This guide is suitable if you’re visiting Paris for the first time. It’s a packed schedule that includes a lot of walking around. You can make it a bit more relaxed by erasing a few activities if you want to. Let’s jump right into this perfect Paris itinerary, starting in the heart of Paris: Île de la Cité. Before lunch: Île de la Cité, Latin Quarter and Jardin du Luxembourg Begin your Paris trip by taking the metro to the heart of Paris – Île de la Cité (metro station Cité). Prepare yourself for the touristy parts of the city, although very much worth a visit. Near the metro station you’ll find a cute market, Marché aux Fleurs et aux Oiseaux, where they sell flowers, soaps, candles etc. If you are there on a Sunday you’ll get to meet the birds! After strolling through the market, walk to the other side of the island and visit Place Dauphine, known as the “peaceful square”. Even though the square is located in the center of Paris, it has a quiet and tranquil atmosphere. Before you leave Île de la Cité, don’t miss Notre Dame Cathedral. Since the Notre Dame fire in 2019 the cathedral is closed for visitors, and probably will be until 2024. It’s still worth passing by to get a glimpse of it though. If you need a rest you can stop for a café au lait at one of the many cafés around this area. If not, continue to Jardin du Luxembourg, the most popular garden in Paris. It is centered around Palais du Luxembourg, and contains both tennis and boule courses. Before you head to my favorite area Saint-Germain-des-Prés for lunch, you might want to stop by Le Bon Marché – one of Paris’ famous department stores, founded in 1838. I like this one better than both Galeries Lafayette and Printemps. ➳ Read more: Top 18 favorite things to do in Paris ➳ Read more: 13 great restaurants in Paris Now you’re in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, my favorite area of Paris. Spend the afternoon strolling around. Here are a lot of galleries to check out, and don’t miss the Ladurée and Kusmi tea shop. If you are more into art and museums, you are also close to Musée d’Orsay. This museum is located in an old railway station and is really cool. I suggest you start your day with a bit of culture: Visit the Louvre Museum – the most visited museum in the world. Even if Mona Lisa is really small, she’s worth to pay a visit. And if not for the art, then go for the beautiful building, which is a former royal residence. If you want to visit the Louvre Museum, and several other museums around Paris, it might be worth to buy a Paris museum pass. With the Paris museum pass you have free admission, without waiting in line, to over 50 museums and monuments in Paris Fun fact: An energetic Frenchman once told me that if you spend 5 seconds looking at all the paintings inside the Louvre, you would have to be there for 4 months. Continue your day with a walk around the trendy area of Marais. Many stores, galleries and restaurants are located at Rue des Rosiers. Also, don’t miss Paris most romantic square Place des Vosges. This is also where Victor Hugo lived. A thing you can’t miss when visiting Paris is Montmartre. Montmartre is a district in the 18th arrondissement in northern Paris, most famous for the Sacré Coeur Basilica and the many studios and artists. The district is located on a hill, and reachable by stairs (or the Montmartrobus, if you’re not into stairs!) How to get to Montmartre: Take the metro line 2 to Anvers and walk north, and you will easily spot the grand Sacré Coeur basilica. The heart of Montmartre is located up on that hill, behind Sacré Coeur. Take a walk in the area, see the many artists work on their paintings at Place du Tertre, and explore Sacré Coeur Basilica. When heading back, take a detour to Pigalle, the neighborhood where the iconic Moulin Rouge cabaret and many other picturesque spots are located. ➳ Read more: Top 18 favorite things to do in Paris You can’t leave Paris without visiting the Eiffel Tower. Take the metro to Trocadero and follow the Eiffel Tower signs to get to the right exit. Now you reach Palais de Chaillot and have the Eiffel Tower just in front of you. Walk down to the tower, and if you like, have a picnic in Parc du Champ de Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower. Is visiting the top of the Eiffel Tower on your Paris bucket list? You can reach the Eiffel Tower summit for €25. You can buy tickets online here, or at the counter. Tips! Looking for views over Paris? I would recommend you visit the top of Arc de Triomphe instead of the Eiffel Tower. It’s cheaper, and the Eiffel Tower becomes part of the view. …or window shopping. If you want regular shopping (with regular I mean clothes that people can actually afford) then go to Rue de Rivoli. The street is filled with stores all the way from metro station Louvre-Rivoli to Saint-Paul. Or why not visit the underground shopping center Westfield Forum des Halles. If you want to splurge in luxury I suggest you go to Rue Saint Honoré. This is the home of many designer labels, such as Saint-Laurent, Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, Lanvin and Hermès – and all of them are showcased in elegant store windows. A truly elegant experience.
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