I’ve been to Paris five times, one of those times for a semester abroad. Based on my extensive travel there I’ve crafted this five-day itinerary to help you 1) hit all the iconic Parisian tourist sites and 2) still get off the beaten path.
Day 1 – Arrive in Paris
This may not only be your first trip to Paris but also your first trip ever outside of the United States, so you might be experiencing jet lag for the first time. You likely didn’t get much sleep on the flight, so the lack of sleep and the six-hour time difference has thrown off your circadian rhythms. Don’t make too many plans on this first day, as a visit to a major museum like the Louvre would become a fight to stay awake.
On this first day abroad you mainly need to stay awake. Plan to:
- Walk walk walk. The Seine boasts a walking path that runs the length of the river and is dotted with shops, boats, and restaurants.
- Caffeinate: Drink a strong coffee at a charming Parisian sidewalk cafe. Be aware: If you order a ‘café américain’ (American coffee) it’s espresso powder + hot water and is very strong. Here are the common coffee drinks you’ll find on café menus in Paris.
- Eat a croissant and try a dessert that catches your eye from a shop window. I’d recommend Poilâne for both their bread and layered pastries like chaussons aux pommes (apple turnovers).
Try to avoid going to bed before sunset, particularly if you’re in Paris in the winter when the sun sets before 5 pm. You’ll likely be too tired to eat out tonight, so pick up a couple different cheeses, a bottle of wine, a baguette and a roast chicken from local shops nearby so you can eat and then fall into bed. (Paris is famous for shops that specialize in one product. A fromagerie only sells fromage (cheese), for example. My favorite fromagerie is Barthélémy in the 6th.) That way you can immediately go to bed after dinner.
Day 2 – See Paris’s most iconic sites
Today you’ll focus on the Paris Classics. These are the quintessential Parisian sites you’ve seen reflected in countless movies, songs, and books.
Start with the Eiffel Tower: You can pay to go up to the top, but you’ll get a great view from the gardens below the landmark.
From the Eiffel Tower walk to the beginning of the Avenue Champs Elysées, possibly the most famous and touristed street in Paris, and catch a view of the Arc de Triomphe at the end of the Avenue. From there you can stroll along the Champs Elysées, window shop, and pick up a macaron or two from Lauderée.
Next up: Notre Dame cathedral. You could walk from the Arc de Triomphe allllll the way to the Île de la Cité, the island in the middle of the Seine on which Notre Dame is perched. It would take you about an hour and would take you past the beautiful Jardin des Tuileries. Or you could save time by hopping on the Paris metro. I recommend you buy the Navigo Weekly pass for unlimited metro rides within the heart of Paris itself (Zones 1-3).
Notre Dame may still be closed when you visit. (At the time of posting — September 2022 — Notre Dame is still under construction from the damage fire wrought on the cathedral in 2019. Restoration work is expected to wrap in 2024.) You can gaze at the beautiful facade of the cathedral from the square. But if you’d rather go inside a church, just across the Île de la Cité is my favorite spot in Paris, Sainte-Chapelle.
My 2026 Paris Itinerary
I’ve personally vetted 100+ Parisian restaurants, wine bars, shops, and museums in a curated guide to make your next trip to Paris magical and unforgettable.
A short walk across the river from Notre Dame is my favorite bookstore in Paris, Shakespeare & Co. This English-language bookstore has been a tourist-favorite for decades. You can get lost in this charming bookstore for hours.
Continue to wind and wander through the city. If any of the delicious smells emanating from restaurants along your way tempt you, stop to eat. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and you’ll be able to take in the Parisian sights with an easier mind and heart if you’re full.
Day 3 – Art and culture
Now that you’ve had a couple days to adjust to the time zone, you may not fall asleep in your soup while you spend your morning at a major museum.
Pick one museum:
- The Louvre: One of if not the most famous museums in the world. At any given time the Louvre displays 35,000 works of art. You could return to the Louvre every day 200 days, stand in front of each work of art for 30 seconds, and not see it all. The Louvre is where you’ll find large-scale works like Liberty Leading the People and, of course, the Mona Lisa.
- Musée d’Orsay: Less overwhelming than the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay is a former train-station-turned-museum dedicated predominately to 19th century art. When I was last there they exhibited a stunning collection of Van Gogh paintings. Venture to the top floor to see their extensive Impressionist collection.
For dinner, try the classic French brasserie, Bofinger.
Day 4 – Choose your own adventure
Take the day to see another museum or two. I’d recommend one of these:
- Musée de l’Orangerie: This museum is famous for its large-scale Monet’s, but it is a smaller museum than any of the others I’ve recommended. You could spend 30 minutes or 3 hours here depending on how long you look at each painting.
- Palais de Tokyo (contemporary art)
- Le Centre Pompidou (modern art)
Or take it easy. Go shopping in St Germain and Le Marais. Stroll through the Luxembourg garden and sip the most delicious hot chocolate at Angelina’s.
Whatever you choose, wrap up your final full day in Paris overlooking the city from the steps of Sacre Coeur. As the sun sets watch the city lights twinkle below you. (On the day you arrive, look at the weather forecast and fit the steps of Sacré Cœur in on the best weather day.)
My 2026 Paris Guide
This is the the ONLY guide you need to see Paris like a local. Use my exclusive Paris Guide (with 60+ vetted, trendy spots) to plan your next weekend, long weekend, or week-long trip to Paris. Skip the tourist traps and learn to love Paris as I do!
Day 5 – Departure day
Pack your bags, leave them in your hotel or Airbnb, and pop down to a local cafe for one final croissant and coffee before you fly home. Use the long flight home to journal and reflect on your fabulous first trip to Paris.
Where you should stay
Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements or districts. I’d recommend staying in the 5th or 6th arrondissement near the Luxembourg Gardens or in the 3rd or 4th (the Marais) close to the river Seine. Both neighborhoods are charming and walkable but slightly more affordable less touristed than the neighborhoods around the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.
What you should know
La politesse
Always say ‘bonjour’ when you walk into a shop. This may be one of the most common reasons Americans don’t have good experiences at stores in France: we don’t start off shop interactions with a hello. It’s very rude to start an interaction without saying hello first.
Learn some basic phrases in French beyond ‘Parlez-vous anglais’ / ‘Do you speak English’. The app Duolingo is a great place to start and even keeps track of your ‘streak’ or days in a row that you practice, effectively gamifying language learning. You should make this effort in any country you visit.
Weather
Paris is fairly temperate and rainy much of the year, so bring a raincoat. Summers in Paris can get hot and few buildings have AC. I would recommend visiting Paris in the fall or spring to avoid the darker, grayer depths of Parisian winter and the heat of summer.
What you should read
- The New Paris by Lindsey Tramuta
- How to be Parisian Wherever You Are
- The New Parisienne by Lindsey Tramuta
- Paris in Stride
My 2026 Paris Itinerary
I’ve personally vetted 100+ Parisian restaurants, wine bars, shops, and museums in a curated guide to make your next trip to Paris magical and unforgettable.