3 Days in Paris: The Perfect Weekend Itinerary

Paris 3-Day Itinerary at a Glance

For a quick overview, we’ve marked the itinerary for your Paris weekend on a map.

Day 1 in Paris

• Arrival in Paris
• Exploring the neighborhood around your hotel

Arriving in Paris by Train

Paris doesn’t have a single central train station — instead, it has several terminus stations spread around the city.

Trains from most of Europe arrive at Gare du Nord — the North Station — or at Gare de l’Est — the East Station.

Funnily enough, both stations are only a few steps apart from each other and are both very centrally located.

From Gare du Nord, Metro lines 4 and 5 will take you through the city to your hotel. From Gare de l’Est, it’s Metro lines 4, 5, and 7. If your hotel in Paris is a bit further out, you may also need to switch to the tram at some point.

Now is also the perfect time to grab a Metro ticket for your weekend in Paris. We recommend the “10-ride Carnet ticket” for ten trips anywhere in the city.

You can find more information in our article Paris Metro Tickets.

Arriving in Paris by Car

If you’re driving to Paris for the weekend, we recommend booking a hotel with parking. For example, the Hôtel Le Milie Rose or the Aparthotel Adagio Paris.

Paris has around 30 entry points into the city. Depending on where you’re coming from and where you’re headed, you’ll pass through one of them.

Traffic flow in Paris is managed by ring roads. There’s the inner ring — running clockwise — and the outer ring — running counterclockwise. Pick whichever ring puts you closest to your hotel or parking spot.

Don’t worry though — everything in Paris is really well signposted, with plenty of large illuminated signs to guide you.

Our tip: When entering the city, always try to stay in the far right lane so you don’t miss your exit off the expressway.

Arriving in Paris by Plane

There are five airports in Paris, and the largest is Charles de Gaulle — also known as Roissy. It’s about 40 minutes by train from the city center.

The fastest way to get from Charles de Gaulle Airport to central Paris is by taking the RER B. From there, you transfer at Gare du Nord to the Metro, which takes you straight to your hotel’s neighborhood.

By the way, a single ticket covers not only the RER B but also one subsequent Metro ride — handy.

Find out more about airport transfers in Paris here:

Getting Your First Feel for Paris

After checking into your hotel, it’s worth taking some time to get a feel for Paris. And the best way to do that is to simply stroll through the neighborhood around your hotel at a leisurely pace.

You’ll quickly notice: every neighborhood in Paris has its own unique character.

If you find that the area around your hotel isn’t quite as exciting as you’d hoped, you’re of course free to head straight out and explore your first attraction right away.

Day 2 in Paris

• Eiffel Tower
• Boat tour along the Seine
• Arc de Triomphe
• Champs-Élysées
• Artist quarter Montmartre
• Sacré-Cœur

The Morning: Top Paris Highlights

Day 2 is where the full sightseeing experience kicks in.

Your first stop is the Eiffel Tower — or rather, first the Place du Trocadéro, a kind of natural viewing platform for the tower. That’s where you’ll arrive by Metro.

Whatever you do, don’t skip the walk from the Place du Trocadéro to the Eiffel Tower.

In the early morning, the area isn’t too crowded yet, and you can really soak in that unforgettable view without fighting through the masses.

You’ll also have better luck scoring a spontaneous ticket for the climb up the Eiffel Tower at that early hour. Going all the way to the top is something we wholeheartedly recommend!

Heads up! The lines can be reeeally long — waiting can easily eat up several hours.

So if you want to do more than just admire the Eiffel Tower from the outside and actually go up, you should definitely book your ticket in advance. It’s so much more relaxed. If you end up stuck in a long line, you simply won’t have time for the rest of the day’s program — and that would be a real shame.

More tips and ticket options here:

After the Eiffel Tower, head over to the boat dock for a cruise along the Seine. A classic that everyone visiting Paris simply has to do.

The great part: the boat docks for the classic cruises are right next to the Eiffel Tower, so you won’t have to walk far at all.

Our favorite is the classic Seine boat cruise with Bateaux Parisiens. A one-hour ride costs under 20 euros and boats depart every 30 minutes.

When you book online, you get a ticket valid between 10 AM and 10 PM, and you can hop on whichever boat fits your schedule on the day. Buying a ticket on the spot right at the dock is also an option — just expect to wait in line.

There’s so much to see on the cruise! Including the Eiffel Tower, the Hôtel des Invalides, the Île de la Cité with Notre-Dame, and the Louvre.

Our tip: Snacks and drinks are allowed on the boat tours. So you can use the cruise as a little breather and refuel without missing a thing.

Book Seine boat cruise ticket online

After the boat tour, you’ll arrive back near Trocadéro. From here, it’s on to the famous Arc de Triomphe — one of Paris’s most iconic landmarks.

The Arc de Triomphe makes for a great photo. You can either admire it from the outside or — depending on how much time you have — go inside.

Inside there’s a small museum, and on top of the arch there’s an absolutely stunning observation deck with panoramic views of the Champs-Élysées, which you’ll be strolling along in just a moment.

Here too, we recommend buying tickets online in advance to skip at least some of the wait.

Book Arc de Triomphe ticket online

Midday: Champs-Élysées

You’ve definitely earned a break by now.

Since all that sightseeing works up an appetite — but you probably don’t want to miss a single thing — we recommend walking from the Arc de Triomphe along the Champs-Élysées.

That way you get to experience the most famous shopping street in Paris and find a little café or bistro for your break at the same time.

Our tip: There are several supermarkets along the Champs-Élysées. Pick up a baguette and some cheese and eat them outside on a bench. Classic Paris vibes in the simplest way possible.

The Afternoon: Montmartre

Once you’re refreshed and fueled up, it’s time to leave the city center and head to the 18th arrondissement — the artist quarter of Montmartre with the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur.

Montmartre is, for us, an absolute must on any short break to Paris.

The best stop is the Blanche Metro station right at the Moulin Rouge. From there, just wander the charming alleyways at your own pace — you really can’t go wrong.

And if rain rolls into Paris, you’ll be well sheltered inside Sacré-Cœur.

Montmartre is also a wonderful spot for a delicious dinner. The streets are lined with one charming little restaurant and bistro after another.

Our tip: Try to reserve a table at Le Potager. They serve a great variety of French food at very fair prices — and when the weather’s nice, you can sit outside too.

Day 3 in Paris

• Louvre
• Marais neighborhood
• Centre Pompidou (closed until 2030)
• Île de la Cité
• Notre-Dame
• Quartier Latin neighborhood

The Morning: The Right Bank of the Seine

You’ll kick off your third day in Paris on the Right Bank of the Seine — and there’s still a whole lot to discover over here.

Your first stop is the famous Louvre. Today a massive art museum, once a royal palace.

In good weather, we recommend just admiring the Louvre from the outside. That might sound boring at first, but it’s actually seriously impressive! Not only is the historic building genuinely beautiful, the glass pyramid in the courtyard is also one of the most popular photo spots in Paris.

Important! If you want to visit the Louvre from the inside, book tickets in advance online through the Louvre website or GetYourGuide. The lines are always incredibly long.

From the Louvre, you can then take a leisurely stroll toward the Centre Pompidou. The walk takes less than 30 minutes on foot.

The Centre Pompidou is also an art museum and sits in the charming Marais neighborhood. Again, you don’t have to go inside — often there simply isn’t enough time for that anyway. But the Centre Pompidou is a great anchor point for wandering through the lovely, almost village-like streets of Marais.

The lanes here are also home to many truly excellent bistros where you can enjoy a great lunch.

The Afternoon: Île de la Cité and Quartier Latin

After a delicious lunch in Marais, you’ll say goodbye to the Right Bank and make your way to the beautiful Île de la Cité.

The Île de la Cité is a small island in the heart of Paris. This is where Notre-Dame Cathedral stands, surrounded by the Seine. The cathedral was closed following the fire in 2019, with its reopening planned for December 2024.

The view of the church is absolutely worth it. After all, it’s one of the top attractions in Paris.

Our tip: Right next to the Île de la Cité is the Île Saint-Louis. Here you’ll find Berthillon, home to the best ice cream in the city. The perfect to-go treat.

Both islands are connected to the rest of the city via bridges. Depending on where you are at this point, you’ll cross over to the Left Bank of the Seine — where one of our absolute favorite neighborhoods in Paris awaits you: the Quartier Latin.

They say “the best comes last” — and that holds true for our 3-day Paris itinerary.

The student quarter Quartier Latin is a place we keep coming back to. You’ll find a wonderful mix of history, culture, and nature here — both modern and centuries-old.

The neighborhood stretches from the Seine riverbank at Pont Saint-Michel all the way to the Jardin des Plantes. Wander it freely — soak up the vibe and take in all the sights along the way, including the Panthéon.

Our tip: Don’t miss the bookstore Shakespeare & Company. It even has its own little café where you can get not just cake, but also bagels, sandwiches, soups, and salads.

Paris City Pass for a Weekend?

A city pass is a ticket that bundles multiple attractions in a city — and often includes public transportation as well.

If you’re spending several days there, it can help you save money — and sometimes time at the entrance.

Paris offers five different city passes. For our Paris weekend itinerary, however, none of these passes are necessary. You’d essentially be throwing money away.

A city pass in Paris only makes sense if you really want to visit a large number of attractions — and for that, you need more time. We’d only suggest a pass if you’re staying for around five days or more.

Want more info anyway? Take a look here:

Our Hotel Recommendations for a Weekend in Paris

Still looking for a great place to stay in Paris? We can wholeheartedly recommend these three:

How Do You Find the Right Hotel in Paris?

Finding truly great hotels is one of our specialties. Here are a few pointers to help you find the perfect place to stay for your Paris weekend.

Location

In Paris, hotels outside the center aren’t all that much cheaper — and you’d definitely need a Metro ticket to get into the city anyway. So staying outside the center isn’t a must if you’re trying to save money.

Hotel or Apartment?

We’re generally big fans of B&Bs and vacation rentals. In Paris, though, that can backfire — too little space, poor soundproofing, and that musty old-building smell. Hotels are the better choice in Paris.

Breakfast

Before booking, take a look at photos of the breakfast on offer. It can range from a generous buffet to a rather underwhelming Parisian-style coffee and croissant. To avoid any unpleasant surprises, always check beforehand. Alternatively, you can always head to one of the many cafés in the city for breakfast.

Looking for more Paris hotel inspiration? Check this out:

What Else You Need to Know for a Paris Weekend