Hey Travelers, welcome back to my blog. Previously I shared my Istanbul Itinerary and I hope you loved it. Today I’ll be sharing with you how I think you should spend 5 days in Paris! France is often talked about in a super romantic aspect and it is. But there’s still loads of attractions and sites to visit for you singletons as well.
In this guide ill share all the tips and tricks I took whilst on the trip and some regrets and advice I’d suggest you take. Well what are we waiting for let’s get right in to it!
Initial Tips & Tricks
- Bring walking shoes!! – There’s a lot of ground to cover and attractions to see. Of course I know you ladies want to wear heels for those classy restaurants you already plan to visit, but for visiting attractions wear walking shoes. Your feet will thank you. You can pick some up relatively cheap on amazon here.
- Book a hotel in the 7th Arrondissement, it is also known as Rue Cler. It is fairly close to the Eifel tower and all the main attraction whilst not being too crowded. Personally I think it is is the perfect spot to stay for a quick trip for families.
- Visit between October and April- The best time to visit as you’ll avoid the majority of the rush caused by the school holidays, The weather in Paris is great in March time.
- Download the City maps on Google. Some part of the city are very bad for networks so make sure you come prepared.
5 Day Paris Itinerary
Day 1 – 1st Arrondissement
I like to divide the city up into little areas because once you get here, you’ll find out that everything in Paris is so spread out. This is perfect because it means there’s no bad part of town. There are monuments spread out everywhere so if you don’t set it up correctly, you’re going to be running around the whole city and we want to avoid that.
- (9 AM -11 AM) – I recommend you start in the 1st Arrondissement at the Louvre. Make sure to buy your tickets ahead of time and get there right when it opens. So go into the Louvre at 9 and then go see the
- Mona Lisa
- Victoire de Samothrace
- Napoleon Apartments (MUST DO)
- (11 AM – 11.30 AM) Make sure to grab a latte at Cafe Kitsune. There are 4 right around the Louvre so you can find one quite easily.
- (12 PM – 2 PM) You are going to walk through the Tuileries Garden. It is beautiful there’s fountains, flowers and ducks!
- (2 PM – 4 PM) Next, we’ll be visiting the Arc de Triomphe. When you get here make sure to climb to the top because you’ll be treated to one of the best views in the entire city.
- (4 PM – 6 PM) Visit the Eiffel Tower you would have been able to see it from the Louvre but seeing it in person it is completely different. You will lose your mind when you see it. Spend some time just below the tower and encapsulate the view, and grab lots of pictures.
- (6 PM- 6.30 PM) Grab a hot chocolate at Carette, it is right by the Eiffel Tower it’s one of the best hot chocolates in the city. I recommend you just get here too as its delicious.
- (7.30 PM) Head back to your hotel and prepare for day 2.
Day 2 In Paris – 4th Arrondissement
- (9 AM – 11 AM) Today you’re going to head over to Notre Dame and see its beauty. However, you can’t go inside yet but it’s still pretty something I recommend doing, there is so much history in that one monument.
- (11 AM – 12 PM) Go to the Shakespeare and Co bookstore. It’s just an ancient bookstore but it’s very historical and some books are extremely old. I recommend getting a book from here even just as a souvenir, it’s a pretty neat mantelpiece if you ask me.
- (12 PM – 1 PM) Time for a midday snack. I would head over to a shop called Bertillon and get the ice cream. It’s the best ice cream I’ve ever had in my life, it’s so so good.
- (1 PM – 4 PM) Head over to Place des Vosges, it is a really beautiful square. This is a pretty unknown tourist spot but it’s super pretty. Once you have walked through the square you’ll be in the Marais. The Marais has some of the cutest little boutiques and cafes in Paris. This place is perfect for shopping and souvenir gifts.
- (5 PM – 7 PM) When you’re visiting Paris for the first time, make sure you do a SEINE CRUISE. They are magical. It’s like an hour long and it’s relatively cheap around $30. Here you get to see a lot of the city’s attractions in one go. It’s just a really nice thing to do but make sure you do it at night for the ambiance.
Day 3 In Paris – Montmarte
- (9 AM – 11 AM) Go and see the Sacre Coeur. Here you’ll see the painter’s square. I recommend just walking around the little streets and talking to the locals and really embrace the culture. This part of the city is very quintessential.
- (11 AM – 1 PM) Have a hearty lunch at one of the cafes, there all so good. A tip I recommend using is ask the locals in a hardware store where to eat, they always give the best recommendations.
- (1 PM – 2 PM) Walk by the Moulin Rouge, it’s a very pretty monument. I’d definitely get some pictures here; they’ll be perfect for Instagram.
- (2 PM -5 PM) Check out Galeries Lafayette, those are Paris’s big department stores Galeries Lafayette is spectacular and very impressive on its own. They always have different seasonal decorations on which you should definitely check out.
- (5 PM – 7 PM) Visit Opera Garnier and do a tour here. It’s a very historic place and it’s the inspiration for the famous movie ‘Phantom of the Opera’. The tour is very reasonably priced at around $20, and it is really beautiful. Definitely recommend.
4th Day In Paris
- (9 AM – 11 AM) Head over to Rive Gauche. This is located on the left side of the bank you want to go to the Luxembourg Gardens; they are so beautiful. If you have ever been to the Miracle Garden in Dubai it has very similar vibes
- (11 AM – 12 PM) Go see the Pantheon in the 5th arrondissement of the city. It is an incredible monument that the French people are very proud of.
- (12 PM – 3 PM) Head over to Saint Germain, it is a really nice neighbourhood. There’s great shopping and it’s a bit more residential. You’ll see it’s a little bit different than the more touristy side appears but it’s super pretty
- (3 PM – 5 PM) Go to Le Relais de L’entrecote for a late lunch. Here you will have an incredible steak and fries dish. It is a very popular tourist stop so there’ll be queues. But when I tell you it’s worth the wait, it’s worth it.
- (6 PM – 9 PM) I highly recommend going to see a live football match at the Paris Saint-German stadium. It is an incredible experience; the atmosphere is so different compared to other countries. It’s so lively and exhilarating. Make sure your dates line up with the team’s home schedule.
Final Day in Paris – Versailles
- (9 AM – 10 AM) Grab a train and head over to Versailles. This is around 20 kilometres away from Paris, but you can get here by train it only takes around 1 hour
- (10 AM – 12 PM) Explore the Palace of Versailles. There is so much history in this enormous palace that you must spend a couple of hours. I could take days exploring this monument. Some of the attractions you cannot miss are
- Hall of Mirrors
- Versailles Gardens
- Marie Antoinette’s Bedroom
- (12 PM – 1 PM) Visit the antique and bookstore Au Facteur Cheval, it is a really popular store. You’ll see it’s a little touristy but it’s super historic. You can ask the shopkeepers for a little tour, and they’ll kindly oblige.
- (1 PM – 4 PM) Just explore the town and experience how it’s completely different to Paris. The ambience in Paris is a fast-paced city but here is melodic and slow. Visit the open-air markets and pick up a souvenir.
- (4 PM – 6 PM) Grab dinner at a local restaurant in Versaille and try some of the specialities, maybe talk to the locals and relish in the culture
Well that’s my 5-day Paris Itinerary, let me know in the comments if you guys enjoyed it and if you’ve been before. Suggest some countries or Cities you’d like a itinerary for next. Make sure to also check out my 23 essential travel item blog here as well.
