When planning a trip to Paris, France, or Europe in general, one of the first questions to overcome is the question of time. Perhaps you only have a week or two off; perhaps you have multiple cities or countries you’d like to visit; or on the flip side, maybe you have lots of time and want to be sure not to overdo it. This can be an overwhelming decision, and people frequently ask us how many days for the perfect Paris vacation? The reality is, when it comes to this city, you want time. As much time as possible.
How Many Days in Paris Is Enough?
Making sure you have the right amount of time in Paris can quite literally make the difference between a good and a bad trip. A rushed itinerary will feel stressful, and leave little time for lingering meals and spontaneous stops. If you’re looking for a vacation that feels balanced and enjoyable, you’ll want about a week. This will allow you to cover the highlights, take a day trip, and explore the hidden corners of the city. (Even better, give yourself two weeks if possible. Allows for a few extra day trips, leisurely picnic days, and weekends of sleeping in.) By giving yourself more time, you’ll be gifting yourself experiences that make the city memorable - more than just a photo in front of the Eiffel tower.
How Big Is Paris, France?
Paris is a big city, but what makes it magical is its ability to feel like a small city. While many people compare it to New York City or London, those cities can take hours to cross, while one can cross Paris (suburb to suburb!) in under an hour on the right metro line.
You’ll find most major monuments lining the Seine river from Western Paris (the Eiffel tower) to central Paris (the Notre-Dame), with the Montmartre being the major outlier. In between you’ll find smaller monuments, hidden museums, and gorgeous architecture lining small and quiet streets. If you visit Paris and stick to the major attractions, you’ll get the impression it’s a loud, bustling and unpleasant city. By truly giving yourself time to explore, you’ll see that off the beaten path remains peaceful, with room to breathe.
What Is There To See And Do In Paris?
There are hundreds, if not thousands of things to see and do in Paris, so you’ll want to plan your time wisely. Our best advice is to build an itinerary around a museum or a tour, and then plan to explore the area around that activity.
For example, if you want to visit the Musée Carnavalet, you can build an itinerary around exploring the Marais for the day, including coffee at Minicafé, a picnic in Place des Vosges, a great meal at Terra, and some window shopping. Our guide can help you find the best places to eat and drink in each neighborhood, and is an incredibly useful tool in building these itineraries.
Monuments
If you’re visiting Paris for the first couple of times, you’ll likely want to see major monuments such as the Eiffel Tower, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the Arc de Triomphe. Our best advice for monuments is to choose carefully which ones you want to actually enter and/or climb. Our favorite views of Paris are from the Arc de Triomphe. Why? Because you actually get the Eiffel tower in it!
Museums
Paris has hundreds of museums, and there’s no way you’ll want to see them all in one trip! If you’re an art lover, you’ll want to visit the classics such as the Musée d’Orsay for Impressionist art, the Musée de l’Orangerie for Monet’s water lilies, or the Louvre (for more than just the Mona Lisa!).
If you aren’t particularly passionate about art, don’t go. You can see the Louvre from the outside - it’s still magnificent - and enjoy your trip more by checking out some museums not about art. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by options, or want to go to the Louvre but don’t want to get lost for hours on end, you can book a private guided tour with our friend Amber. She is a fountain of knowledge, wrapped in humor and kindness. You can reach out to her for inquiries and bookings at [email protected]
Dining Out
This is one of our favorite things to do in Paris. Travel through food is the best way to get to know the culture of a city - and Paris’ culture is vibrant and international. You’ll find fantastic French food, along with delicious dumplings, perfect Pizza, and truly incredible Lebanese food. And you’ll find all of this and more in our guide to Paris.
The Paris in My Pocket travel guide has hundreds of recommendations of the best places to eat and drink in Paris. In a city where options can get overwhelming and in a world where it's hard to know what to trust online, get your recommendations from a small team of real people living in the city. Our guide is continuously updated, and one purchase gives you access for LIFE!
Walking
Aside from eating, this is possibly our favorite thing to do in Paris. Walk around. Look up. Admire the architecture. See what you see. Stumble into a shop. Find a hole in the wall bar. This is how we have cultivated our guide, and it’s how we continue to explore the city. Be a flâneur - one who wanders. Whether it’s through le Marais, on the left bank, or off the beaten path, you won’t regret getting your steps in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Oh, you can avoid the Champs-Élysées, though. That’s basically one big strip mall.
If you’re looking for a great way to mix food and wandering, have you considered a food tour in the heart of Paris?
Picnicking
In the warmer weather, the Parisians love a good picnic - and so do we. You can hit up the Bastille market, or any other outdoor market, and then make your way to a nearby park to rest, indulge, and people watch. Don’t forget to bring a wine opener if you plan on buying a bottle!
How To Get Around Paris, France
Walk
If it’s a 15-20 minute walk, just walk it. You might stumble upon a cute boutique or wine bar. You’ll see some beautiful architecture and fun street names. If you’re able to, hoofing it is the way to go.
Bike
Our favorite way of getting around town! Rent a bike from Le Peloton Café, and explore the city on your own. Paris is busy, so be sure to grab a helmet and at least one lock per bike. Favor routes with bike paths, like Rue de Rivoli, or along the canal. The Quayside is also a wonderful place to cycle, depending on the season and how busy it is.
Bus
This can be a really fun way to go a short distance in the city - you can see out the window, and if you’re a wheelchair user or can’t safely use all those stairs in the metro, this is a fantastic option for getting around inexpensively.
Metro
Fantastic, easy, and our preferred way of getting around when the weather isn’t bikeable. Grab your tickets on the IDF mobilités app, and stay tuned for more information about how the Paris metro is changing and upgrading their system - we’ll have a video about it soon.
Cab
If you can take any of the other options, do that instead. Cabs add unnecessary traffic to the already crowded Parisian streets, and they are an important and necessary option for travelers with accessibility needs.
How To Plan A Trip To Paris
Do it All Yourself
If you’re planning everything yourself via google searches and Tripadvisor reviews, good on you! It’s not easy to plan a vacation this way - it’s time consuming in this age of information overload. When making decisions, be sure to always book ahead of time (for attractions or restaurants) and try to group your attractions by neighborhood. Otherwise, you’ll waste a lot of time going back and forth across the city. Be sure to leave lots of free time - and try not to spend it looking up the next thing.
Wade Through AI Slop
We have yet to be impressed with AI itineraries. So if you do decide to use AI to plan your trip, you’ll want to double check each recommendation to be sure it’s correct, open, and actually what you’re looking for - which in the end, can use more time rather than save it.
Invest in a Trusted Travel Guide
Paris is home to many locals and immigrants, each with their own voice and opinion. Word of mouth is still one of the best ways to travel. If you find a content creator or travel guide that has the same ethos and interests as you, stick with them. This is why we have a full Paris in my Pocket Guide for you - and if you get the Guide+, you’ll receive three full-day itineraries with your purchase, in addition to one virtual walking tour. If you like our recommendations, you’ll love our Guide+. It’ll give you the best possible time in Paris, money back guaranteed.
Hire a Travel Planner
Boutique travel agencies are very popular these days! If you want to leave it all to someone else, our advice is to be very clear about the experience you’re looking for, and find the travel agency that seems to best fit that. Do you want luxury? Do you want an adventure? Do you want to be local? Make sure to have a clear vision of what you want, so that someone else can easily interpret and fufill that.
Our Free 48 Hour Paris Itinerary
If you’re only in town for a few days for one reason or another, that doesn’t mean you can’t maximize your time in this city, and have the best time possible! While we advocate for spending several days in Paris, we’ve put together a comprehensive and FREE two day travel itinerary for those with limited time. This itinerary includes everything from breakfast to evening drinks to the highlight monuments to visit during your time in Paris. It’s geared towards first or second time visitors. If you’re a Paris veteran at this point, you might prefer our Guide to Paris.
