Best Paris Itinerary 5 Days
Introduction
You can see a lot of it in Paris in 5 days. Some skip the most famous sights, and some skip them because they don’t have time or don’t even know they exist.
But be careful. You really can’t improvise. Paris requires planning. There are so many tourists that I recommend buying tickets in advance for the attractions you want to visit unless you like waiting in line. Continue reading this post to find out what to see and do during your 5-day stay in Paris, save a little money by skipping the lines at the most popular attractions, and enjoy Ville Lumiere overall. Get tips on how.
Some Background Information About This 5 Days In Paris Itinerary
Before presenting a one-day itinerary to see Paris in five days, I should point out that even if you have plenty of time to explore the city, you can still book a timed entry ticket without having to book one. Put. in line.
The city is so crowded that it doesn’t allow much improvisation. Some attractions sell out weeks in advance, and failure to book could mean waiting in line at the ticket office or, worse, being unable to visit.
The good news is that you can count on me to notify you whenever you need to pre-purchase your tickets, and if you follow my tips, you can have a great time during his five days in Paris. prize. This itinerary assumes a stay of at least five days in Paris. This means that he will stay six nights in Paris, arrive early on the first day, or leave late on the last day.
Tip: Make yourself comfortable on the day you arrive in Paris. Explore your neighborhood and take a guided food tour after a night’s rest. This private food tour is a good option, allowing you to choose your start time. You can make a reservation here. This other one is in Les Marais and starts at 2 pm. Tip: Start exploring early each day. So hopefully you can avoid bigger crowds.
Good to know: Although this itinerary is jam-packed, it is designed to visit nearby attractions on the same day, minimizing commuting time and spending time at each attraction. You can save as much as possible.
Good to know: Most days, the itinerary can be followed reversely. Please check the end time of the attraction and decide the starting point.
PRO TIP: Follow this itinerary in no particular order (i.e., change the days as you like). If you are in Paris on a Wednesday or Friday, go to the Louvre in the evening when it closes late and is less crowded. This way you will have more time to explore other places!
The Eiffel Tower at night is also recommended. This allows you to enjoy other attractions at a slower pace.
Tip: Wear comfortable shoes and clothing.
Tip: Eat lunch or grab a snack along the way. There are many bakeries in Paris where you can have a sandwich or a quick lunch. The bread that you want to eat at the bakery is delicious!
Day 1: Paris Arrival
Arrival to Paris, “Bienvenue a Paris,” meet and greet, and private transfer to your city-centered hotel in Paris.
Day 2-3-4 : Paris Highlights
Musee d’Orsay
Practical Tip: The Musée d’Orsay opens at 9:30 am and closes at 6:00 pm every day except Thursdays at 9:45 pm. We are closed on Mondays.
If you have five days in Paris, you can visit two museums. The Musée d’Orsay is an obvious choice for art lovers, as it houses an impressive collection of Impressionist works, including Monet, Manet, Renoir, Van Gogh, and more. The former train station (Orsay Station, built for the Paris Universal Exposition) was later renovated to house the museum.
The museum often hosts special exhibitions. When I visited, there was an exhibition about Degas. Whenever you visit, check the website to see if it has one.
For audio guides only, we recommend a guided tour of the museum. Choose your skip-the-line ticket. There is no time to enter, but it’s the best way to avoid potential queues.
Tip: Get there when the museum opens and allow at least two hours to explore. Here are the best-guided tours and skip-the-line tickets for the Musée d’Orsay:
Shakespeare and Company
Pass Shakespeare and Company on your way to the Pantheon. This is a quaint independent English bookstore in the heart of the Latin Quarter.
Since it opened in 1951, it has become a meeting point for English-speaking (but not exclusive) writers and readers who happen to be in Paris. The building it sits in was originally a monastery (from the 17th century).
Read a book, admire a magnificent building, or attend one of the many events and workshops (but a little tricky if you only have five days in Paris) if you’re nearby and available… You can even stroke a domestic cat. The museum often hosts special exhibitions. When I visited, there was an exhibition about Degas. Whenever you visit, check the website to see if it has one.
For audio guides only, we recommend a guided tour of the museum. Choose your skip-the-line ticket. There is no time to enter, but it’s the best way to avoid potential queues.
Tip: Get there when the museum opens and allow at least two hours to explore. Here are the best-guided tours and skip-the-line tickets for the Musée d’Orsay:
The Pantheon
Located in Montagne Sainte-Geneviève, the Pantheon is the burial place of some of France’s most famous figures, including Rousseau, Voltaire, Marie Curie, Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, and Emile Zola.
From 1758, he was built in 1790. Originally a church, it was converted into a mausoleum during the Revolution.
Insider Tip: The Pantheon is open daily from 10 am to 6:30 pm, depending on the season. Tickets are available here or here.
Luxembourg Gardens
His five days in Paris give him plenty of time to explore several parks. The Luxembourg Gardens is one of his most beautiful gardens, on the way from the Pantheon to the Montparnasse Tower.
The park was laid out in the early 17th century by order of Maria de’ Medici.
The palace is now the seat of the French Senate. If you visit in the summer, you’ll find it’s a great place to relax, as you’ll quickly find shade under the many trees. Highlights of the park include statues of 20 French Queens and the Medici Fountain.
Montparnasse Tower
Insider Tip: The tower is open from 11:00 to 10:30 or 11:30, depending on the day of the week and time of day.
If you only have five days in Paris, you won’t have much time to explore the Montparnasse district, but we recommend climbing the Montparnasse Tower for a spectacular view. The tower was built in the early 1970s and is now the second tallest building in Paris at 210 meters. It is one of the best places in the city to see the Eiffel Tower.
The Catacombs
Practical Tip: The Catacombs are open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:45 am to 8:30 pm. They are closed on Mondays, January 1st, May 1st and December 25th.
If you have five days to visit Paris, you have time to see the Catacombs. This is a spooky location on the site of a limestone mine filled with corpses in the late 1700s when the local cemetery could no longer accommodate them.
The catacombs are dug 20 meters below street level and have minimal temperature variation throughout the year. Tip: Be sure to book the last tour of the Catacombs, which starts around 5:30 PM. This way you will have enough time to enjoy other attractions. If you follow this itinerary in reverse order, you will depart at 10:00 AM.
Eifel Tower
Helpful Tip: The Eiffel Tower is open every day. Open daily from 9:30 AM to 11:45 PM through August 29, 2021. The ticket office closes at 10:30 pm. Stairs are available from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm.
Suppose he decides to visit only one attraction in his five days in Paris. In that case, there can be no doubt. I have to go to the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower is the most famous Place in Paris. Built in 1889 for the Universal Exposition, the tower, at 324 meters high, was the tallest building in France until 2004. At 276 meters high, it is the tallest man-made observatory in Europe.
Note: The line to climb the Eiffel Tower is long. I cannot stop at the ticket counter and hope to reach the top soon. Be sure to get your tickets in advance.
Tip: Get as early access as possible to climb the Eiffel Tower and allow about 2 hours from when you arrive to when you disembark.
Trocadero
In case you’re wondering, the view is everything today. Admire the Eiffel Tower from the Champ de Mars before heading to the Trocadero.
Tip: If you can get out of bed, enjoy the sunrise at the Trocadero. With almost no one around, you can take great pictures without anyone disturbing you!
Tip: Get as early access as possible to climb the Eiffel Tower and allow about 2 hours from when you arrive to when you disembark.
Arc de Triomphe
Helpful Hints: The Arc de Triomphe is open daily from 10 am to 10:30 pm or 11 pm, depending on the season. Closed on January 1st, May 1st, May 8th (morning), July 14th, November 11th (morning), December 25th.
A five-day stay in Paris will allow you to pass by and go above the Arc de Triomphe at Place de l’Etoile at the end of the Champs-Élysées. The arch was built to celebrate war victories and honor the many who died during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. It is an incredible vantage point to get a different city perspective. I love the view of La Défense, the modern side of Paris from there.
Champs-Elysées
The Champs-Élysées runs from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde—a huge boulevard with beautiful boutiques, luxury shops, restaurants and cafes, and a cinema. One of Paris’ most famous cabaret shows is his Lido.
Place de la Concorde
Place de la Concorde is one of the squares you will encounter during your five days in Paris—the largest square in Paris between the Champs Elysées and the Tuileries Gardens. Built in 1772, it was then still called Place Louis XV. During the Revolution, it was called Revolution Square. The square where executions took Place during the Revolution, including that of Louis XVI. and his wife, Queen Marie Antoinette.
Tuileries Garden
Practical Tip: The park is open daily from 7:00 am or 7:30 am to 7:30 am, 9:00 pm, or 11:00 pm, depending on the season.
At the end of the Champs Elysées, just after Place de la Concorde, is the beautiful Tuileries Garden, perhaps the most famous park in Paris. The garden was designed by Vaux-le-Vicomte, who also created the Gardens of Versailles. This gives you an idea of how beautiful this park is.
Walk its length (you should!) and reach the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel directly before the Louvre. Good to know: The Orangerie Museum is located in the southwest corner of the gardens. Since you only have five days in Paris, you probably won’t have time to visit, but remember that the last entry is at 5:15 PM.
Louvre
Helpful Tip: The Louvre Museum is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm except Tuesdays. The Louvre Museum is closed on Tuesdays, 1st of January, 1st of May, and 25th of December.
The amount of art that can be seen at the Louvre is unprecedented. Originally a fortress, this vast museum became an art gallery in the 17th century. The world’s finest paintings and sculptures include Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and the Winged Triumph. The Louvre Museum is very busy and regularly sells out, so buy your tickets in advance. I also recommend taking a guided tour with at least an audio guide. This allows you to appreciate the many works to admire and the building, which is an excellent work of art.
Good to know: The Louvre opens at 9 am. Go there when it opens and plan to stay there for at least 4 hours.
Good to know: The Orangerie Museum is located in the southwest corner of the gardens. Since you only have five days in Paris, you probably won’t have time to visit, but remember that the last entry is at 5:15 PM.
Palais Royal
You will love this Place! The residence of Cardinal Richelieu, who lived there until he died in 1642, the palace became the property of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, who ascended the throne when Louis was his 15th. In 1715, he climbed to the throne at the age of five. It is the seat of the Constitutional Council and the Ministry of Culture today. Thanks to his art installations of striped columns of different sizes, it was an exciting visit.
It’s becoming more and more popular. So if he stays for five days in Paris, be sure to go there and take pictures before continuing your exploration.
Notre Dame
Notre Dame Cathedral was destroyed in a fire in April 2019, so you can’t go inside. But at least try to see it from the outside. It is still an impressive sight.
River Seine Cruise
A Seine River cruise is the perfect way to end a great day of exploring.
Most cruises depart from the Eiffel Tower but look for cruises that depart from nearby Notre Dame for simplicity. The cruise is undoubtedly touristy, but the views from it are beautiful. For a better experience, we recommend choosing a sunset or night cruise. You can opt for a dinner cruise (but I’m unsure about the food on board). Have one with a guide explaining the highlights of what’s to be seen.
Versailles
Five days in Paris is enough time for him to go outside the city. Some people may suggest going to Disneyland, but I recommend going to Versailles.
Practical Tip: RER C is the easiest and cheapest way to get to Versailles from Paris. Buying a return ticket at the Paris station is recommended, as there are long queues at the Versailles station.
Versailles is known as a symbol of all the excesses of the French monarchy. Once a hunting lodge, it became a real chateau when the palace was moved there at Louis XIV’s request.
It is an excellent place to visit, between palaces, gardens, and the nearby Trianon mansions. We recommend taking a guided tour to familiarize yourself with everything you see.
Moulin rouge
Seeing a show at the Moulin Rouge may not be for everyone, but at least you should stop by this Parisian institution famous as the birthplace of cabaret and can-can dancing.
Sacré-Coeur
The views from the Sacré-Coeur are breathtaking and worth the trip alone. A Roman-Byzantine cathedral, the church is located on Montmartre Hill, where construction began in 1875. The church, especially its dome, offers one of the best views of Paris.
Montmartre
Montmartre is one of the most charming districts of Paris. Imagine low-rise housing, quirky-looking cafes and shops, and this bohemian look. Artists such as Monet, Renoir, Modigliani, and even Van Gogh settled in the area in the 19th century, making the area popular with artists.
Père Lachaise
Practical Tip: The cemetery is open daily from 8 am to 8:30 am and closes from 5:30 pm to 6 pm, depending on the season.
This is one of the most famous cemeteries in the world. It opened in the early 18th century and is where famous figures such as singer Edith Piaf and Doors singer Jim Morrison are buried alongside Balzac and Oscar His Wilde. The vast park is free to enter, but you can also enjoy a guided tour.
Day 5: Paris Departure
After breakfast, free time until your flight time. Private transfer to the airport
