Only have 5 days in Paris? No problem below is a Paris itinerary for 5 days. Get tips on day to day activities, unmissable places to visit in Paris, best viewpoints, cafes, food tours and where to stay in Paris. Making planning a trip to Paris super easy and effortless and also perfect for Paris first time visitors.
Paris is a city for romantic hearted! Perhaps, the most appropriate quote that anybody has ever said has to be by American writer, Ernest Hemingway, “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go through the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”
Where else in the world can you watch the world go by as you sip your coffee at one of the many outdoor cafes overlooking the grand Eiffel Tower? Sounds dreamy?
Well, that is exactly what Paris aims to do to your heart and soul. It stirs up the romance in your heart while singing out to your soul from ancient times.
The city by itself has its quirky amalgamation of modern art trying to be “on-the-face” and there is also the silent presence of ancient art and architecture.
Reaching Paris is easy because it has three international airports, the most famous one being Charles de Gaulle’s airport.
As the capital of France, Paris has a great network of train and roadways, helping you to travel to the city and even to the towns and other equally gorgeous cities in France.
From the metro to the bus to regional railways, Paris is well connected. I have also shared a 10-day itinerary for London, Paris and Amsterdam which gives you one itinerary covering 3 citites and includes everything from what to see and do in Paris, London and Amsterdam but how to get from London to Paris and Paris to Amsterdam.
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Places To Visit In Paris In 5 Days
There are some amazing sights in Paris that even with 5 days it will seem like you are just scratching the surface.
Below are a few unmissable places to visit in Paris in addition to the places listed in my post on the 20 things to do in Paris. This also includes experiences like cooking classes in Paris where you can learn to make macaroons and other french pastries.
- Musee du Louvre
- Fondation Louis Vuitton
- Palais Garnier Opera House
- Le Grand Palais
- The Centre Pompidou
- Champs Elysees
- Tour Eiffel
- Invalides
- Musee D’Orsay
- Tour Montparnasse
- Chateau De Versailles
- Montmartre
- Palais Garnier Opera De Paris
- Place De La Bastille
- Notre Dame De Paris
- Bridges of Paris
- Musee Picasso
- Moulin Rouge (or the outside windmill)
- La Defense
A 5 Day Paris Itinerary
A visit to Paris is a must! Below is the perfect Paris itinerary for 5 days to get you exploring and making the most of the city.
There is plenty of room for exploring at leisure. All you need is to make sure you pack comfortable clothing and shoes for the time of year you are visiting Paris.
I will shortly be share tips on what to pack for Paris in winter. Below are tips on things to do in Paris at night as well as day time in Paris. If you prefer a private touch in Paris you can also opt for your own guide.
Day 1 In Paris – Effiel Tower, Louvre, Trocadero, Palais Royal & Gardens
Of course, the first place anyone wishes to visit on his or her visit to Paris is the Eiffel Tower. The 324-meter high iron tower has two levels and then the top summit.
You can get advance tickets for the Eiffel Tour Summit. The first level is the most popular one at a height of 58 meters. There are restaurants here, and tourists can go to 58 Tour Eiffel and even dine at the fancy restaurants like Le Jules Verne.
Reserving a table in advance will be helpful. There is an elevator taking a tour to the top level too.
The best time to visit the tower is morning if you wish to have an aerial view over the city all around. The evening is the time you can opt for if you are just aiming to visit the gorgeous all-lit tower.
Near the Eiffel Tower is Trocadero which offers amazing views of the city and the Eiffel Tower. A pro tip if you want pictures without crowds in them is to head there at sunrise!
I shared some of my pictures of the best sunrise spots in Paris on the blog.
Next place that you can and must-visit is the Louvre museum. One of the must-visit is this massively impressive museum, which houses around all the top artists of the Renaissance and other such times.
From the most famous Mona Lisa to the Venus de Milo, to the Raft of the Medusa, to sculpture and internationally acclaimed paintings, the museum has it all. Queues can be extremely long so make sure you have a skip the line ticket for the Louvre.
From the Lourve you are only a short walk to the Palais Royal, there is a beautiful courtyard that is popular photography spot with the black and white columns.
There is also a beautiful garden nearby. Tuileries Garden(Jardin de Tuileries) where you can find cafes, cool statues benches to sit down and watch Parisians walk by. From the garden you can either walk along the riverside and see Paris’s many beautiful bridges or you can walk towards Place de la Concorde.
Day 1 Evening in Paris
You can ideally end the day with a luxurious French meal at one of the authentic French and Italian cuisine restaurants or splurge at one of the Michelin-starred restaurants.
You can dive in to try out the foie-gras, udon, octopus salad, and more at one of the classy restaurants by the Grand Museum of Louvre.
Restaurants like Loulou or Ellsworth are worth a trip and dining. You can also continue exploring in style by way of dinner on the River Seine with as you cruise under iconic bridges of Paris.
Another option for things to do in Paris at night is to check out the view points in Paris, some of which can be found in cool bars and restaurants of Paris with views of Eiffel Tower and skyline.
Day 2 In Paris – Notre Dame, Musee d’Orsay, Champs Elysees & Arc De Triomphe
The French takes their breakfast seriously and so do not hesitate at trying their pancakes or crepes, omelette du Fromage and coffee takes you through the day ahead.
Head off to the Notre Dame, The thirteenth-century French Gothic architecture is the highlight of this Catholic cathedral.
The spires and gargoyles are straight out of any fairy tale and worth your visit. With the recent fire of Notre Dame the site is currently under re-construction but still worth checking out the iconic catherdal.
From the cathedral, you can either walk along the River Seine to Muse d’Orsay or use the metro in Paris. There is a beautiful clock at the top which offers a cool spot for pictures.
From here you also have the option to check out Invalides which is only a short walk or you can continue along the river and cross to the other side of the River via the beautiful Pont Alexandre III bridge which connects Champs Elysees quarter and the Invalides and Effiel Tour.
Champs Elysees is long avenue with boutiques and shops so if you are feeling like getting some retail therapy then now is an opportunity.
This avenue leads you to the world-famous fashion and shopping destination. You will be able to feast your eyes on the original boutiques, studios of designers and even stores of some of the internationally acclaimed designers like Sephora, and Louis Vuitton.
Besides that, you can even shop from Boulevard Haussmann’s Galeries Lafayette or Printemps department stores, and more from the more opulent high street fashion from Avenue Montaigne.
Champs Elysees leads you to the next viewpoint in Paris on the 5-day Paris itinerary; Arc de Triomphe. This archway stands on the Place de l’Etoile.
You can have amazing views of the avenues that lead to the Arc de Triomphe. If you want to walk up this his view and the Effiel Tower you can stay at Radison Blu as we have in the past. For that and more options of cool hotels in Paris with balcony views check out my post for tips.
Day 2 in Paris – Things to do in the at night in Paris
You can end the evening with several options. There are cool night walking tours in Paris, Paris night bike tours Montmartre night tour, romantic Paris tour, Paris Segway tour or you can do your very own private photo session. For this, an more check out the available night tours in Paris to inspire ideas for how to spend your evening in Paris on this Paris itinerary.
Day 3 In Paris – A Day In Montmartre
You have an options for how to start day 3 in Paris you can start with brunch with views of Paris and Montmartre from Printemps cafe – a little hidden gem in Paris or you can start the day early and head off to the north of Paris and reach the Sacred Heart Basilica of Montmartre.
Whether you are in Paris for one day or 2 days, the hilltop basilica is grand to look at, and you will surely be missing a lot if you do not visit this architectural wonder.
Of course, the place was once the hub of artists like Picasso, and Van Gogh just adds to the greatness of the place. Next, you can take a ride to the Musee d’Orsay. Yet another grand museum that deserves every bit of attention you give.
Van Gogh’s world-famous self-portrait, to the Starry Night over the Rhone and more other painters like Money find place and reverence here.
You can even head off to the Chateau of Versailles that will just be around half an hour’s drive from Paris is this grand palace that was developed by Louis XIV himself.
The palace is grand and such an opulent monument that will transport you to the times of the royalty.
While you are in Montmarte there are several options for things to do in Paris’ artistic corner. There are food tours, Paris moive tours of Montmartre, as well as the Paris romance walking tour of Montmartre. For a list of tours in Montmartre click here.
You can easily spend a day in Monmartre but if you started early you can leave in the afternoon and head to check out Fondation Louis Vuitton which I have blogged about.
Day 3 in Paris Evening
For the evening you can spend the evening by the Seine at a café or walk and enjoy the sights and sounds that surround the heart of the city.
The other options is to walk at your leisure and drink in this beautiful city which has an air of romance when the sun goes down and the Eiffel Tower is twinkling.
You can also have the option to visit the Centre du Pompidou and combine both art and dinner in your visit.
Day 4 In Paris – Day Trips From Paris – Versailles
Paris offers an amazing list of options for fantastic tours for day trips from Paris. You can head off to Champagne, the region that later became famous for its wines.
The wines of the Champagne region are definitely famous and you can go on a customary wine-tasting and sip tour.
You can get your favorite pinot noir or chardonnay and have it to your heart’s content. However, do not miss out on the splendid palaces of the region. Champagne is only 90 miles away from Paris.
Another unmissable option for a day trip from Paris is the Palace of Versailles (Château de Versailles) which is only 12 miles from Paris.
To make the most of your time you have the options of 2 tour options, you can do half-day and full-day tours to the Palace of Versailles.
There also options for VIP tours, hotel pickups as well as bike tours while you are in Versailles too. The options are plenty.
Day 4 in Paris Evening.
After a day in Versailles, you will be likely tired and can have the option to chill at your hotel or you can book the show to see Moulin Rouge or just see the windmill outside.
There is also the option to check out the view from Monteparness then chill in a cafe for the evening.
Day 5 In Paris
The last day in this Paris itinerary, you can chill and enjoy the many beauiful cafes the city has to offer or check out anything that you have been wanting to see in Paris that I may not have included.
For your evening in Paris on day 5, you can end the day relaxing in Paris, visiting the Palais Garnier-Opera National de Paris and taking pictures of the awe-inspiring architecture.
Do not forget to dig into some of the sumptuous lunches that the food-loving French has to offer. If you wish to take a walk through the dense nature even in the busy city, then the Jardin du Luxembourg will be worth your time.
So there you have it, the perfect way to spend 5 days in Paris. Experiencing French food, taking in the city’s architecture, cool Instagrammable spots of Paris and more!
Paris is all heart and as you tour through the history-rich city, you will agree with it even more.
Where To Stay In Paris
There are so many amazing options for places to stay in Paris many of which I have blogged about with options for budget and luxury.
You can choose from amazing hotels with views of the Eiffel Tower or even hotels in Paris with balcony so you can enjoy a fresh cup of coffee with stunning views of the city.
I have also had the pleasure of staying in Airbnb in Paris. If you prefer that option you can also claim £35 off your accommodation on Airbnb.
Planning A Trip To Paris
- Check flight deals on Expedia and E-Bookers.
- Book your hotel on Booking.com or Hotels.com
- Decide on which tours in Paris you want to do or get advance tickets to avoid queues. Check out Viator Tours By TripAdvisor or Get Your Guide. or Attraction Tix.
- Download pdf metro maps before you leave home that way you dont use up valuable mobile data unless you have a free-roaming tariff. Getting around France or Paris for that matter are fairly easy.
- Make sure you have travel insurance that covers cancellations for your trip or protecting your belongings while you are on your trip to Paris. There are several companies. You can have a look at my post on travel resources for more details.
- Make sure you have packed your travel camera and gadgets, comfortable walking shoes are you will want to walk around Paris to fully experience the city. There are plenty of places where even tour buses don’t have access to so you will need to walk around.
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