest art museum in the world. Home to the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and that glass pyramid everyone knows so well, this museum sits in Parisian luxury and convenience. With impossibly long lines, timed tickets to the Louvre should be booked with a skip-the-line ticket or by taking one of many guided tour options available to help up your Paris itinerary game.
LE LOUVRE MUSEUM
Takes 3-4 hours minimum to visit
Cost: 22 Euro per adult, Free for under 18
Open 9 am to 6 pm, Tuesday closed
1 pm – 3 pm
Next on my Paris itinerary, I would grab lunch at a nearby restaurant around the Louvre. There are plenty of options, such as Derry Cafe or Louis Cafe, where I can enjoy a nice meal and prepare for the next stop on my Paris itinerary.
After lunch, I would head over to the Palais Royal, which is King Louis XIV’s childhood home, and where you’ll find the Royal Gardens and the iconic Instagram-famous stripe columns.
3 pm – 4 pm
LE PALAIS ROYAL
Takes about 30 min to visit
Cost: free
Open 8 am to 8.30 pm everyday
4 pm – 5 pm
Next, let’s head over to the Tuileries Garden. These royal gardens are an amazing place to take a stroll. This is also where you’ll find the arcade-style summer festival and the largest Christmas market in all of Paris right over here. If you’re lucky enough to be here when they’re going on, take the time to go on the giant Ferris wheel because the views from the top are stunning.
TUILERIES GARDEN
Takes about 1 hour to visit
Cost: free
Open 7 am to 9 pm everyday
5 pm – 5.30 pm
After the Tuileries, I would head over to Place de la Concorde. It is also known as Guillotine Executions. This is the largest public square in Paris, but it’s probably best known as the place where the guillotine executions took place during the French Revolution, including Marie Antoinette. It’s another excellent place for photo ops, with the fabulous fountains, a view of the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Élysées, and the Arc de Triomphe. As a side note, off to the northwest corner is where you’ll find the U.S. Embassy.
PALACE DE LA CONCORDE and MAR ANTOINETTE
Takes about 30 min to visit
Cost: free
24/7 open
5.30 pm – 6 pm
Next, let’s walk in the direction of the Eiffel Tower and take a stroll along the Seine. Pretty quickly, you’re going to get yourself to the most photographed bridge in Paris, which is the Pont Alexandre III, and you’re going to want to give yourself some time to enjoy the view and the photo ops that are all over the place.
BRIDGE ALEXANDER III
Takes about 30 min to visit
Cost: free! 24/7 open
6.30 pm – 7.30 pm
Next, I am going to walk this way between the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais and head towards the world-famous Champs-Élysées. This prestigious avenue connects the Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Concorde and then the Louvre on the other side, and it is one super expensive place. It’s full of luxury shopping and a great place to spend a lot of money on a Coke and ice cream. Before you sit down in that terrace cafe, check the prices.
CHAMPS ELYSEES
Triumph to Plaz Concord and the Lon on the other side
Cost: free! 24/7 open
7 pm – 8 pm
From there, I would walk over to the Arc de Triomphe. You’ll need to get a ticket ahead of time to go to the top, and you’ll need to go through an underground walkway to get to it because the Arc is right in the middle of a huge intersection. If you’re wondering if it’s worth the trouble to get there, it is. The views from the top are amazing.
ARC DE TRIOMPHE
Takes about 1 hour
It has 284 steps to reach to the top
Cost: 16 Euro
Open 10 am to 10.15 pm
Now, to wrap up your day, I would finish with a nice dinner nearby. Again, you can check out my videos or restaurant guides for suggestions, but I would definitely get a little bit away from the Champs-Élysées unless you’re looking for a pretty expensive meal that may not be worth it. You can find some nice gems like one of my favorites, Chez André.
9 pm – 10 pm
Now, this was a long day, and your legs are probably very tired. It’s not unusual to log in 20,000 steps a day here, but this is a great way to see the town. Head back to your hotel to get some rest because tomorrow is another big day.
Day 2: Uncovering More Paris Itinerary Highlights
9 am – 9.30 am
For the second perfect day on my Paris itinerary, I would skip the hotel breakfast and head to the nearest boulangerie for a chocolate croissant or another fabulous pastry for a nice morning picnic. Make sure the one you pick says “artisanal boulangerie”—that means they are held to a higher standard of quality and freshness. I have a guide for the best bakeries in Paris too, if that’s something you want to explore.
9.0 am – 10 am
Then, I would head to Notre Dame Cathedral on Île de la Cité in the middle of the Seine. The cathedral has been closed since the devastating fire of 2019, and it is set to reopen in December 2024. Until then, you can only take pictures, but it’s totally worth it.
NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL
It takes about 1 hour to visit
It has 384 steps to the top
10 am – 1130 am
Next, I would head to the magnificent Sainte-Chapelle with its amazing stained glass windows. You will need tickets to get in, and I would recommend that you buy them in advance. Sainte-Chapelle is fairly small, so this won’t be a long visit, but take it all in. Those stained glass windows are breathtaking, and you won’t want to miss it.
SAINTE CHAPELLE
Takes about 90 min to visit
Cost 13 per adult
Open from 9 am to 7 pm every day
12 pm to 2 pm in between
After that, I would head towards Le Marais and grab some lunch on the way. There is no shortage of great restaurants and street food options in that area, and like any popular city, there are plenty of tourist traps as well. So, plan ahead. A place that I like very much in the area is L’As du Fallafel for classic French food.
After lunch, I would take a stroll through the Jardin du Luxembourg, where you’ll find the beautiful Medici Fountain, the sailboat pond, lots of places to play and relax, and one of the four Statues of Liberty in the City of Lights. If the busy pace of your travels is taking a toll, take some time to relax and soak in the peaceful ambiance. Lots of locals come here on their lunch break to take a nap, read a book, or just people-watch.
ARDIN DU LUXEMBOURG
Cost: free!
Open from 7.30 am to 8 pm, every day
3 pm – 4.30 pm
Next, I would take the 10-minute walk to the Bon Marché department store. While the store is nice, the real thing to come for is the Grande Épicerie. There’s actually a whole grocery store in here. It’s a small one, but it’s right next to the deli part, which is just behind the area where you’ll find the most amazing desserts. They’re beautiful, but they taste even better than they look.
BON MARCHE
Cost: free to enter
Open from 8.30 am to 9 pm, every day
4.30 pm – 5 pm
From here, you can take the 20-minute walk to the Eiffel Tower, but I’m going to take the metro from Sèvres-Babylone to La Motte-Picquet Grenelle. Head to the Champ de Mars, which is the big lawn behind the Eiffel Tower. This is a great spot to sit and relax, or even have a picnic. However, this is the place where you may encounter pickpockets and scammers all around the Eiffel Tower and the Trocadéro. Check out my video on the top scams in Paris so you know what to look for.
5 pm – 7 pm in between
For many people, it’s enough to see the Eiffel Tower, but if you want to climb the tower, you’ll need to purchase your tickets in advance. The views from the tower are spectacular, so take it all in and enjoy. Again, there are links on my website with information on how to buy tickets.
EIFFEL TOWER
Takes about 1 hour to visit
Cost: 19 Euro per adult, 8 Euro under 11
Open from 9.30 am to 11 pm, every day
7 pm – 8 pm in between
From there, I would go across the bridge to the Trocadéro. Some of the best views of the Eiffel Tower are from the terrace of the Trocadéro. This is another great photo op.
PLACE DU TROCADERO
This is for photo opp
Takes about 1 hour to visit or stroll
Cost: free!
Open 24/7
8 pm – 10 pm in between
Now, it’s probably time for dinner, and you have plenty of options on the Eiffel Tower side of the bridge. I love Café Constant and La Fontaine de Mars. This has been another long day, and your feet probably need the rest, so this is when you’re thankful you brought great walking shoes. Time to get back to your hotel and get some rest for day three.
Day 3: Exploring the Bohemian Side of Your Paris Itinerary
9 am – 11 am in between
Let’s start right here in Montmartre, and depending on where you’re staying, it takes a little time to get here. There are lots of stairs and cobblestone streets, so good walking shoes are a must. Montmartre is the bohemian part of Paris. This is where the movie Amélie was based, and it’s the part of town where you’ll find street artists and performers. It’s also home to the Moulin Rouge, Sacré-Cœur, and the Place du Tertre.
MONTMARTRE VILLAGE
Lots of steps to the top
Cost: free!
Open 24/7
11 am – 2 pm
The best way to experience Montmartre is to walk through it. I would start the day with a walking food tour so you can taste the flavors of the local neighborhood with a local expert to guide you through most of it. There are plenty to choose from, and my favorites are included in the activities page of my website. Needless to say, I recommend the food tours by Vincent; he is knowledgeable, funny, and an all-around great guy.
MONTMARTRE FOOD TOUR
Walking food tour for local food test
Takes about 3 hours
Cost: 100-150 Euro per adult, all inclusive
Available from 11 am to 2 pm, Sat and Sun day close
4 pm – 5 pm in between
At the end of the tour, I’ll be near Sacré-Cœur Basilica. Sacré-Cœur is the beautiful church on top of the hill overlooking the city. It’s free to get in, but be mindful that I can’t take pictures during the service, and there are several services throughout the day. If I want a truly amazing view of the city, I can climb the steps to the dome, but there are over 300 of them, so I know I’ll definitely get my exercise.
BASILIQUE DU SACRE-COEUR
Takes about 1 hour to visit
300 steps to the top
Cost: 8 per adult
Open from 10 am to 5.30 pm, every day
From there, I would head down the hill and take a 10-minute metro ride to Opéra Garnier, one of the most opulent buildings in all of Paris. The famous opera house is where the Phantom of the Opera was based, and the grand staircase is absolutely stunning. I will need a ticket to get in, but it’s worth it. I’ll check the website for events or book a guided tour. There are also self-guided tours that I can download onto my phone to use with my headphones, but again, I definitely recommend going with a professional guide if I want to really understand everything I’m seeing. Like the Louvre, I can find my trusted tour guides on the website.
Day 4: Experiencing Royal Splendor
9 am – 5 pm in between
Now, to get the full experience at Versailles, I really need a full day. The interior is, of course, stunning, but the gardens are amazing too, and they’re huge. If I want to walk through them all, I should plan to spend a lot of time here. If I get hungry, there are several restaurants on the grounds, and if I’m visiting in the high season, like I mentioned earlier, I may want to consider getting the skip-the-line pass. I can find more information on that on the website.
CHATEAU DE VERSAILLES
Takes 5-7 hours to visit
Takes 45 min to get here from Paris by train
Cost: 21 Euro per adult
Open from 9 am to 5 pm, closed on Monday
7 pm – 9 pm in between
So, let’s wrap up the last night in Paris. I would recommend having a romantic dinner on a Bateaux Mouches as I drift down the Seine River if you are a couple. I’ll see all the lights and the sights, and I’ll get some amazing photos. If I’m lucky enough to book my tickets on the boat that takes off around dusk, I’ll get the best of both worlds—daytime views and seeing the lights come on. From here, I will really see why Paris is called the City of Lights. On the right boat with a good meal, this is a pretty magical experience.
But if a dinner boat doesn’t seem right for me, I could also get a boat tour that comes with a bottle of champagne, and I can see the lights of Paris from the water without having dinner and still have a wonderful time. Now, I may have already guessed it—if I want to do this activity in the summer, I need to book my tickets in advance.
Dinner place options:
1/ Dinner River Cruise LE CALIFE
So, that’s it! This Paris itinerary should give me a great introduction to Paris, and I should definitely book the perfect day that matches my travel style, my own needs, and my interests. I won’t forget to go on the website to check out all the great hotels and things to do, and if I need help with the planning part of my trip, I’ll take a look at the other itineraries online for other destinations I may like. And if I want more personalized help, there’s also consultations to help me put together the perfect vacation for my family and friends. The team has done it for thousands of people in the past, and they’d love to help me too.
Now, it’s time to go out and have a great time in the City of Lights! If you like the blog, please explore my other blogs.
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