Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 Arrival & the Eiffel Tower
Morning Arrival in Paris & check-in
Land at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and take the RER B train to central Paris — the ride takes about 35 minutes to Châtelet-Les Halles or 50 minutes to Denfert-Rochereau, depending on your hotel location. Tickets cost €11.80 one way and can be bought at the automated machines in the terminal. Alternatively, the Roissybus runs directly to Opéra for €16.60. Once at your hotel near the Champ de Mars area, drop off your luggage and head out to soak in the Parisian atmosphere. Grab a classic French breakfast at a nearby café: a fresh croissant, a pain au chocolat, and a café crème on the terrace. Walk along the tree-lined avenues and let the excitement of being in the City of Light settle in before the afternoon's iconic visit.
Afternoon Eiffel Tower — Ascent to the Summit
Head to the Eiffel Tower, the most iconic monument in the world and the symbol of Paris since its construction for the 1889 World's Fair. At 330 metres tall, the Iron Lady offers three levels open to visitors. Take the lift (or climb the 674 steps) to the second floor for sweeping views of the Seine, the Trocadéro, and the Invalides. Then continue by lift to the summit for a breathtaking 360-degree panorama over all of Paris — on a clear day you can see up to 80 km. Visit Gustave Eiffel's restored office on the top floor, where a wax figure of Eiffel himself greets Thomas Edison. Back on the first floor, walk the glass floor for a vertiginous look straight down, and browse the history exhibition. Cross the Pont d'Iéna to the Trocadéro esplanade for the classic postcard photo of the tower framed by the Palais de Chaillot fountains.
Evening Dinner with a View of the Illuminated Eiffel Tower
End your first Parisian day with a memorable dinner in the 7th arrondissement, within sight of the sparkling Eiffel Tower. The Rue Saint-Dominique and Rue Cler neighbourhood is packed with excellent bistros and brasseries offering traditional French cuisine at reasonable prices. Start with a classic French onion soup or a charcuterie board, follow with a duck confit or steak frites, and finish with a crème brûlée or tarte Tatin. After dinner, stroll along the Champ de Mars gardens as the tower sparkles on the hour — grab a crêpe from a street vendor and sit on the grass with hundreds of other visitors enjoying the nightly show. For a splurge, book a table at Les Ombres on the rooftop of the Musée du Quai Branly for an unobstructed tower view while you dine.
Day 2 The Louvre & the Heart of Paris
Morning The Louvre Museum — Unmissable Masterpieces
Arrive early at the Louvre, the world's largest and most visited art museum, housed in the former royal palace on the banks of the Seine. With over 35,000 works on display across 73,000 m² of gallery space, a strategic approach is essential. Enter through the Pyramid (or the quieter Passage Richelieu entrance) and head straight to the Denon Wing's first floor for the three crown jewels: the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci (Room 711), the Winged Victory of Samothrace on its dramatic staircase, and the Venus de Milo on the ground floor. From there, explore the Grande Galerie — the longest corridor in the Louvre — lined with Italian Renaissance masterpieces by Raphael, Caravaggio, and Veronese. Don't miss Delacroix's monumental Liberty Leading the People and the opulent Napoleon III Apartments. The Egyptian Antiquities department with the Great Sphinx and mummies is another highlight worth the detour.
Afternoon Notre-Dame de Paris & Sainte-Chapelle
Walk from the Louvre along the Seine to the Île de la Cité, the historic heart of Paris. Start with Notre-Dame de Paris, the legendary Gothic cathedral that took nearly 200 years to build (1163-1345) and survived the devastating fire of April 2019. After a monumental five-year restoration, the cathedral reopened in December 2024 with its cleaned limestone façade, rebuilt oak spire, and restored medieval stained glass glowing brighter than they have in centuries. Step inside to admire the soaring nave, the iconic rose windows, and the newly restored interior. Then walk five minutes to the Sainte-Chapelle, a 13th-century Gothic jewel built by King Louis IX to house the Crown of Thorns. Its upper chapel features 15 floor-to-ceiling stained-glass windows — over 1,100 panels depicting 1,113 biblical scenes — that transform the space into a kaleidoscope of colour when sunlight streams through. It is widely considered the finest example of Gothic stained glass in the world.
Evening Seine Riverside Walk & Dinner in the Latin Quarter
As the sun sets, descend to the lower quays of the Seine for one of the most romantic walks in Paris. The UNESCO-listed riverbanks stretch from the Île de la Cité past Notre-Dame, under the elegant bridges, all the way to the Musée d'Orsay. Pass the bouquinistes — the iconic green-box booksellers that have lined the quays since the 16th century — and watch the river bateaux-mouches glide past with their spotlights illuminating the stone facades. Cross to the Left Bank and wander into the Latin Quarter, Paris's oldest student district named for the Latin once spoken at the Sorbonne. Settle into a restaurant on Rue Mouffetard or around Place de la Contrescarpe for a classic Parisian dinner: escargots, boeuf bourguignon or coq au vin, paired with a good Bordeaux or Burgundy. The narrow medieval streets are lively with students and visitors well into the night.
Day 3 Montmartre, Sacré-Cœur & the Champs-Élysées
Morning Sacré-Cœur Basilica & Montmartre Village
Take the metro to Anvers or Abbesses station and climb the hill of Montmartre — Paris's highest point at 130 metres — to reach the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur. Built between 1875 and 1914 in Romano-Byzantine style, its white travertine stone actually gets whiter with age as rain releases calcite. The panoramic view from the basilica's steps stretches across the entire Paris basin — it's one of the best free viewpoints in the city. Inside, look up at the enormous golden mosaic of Christ in Majesty covering the apse ceiling, one of the largest mosaics in the world. After the basilica, wander through the charming cobblestoned streets of the Montmartre village. Visit the Place du Tertre, where portrait artists and painters set up their easels just as they did in the days of Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec, and Picasso. Pop into the Espace Dalí for a quirky collection of Salvador Dalí's sculptures and engravings, then find the iconic pink house La Maison Rose and the vineyard of Montmartre — the last working vineyard in Paris.
Afternoon Arc de Triomphe & Stroll Down the Champs-Élysées
Take the metro to Charles de Gaulle-Étoile and emerge at the foot of the Arc de Triomphe, the monumental arch commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to celebrate his military victories. Standing 50 metres tall at the centre of the Place de l'Étoile, where twelve avenues radiate outward like a star, it is one of Paris's most powerful landmarks. Climb the 284 steps to the rooftop terrace for what many consider the best panoramic viewpoint in Paris — you can see the Eiffel Tower, La Défense, Sacré-Cœur, and the full sweep of the Champs-Élysées in a single gaze. Before ascending, pay your respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier beneath the arch, where an eternal flame has burned since 1923. Then stroll down the Champs-Élysées, the legendary 1.9 km avenue stretching to the Place de la Concorde. Window-shop the luxury boutiques, pop into the flagship stores, and enjoy the buzzing café terraces on the most famous avenue in the world.
Evening Cabaret Show at the Moulin Rouge
Return to Montmartre for the quintessential Parisian evening experience: a cabaret show at the legendary Moulin Rouge. Founded in 1889 — the same year as the Eiffel Tower — this iconic venue with its red windmill façade has hosted the world's most famous cancan dancers for over 135 years. The current revue features elaborate costumes, acrobatic performances, trained animals, and of course the legendary French cancan finale with its high kicks and swirling skirts. The show lasts about 2 hours and includes half a bottle of champagne per person. Arrive early to admire the glittering Belle Époque interior and soak in the atmosphere of the packed theatre. After the show, the Pigalle and Montmartre area comes alive with cocktail bars and music venues — grab a nightcap at Le Très Particulier, a hidden cocktail bar in the gardens of the Hôtel Particulier Montmartre.
Day 4 Palace of Versailles & Farewell
Morning Palace of Versailles — Hall of Mirrors & Grand Apartments
Take the RER C from central Paris to Versailles-Château Rive Gauche station — the journey takes about 40 minutes and costs €4.30 one way (or is included in your Paris Visite pass zones 1-5). Walk 10 minutes from the station to the golden gates of the Palace of Versailles, the colossal residence built by Louis XIV, the Sun King, from 1661 onwards. It housed the French court and government until the Revolution in 1789. Start with the Grand Apartments — a succession of lavishly decorated rooms including the Salon d'Hercule with its painted ceiling, the Salon de la Guerre, and the Salon d'Apollon (the throne room). The culmination is the Galerie des Glaces (Hall of Mirrors), a 73-metre-long gallery lined with 357 mirrors reflecting the 357 windows opposite, overlooking the gardens. It's where the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919. Continue through the King's and Queen's private apartments, the Royal Chapel with its stunning painted vault, and the Royal Opera — one of the most beautiful theatres in Europe.
Afternoon Versailles Gardens, Grand Trianon & the Queen's Hamlet
After the palace, step into the Gardens of Versailles — 800 hectares of manicured French formal gardens designed by André Le Nôtre, considered the greatest landscape architect in history. Walk along the Grand Canal (1.6 km long), marvel at the fountains (over 50 featuring more than 600 water jets), and explore the hidden groves — each one a unique outdoor 'room' with its own sculptural theme. On weekends from April to October, the Grandes Eaux Musicales bring the fountains to life with baroque music. Then head to the Grand Trianon, a pink marble retreat built by Louis XIV to escape court protocol — it's far less crowded than the main palace and equally beautiful. Continue to the Petit Trianon, Marie-Antoinette's private domain, and her enchanting Hameau de la Reine (Queen's Hamlet) — a faux rustic village with thatched cottages, a working farm, and a picturesque lake where the queen played at being a shepherdess.
Evening Farewell Dinner in Saint-Germain-des-Prés
For your last Parisian evening, head to Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the legendary Left Bank neighbourhood that was once the intellectual heart of Paris. This is where Sartre and de Beauvoir debated existentialism at Café de Flore, where Hemingway wrote at Les Deux Magots, and where jazz clubs pulsed with the energy of post-war liberation. Today the area is a refined blend of literary heritage, upscale boutiques, and some of the city's finest restaurants. Settle into a classic brasserie like Brasserie Lipp or Le Comptoir du Panthéon for a final celebration of French gastronomy — think foie gras, sole meunière, and a perfectly runny île flottante for dessert, all paired with a fine French wine. After dinner, take one last stroll past the illuminated Pont des Arts and along the Seine, with the Eiffel Tower sparkling in the distance — a perfect way to say au revoir to the City of Light.