What to see in 5 five days in Paris.
Indice:
Day 1 in Paris
We will count this day from the morning, assuming that you have arrived at night and rested to begin living this city of lights. You will have to adjust the schedules according to your arrival to the city.
If you arrive the day before and are short on time, imagine when evening falls, you can use it to take a boat ride along the Seine, as it is a very nice way to start your tour of Paris.
Free Tour Paris
In the morning we will do a free tour, the classic, as if to have that first contact with the city and with someone who speaks our language. They usually start around 10 in the morning so you will have time to make a good breakfast and transfer to the meeting point.
Remember that you set the price of the tour, it is not free but free in terms of what you will stop paying.
The duration of the same is around 2 and a half hours, or a little more. So before approximately 13:00 we will have finished with this activity.
Many of them end up in front of the Louvre, so we will take advantage of being here to enter the Louvre Museum. Please note: it is closed on Tuesdays. These data and prices that I am giving are from May 2023, check them again.
There is something they have to be clear about, the ideal is to have the tickets already taken out in advance.
Louvre Museum
Three ways to get your tickets: enter the official website of the Louvre Museum or ticket booking pages and get the ticket with a schedule. The ticket price is € 17. They have a free day and time, check that on the web.
Take a guided tour: you can take a guided tour of the Louvre Museum in Spanish for about two hours.
And finally, get the Paris Pass. With this 4-day pass at the moment the Paris Museum is included that gives access to the Louvre, I say at this time because the options vary very often, so check, never get a pass or a ticket without having read everything very well. After you get the pass you must make the free reservation on the website with day and time, from the same page of the Paris Pass guide you.
Well, you’ll spend at least three hours inside the museum, so after leaving the Louvre we’ll take a leisurely stroll around the Palais Royal.
Palais Royal
Created by Cardinal de Richelieu in 1633 very close to the Louvre Museum, the Palais Royal and its gardens welcomed the royal families until the construction of Versailles.
The Buren columns were commissioned by the artist Daniel Buren and are located in the courtyard, near the garden. The 260 black and white striped octagonal columns are worth a visit and have become one of the symbols of Paris.
Do you already know where to stay?►The best areas to stay in Paris
Plaza Vendome
It is one of the world-famous squares in Paris for being one of the epicentres of luxury in Paris since the nineteenth century.
This square is the place where the Polish composer Frédéric Chopin died. And it is also where the hotel, the Ritz, is, from where Lady Di left before her fatal accident.
In the middle we see the famous Vendôme column, it was erected on Napoleon’s orders in 1810 to celebrate his victory in the Battle of Austerlitz.
Church of the Madeleine
If it’s early, we can still delay one of the last stops and choose to go see the Church of the Madeleine, but it closes at 7pm so it’s possible that you won’t find it open anymore. Free entry. More information on the website of the Church of the Madeleine
Place Concorde
The Place de la Concorde, is located in the 8th arrondissement at the beginning of Champs Elyseés. At its center is the Obelisk of Luxor, it is a obelisk from the Temple of Luxor of ancient Tebas (Egypt), it was placed in the square in 1836.
Tuileries Garden
Perhaps you have already done this step with the free tour, one way or another you can take a break here.
Please note that daylight hours and timetables will vary depending on the time of year you are traveling, so we may deduct some points because it is already late.
We will end each day with a night view, in this case we will retrace our steps towards the Louvre to end the night with the pyramid illuminated.
Here is the map with the points traveled marked on it.
Day 2 in Paris
We start this second day of what to see in Paris on the hill of Montmartre, in the eighteenth arrondissement.
Montmartre
We will probably travel from our accommodation by metro and get off at Anvers station to start the climb to the carousel and from there we can go up the stairs or take the funicular. The price is one metro ticket, you may have purchased the Navigo or Paris Visite transport pass and it is already included.
Once at the top, we will first admire the wonderful views of the city and then the entrance to the Sacre Coeur Basilica. The queue, although long, moves quickly and admission is free.
The foundation stone of the basilica was laid in 1875, and although it was completed in 1914, it was not consecrated until the end of the First World War, in 1919.
You can do the tour on your own as we did here or book a free tour of Montmartre to tour them with a guide.
We arrive at the Place du Tertre, we will get lost here among the tourists, perhaps we will want to have a portrait drawn or have a coffee at one of those small Parisian tables.
We will spend the whole morning of this second day in Montmartre. Don’t miss the vineyard, the Maison Rose, the Cabaret Lápin Agile, the Rue de l’Abrevoir, the Mouline de la Galette, or the I Love You wall.
We will finish the tour at the Moulin Rouge. If you want a more detailed tour, including distances, we have the Montmartre post here.
It will be past noon, we will probably sit down to eat something and take the subway to…
The Opéra Garnier
As always, I recommend you to go with the entrance to the Opéra Garnier already booked. The price of it is € 14.
The Garnier Opera House, also known as Garnier Palace or Paris Opera House, is one of the most characteristic buildings of the IXth arrondissement of Paris Napoleon III ordered its construction to architect Charles Garnier, it was inaugurated in 1875.
I recommend visiting the opera house, the interior is wonderful, it is a worthwhile visit, another of the must-sees in Paris.
Galeries Lafayette
And from here we take a short walk to the Galeries Lafayette viewing point, one of the best viewing points in Paris and with free entry.
Take time to admire the gallery as well.
Printemps Galleries
We will continue our steps to the Printemps Haussman gallery. Also on its rooftop they have a viewpoint to enjoy, as well as its interior architecture.
If it is still early and you are not tired, you can add to these galleries some of the covered passages of Paris, such as the Passage Des Panorama, the Passage Verdeau or the Vivienne Gallery. If you are interested in this type of tour, we have a detailed route with the Covered Passages of Paris.
And now, we start the journey by metro to the icon of Paris, the Eiffel Tower.
Eiffel Tower
For the climb to the Eiffel Tower we will have the ticket reserved in advance, as soon as you have your plans in place do not delay in getting this ticket because many times later you do not get it for the day and time chosen.
You can get it on the official website of the Eiffel Tower or on the Eiffel Tower ticket booking pages. The price of the climb to the top is €28.30. They have several types of climbs, up to the second floor, to the top, by elevator, by stairs + elevator, so take time to see what you choose. ►Climb the Eiffel Tower avoiding the queue
We will choose to go up in the afternoon, because it will be a very nice finale to the day to see the golden hour from the top. (Look on the internet for their dates at what time the sun goes down).
When you descend perhaps it is already nightfall, or perhaps it will not be long, start the walk to Trocadero because tonight’s closing will be from there.
Night on the Trocadero esplanade with the Eiffel Tower lit up before our eyes, speechless.
Every hour on the hour you will see how all its lights become flashing.
End of day 2, but what an end!
Here on the map are the marked points of this route.
Are you arriving in Paris from far away like us and having internet all the time is a problem? When we do this type of trip we always use maps on our mobile, or we want to be connected in case of any eventuality. In our case we have used the data eSIM for travelers from Holafly, a very good option. In the link you will find all the information as well as a discount for followers of Europe accompanied by the following code: EUROPAACOMPAÑADA5.↓
Day 3 in Paris
Today we will get up early because a palace is waiting for us. We are going to the Palace of Versailles.
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles was the royal residence between 1682 and 1789. It is located in the municipality of Versailles, about 20 kilometers from Paris, and receives millions of visitors every year.
Versailles comprises three palaces: Versailles, Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon, as well as several buildings located in the town.
The journey will be by RER train. The RER C line will drop you off a 5/10 minute walk from the palace. You can link it from your nearby metro station to the station from the RER C line towards Versailles Château – Rive Gauche (that’s the stop where you’ll get off).
You can get the ticket on the official website of Versailles or on the ticket sales pages for the Palace of Versailles, the cost of the full ticket is 21.50 /28.50 depending on whether it is a water show day or not. It is also included at this time in the Paris Pass 4 and 6 days.
You have different types of guided tickets, or with transport from Paris, so think in detail about how you would like to visit it, we help you in this post►How to visit Versailles
The tour of this palace will take us several hours so try to book the time early in the morning and you will probably not leave it until the afternoon.
It is a day that we are not going to leave full of activities because the palace and its gardens will surely take most of the day.
After finishing this activity we will return on the train to Paris to the Arc de Triomphe.
Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous monuments of the French capital and the world. It was built between 1806 and 1836 by order of Napoleon Bonaparte to commemorate the victory in the Battle of Austerlitz and is located in the VIIIth arrondissement.
Those who do not do so many are to climb it, and the views from it are very beautiful. So we’ll go up, the price of admission to the Arc de Triomphe is €13. It is also included in the 4 and 6-day Paris Pass.
Upon exiting the arch, we will take a walk along Champs Elysees. You can stop for dinner in the area. Remember that this is an area with somewhat higher prices. Always look at the menus before entering a restaurant anywhere, not just here, both to see what they offer and to see the prices so that you don’t have a bad experience.
And returning our steps towards the arch and now that night has arrived, we will end this day with the images of the illuminated arch, you will also get some very good photos, which I hope to be able to see.
Our day today↓
Day 4 in Paris
Today choosing what to see in Paris, we will start the day at the Cité.
Sainte Chapelle
We will start by visiting one of the most beautiful churches in Paris inside. We will visit the Sainte Chapelle.
It is considered one of the masterpieces of the radiant period of Gothic architecture. It was built to house the relics acquired by King St. Louis. The Sainte-Chapelle was consecrated in 1248. The stained glass windows stand out, they are wonderful, they leave you impressed.
The ticket price is €11.50, and since we will visit the Conciergerie next door, we will be interested to know that the combined ticket for Sainte Chapelle and Concergerie is €18.50. Included in the 4 and 6 day Paris Pass at this time.
As we said at the exit we will go next door the Conciergerie. The Conciergerie , or also Palais de la Cité, is a historic building that occupies the quay of the Clock. The palace was the residence of the kings of France from the x to xiv centuries. It ended up becoming prison of the State in 1392.
Between one visit and another we may already be close to noon, we will go for lunch at ….. the Latin Quarter.
Latin Quarter
We will now make a transfer to the Latin Quarter by metro, we will go to the Pantheon, then yes, we will walk back.
The Latin Quarter is a tour that I would not miss in the French city. Starting with the Pantheon, the Sainte Etienne du Mont Church, the locations of Emily in Paris or Midnight in Paris are located here in this neighborhood. Feel this Parisian atmosphere, you will breathe it in its streets without a doubt. The entrance to the Pantheon costs € 11.50 and is included in the Paris Pass of 4 and 6 days. We will spend quite a bit of time in it.
If you want to organize a complete tour of the Latin Quarter we have a post to do it, with the most emblematic places. You can also do this tour with a free tour of the Latin Quarter and add more information, remember to book it in advance.
Luxembourg Gardens
Our steps will now take us to the Luxembourg Gardens where we will take the opportunity to rest.
These gardens, designed in 1612 under the orders of Marie de Médicis, are the most central and perhaps the most beautiful gardens in Paris. A break taken by the pond admiring the Luxembourg Palace will make it worthwhile to come here.
We will now slowly descend through the streets of the Latin Quarter until we reach the Seine and on the banks of it Notre Dame.
Notre Dame
This cathedral is an emblem for Paris, and we will now see it still under restoration due to the fire that occurred on April 15, 2019, an occasion on which many of our hearts were broken by this disaster.
You may want to go back to your hotel already quite tired from the day, but if you want to dine in this Latin Quarter, the little streets near the Fountain Saint Michel have a very large variety of restaurants. The night will have come.. and therefore our finishing touch of the day awaits us…..
Notre Dame at night. All of these things will depend on whether you spend the night there or not, so you can go back to the hotel and at night look for one of these places, you can go changing as you like. I’ll leave you with an idea of an itinerary, which is just one among a thousand different ones that you can put together and all of them will surely be spectacular.
Day 5 in Paris
Last day in Paris and you will see the finishing touch to this itinerary.
Paris Catacombs
We will start the day in the 14th arrondissement of Paris and in the basement of the city The Catacombs of Paris.
As we know that not everyone will find this to be a good plan, we will leave you with other options at the end to add and exchange for sites that you already know or that do not interest you at all. I repeat, we all have different tastes.
The Paris Catacombs are a network of tunnels beneath the city, tunnels from old 15th century quarries that were later used to store bones from various cemeteries due to a plague problem in the city and to avoid health problems.
Tickets to the Paris Catacombs can be purchased online, and I advise you to do so because although it may not seem like it, thousands of people visit it every year. The cost of the same is €29. We have a video with the visit in detail.
It may be a visit that you want to make because it impresses you or it is not something to your liking, so as I said, if so, change this tour for one of the ones that we will leave at the end of the video.
The Invalides
After this visit that will take us about an hour we will go to visit Les Invalides to see Napoleon’s tomb.
The Palais des Invalides is an architectural complex located in the seventh arrondissement , near the Military School. Originally created as a residence for retired French soldiers and military personnel, it houses the mortal remains of Napoleon.
More than by the name, you may recognize it by the golden dome that we see shining from many parts of the city.
Entrance to Les Invalides and Napoleon’s tomb costs €14 and is included in the 4-day and 6-day Paris pass.
Orsay Museum
On a walk or by metro we will now go to the Musée d’Orsay.
Located in an old train station, the road is worth it both for all the works that you will find inside and for its structure.
It occupies, as we said, the old building of the Orsay railway station and houses the largest collection of Impressionist works in the world. The entrance fee to the Musée d’Orsay is €16 and is included in the tourist pass.
Centre Pompidou
From here we will go to the Pompidou center. The Centre National d’Art et Culture Georges Pompidou was designed by the architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. The building, completed in 1977 houses the National Museum of Modern Art with one of the most comprehensive collections of modern and contemporary art in the world.
The entrance fee to the Centre Pompidou is €14 and is also included in the Paris Pass.
Le Marais
And now we will move to another of the emblematic neighborhoods of Paris, to le Marais
We will go to visit the Place des Vosges and get lost in its streets.
This wonderful square is home to Victor Hugo’s house which can be visited for free.
Getting lost in its streets will make us discover the charm of this neighborhood, and that on this last day we will continue to marvel at Paris.
Once you have visited all these places before you will have spent most of the day, remember that they are all places where you will spend a lot of time.
And now we will put the finishing touch to this itinerary. The last day we will finish on board the Seine.
Tour of the Seine
We will have our tickets reserved for the evening, to embark before nightfall and when it finds us on the Seine and the monuments begin to light up.
For this tour we have two options, just take the cruise, remember to sit on the deck to admire the city, so bring a coat.
Or… if you can afford it, end it on a dinner cruise. This dinner on the Seine will be a spectacular end to these wonderful days we spent in Paris. If you want to see if this will be to your liking and all the details of what it is like, including prices and menu, I leave you the video of what our experience was like, so you can evaluate it by looking at the images.
But what I have already told you several times, with or without dinner, the boat trip on the Seine River is something that I particularly would not miss.
More places to add in Paris
Here are some more things to see in Paris, for more days or change with some that you don’t like so much.
One is the Pere Lachaise cemetery, an interesting route. Another is the Montparnasse Tower viewpoint. The visit to the Defense and the climb to its arch
The tour of the Canal Saint Martin, a tour that I have enjoyed doing a lot.
The Viaduc des Arts and the Rue Cremieux.
I particularly liked getting on a hot air balloon from Citroen Park.
The Cluny Museum. In short, they have many more things to see in Paris and add in this wonderful city.
Full Video Guide
NOTE: The information in this article is based on our own experience, being totally objective. This article contains affiliate links
