Our family visited Paris during the summer for four nights and had an incredible time. Four days in Paris is the perfect amount of time to spend in the city if you’re planning on visiting other destinations in France or Europe.
Out of our month long trip in Europe visiting five countries, our teenage daughters said Paris was their favorite.
Cycling around Versailles
If you’re planning a trip to Paris for the first time, it can be overwhelming to decide what to see and where to stay. That’s why we’ve put together a comprehensive 4-day Paris itinerary to help you make the most of your time in the City of Lights.
Our itinerary for Paris is the perfect mix of top attractions and Parisian life experiences. From visiting the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum to enjoying a croissant at a quaint café, we’ve got your sightseeing, dining, and accommodation needs covered.
So, pack your bags and get ready to experience the magic of 4 days in Paris!
Table Of Contents
Are 4 days enough for Paris? How to use this 4 Days in Paris Itinerary Day 1: Montparnasse to The River Seine 9:45am: Catacombs of Paris 11:30am: Montparnasse Tower 12:30pm: Lunch at Montparnasse Cafe 1:00pm: Jardin Du Luxembourg 2:00pm: Wander St Germain 5:30pm: Seine River Cruise Things To Consider Day 2: Montmartre to Sainte Chapelle 9:00am: Wander Montmartre 10:15am: Montmartre Food Tour 1:00pm: Visit Basilica Sacre Coeur with Dome Climb 4:00pm: Sainte Chapelle 5:00pm: Conciergerie 6:00pm: Notre Dame Cathedral 7:00pm: Explore the Latin Quarter Day 2 Alternative Options Day 3: Eiffel Tower to the Louvre 9:30am: Climb the Eiffel Tower 12:00pm: Climb up to the Arc de Triomphe Rooftop 1:00pm: Stroll Champs Elysée 3:00pm: Tuileries Garden (Jardin des Tuileries) 5:00pm: Visit the Louvre (inside and/or outside) Day 4: Visit the Palace of Versailles Day 4: Day Trip Alternative Option Where to Stay in Paris Tips For Visiting Paris Final Thoughts on Spending 4 Days in Paris
Are 4 days enough for Paris?
View from Sacre Coeur
But first, you may be wondering if you have enough time at your disposal. If you’re wondering if four days is enough to see Paris, then be assured you have the perfect amount of time to enjoy the city.
Most of the city’s top attractions can be viewed in two full days, but my allowing yourself four days, you can explore the city at a slower pace and take time out to experience Parisian life such as relaxing in a garden with a picnic or sitting in a cafe eating patiseries.
The French, particularly Parisians, are always rushing and have some place to be, but when it comes to enjoying a coffee or a meal, they love to take their time take the time.
So when in Paris, do as the Parisians do, and savour those minutes of peace when you’re not on the busy streets!
How to use this 4 Days in Paris Itinerary
Tuileries Gardens
How you plan your days in Paris will depend upon where you are staying and how you want to get around. For us, we like to walk as much as possible, and then use the Paris Metro or trains when needed.
One of the biggest mistakes we made on our Europe trip was catching a taxi from Charles de Gaulle airport, and then later renting a car from there to drive down to the Loire Valley. If you need a car for further travels in France, hire it outside the city ring road as Paris traffic is a NIGHTMARE.
For those needing things to do in 4 days, we have grouped each day for attractions that are nearby each other to reduce traveling time. That means you can walk for most of this itinerary.
Feel free to adapt to suit your interests and time frame and for when you can book attraction tickets, which we recommend you do far in advance, especially for the Eiffel Tower.
You can follow this itinerary if you only have two or three days in Paris. Just cut out 1-2 of the days that are least interesting to you, or switch a few things around.
If you are arriving in on a red eye, like we did, I’d suggest putting the least intensive day first as you’ll be jetlagged and tired.
It’s also worth noting, that as experienced travelers with high energy, we tend to do a lot every day. But, we do cut out things that we really don’t care about, like endless museums, to instead include neighborhood wanderings and pastry eating!
Adapt to suit your energy levels and interests. I have included top museums and attractions we did not visit into this itinerary, as I know you might want to, and we want to make your planning easier.
Day 1: Montparnasse to The River Seine
This was our easy first day in Paris, combining some star attractions with neighborhood wanderings and cafe people watching.
9:45am: Catacombs of Paris
The Catacombs of Paris, France.
The Paris Catacombs are a series of underground ossuaries that hold the remains of more than six million people. Each of their graves is placed in the rock walls inside the tunnel network. They were built to deal with the overflowing cemetery problem in the late 1700s.
It’s best to take a guided tour or at least an audio guide, so you can learn all about its creation and uses, as well as to find your way around this underground maze!
Book your tickets as early as you can, and for the first time opening (9:45am) As it’s only a 15-minute walk from Montparnasse Tower, it’s perfect to do on this day exploring Paris, and will fit nicely with the rest of the day’s activities.
The Catacombs of Paris was the only attraction on our list of things to do in Paris we could not do because of timing. Since you’re in this area, I highly recommend it, and will do it on a return trip to Paris.
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OUR RECOMMENDED TOUR: Skip-the-Line Paris Catacombs Tour with Special Access With Take Walks. We love their small-group size See Rates and Availability
Catacombs Skip-the-Ticket-Line Ticket and Audio Guide : Skip the ticket line AND listen to commentary from your informative audio guide, available in 4 languages. Get your ticket here.
11:30am: Montparnasse Tower
The view from Montparnasse
Why not start your vacation in Paris with the best views of Paris and the Eiffel Tower?
At 210 meters tall, the Montparnasse Tower is the tallest building in Paris. It features an outdoor observatory deck on the 56th floor that provides stunning panoramic views of Paris, including, the Eiffel Tower.
You can see all the famous landmarks from up here, from The Louvre to The Panthéon and more. I loved seeing how excited my girls got at finally seeing the Eiffel Tower in real life!
Sunset from here is meant to be spectacular, if you want to do it then. Just be aware, it’s the busiest time for the tower.
12:30pm: Lunch at Montparnasse Cafe
The pretty Montparnasse Cafe
We had planned to eat at Bouillon Chartier – after a Parisian friend’s recommendation – but as soon as my teen saw the pretty flower-covered Montparnasse Café next door, she begged for us to eat there instead.
Parisian café life is something to indulge in and the pretty the exterior the better, so we were thrilled to sit at a table outside under the warmth of the sun, surrounded by floral love, eating our first delicious French meal. The food was great and service wonderful and was the perfect rest we needed as we recovered from jet lag.
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Craig and I later ate at Bouillon Chartier on a dinner date when the exhausted girls wanted to rest in the hotel. It was fantastic – and very French. Snails were featured on our menu. The prices here are also excellent and they have several locations around the city. (Lines could be long, but tend to move fast as the restaurant is deceivingly large inside.)
1:00pm: Jardin Du Luxembourg
Such a Regal View
Walk off your lunch, and take a break within the beauty of Jardin Du Luxembourg. This meticulously manicured park, spread across 25 hectares, combines a harmonious blend of nature, art, and history, making it a must-visit destination for travelers seeking tranquility and beauty.
Lush green lawns, vibrant flowerbeds, and meticulously trimmed hedges create a picturesque landscape that is straight out of a fairytale. The gardens boast over a hundred statues, fountains, and monuments, each adding a touch of grandeur to the already captivating scenery (which also includes an orchard!)
The gardens also have a large pond where you can go boating, and there’s a playground and a puppet theatre that your kids will love. Kids will also love walking a pony through the grounds.
You may want to have a picnic lunch here instead of the aforementioned cafe. Grab supplies from any nearby market or boulangerie.
2:00pm: Wander St Germain
Cafe de Flore
This neighborhood, known for its literary heritage, exudes an intellectual and bohemian ambiance. It’s a mecca for food, shopping, great museums, and bustling city life. We loved this neighborhood a lot.
Explore the iconic St Germain neighborhood, with stops at :
Pierre Hermé, a legendary pastry chef in Paris, famous for indulgent macarons. They were sensational, and we had no lines, unlike some other famous macaron places in Paris.
Discover the oldest chocolate shop, Debauve & Gallais. Marie Antoinette adored their chocolates, claiming they made her medicine go down easier. You can even buy the chocolates she liked. Note, the chocolate here is expensive!!
Le Deux Magots and Café de Flore , pretty cafes famous hangouts for literary greats and stars.
Cour du Commerce Saint-Andre : step back in time to the world of 1734 when small shops lined the (almost hidden) narrow lane paved with cobblestones
Cafe Procope is known as the oldest cafe in Paris and is here bon vivants mingled with future revolutionaries.
5:30pm: Seine River Cruise
Seeing from a river cruise is also cool!
After all that walking, you’ll be ready to view Paris from the seat of your pants. Take a seat on a Seine River Cruise to soak in the romantic atmosphere of the city.
The river cruises offer stunning views of some of Paris’ most famous landmarks, including Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, and Pari’s many rivers, all with their own stories to tell.
We highly recommend one with narration so you can learn a little bit about Paris and France as you float down the Seine River! There are multiple cruise companies and departure points.
We recommend Pont Neuf as you’ll be exploring right near it. It’s also the one we did and found it to be fantastic! Click here for rates and availability .
Seine River
Things To Consider
You may want to time your cruise with sunset to see the city’s landmarks illuminated against the sky. If you’re traveling to Paris in the summer, that will be a really late cruise! Some tourists love doing the Seine River dinner cruise.
There is also the option to take a leisurely stroll along the Seine River after the cruise, or in lieu of. (We walked beside it, and crossed over it, multiple times on our Paris trip as we moved from Point A to B.)
As you are near the Latin District and Sainte Chapelle, you could also add that to this day. We didn’t want to overcrowd it for you, so have added it to the Montmartre day below (which is when we did it)
Musée d’Orsay: Housed in a former railway station, this magnificent museum boasts an extensive collection of masterpieces from renowned artists such as Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, and Degas.
Day 2: Montmartre to Sainte Chapelle
Wall of Love in Montmartre
I think this was my favorite day in Paris as we got to enjoy a delicious food tour in one of my favorite neighborhoods, the enchanting Montmartre, and explore the surprisingly stunning Sainte Chapelle.
9:00am: Wander Montmartre
Catch the metro to Marie D’aubervillers for at least half a day exploring the enchanting Montmartre. Right near the Metro station is the Wall of Love , you may want to pop into for a quick photo.
Then grab a pastry and coffee to go from a nearby cafe to explore freely before your food walking tour (you won’t need a big breakfast!).
The most famous Parisian district perched on top of a small hill retains its village atmosphere that appealed so much to the artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Discover the hidden squares and quaint cafes along the cobble stone streets of Montmartre that inspired countless artists throughout the years. Artist’s Square is the most well-known area and a little too touristy now, but worth a stroll through.
We’ll visit the famous Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur after the food tour.
10:15am: Montmartre Food Tour
Yummy food tour
As our favorite thing to do in Paris , we recommend adding a Montmartre Food tour to your Paris itinerary.
The walking tour of Montmartre included six food stops (mix of savory and sweet), and wine tasting. We learned so much about Paris history and culture of this bohemian neighborhood in Paris. We tried so much delicious food from baguettes and cheese to omelets and croissants.
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You can read more in our Guide To A Montmartre Food Tour In Paris. See rates and availability here.
1:00pm: Visit Basilica Sacre Coeur with Dome Climb
Sacre Coeur, Paris
You will finish your food tour at the bottom of Sacre Coeur, so now it’s time to explore it. Since you learned quite a bit about it on the food tour, it doesn’t have to be as in-depth.
Perched atop a hill, this stunning white-domed basilica offers panoramic views of the city. Enjoy them on the stairs before you go inside to look at the exquisite mosaics and stained glass windows, and enjoy its peaceful interior. The basilica is free to go inside and will not take up much of your time.
What a view ( Church of Saint-Pierre de Montmartre ) is bottom left
I feel the star attraction of a visit to the Basilica is its stunning exterior, and climb to its 200m dome. This paid attraction is worth it for a sprawling cityscape of Paris, overlooking the winding streets of Montmartre, and the iconic landmarks that dot the horizon.
It was also a fun climb up narrow winding stairs, along different sections of the roof, and around the small balcony.
Next door to the Basilica (Paris’ newest church) is Church of Saint-Pierre de Montmartre , (Paris’ oldest church). It’s free to enter and won’t take long.
I only went in as I wanted to see the statue of Saint Dennis holding his head. We learned about him on the food tour. He is the patron Saint of Paris, and is who Montmartre was named after – the Mount of the Martyr.
If you’re tired of exploring Montmartre, you could add in Marais district (see options below) or jump on the metro to head straight to Sainte Chapelle (another favorite Paris attraction of mine)
4:00pm: Sainte Chapelle
This view blew me away
Situated on Paris’s picturesque island, Île de la Cité, is the Sainte-Chapelle Cathedral, famous for its beautiful stained-glass windows. There are 1,113 of them and they depict scenes from the Bible and cover almost the entirety of the walls and reach up to 40 meters in height.
The light that streams through the windows casts beautiful colors throughout the cathedral, making it a truly magical place. My jaw literally dropped when I walked up the stairs and into the room. It is one of the most beautiful places in Paris, so don’t make sure you have it on your Paris itinerary! And good news – it doesn’t take too long!
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Find ticket availability for Sainte Chapelle Cathedral here.
5:00pm: Conciergerie
Conciergerie
If you have time and are interested, you may also want to include a visit to the The Conciergerie, which Sainte Chappelle was once a part of.
It began as a royal palace in the 6th Century but today its most famous as the infamous French Revolution tribunal and prison where Marie-Antoinette spent her final days awaiting her fate at the guillotine.
We contemplated it as our teen, Kalyra is fascinated with Marie Antoinette. But we were pretty tired by this stage and decided to skip it, as I heard mixed reviews. You don’t always have to do everything, and you can always leave things to return to Paris for.
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You can get a combination ticket for both attractions.
6:00pm: Notre Dame Cathedral
Notre Dame without its steeple
Right near Sainte Chapelle is the famous Notre Dame. It’s been closed since 2019 because of the large fire partially destroyed the upper part of Notre-Dame Cathedral -its roof and spire. It is meant to reopen in December 2024.
You can still visit the cathedral square, which looks onto both the crypt and the cathedral’s entrance. We were happy with seeing it from our Seine River Cruise as it navigated around the island where it sits.
7:00pm: Explore the Latin Quarter
Shakespeare & Co, Latin District
On the other side of the island is the vibrant Latin Quarter. It’s the student area, so expect a lively atmosphere amongst its narrow streets filled with restaurants, cafes, museums, and churches.
Highlights include:
Shakespeare and Company an independent bookstore and cafe has been a meeting place for famous writers and readers since 1951! It’s highly likely there will be a line, but it moves quickly. We lost Kalyra there for a while as she explored all the book nooks and crannies and bought another book for her pile.
Explore lively Rue Mouffetard with its market stalls and eateries.
The Panthéon : holds a significant place in French history as the final resting place of distinguished figures such as Voltaire, Victor Hugo, and Marie Curie and her husband Pierre Curie. There’s also a great Paris view from here. . See rates and availability for advance tickets here .
Happy Hour is popular in this area (really cheap drinks) so choose any cafe (there are so many) and sit back and enjoy the bustling Latin Quarter vibe.
Polidor Restaurant: We had a wonderful farm to table style dinner on communal tables at quite an affordable price. It’s one of the oldest bistros in Paris – since 1845, and a favorite of Verlaine, Rimbaud and Hemingway.
We also ate at Le Clou de Paris , a pretty pavement café covered in flowers ideal for summer days and watching the local scene.
Day 2 Alternative Options
Paris wanderings
If these activities don’t take your fancy, here are some other things you could do in this neighborhood…
You could add in a side trip to Le Marias known for its trendy shops and art galleries. Explore the narrow medieval streets and stumble upon hidden courtyards, art galleries, trendy boutiques and charming cafes.
A short stroll from Marais is the local favorite Canal Saint-Martin. This picturesque waterway is lined with trendy boutiques, cozy cafes, and vibrant street art. You can even hop on a boat cruise to explore the hidden corners of this charming neighborhood.
Moulin Rouge is located in Montmartre. This iconic cabaret has been dazzling audiences since 1889 with its extravagant performances, vibrant costumes, and captivating music. The ornate red velvet interiors, sparkling chandeliers, and grand stage set the perfect ambiance for an unforgettable evening. We skipped it due to visiting Paris with kids. Check ticket options here .
Day 3: Eiffel Tower to the Louvre
Paris is all about immersing yourself in the city’s rich history and iconic landmarks, and today is that day! You’ll embark on a journey from the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre. Don’t forget to book your tickets in advance and move the schedule around to cater to that.
9:30am: Climb the Eiffel Tower
Start your day by heading to the Eiffel Tower, the most emblematic symbol of Paris, and a must visit for any traveler in Paris. Allow time before our after your visit to walk around the tower taking your photos and marveling at its intricate iron lattice structure as you approach it.
We absolutely loved climbing the stairs, rather than taking the elevator – it’s makes the journey a star attraction. Tickets for the third level were sold out, but I’ve been told first and second levels have the best views anyway.
The views from the Eiffel Tower
Soak in the beauty of Paris from this bird’s eye perspective of the city’s stunning skyline, with landmarks like the Louvre, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the Seine River coming into view. Capture memorable photos, enjoy the refreshing breeze, and let the city’s charm enchant you.
If you’re feeling adventurous, indulge in a glass of champagne or wine at the cafe located on the first floor, or Champagne Bar at the very top. Our girls enjoyed an ice cream while we had an affordable chardonnay to toast to the magic of Paris.
What a memory!
We recommend dong it first thing to avoid huge crowds (it will still be busy) and for decent lighting for photos as the sun won’t be too high yet.
For an added touch of romance, you could also visit around sunset. As the sky transforms into a palette of vibrant colors, witness the Eiffel Tower lighting up, illuminating the city with its magical glow. (If you want to do that, just flip this day’s itinerary, and start at the Louvre!)
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You will need our guide on planning a visit to the Eiffel Tower . I was stunned at how difficult it was and how unorganized this top Paris attraction is.
12:00pm: Climb up to the Arc de Triomphe Rooftop
From Arc de Triopmhe
Now it’s time to make your way to one of my favorite views in Paris from the rooftop of the majestic Arc de Triomphe, which stands proudly at the western end of the Champs Elysée.
This iconic monument was built in 1836 commemorates the victories of the French army and offers a breathtaking view of the city from its rooftop terrace. don’t be like me and only do this top Paris attraction on your third visit to this city!
I must have been too enamored with the traffic circling around the Charles de Gaulle roundabout below thinking that was the main event!
From the top of the arc, you can look down and see the bustling scenes on the Champs-Élysées, as well as look over towards the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. You can read our full guide on how to visit the Arc de Triomphe . (and take the stairs – the spiraling staircase is cool!)
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He have a guide on Visiting the Arc de Triomphe with insights on its history, planning tips, and photos of those beautiful views.
1:00pm: Stroll Champs Elysée
Overlooking Champs Elysse
While I think one of the most iconic avenues in the world, the Champs-Élysées, is overrated, I still think it’s worth including this in our Paris itinerary. This grand boulevard stretches for approximately two kilometers, and is lined with elegant shops, cafes, and theaters.
You’ll find flagship stores of world-renowned brands, such as Louis Vuitton and Cartier, offering a luxury shopping experience. Surprisingly, my teenage girls also weren’t that enthused by it.
