Paris, France is, still to this day, one of the most magical cities I have ever been! The city is filled with rich culture, historic architecture and to-die-for food. The best way to get around is by foot, as I came across so many quaint parks and churches by mistake. From the touristic attractions to the quaint restaurants and beautiful neighborhoods, there is so much to do in the city that you can easily spend at least 3 to 4 days exploring all the city has to offer. Use this Paris travel guide to help plan your next trip to the city of love!
Check out 15 best things to do in Paris, France
Holiday Inn Paris- Gare de Lyon Bastille
Affordable & Clean
Safe Area
Central Location
Train Station is 260 meters away (aka very close)
Traveller Tip: During my travels, finding a hotel that was close to public transportation was a blessing because I did not have to lug my luggage around the city!
Top 3 places to stay in Paris based on proximity to sights, transportation, and restaurants and bars within walking distance.
Montmartre
Le Marais
Quartier Latin
Paris, France: 3 Day Itinerary
Traveller Tip: The Paris City Pass may be valuable to you, if you plan on visiting multiple sights and landmarks. It grants free skip the line admission to more than 60 sights and tours, includes a boat ride on the Seine river and can even include admission for public transportation in Paris.
Day 1: Jardin des Plantes, Notre Dame & Saint Chapelle
1. On our first day, we arrived at the hotel, checked into our room and dropped off our luggage. Due to our long flight and imminent jet lag, we decided we wanted to visit places in the surrounding area. The first stop was the Jardin des Plantes. This is the main botanical garden of France and is filled with a vibrant gardens and flowers. The garden is also home to the National Museum of Natural History and also contains a few other galleries and a small zoo.
2. The Notre Dame Cathedral was the next closest attraction to our hotel, however we were only able to see parts of it from a distance due to the construction work from the fire. Fortunately, after a couple hours of walking through the streets of Paris and a much needed cappuccino, we came across the Saint Chapelle church… by accident. I was blown away by the stained glass windows and high ceilings of this church and was truly thankful we had come across this beauty attraction.
3. After, we visited the Palais de Justice, which is a few blocks down and its elaborate gates cannot be missed. The evening ended early with a fresh chocolate crepe in my mouth and a good nights sleep for what day 2 had to bring.
Day 2: Eiffel Tower, Louvre & More
1. In the morning, we took the subway to the Eiffel Tower viewing point – Place du Trocadero. The subway is very easy to use and if you use Google Maps, the app will tell you exactly where to get on and off. In order to get a closer view of the tower, we walked down to the Parc du Champ de Mars (Beware of pick pocketing here). The Eiffel Tower is a magnificent view and cannot be missed on your trip to Paris, France.
Check out 15 best things to do in Paris, France
Traveller Tip: This area is full of people trying to sell you Paris souvenirs and is known to be a pick pocketing area. Be aware of your surroundings and don't interact with these people.
2. Once we had taken in the beauty of the Eiffel Tower, we decided to walk the streets of Paris to the Arc of Triomphe which was only 40 minutes away. We took the time to get to each attraction to marvel at the beautiful architecture of the city.
3. From the Arc de Triomphe we walked straight through Av. des Champs- Elysees. This street is famous for its luxury stores, quaint boutiques and local restaurants. If you plan on doing any shopping on your trip, this would definitely be the location.
4. As we walked down Champs- Elysees, it was hard to miss the Grand Palais leading to the ornate arch bridge known as Pont Alexandre III ( No, I am not referring to the Abercrombie store). This is an extravagant monument and a must- see on your Paris bucket list!
5. From this attraction, we decided to walk to the Tuileries Gardens, which was only a 12 minute walk. This luxurious garden lead us straight to the famous Louvre Museum. Home to the Mona Lisa and many other extravagant art work, the Louvre is definitely worth the money to enter.
Traveller Tip: The Louvre is very large and could take up most of your day in Paris, we recommend leaving it as the last sighting of your day so that you can leisurely stroll through and also view the lighting of the pyramid structure.
6. The evening ended with a quick Uber ride back to our hotel, where we ate pizza from a pizzeria in the area and fell straight asleep after a LOONG day of sight- seeing.
Day 3: A Trip to Montmartre & gardens
1. In the morning, we grabbed a quick coffee and croissant at a local boulangerie (bakery) and visited the grand Luxembourg gardens. Home to the Luxembourg Palace, these grounds are beautifully kept and the garden is filled with vibrant flowers.
2. After, we made our way to the Subway to get to Square Louise Michel (Google Maps will be your best friend, as there is one switch you have to make) to visit the Sacre- Coeur Basilica.
3. The rest of the day was spent exploring the beautiful area of Montmartre, where we enjoyed some sangria and sandwiches at a vibrant cafe as musicians played and artists painted people passing.
4. We decided to walk to the Moulin Rouge, which is a 15 minute walk from the Montmartre area. Unfortunately, we were not able to watch a show but I would definitely recommend it, if you can!
5. The last evening was spent taking the subway back to the Eiffel Tower viewing point (Place du Trocadero) to watch the Eiffel Tower light up, which is absolutely breathtaking.
Traveller Tip: Paris has a huge amount of fountains that provide free water, I recommend traveling with your own bottle if you are trying to avoid plastic waste and traveling on a budget! (water can be more expensive than wine)
