In short
Three days in Paris: the Île de la Cité (Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle), the Louvre and the Champs-Élysées on day one; Montmartre, the Palais Garnier and Galeries Lafayette on day two; the Eiffel Tower, a Seine cruise, the Musée d’Orsay and the Marais on day three. Book the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre (€32 for visitors from outside the European Economic Area, closed on Tuesdays) in advance. The Centre Pompidou is closed for renovation until 2030.
Contents
Three days is the ideal length for a first visit to Paris: enough to see the great monuments, two major museums and the neighbourhoods that make the city so charming, without rushing. Here is a 3-day Paris itinerary, organised by area to keep travel time down, with up-to-date information for 2026 and a family version.
With Guidly, every monument tells you its story: the app finds the places around you and creates an audio guide based on your interests, in your language, and you can ask it questions as you go.
Day 1: the Île de la Cité, the Louvre and the Champs-Élysées
Morning: Notre-Dame and the Sainte-Chapelle
Start where Paris was born. Notre-Dame, reopened in December 2024 after five years of restoration, is free to visit (book a time slot online to skip the queue). Nearby, the stained-glass windows of the Sainte-Chapelle, telling 1,113 scenes from the Bible, are dazzling on a sunny day.
Lunch
Cross to the Île Saint-Louis for lunch on a terrace and an ice cream at Berthillon.
Afternoon: the Louvre and the Tuileries
The largest museum in the world: pick two or three departments rather than trying to see everything (the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, the Napoleon III apartments). Tickets cost €22 for residents of the European Economic Area and €32 for other visitors; book a time slot, and remember the museum is closed on Tuesdays. Leave through the Tuileries Garden.
Evening: the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe
Walk up the Champs-Élysées from Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. Its rooftop, open in the evening, offers a 360° view over Paris, with the Eiffel Tower sparkling on the hour after dark.
Arc de Triomphe rooftop tickets
Day 2: Montmartre and the grands boulevards
Morning: Montmartre
Climb up to the Sacré-Cœur early, before the crowds, then wander through Place du Tertre, Rue de l’Abreuvoir and past the Maison Rose.
Lunch
Walk down to Abbesses for lunch in a bistro: bœuf bourguignon, duck confit or a croque-monsieur.
Afternoon: the Palais Garnier and Galeries Lafayette
Visit the Palais Garnier opera house, its marble grand staircase and its ceiling painted by Marc Chagall. Just behind it, go up to the free rooftop terrace of Galeries Lafayette, after admiring the department store’s Art Nouveau dome.
Evening: cabaret or bistro
A show at the Moulin Rouge, at the foot of Montmartre, or dinner in a bouillon, one of the big, affordable traditional Parisian brasseries.
Book your Moulin Rouge tickets
Day 3: the Eiffel Tower, the Seine and the Marais
Morning: the Eiffel Tower and the Trocadéro
Start with the view from the Trocadéro, then go up the Eiffel Tower. Book your time slot online several weeks ahead in high season: it is the only way to avoid hours of queuing.
Book your Eiffel Tower tickets
Lunch: a Seine cruise
Boats leave from the foot of the Eiffel Tower: one hour to watch the Louvre, Notre-Dame and the bridges of Paris glide by.
Afternoon: the Musée d’Orsay and Saint-Germain-des-Prés
The Musée d’Orsay, set in a former railway station, holds the world’s largest Impressionist collection: Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Degas (closed on Mondays). Then walk to Saint-Germain-des-Prés and its literary cafés.
Evening: the Marais
End at Place des Vosges, in the lanes of the Marais, with a falafel on Rue des Rosiers, or treat yourself to a dinner cruise on the Seine for an unforgettable last evening.
Paris in 3 days with kids
- Day 1: the Eiffel Tower, the playgrounds of the Champ-de-Mars and a Seine cruise.
- Day 2: the Jardin des Plantes, its zoo and the Grand Gallery of Evolution, then the Luxembourg Gardens and their toy sailboats.
- Day 3: the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie at La Villette, or a day at Disneyland Paris (40 minutes on the RER A).
With Guidly, switch on kids mode (ages 3–8): audio tours are told in simple words, with stories pitched at their level.
Practical tips
- Transport: a single Metro-Train-RER ticket costs €2.55. Load it onto a Navigo Easy card or your phone, or get a day pass if you take lots of trips.
- Bookings: the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Sainte-Chapelle and the Palais Garnier are all booked online for a set time.
- Closing days: the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays, the Musée d’Orsay on Mondays. The Centre Pompidou is closed for renovation until 2030.
- When to go: spring (April–June) and September–October.
- Where to stay: the Marais or Saint-Germain-des-Prés, to do everything on foot.
Exploring Paris with Guidly
- Let the app locate you: it shows you every place around you, from famous monuments to hidden details, drawn from our database of 9 million points of interest.
- Listen to an audio guide created for you, based on your interests and the level of detail you choose.
- Ask your questions by text or by voice: “Why was the Eiffel Tower almost taken down?”, “Where can I get a good crêpe nearby?”.
More capitals: the most beautiful European capitals • London in 3 days.
FAQ
Is 3 days enough to visit Paris?
Yes, three days is enough to see the highlights: Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, a Seine cruise and the Marais. To add Versailles or more museums, allow four to five days.
What should I see in Paris in 3 days?
Notre-Dame and the Sainte-Chapelle, the Louvre, the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe, Montmartre and the Sacré-Cœur, the Eiffel Tower, the Musée d’Orsay and the Marais.
Do I need to book the Eiffel Tower in advance?
Yes, especially in high season: online time slots sell out weeks ahead, and the wait without a booking can be more than two hours.
How much does the Louvre cost?
€22 for residents of the European Economic Area and €32 for other visitors, since January 2026. Entry is free for under-18s. Book a time slot online, and note that the museum is closed on Tuesdays.
When is the best time to visit Paris?
Spring and early autumn, for pleasant weather and slightly fewer crowds than in summer.
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