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Paris In A Day: The Perfect Itinerary

Paris In A Day: The Perfect Itinerary

Paris is a city that can both capture your heart and set it on flames. In fact, it is one of the most popular cities in France. If you have to cover Paris in a day, then you have a lot to see in a very short time. I mean, we spent five days in the city and still came up short on time.

But we get it. Sometimes time isn’t our friend and we can’t always spend as many days as we want in a single location. 

The whole idea is to pack in as many hidden gems in Paris that you can into your itinerary while not running yourself ragged. Yup! That can happen. What we are going to do in this post is help you traverse the city and take in the highlights. The one day itinerary in Paris is perfect for first time visitors who haven’t been to any of the sights of the city before.

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Is 1 Day In Paris Enough?

1 day in Paris is definitely not enough. There is a lot to explore in the city. That being said, if I had a chance to stopover in the city even for a day I would. I still have a lot to explore. Another reason to keep Paris down to a day is because Paris is an expensive city.

You could choose to be in and out of the city without staying over which would reduce the expenditure on accommodation. But if you don’t mind the expense and have the time, you should think about sending longer in the city. Most people spend 3 days in Paris. I would prefer to stay for a week so I scour the city thoroughly.

What Is The Best Way To See Paris In A Day?

Ideally the best way to see Paris in a day is via public transport. The metros connect the city well, run at a good frequency, do not get delayed due to traffic and are relatively cheap. Buses are another alternative that you could use but know that buses are subject to the gridlocked traffic that sometimes plagues the city. 

Cabs are expensive but doable if you aren’t on a budget. They are also victim to the whims of traffic though. Another great option is the hop on hop off bus which takes you to the points of most of the attractions in the city.

Paris In A Day: A basic itinerary

Expect to cover Paris in a day with a whirlwind of activity. Plus you can totally enjoy Paris without speaking French so don’t let the naysayers tell you no. Note that this itinerary is ideally for those people who want to capture the essence of the city and see the main sights that it has to offer. I have tuned down the itinerary so that it isn’t too rushed.

At the end of the day, you want to enjoy your experience in the city and not just move about with a checklist in your hand. 

Don’t worry if you want (or can do) a much more hectic schedule. I’m also going to include bonus stops so that you can fine tune the itinerary for yourself.

1. Sacre Coeur

Start your day in Paris early at the Sacre Coeur

Paris in a day: Start with the Sacre Coeur!

⭐️ Rating: 4.5/5 (420 Reviews) Price: $28.16 per person Duration: 2 hours 📍Meeting Point: Boulevard de Clichy Details: Read more on Viator!

I would suggest starting your day early. When I say early, I mean in time to catch the sunrise. If you aren’t an early riser don’t worry too much. You can still start off at Sacre Coeur. Located in the Montmartre area of Paris, the Sacre Coeur sits atop a hill with a spectacular view of the city below it. This makes it one of the best places to enjoy the sunrise in the city.

“Kit, our guide was awesome!! We learned so much and thoroughly enjoyed his infectious enthusiasm, great humour and amazing breadth of knowledge. I would highly recommend this tour and Kit in particular as a guide! He is top notch!!”

Catherine (read more reviews now!)

Aside from the sunrise, the Basilica of Sacre Ceour is an imposing structure with high arched domes and impressive architecture. Literally translated, Sacre Ceour means sacred heart, which is what this basilica was dedicated to. 

The downside to visiting Sacre Coeur early in the morning is that it opens at 6 am for tourists. Which means you will get to see the insides of the basilica without the crowds! It is a complete win win situation if you ask me and completely worth getting up early in the morning to experience.

Address: 35 Rue du Chevalier la Barre, 7501 Paris

How To Get To Sacre Coeur:  Funiculaire de Montmarte – Gare Haute is the closest metro station. It is a short walk up from there.

Hours: 6 am – 10:30 pm every day of the week

2. Breakfast At Montmartre

Like almost all parts of Paris, Montmartre too has a lot of interesting places to catch a bite in. From coffee shops and cafes to elite restaurants, you can indulge in. The neighborhood is quiet and picturesque. Perfect for the start to a busy day of sightseeing. 

There are also a number of great brunch spots in the area should you want to tarry a bit.

3. Arc De Triomphe

The Arc De Triomphe is a dose of history for your day in Paris.

The Arc De Triomphe is a dose of history for your day in Paris.

⭐️ Rating: 4.4/5 (421 Reviews) Price: $33.85 per person Duration: 3 hours 📍Meeting Point: Arc de Triomphe Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!

The Arc de Triomphe is an iconic arch that is visited by locals and tourists alike. It was built as a remembrance to the people who lost their lives in the French revolution and the Napoleonic wars. Built in 1806, the structure has stood the test of time.

I loved the details on the arch. You can stand and gaze at the names inscribed in its walls for a long while. Directly beneath the arch is the tomb of the unknown soldier.

“The Arc de Triumphe experience was fantastic-amazing views! There was some confusion at the ticket office before I remembered that tickets had been sent to me by What’s App! Amazing cruise…try to go in the evening for an unforgettable Paris view! The last cruise allows you to see the Eiffel bedazzled in glittering lights after sunset!”

Rachel (read more reviews now!)

One of the things to do when visiting the Arc de Triomphe is to head up to the observation deck. This is a great place to take in the city sights from a different perspective. The lines can be large depending on the time of the day you reach.

You will be in a time crunch with everything you have to see in Paris in a day. Don’t fret through. You can skip the long queues for tickets by booking your ticket in advance online.

Address: Pl. Charles De Gaulle, 75008 Paris, France

Getting to Arc De Triomphe: From Sacre Coure walk to Anvers metro station and take a metro to Charles de Gaulle – Etoile. It is just a 5 min walk from there.

Hours: Mon to Friday: 10 am -10:30 pm

4. Champ Elysees

Champ Elysees starts right at the intersection that houses the Arc De Triomphe. This street is to Paris what Time Square is to New York. World over it has gained the reputation of being the most beautiful avenue in the world. Oh and it does not matter when you visit it. It is gorgeous both in the day and in the night!

Beauty aside, Champ Elysees is a shoppers paradise and is also home to some of the most happening spots in the city. There is no shortage when it comes to options to party either.

So whether you choose to walk down the road and take in its beauty or indulge in some shopping, you will find that Champ Elysees is one stop you should not miss if you are trying to see the iconic sights in Paris in a day.

The fact that it is situated so close to the Arc de Triomphe is another benefit because you don’t have to spend time getting to it.

5. Cathédrale Notre Dame de Paris

The fire at the Notre Dame was a serious loss. It is still wort visiting during your day in Paris.

The fire at the Notre Dame was a serious loss. It is still wort visiting during your day in Paris.

One of my fondest memories of the Cathedral Notre Dame de Paris is being inside the structure and listening to a musical concert that was played out on the pipe organ while choirs sang in French. Well atleast I think it was French. My language skills are really basic. Suffice to say that the whole experience was transcendental.

After the fire that ravaged the structure, the cathedral has been closed for renovations and people are not allowed to visit. The outer structure is still beautiful as ever. The cathedral is situated on an island which is a stark contrast to the Sacre Ceour which was atop a hill. It is another gorgeous stop that I highly recommend when exploring Paris in a day.

Address: 6 Parvis Notre-Dame-Pl, Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris, France

Hours: The Cathedrale Notre Dame is temporarily closed so you can’t enter the cathedral, which is sad. You can however admire its architecture from the outside which is no less impressive.

How to get to the Notre Dame: Head to George V metro station on Champ Elysees. From there catch a metro to Hotel de Ville. It is a ten minute walk from there to the Notre Dame.

6. Sainte Chapelle

⭐️ Rating: 4.5/5 (123 Reviews) Price: $68.55 per person Duration: 2 hours 45 min 📍Meeting Point: Place Saint-Michel Details: Read more on Viator!

The Sainte Chapelle is breathtaking. The high arched domes, the gorgeous stained glass work like no other and the numerous little details that are engraved in each section of the walls is just amazing. 

I’m serious. The moment you step into Sainte Chapelle you will automatically lapse into silence as you try to take it all in at once.

“We had personalized headphones which were great so we didn’t have to stay on our guides heels. Saw lots of interesting things! Great guide and nice walk!”

Ricardo (read more reviews now!)

It is one of those structures that has stood the test of time and come out on top of things. 

On a side note, did you know that it was constructed to house Christian relics which included the crown of thorns that was placed on Jesus’ head? That’s a fact that I learned only after visiting it. 

One of the reasons why I have included this area into our itinerary for Paris in a day is because both the Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle are so close to each other, you don’t waste time traveling from one location to another. Both structures are equally iconic and enmeshed into the Parisian world.

Oh and if you are interested, there is a highly rated tour of both Marie Antoinette’s prison and Sainte Chapelle that you can book in advance!

Address: 10 Bd du Palais, 75001 Paris, France

Hours: Sun-Sat: 9am to 7pm

Getting there: Sainte Chapelle is a short walk away from the Notre Dame.

7. Catch Lunch By The Seine

Your day in Paris cannot be complete without good food.

Your day in Paris cannot be complete without good food.

By the time you are done visiting the Notre Dame, your stomach will probably have started rumbling again. Stroll down the Seine and pick a restaurant with a view. It is the perfect way to kick back and relax while simultaneously enjoying the local delicacies. You could also choose to eat at one of the cafes at Place Dauphine which is very close to the Sainte Chapelle.

Don’t forget to try the eclairs, macaroons, viennoiseries and crepes at some point. I know that exploring Paris in a day is hectic and you probably want to make every single second count but slow down and experience the food. I promise you won’t regret it!

8. Catacombs of Paris

⭐️ Rating: 4.5/5 (504 Reviews) Price: $114.87 per person Duration: 2 hours 📍Meeting Point: 2 Av. du Général Leclerc Details: Read more on Viator!

The Catacombs of Paris is a surreal experience. This spot on our list of places to visit in Paris in a day will take you a little away from the center of the city. From the Sainte Chapelle, it is just 15 minutes by metro so don’t worry about the time you spend traveling.

The Catacombs are underground ossuaries. It is said that they house the bones of nearly six million people!

“Leo was a fabulous tour guide! Her passion for the catacombs showed through her extensive knowledge and led our group to have a great deal of respect for the space and deeper understanding and appreciation of the history of Paris as a whole. Leo was the tour guide of a cataphile’s dream!”

Jennifer (read more reviews now!)

There is a whole network of tunnels under Paris. Most Parisians call them catacombs but they are really remnants of quarries. The actual catacombs occupy only a small part of the whole network and houses the ossuaries.

These ossuaries were established because the burial grounds were overflowing around the end of the 18th century. The Parisians exhumed the old graves to make way for the new and the bones were stacked in the ossuaries that we see today.

Tip: Get the tickets online to avoid spending time in the ticket lines.

Address: 1 Av. du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy. 75014 Paris, France.

Hours: Tue-Sun: 9:45 am -8:30 pm. Mondays: Closed.

Getting There: Walk to the Cite metro station and take a metro to Denfert-Rochereau. You’ll be hardly 100 m away from the catacomb entrance.

9. Eiffel tower

The Eiffel tower is on everyone's must do list even if you have just a day in Paris.

The Eiffel tower is on everyone’s must do list even if you have just a day in Paris.

⭐️ Rating: 4/5 (3,097 Reviews) Price: $112.51 per person Duration: 1 hour 30 min 📍Meeting Point: 38 Av. de la Bourdonnais Details: Read more on Viator!

If you want to see Paris in a day, you can forget about everything else and just spend most of your time at the Eiffel tower. I kid you not! The lines to ascend are that long! When we visited the Eiffel tower on our first day, we decided to skip going up.

“Mathias was a wonderful guide – very engaging. Wonderful experience all around! Great way to skip the line when traveling with children.”

Lori (read more reviews now!)

It was only when we arrived later in the day (well night) and found the queue was much shorter that we ascended up. 

That being said, the Eiffel tower area includes a gorgeous swath of greenery called Champs de Mars park. It has a huge manicured lawn that is perfect to rest on. It also makes a great location to take pics of the Eiffel tower.

The area around is usually bustling with activity. You have a lot of street vendors selling all kinds of goodies. Some of the best crepes I’ve ever had have been in the vicinity. Oh and the bustling means that you need to be extra careful of your belongings. People have been pickpocketed in the area at an alarming frequency. Tourists are the obvious target. 

Note: Book your skip the line tickets to the Eiffel tower online. Saves so much hassle!

Address: Champ de Mars, 5 Av. Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France.

Hours: 9:30 am – 10:30 pm

How to get to the Eiffel Tower: From the Catacombs catch a metro at Denfert-Rochereau metro station and get off at Bir-Hakeim metro station. The Eiffel tower is 500 m away and rather hard to miss.

10. Seine River Cruise

⭐️ Rating: 4/5 (1,260 Reviews) Price: $128 per person Duration: 1 hr 30 min 📍Meeting Point: 1 Rue de la Légion d’Honneur Details: Read more on Viator!

The Eiffel Tower is bang on the banks of the Seine River which comes alive as the evening turns to dusk.

You will see lots of people hanging around the banks, musicians playing and even artists painting. It is a fun place to be at this time of the day.

The temperatures by now are slowly dropping and the river cruises operate with increasing frequency. Pick one of your choice and float down the Seine taking in the sights that make the city iconic.

“We loved our Paris river cruise. It doesn’t look exactly like the pictures – a few more tables and no white linen table cloths but it was a wonderful night. The food was good and we had the bottle of champagne.

The views are wonderful it goes up one way and back the other so you get a chance to see all the sights. The singer was fun! I was recommend this experience to anyone visiting Paris.”

Michelle (read more reviews now!)

Sure you can’t cover everything in Paris in a day, but you can take in the sights one last time before you leave. 

Bonus Stops That You Can Add To Your Itinerary Of Paris In A Day

So I’ve really tried to keep the itinerary of Paris in a day comprehensive while not being too hectic. There are a couple of iconic spots that I haven’t added to the itinerary because they are time intensive and I’ll explain why. Needless to say, I’m going to list the bonus stops so that you can customize your itinerary should you want to.

Louvre Museum

The Louvre Museum and its iconic facade

The Louvre Museum is huge and you could spend your entire day in Paris exploring it!

⭐️ Rating: 4.5/5 (6,530 Reviews) Price: $71 per person Duration: 3 hours 📍Meeting Point: Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel Details: Read more on Viator!

The Louvre is a huge museum and a major attraction when it comes to people visiting the city. We were in the city our first time around and budgeted a whole day to explore the museum. Guess what… We still did not cover all the exhibits! Yes that is how huge it is. That was one of the main reasons why it does not feature in our itinerary.

“My family and I went on a tour with Martha at the louvre yesterday and had a wonderful time. Martha was very knowledgable, polite, and energetic. She navigated the museum hitting all the highlights and answering all of our questions. We highly recommend.”

Tracy (read more reviews now!)

We also got stuck in the line for tickets which took us almost 2 hours! This however is easily solved by booking the tickets online. Something that we did not do.

While wandering through the entire museum may not be the best use of your time, you can also visit the Louvre museum to take a photograph of the iconic pyramid shaped glass structure and to examine the impressive architecture from the outside.

The Louvre like the Hermitage is one of the largest museums in the world and is really worth visiting if you have the time. We definitely plan to head back again some day.

Address: Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France

Hours: Wed-Mon: 9am -6pm. Tuesdays closed.

Moulin Rouge

⭐️ Rating: 4.5/5 (374 Reviews) Price: $276 per person Duration: 2 hours 📍Meeting Point: 82 Bd de Clichy Details: Read more on Viator!

The Moulin Rouge is the birthplace of cabaret (previously known as can-can dance). It is popular for its cabaret shows. The Moulin Rouge got its name from the iconic red windmill that you can spot from a mile away. 

“Amazing costumes and acrobatics. Great view with private table, champagne, programme and macarons ❤️”

Regina (read more reviews now!)

Interestingly enough, the Moulin Rouge was inaugurated in the same year as the Eiffel tower. The legend behind the millers and the Moulin Rouge however is a tragic one. You can read all about the history and legends of the Moulin Rouge.

This would make a grand finale to your itinerary of Paris in a day if you have time in the night to catch a show.

Address: 82 Bd de Clichy, 7501 Paris, France

Hours: Depends on the show.

Have you been to Paris? Do you have any suggestions that we should add to our list of things to do in Paris in a day? Let us know in the comments below.

Paris in a day

Elena

Saturday 25th of June 2022

I just adore Paris! Your itinerary is making me want to go back ASAP. I'd really love to do a Seine River cruise :)

Penny

Saturday 25th of June 2022

You and me both. I keep craving for crepes by the Eiffel tower.

Amy

Saturday 25th of June 2022

Well done! I can’t imagine how you’d be able to see much of Paris in one day, but you’ve put together a really good itinerary.

Penny

Saturday 25th of June 2022

I know right? I've spent five days in the city and barely scratched the surface. I can see why people visit again and again. Yet at the same time, it is a hub for air transport and many people make the best of the short time they have in transit.

simplyjolayne

Saturday 25th of June 2022

We were just in Paris and saw so many of these sites. I wish that we could have spent more time in Montmartre. It has such a fun vibe.

Penny

Saturday 25th of June 2022

I think the hardest thing to do in Paris is to decide and prioritize what you want to see. There is just so much to do in the city!

San

Saturday 25th of June 2022

Very Nicely Written. Thanks for sharing