Photo: Benh LIEU SONG · CC BY-SA 4.0
3 Days · in Paris
3 Days in Paris: The Essential City
Three days is enough to see the essential Paris without hurrying. Day one takes the river and its museums; day two sweeps the Right Bank from the Arc de Triomphe through the Marais to Montmartre; and day three settles into the Left Bank's gardens, the Latin Quarter, and the quieter Ile Saint-Louis. The itinerary groups the city by neighbourhood so most of your movement is on foot, and the arc carries you from the monuments everyone knows to the everyday Paris of markets, bistros, and shaded squares.
Day 01
The Essential Paris
Eiffel Tower, the great museums, and the islands, all in one well-paced day.
Morning
Trocadero
Start at Place du Trocadero for the head-on view of the Eiffel Tower across the Seine, the city's best photograph before the crowds arrive.
Late Morning
Eiffel Tower
Cross the river and go up, or picnic on the Champ de Mars lawn beneath it. Pre-booked tickets save an hour of queuing.
Lunch
Musee d Orsay
Walk the Left Bank to the old railway station that now holds the world's finest Impressionist collection; lunch under the great clock.
Afternoon
Louvre Museum
Cross to the Right Bank for the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the glass Pyramid. Two focused hours beats a forced march.
Late Afternoon
Sainte-Chapelle
On the Ile de la Cite, step into the jewel-box chapel whose 13th-century stained glass glows like a lantern in late light.
Evening
The Seine and its bridges
End with a riverside stroll or a Bateaux-Mouches cruise past Notre-Dame as the Eiffel Tower begins its hourly sparkle.
Day 02
The Right Bank: Arc de Triomphe to Montmartre
Grand avenues, the Marais, and a sunset on the Butte.
Morning
Arc de Triomphe
Climb to the terrace above Place Charles de Gaulle for the star of twelve avenues radiating out, then stroll down the Champs-Elysees.
Late Morning
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann
Marvel at the stained-glass dome and ride to the free rooftop for a panorama over the Opera district.
Lunch
Bouillon Chartier
Queue briefly for the century-old workers' canteen serving classic French plates at gentle prices under Belle Epoque mirrors.
Afternoon
Le Marais
Wander the 3rd and 4th arrondissements, from Place des Vosges to the boutiques and falafel of the old Jewish quarter.
Late Afternoon
Centre Pompidou
See modern masters behind the inside-out building's colourful pipes, and take in the view from the top-floor escalators.
Evening
Sacre-Coeur and Montmartre
Ride up to the 18th for sunset from the basilica steps, then dinner in the village lanes around Place du Tertre.
Day 03
The Left Bank: Latin Quarter & Gardens
Student streets, the Pantheon, and a green afternoon south of the river.
Morning
Luxembourg Gardens
Begin among the 6th's beloved gardens, with their sailboat pond, tree-lined allees, and the Medici Fountain.
Late Morning
Pantheon
Climb to the neoclassical dome above the Latin Quarter, resting place of Voltaire, Curie, and Hugo, for city rooftops.
Lunch
Latin Quarter
Lose an hour in the 5th's tangle of medieval lanes, bookshops, and bistros around the Sorbonne.
Afternoon
Musee Rodin
Cross into the 7th for The Thinker and The Gates of Hell set in a rose garden behind a graceful mansion.
Late Afternoon
Ile Saint-Louis
Amble the quays of the quieter island, ending with a cone from a classic ice-cream maker.
Evening
Le Comptoir du Relais
Book ahead for Yves Camdeborde's snug Saint-Germain bistro, a benchmark for modern Parisian cooking.