Photo: Getfunky Paris · CC BY 2.03 Days in Paris: The Classics — Eiffel, Louvre & Notre-Dame
Three days through Paris's essentials: the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame on the Île de la Cité, with the Marais and Saint-Germain in between. Neighborhood wandering, café stops and classic bistros round out the icons — croque-monsieur lunches, bouillon dinners, hot chocolate on Rue de Rivoli. The plan re-plans itself around how you travel — your pace, budget and interests reshape every day.
Pick a style, a budget and a pace — the route and days below re-plan themselves.
9 stops · 6 meals · 1 hotelThis is the editor’s pick.
3 days
Each day takes one part of Paris, kept close so you walk more than you ride. The map shows the whole route — pick a day to zoom in.
Impressionist masterpieces by Monet, Van Gogh and Degas inside a grand former railway station. Closed Mondays.
- Book ahead — entry is free on the first Sunday of each month.
A stretch
The 1903 Belle Époque salon de thé on Rue de Rivoli — pudding-thick hot chocolate L'Africain and the Mont-Blanc.
- The house signatures: L'Africain hot chocolate and the Mont-Blanc pastry.
The world's most visited museum: the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and 35,000 works in a former royal palace. Give it a full morning.
- Book ahead and enter via the Carrousel du Louvre or Porte des Lions.
A convivial wine bar near Palais Royal — French bistro dishes and lunch Tuesday–Saturday.
- The lunch deal: dish of the day with a glass of wine and coffee for €21.
A quiet palace garden minutes from the Louvre, with Daniel Buren's striped columns. Free — the calm counterweight to the crowds.
- The gardens, courtyard and galleries are free; open daily.
- When the Louvre crowds peak, slip out to Palais-Royal's quiet garden for a breather — a short walk away and free.
Yves Camdeborde's iconic Odéon bistro — bistronomic classics served noon to 11pm. No reservations, so time it right.
- Open daily noon–11pm with no reservations; go at off-peak hours.
A charming 3-star Saint-Germain hotel, five minutes' walk from Luxembourg Gardens and the Odéon metro.
A 13th-century royal chapel wrapped in towering stained glass, minutes from Notre-Dame on the Île de la Cité.
- Go between 10am and noon for the best light on the stained glass.
The Gothic cathedral on the Île de la Cité, reopened in December 2024 after the 2019 fire. Entry is free — go in the morning before the crowds.
- Reserve a free time slot online to cut the entry queue.
- Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle share the Île de la Cité. Start with the free cathedral, then see the chapel between 10am and noon when the stained glass lights up.
A 1906 Art Nouveau bouillon near Odéon and the Sorbonne — affordable traditional French food for lunch.
- The stunning 1906 Art Nouveau interior is half the reason to go.
Closer: Le Bistrot du Périgord, 9 min out of your way
The iconic English-language bookshop on the Left Bank since 1951 — Beat-generation haunt and literary pilgrimage.
- Free readings and events still run regularly — check the schedule.
A charming old-style bistro near the Sorbonne — duck confit and a bargain three-course prix fixe around €50.
- The three-course prix fixe runs around €50.
Stay put: 11 min walk back from Shakespeare and Company tonight, ~19 min by taxi to the Quai Branly museum in the morning.
A neighborhood institution on Rue Cler — affordable bistro lunch between the Eiffel Tower and Invalides.
- Rue Cler is one of the 7th arrondissement's best lunch streets.
The classic one-hour Seine cruise past Notre-Dame and the Eiffel Tower — best at sunset, departing Pont de l'Alma.
- Departures run roughly 10am to 10pm daily from Pont de l'Alma.
Jean Nouvel's glass museum by the Eiffel Tower, devoted to the arts of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.
- Closed Mondays; adult tickets run 12–14 euros.
The 330-metre iron icon of Paris, with lifts and stairs to the second floor and summit. Go at sunset or in the evening when the queues thin.
- Buy tickets in advance from the official online ticket office.
A stretch
The legendary Saint-Germain café — Sartre and de Beauvoir's haunt, Art Deco room, famous chocolat chaud.
- Sartre is said to have written Les Chemins de la Liberté here.
A storybook bakery with a wood-fired oven, gold letters and a ceiling fresco — the 'Paresseuse' slow baguette is the signature.
- The flagship is at 64 Rue Saint-Dominique; try the 'Paresseuse' slow baguette.
Stay put: ~19 min by taxi back from the Eiffel Tower tonight, ~16 min by taxi to a Seine river cruise in the morning.
Where to stay in Paris
Ranked for first-timer travelers on a comfortable budget. The places this plan sleeps in come first.
Hôtel de Fleurie
A charming 3-star Saint-Germain hotel, five minutes' walk from Luxembourg Gardens and the Odéon metro.
Hôtel de JoBo
A Joséphine Bonaparte-inspired boutique hotel steps from Place des Vosges; flamboyant rooms and bar.
Hôtel Paris Louvre Opéra
A 17th-century townhouse hotel between the Louvre and Opéra — soundproofed rooms, five minutes from the Louvre.
Flights to Paris
Fly into CDG (CDG)
Flight results via Travelpayouts — we may earn a commission on bookings.
Getting around Paris
How to actually move around the city — transit, rideshare, bikes, and taxis.
Public transit
The métro is the fastest way across central Paris: 16 lines, trains every 2-4 minutes most of the day, and single tickets at €2.55 (2026). RER trains extend the network to the suburbs and both airports. Buy tickets on your phone via the Bonjour RATP or Île-de-France Mobilités apps, or get a €2 Navigo Easy card and load it at any station.
- Métro
16 lines cover central Paris densely; a €2.55 Métro-Train-RER ticket (2026) gives 120 minutes with transfers between métro and RER inside Paris. Runs roughly 5:30am-1:15am (2:15am Fri-Sat).
- RER & suburban trains
RER B links Gare du Nord to CDG airport in 25-40 minutes; a dedicated €14 Airports ticket covers the ride (2026). RER C serves the Eiffel Tower area; Transilien trains reach Versailles and beyond.
- Bus & tram
Buses fill the gaps between métro lines and show you the city above ground; trams ring the outer arrondissements. A €2.05 Bus-Tram ticket (2026) is valid 90 minutes with transfers.
- Navigo Easy & phone tickets
The €2 Navigo Easy card holds up to 30 tickets and never expires; the Bonjour RATP and Île-de-France Mobilités apps sell the same tickets to NFC phones, so many visitors skip the card entirely. Day (€12.30) and week (€32.40) passes pay off from about 5 rides a day.
Rideshare
Uber, Bolt, and the French app Heetch all operate in Paris and are handy late at night or for the airport with luggage. Expect surge pricing on Uber during rush hour and rainy evenings; Bolt is often a little cheaper.
- Uber
The most widely used rideshare in Paris; works with your existing account. Surge pricing is common at peak times — compare with Bolt before confirming.
- Bolt
European rival to Uber, usually slightly cheaper in Paris and allows advance booking. Same pickup points as Uber around stations and airports.
- Heetch
French rideshare app popular with locals; accepts cash as well as cards. Coverage is best in central Paris and the inner suburbs.
Bikes
Paris is increasingly bike-friendly, with protected lanes on most major boulevards. Vélib', the city bike-share, has over 1,400 docking stations — the cheapest way to grab a bike for a quick ride along the Seine or through the Marais.
- Vélib' bike share
1,400+ stations across Paris and the inner suburbs, with e-bikes mixed in. Single rides start around €3; a day pass is about €5 (2026). The app shows real-time bike availability.
Taxis
Official Paris taxis are cream-colored with a lit TAXI sign; regulated fares make them predictable for airport runs. G7 is the city's largest taxi company and its app is the easiest way to book one.
- G7 taxis
Paris's biggest taxi network (9,000+ drivers) with app booking, upfront fare estimates, and English support. The official taxi app of Paris.
- Official taxi stands & flat airport fares
Take taxis only from official stands or a booked app car — ignore drivers soliciting inside stations and terminals. Regulated 2026 flat fares: CDG €56 to the Right Bank / €65 to the Left Bank; Orly roughly €37 Left Bank / €44 Right Bank.