3 Days in Paris: A First-Timer’s Itinerary
Three days is enough to see the essential Paris on a first visit: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle, the Marais, Montmartre and an evening on the Seine. The trick is to group sights by neighborhood so you spend your time walking through the city rather than crossing it on the metro, and to book the few places that use timed tickets before you leave home.
This itinerary is built for first-timers. Each day covers one part of the city, with optional swaps if you would rather see the Musée d’Orsay or spend half a day at Versailles.
Is 3 Days Enough for Paris?
Three full days is the sweet spot for a first trip. You can see the big landmarks without rushing, visit one or two major museums, and still have time for cafés, markets and long walks along the river. If you only have two days, our 2 days in Paris plan trims this route down; if you have four or five, add Versailles, the Musée d’Orsay or a day trip. Planning a longer trip? Our 10 days in France itinerary starts with this Paris route.
A few things to know before you plan:
- Closing days matter. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays, the Musée d’Orsay and the Palace of Versailles on Mondays. Build your days around them.
- Book timed tickets early. The Eiffel Tower summit, the Louvre and Sainte-Chapelle all work with time slots and sell out in busy periods.
- Walk as much as you can. Central Paris is compact, and the walks between sights are part of the experience.
3-Day Paris Itinerary at a Glance
| Day | Area | Main sights | Book ahead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Left bank and the Seine | Eiffel Tower, Trocadéro, Seine walk, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Luxembourg Gardens | Eiffel Tower (summit or second floor) |
| Day 2 | Historic center | Louvre, Tuileries, Île de la Cité (Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle), Le Marais | Louvre time slot, Sainte-Chapelle |
| Day 3 | Right bank | Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur, Palais Garnier, Galeries Lafayette rooftop, evening Seine cruise | Optional: Opéra tour, cruise |
Day 1: Eiffel Tower, the Seine and Saint-Germain
Morning: Eiffel Tower and Trocadéro
Start early at the Trocadéro for the classic view of the tower across the river, then walk over the Pont d’Iéna to the tower itself. If you want to go up, book online as soon as tickets for your date are released; the first slots of the morning are usually the calmest. Our article on whether the Eiffel Tower is worth visiting explains the difference between the second floor and the summit.
Afterward, walk through the Champ de Mars for photos from the other side.
Afternoon: along the Seine to Saint-Germain
Follow the river east along the left bank. You will pass the Musée du Quai Branly with its plant-covered wall, the golden Pont Alexandre III and the Invalides, where Napoleon’s tomb is. Art lovers can spend two or three hours in the Musée d’Orsay (closed Mondays), which holds the world’s best-known collection of Impressionist painting in a former railway station.
End the afternoon in Saint-Germain-des-Prés: browse the side streets around Rue de Buci, take a coffee at one of the historic cafés on Boulevard Saint-Germain, and stroll through the Luxembourg Gardens before they close at dusk.
Evening
Eat in Saint-Germain or the Latin Quarter, then walk back to the river for the Eiffel Tower light show: the tower sparkles for five minutes at the start of every hour after dark.
Day 2: The Louvre, Île de la Cité and the Marais
Morning: the Louvre
Take the first time slot of the day at the Louvre (closed Tuesdays). A timed reservation is required for everyone, including Paris Museum Pass holders. Pick two or three wings rather than trying to see everything; our guide to whether the Louvre is worth it suggests a focused route. Then walk west through the Tuileries Garden to Place de la Concorde, or simply head for lunch.
Afternoon: Île de la Cité
Cross the Pont des Arts and the Pont Neuf to the Île de la Cité, the island where Paris began. Notre-Dame reopened in December 2024 after the restoration that followed the 2019 fire; entry to the cathedral is free, and you can reserve a free time slot online to shorten the wait. Next door, Sainte-Chapelle has the finest medieval stained glass in Paris and is best on a sunny afternoon; book a timed ticket in advance. The Conciergerie, Marie Antoinette’s last prison, is a few steps away and can be combined with it.
Late afternoon and evening: Le Marais
Walk across to the Marais, one of the few parts of Paris that kept its pre-19th-century streets. See the Place des Vosges, the Musée Carnavalet (the city’s history museum, with free permanent collections), the falafel shops of Rue des Rosiers and the boutiques of the Haut Marais. Our Haut Marais guide has more ideas. The Marais is one of the liveliest areas for dinner and drinks.
Day 3: Montmartre, the Opéra and an Evening Cruise
Morning: Montmartre
Arrive early, before the tour groups. Climb to the Sacré-Cœur (entry to the basilica is free; the dome is a paid climb), then wander to the Place du Tertre, the vineyard on Rue des Saules, the Moulin de la Galette and the quiet lanes around Rue de l’Abreuvoir. Watch your bag on the steps below the basilica, where petition and bracelet scams are common. The Montmartre neighborhood guide covers the area in detail.
Afternoon: Palais Garnier and the grands boulevards
Take the metro down to the Opéra. The Palais Garnier, the opulent 19th-century opera house, can be visited on most days when there is no rehearsal or matinee; check the schedule. Afterward, go up to the free rooftop terrace of the Galeries Lafayette department store for a wide view over the rooftops, then walk down Rue de la Paix to the Place Vendôme and on to the Palais-Royal gardens.
Evening: a Seine cruise
Finish with a one-hour boat trip on the Seine at dusk. Departures leave from near the Eiffel Tower, Pont Neuf and Notre-Dame; no booking is usually needed outside peak summer evenings. See our comparison of Seine river cruises if you want a dinner cruise instead.
Optional Swaps
- Versailles half-day: replace Day 3 morning with the Palace of Versailles (closed Mondays). Take the RER C or a train from Saint-Lazare or Montparnasse, book a timed entry, and go early. You will need most of a day if you also want the gardens and the Trianon estate.
- Musée d’Orsay instead of the Louvre: if Impressionism interests you more than antiquities and Old Masters, swap them. Orsay is smaller and easier to see in a morning.
- Rainy day: combine the covered passages near the Grands Boulevards, a museum and a long lunch.
Where to Stay for a 3-Day Trip
With only three days, stay central so you can walk to most sights and return to your hotel during the day. Good areas for a first visit:
| Area | Why stay here | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Saint-Germain / Latin Quarter (5th–6th) | Walkable to the Louvre, Notre-Dame and Orsay; classic Paris streets | First-timers, couples |
| Le Marais (3rd–4th) | Lively, central, lots of restaurants and shops | Food and nightlife |
| Around the Louvre and Opéra (1st–2nd, 9th) | Excellent metro links and airport connections | Short stays, convenience |
| Near the Eiffel Tower (7th) | Quiet and elegant, tower views | Families, calm evenings |
Our guide to choosing a hotel location in Paris compares more neighborhoods and budgets.
Getting Around: Metro, Walking and Passes
- Walk first. Most of this itinerary is on foot; each day only needs a couple of metro rides.
- Metro tickets: buy single tickets on the Île-de-France Mobilités app or load them onto a Navigo Easy card at a station machine; paper ticket booklets have been phased out. A Navigo weekly pass only pays off for longer stays starting on a Monday. Our Paris public transport guide explains the options.
- Airports: the RER B links Charles de Gaulle with Gare du Nord and Châtelet; metro line 14 now runs to Orly. Airport journeys use a dedicated fare, so check current prices.
- Museum Pass: if you plan to visit the Louvre, Sainte-Chapelle, the Conciergerie and Orsay or the Arc de Triomphe, a 2-day Paris Museum Pass on Days 2 and 3 can save money, though you still need time-slot reservations at several sites.
Tips to Save Time and Money
- Book the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and Sainte-Chapelle as soon as your dates are fixed, and keep your tickets on your phone.
- Visitors under 18 get free entry to most national museums and monuments, as do EU residents under 26 with proof; bring ID.
- Many museums have one late-opening evening a week, which is often quieter than daytime.
- Have lunch as your main meal: set lunch menus (formules) are much better value than dinner.
- Order tap water (une carafe d’eau) for free, and drink coffee standing at the bar for a lower price.
- Keep valuables zipped away on the metro and at busy sights; pickpocketing is the main risk for visitors.
Summary
Three days in Paris works best when each day stays in one part of the city: the Eiffel Tower and the left bank on Day 1, the Louvre, Île de la Cité and the Marais on Day 2, and Montmartre, the Opéra and a Seine cruise on Day 3. Book the timed sights early, keep an eye on closing days, stay central, and leave room for the cafés and walks that make Paris memorable. For more ideas, see our list of must-see places in Paris.
