5-Day Paris Itinerary
There is so much to do in Paris that it’s hard to fit it into a 5-day Paris itinerary. If you’re interested in a leisurely experience around Paris, then this is the guide for you. You’ll hit all the major sites but also enjoy yourself without running around.
I’ve been to Paris once before and did a lot of touristy things—it was such a wonderful and memorable trip that I didn’t bother re-doing the same things in my Paris itinerary this trip. I’ve added alternative suggestions for the highlights in some places.
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Day 1: Notre Dame and River Cruise
I spent the first week of my stay in France in Strasbourg. From there, my family and I took a train to Paris.
Morning
If you’ve arrived too early to check in, then drop your stuff at a nearby Bounce luggage storage location to get the day started.
Afternoon
Stop by the Marché aux Fleurs Reine Elizabeth II. Walk in and out of the flower shops and get some pictures. Then visit the 13th-century Sainte-Chappelle church (€13 entrance fee, book in advance). The line is long so be sure to get there a little early for your time slot.
Walk around the island and then visit Notre Dame. The construction work to repair damage from devastating fires in 2019 should be near complete by the end of 2024. You won’t be able to go inside until then but the views around are pretty too.
If you need a coffee, get it at The Caféothèque of Paris.
Walk around the Seine past the famous book and art sellers. Small trinkets like keychains and magnets are well-priced, so you can pick up some souvenirs here. I loved the posters and old books.
Alternative:
Go on a one-hour Seine cruise. This tour has over 30k reviews (omg).
Evening
Book a Seine River cruise. Check out this tour with champagne that will take you around, or this popular dinner tour.
Alternative:
For an early dinner, visit Le Flore en l’Île for an up-class dinner and the views. You’re paying for the views more so than the food. However, it looks so pretty. I actually ate at the nearby La Chaumière. Google reviews are mixed, but they specialize in mussels and fries for €16.50. If that sounds good to you, then don’t experiment with anything else on the menu. Service was a little slow and it’s a little more touristy than authentic.
If you’re up for a long walk (5km), then start your walk along the Seine to reach the Eiffel Tower by 9pm. It should take a little over an hour.
The Eiffel Tower sparkles every evening after dusk for 5 minutes at the beginning of each hour. Because the forecast said it was going to rain every evening of my trip, we opted to make the most of our first night. We didn’t walk all the way to the tour, but instead made it to the perfect viewing bridge here.
Day 2: Flea Markets and Museums
Morning
Start the day off at a cafe near you. As I was staying in the 18th arrondissement, my cousin Philip and I visited Ola’s Café for their breakfast sandwiches. WOW. I was amazed. The coffee was incredible as was the delicious bread and egg combo. Already at 10am, people were doing work, chatting away, talking to their dogs… the cafe is small but if you can snag a table, do it.
If it’s a Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, get to the Paris Flea Market aka Marché aux Puces aka Saint Ouen flea market. Monday was the only day we had to visit the market and although it was rainy (and a little dead), it was such fun to walk around.
Tips for the Paris Flea Market:
- I tried to bargain a couple of times, but the sellers weren’t having it (even in the rain with few tourists), so be aware that the price you hear may be the price you should be willing to pay.
- Bring cash for the stalls, but some of the shops have card machines.
- You can get dropped off anywhere along the edge of the market if you take a taxi.
If you’re into high (and unaffordable) fashion, check out Les Merveilles de Babellou.
Then, get a snack at Le Paul Bert. This is a little bit of a tourist trap as there aren’t a lot of restaurants inside the market. However, it has a delicious artichoke salad that I recommend. You can skip this if you’re not hungry.
Alternative
Visit Champs-Élysées. Stop by the Arc de Triomphe and stroll down the famous avenue. I didn’t visit on this past trip, but it should be on your Paris itinerary if you haven’t been.
Afternoon
There are so many incredible museums in Paris so spend the afternoon at one of them. If this is your first tip, then visit the Louvre (€22 entrance fee, guided tours available with skip the line). If you want something unique, book in advance for the Dior Museum or the Yves Saint Laurent Museum. The Musée Rodin displays Auguste Rodin’s most famous sculptures like “The Thinker” (€14 entrance fee).
Plan your museum day according to the day of the week. Some are closed on either Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. Many popular museums also require advance ticket purchases.
We visited the Palais de Tokyo for contemporary art (€12 entrance fee). There was also a flea market outside on the street.
Next to it is the Modern Art Museum’s permanent exhibit is free. The Musée d’Orsay is also a must(€16 entrance fee).
When I first visited Paris, I went to the Musée de l’Orangerie (€12.50 entrance fee) to see Monet’s water lilies mural and it was fantastic.
Evening
Stop by the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann for shopping and rooftop scenes. Head to the top floor for views of the Eiffel Tower, Opera House, and more. There are a couple of eateries up here too.
For dinner go Trantranzai is a Mandarin restaurant that specializes in noodles. We took a bus between the Gallery and here. WOW. I highly recommend you come here for an early dinner—I only suggest early because around 8pm, people will start to line up outside the restaurant to get a seat. There are three locations around Paris, all pretty convenient. If you don’t eat here tonight, you can eat when you’re around the Pantheon on Day 4. At this point, after spending almost a week and a half in France, I was ready for some non-French food. Spice it up a bit and go to Trantranzai.
I got the veg Chongqing noodles, we shared some dumplings to start with and a mochi dessert!
Day 3: Montmartre and more
Morning
Go to Devotions Café for breakfast. This was my favorite breakfast during my Paris itinerary. I got the Turkish eggs, and it was incredible with pomegranate and mint topping.
After breakfast, start the walk to Sacré-Cœur. Pro tip: if you come from Devotions Cafe, you’ll avoid the long staircase up to the church. There will likely be a line to enter but it flows quickly and is free.
Then, walk around the Montmartre neighborhood. I was surprised by all the cute shops and vibe. I got several souvenirs wandering around. The Place du Tertre has several cute cafes with artists displaying their work. Take a loop around the square and get lost on the tiny (and crowded) streets. Walk into the Galerie d’Art Céramique on your way out of the area.
Afternoon
Walk to La Bossue for lunch from Montmartre. As you walk down, you’ll pass the apartment where Vincent van Gogh lived. There is no marking on the building but look out for it.
I loved the soup and quiche combo while sitting outside at La Bossue.
Alternative Lunch/Dinner: My friend Jenny visited Paris and raved about La Boîte aux Lettres so I suggest you visit for lunch or dinner while around Montmartre instead of La Bossue: “The street is SO CUTE with view of the one of two remaining windmills. And the staff walked me through the menu, made suggestions, asked what I liked, and recommended a wine pairing.” What a gem! Her dinner cost €43.
Head to another museum like the free National Archives Museum, National Museum of Modern Art (€15 entrance fee), Carnavalet Museum (free), or the Picasso Museum (€16 entrance fee). I was so excited for the Picasso Museum and it turned out the entire collection was replaced with another artist. Do your research in advance because I felt scammed though it was clearly noted on the website.
Picasso Museum permanent display in the basement
If you visit the Picasso Museum like I did, make the journey to La Maison du Mochi for excellent mochi.
Then continue to the Kilo Shop. It’s insane! The Kilo Shop is a second-hand shop where all the items are priced by weight (according to their price classification. There are so many things here to occupy your time.
Evening
For dinner, we felt like it was a good day for baos. So, we continued our walk to Gros Bao. A line starts to form as it opens at 7pm, don’t be surprised. Several restaurants along this street looked really good. For other options, check out Maria Belza or the Iranian-French Cultural Center (with lots of veg options).
Day 4: Book Shops and Museums
Morning
Visit Shakespeare and Company for breakfast and book shopping to start off your Paris itinerary. There may be a line for both the cafe and the bookshop, but it’s worth it! The bookshop has been around since 1951 and has housed writers from all over the world and helped them get their words published. No pictures are allowed inside so I didn’t take any…
Be sure to walk through all the small rooms and go upstairs. I try to rent books from my library whenever possible and so I didn’t purchase any newly published books (just added more of my list to check out…). Instead, I bought myself the children’s book Madeline in French, a classic I was obsessed with when I was young. You’ll get a Shakespeare and Company stamp on each book you buy, which makes it extra special. But, between the cafe and the main shop is the second-hand bookstore, which has some interesting out-of-print books. I bought two books here from Guyana authors.
Next, walk to The Abbey Bookshop for more book browsing and a stroll through the Latin Quarter. Check out the Church of Saint-Séverin. Either go around yourself or with a guide on a 2-hour walk.
Alternative breakfast: Simple crepes at La Maison des Crêpes and walk up the Rue de la Huchette. Or do both as we did.
Afternoon
This afternoon you’ll get some touristy/historical sites in.
Walk to the Jardin du Luxembourg to stroll through this 17th century park. Then, continue to the Pantheon (€13 entrance fee).
Then, get the metro or uber to the Catacombs of Paris (€29 entrance fee). Be sure to book in advance to visit.
Evening
A 20-minute walk away, Bouillion Chartier serves classic French dishes in a traditional brasserie vibe with lots of art nouveau décor. “Bouillion” restaurants are super popular nowadays. Bouillion Chartier opened in 1896 and serves all the classics for under €13. Veg people may have a harder time finding a dish, but the atmosphere may make up for it.
Day 5: Cafes and Departure
Morning
Head to the most gorgeous Starbucks in the world. Get a coffee and croissant.
Wander into Librairie Galignani, probably the oldest English bookshop in Paris that opened in 1801 on Rue de Rivoli. I found some excellent books (that I then rented from my library) while wandering around.
There are a couple of shops along this promenade too as well as Angelina, a 1903 tearoom. There is likely to be a line out here so make reservations in advance. Or you can do what we did and go to Ladurée instead!
Afternoon
As a macaroon lover, I just had to go to Ladurée Paris Royale.
Book for tea in advance. We got lunch and then a selection of macaroons + tea.
Evening
Head out to your next destination!
Add to your Paris Itinerary
- The Old and Used Book Market George Brassens is seemingly out in the middle of nowhere but could make a cute morning activity on Saturday or Sunday.
- Swap out any of the days above and visit the Palace of Versailles instead. Visit yourself by taking the train or go on this guided tour with skip the line or this one.
- Go on a Mont Saint Michel day trip.
- Although I skipped visiting the Eiffel Tower this trip, I visited previously. Add this to your Paris Itinerary. You can also book a photographer to take some cute pics of you here.
- Check out the opera performances and book a ticket.
- If you’re obsessed with Monet, this day trip to his gardens in Giverny will make you swoon.
Where to Stay in Paris
There are bazillions of options on where to stay in Paris during your Paris itinerary. I visited Paris with my aunt and two cousins. We opted for the 18th arrondissement of Paris in the Goutte d’Or neighborhood. The area was fine during the day, but we chose to always to take a taxi back at night as the route between the train station and Airbnb didn’t feel like the right place to be at night. The neighborhood has a mix of African and South Asian restaurants and shops, which gave me the atmosphere to walking around in Joburg, rather than in Paris!
In my experience, Ubers around town were only about €20, even in the rain. For 4 people that worked out well for us.
I’d opt for whatever area is in your budget, as close to the city center as possible. I really liked wandering around the 3rd arrondissement known as the Haut-Marais (Northern Marais). It’s got hip cafes, shops, museums, and is near to the Seine for walks. Although our Airbnb had a kitchen, we didn’t end up using it (I usually always opt for a place with a kitchen). But I loved getting a croissant and coffee each morning. As such, I suggest you stay at Hotel Andrea for around €200/night or something cute like Villa Beaumarchais for around €250/night (my top pick).
Luggage Storage
I’ve been using Bounce to leave my luggage around different cities in Europe. I’ve always had a good experience and found it easy to drop off and collect my things. If you arrive too early to check in to your accommodation or have to check out long before you leave for your next destination, leave your stuff at a nearby Bounce location.
How to get around Paris
I used a mix of Ubers and metros to get around using my Paris Itinerary. It all depended on the weather (it was raining a lot) and accommodation location. For me, many of the Uber rides were under 20, making sense with 3 or 4 people in the car. I won’t suggest what you do while you navigate all the stops below. I visited in October and didn’t experience a lot of traffic either so Uber made a lot of sense to me.
