There’s nothing like the romance, charm, and beauty of Paris! I would say it definitely lives up to the hype. I recently visited Paris for the second time and it was just as magical as the first! Our trip was a short stop on our way to the South of France and it was absolutely perfect!
From world-class museums and attractions, shopping, food, amazing photo spots, and beautiful architecture, the city offers something for everyone. There is so much to do and see, but with the right amount of planning, you can definitely see a lot of the highlights in a weekend.
Keep reading for a guide to all the places to visit in Paris in 3 days, where to stay, what to eat + drink, and more.
How to Get to Paris
Flying, especially if you’re traveling from another country is the best option. I would recommend one of these two airports, depending on flight prices.
Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is the largest and the main international airport. It is located about 25km (15 miles) outside of Paris. A taxi or Uber ride into city center takes 45-60 minutes and costs about €50.
If you don’t want to spend the money for a taxi or Uber, you can take a train from Charles de Gaulle Airport. The rail service offered is by RER, which is the most efficient way to get into the city. Trains run every 10-15 minutes from about 5am to midnight, and can get you to several stations in city (t-Michel–Notre-Dame, Châtelet-les-Halles and Gare du Nord) in as little as 30 minutes. The fare is €12.
Orly airport (ORY) is the closest to city center, and sits 16.6 km (just over 10 miles) south of Paris. A taxi or Uber ride from here can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes, and costs about €35.
From Orly, you have two rail options, depending on where you need to go. You can take an automated train to Antony Station, where you can catch the RER B line mentioned earlier. This runs every 4 to 7 minutes, takes about 35 minutes, and costs €7.40-9.60. Another line is the RER C, or Orlyrail, which connects to Orly via a shuttle bus and stops at Javel, Champs de Mars–Tour Eiffel, Invalides, Musée d’Orsay, St-Michel–Notre-Dame and Gare d’Austerlitz stations. Service runs every 15 to 30 minutes from about 5am to 11:30pm, costs €8, and takes about 40 minutes into city center.
How to Get Around Paris During Your Visit
Paris is arranged into 20 arrondissements, or neighborhoods. Many of the main tourist attractions in Paris are located in a cluster of arrondissements in the center of the city (1, 4-8). It’s best to look at a map of the arrondissements and organize your plans according to their proximity to each other. We organized each day of trip by choosing to do things that were in the same or nearby arrondissements. Getting from arrondissement to arrondissement can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes depending on the mode of transportation.
Paris also has a comprehensive Metro, local train, and bus system. The underground consists of two separate systems: the Metro and the RER, which also takes you out of the city and into the suburbs (i.e. Versailles and the airport). The Metro consists of 14 lines, identified by number and color. The RER consists of 5 main lines (but you will probably only use 3), and travels in 5 zones. The RER has fewer stops, but can be faster if you are traveling within points in the city that are further apart.
Tickets are valid on the Metro, RER, buses, and trams (and the Montmarte funicular). They can be purchased at all metro stations. We chose to mainly use the metro during our trip as it was the fastest, reliable and most cost effective way to get around the city.
Taxis or Uber are another option for getting around the city. We took a fair number of Ubers to get around, as it was more efficient to get from our hotel to the main tourist drag. I found Uber fares to be comparable to most major cities, such as Miami (which is home for me). Once in the tourist areas, we mostly walked to get from point A to B.
Biking is also starting to be an increasingly popular way to see the city. Paris has a Vélib’ bike share system, with more than 23,000 bikes available at more than 1800 stations. You can purchase a 1 or 7 day subscription. To do this at one of the terminals, you will need an embedded smart chip card, and sometimes they are finicky with foreign cards. However, you can also purchase a subscription online.
Where to Stay in Paris
There is no shortage of accommodation options in Paris, from fancy luxury hotels, classic Parisian apartments found on Airbnb, hip boutique hostels, and more. Accommodations depend on what is best for you and your budget. Hotels are typically expensive in Paris.
We stayed at Hotel Korner Eiffel, which is located in the 15th arrondissement. Our room had a beautiful view and was perfect for our weekend in Paris. Staff is very friendly and breakfast is served in the lobby daily. The location is just steps from the Seine and the Eiffel Tower. Metro Station Charles Michels is a 2-minute walk from the hotel and offers direct access to The Latin Quarter. Paris Expo-Porte de Versailles is 1.2 mi away. Duplex Metro Station is a 8-minute walk from the property and provides direct access to Avenue des Champs-Elysées via the line 6.
What to Do
There are no shortages of world-class sites and attractions to hit up in Paris, but one thing you should know is that it is impossible to see it all in one trip.
There’s definitely a lot of interesting things to do and experience in Paris, but if you happen to only have a limited time in the city, here are a few recommendations to help you make the most out of it.
Visit the Eiffel Tower
No trip to Paris is complete until you have lusted over the Eiffel tower. When we arrived in Paris we dropped our belongings off at our hotel, jumped on the metro and headed straight to this beautiful landmark. If you have time revisit after 9 PM, as there is a sparkling light show that performs five minutes of magic every hour after nine. Find a spot nearby and watch the tower illuminate on the night sky.
Interested in a French Aperitif? Bring a blanket, bottle of wine, baguette, cheese and cured meats to enjoy as an appetizer by the Eiffel tower. Two popular spots for a picnic are Champs de Mars and Trocadero Gardens.
Visit Musee Du Lourve
The Louvre Museum is massive! A day is definitely not enough time to see each and every piece of artwork inside. Most likely, you will spend 2-3 hours in the Louvre before calling it a day, unless you are art obsessed then you might spend the entire day browsing. The most viewed piece of artwork is undoubtedly, The Mona Lisa. Don’t expect anything gigantic, however do expect to wait to get up close and snap a photo or selfie.
Climb the Arc De Triomphe
Visit the Arc de Triomphe. Providing wonderful views from the top of the Arc, leading straight to the Louvre on one end and La Défense on the other. The Eiffel Tower is nice and close, too.
Get Lost in the Parisian Charm
Enjoy the picturesque buildings and walk the streets like a local while taking in the Parisian air. Appreciate the beauty and relaxed ambiance because there is no better way to see Paris.
Explore Montmartre
Steeped in history and immortalized in art, Montmartre is one of Paris’ most beautiful district. Other than the beautiful streets, Montmartre is home to the Sacré-Cœur church which, is without a doubt, one of the best attractions in Paris. The architecture of this ‘basilica’ is stunning and very unique!
Notre Dame
One of the most recognizable landmarks in Paris, and one of the most famous churches in the world, Notre Dame is an impressive sight. The Gothic style cathedral started construction in the 1100s and took almost 200 years to complete. You should definitely take some time to walk around the outside of the cathedral to appreciate the full scope of it.
NOTE: Unfortunately, Notre Dame is closed because of the tragic fires that burned and damaged a large part of the cathedral and took down the iconic spires. The area is roped off, but you can still see the facade from the nearby bridges or streets (still looks beautiful).
Plan a Photoshoot
There are endless places to take beautiful photos in Paris! If you want some romantic photos to remember your trip, book a photographer to take you around some of the most iconic spots in Paris! I booked a 1-hour photography session for our pregnancy announcement and I am so happy to have these beautiful photos to show our daughter one day!
Book our photographer, Maud here!
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles, another famous Paris sightseeing location, served as the royal residence of France from 1682 until the French Revolution and is one of the most popular places to visit in the city.
Located 12 miles or 20 kilometers from the city center you will need to take a train to get there and plan for a half a day to fully enjoy the Palace and its gardens.
Address: Place d-Armes, 78000 Versailles, France
Notable things to see/do:
- Visit the Royal Apartments
- Wander through the hall of mirrors
- Roam through the gardens and stop at Bassin de Neptune with its 99 fountains
The easiest way to get to Versailles is on the RER C from central Paris. Train takes about 50 minutes from Paris. Make sure to go for the Versailles Chateau Station. Trains run every 15 minutes. Tickets cost around 8 Euros. You will have to purchase a separate round trip ticket to get to and from Versailles since it is outside the city. Tickets cost 20 Euros for access to the whole estate and is the best option for seeing the palace, gardens and anything else you may have time for. Click here for more information on how to get to Versailles.
Shopping
I mean…you’re in Paris! Shopping is a MUST!
If you are looking for Parisian designer boutiques like Maison Goyard, Chanel, or Dior visit Rue Saint Honoré . There are also small fragrance boutiques in this area.
One of the city’s most coveted fashion junctures, Avenue Montaigne and Avenue des Champs-Elysées has legendary designers like Chanel and Dior lining the street with flagship boutiques. The Champs-Elysées, for its part, features luxury names (Louis Vuitton) while also being a major spot for shopping in trendy global chains like Zara.
Visit Luxembourg Gardens
Beautiful gardens in the center of Paris. Situated on the border between Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter, the Luxembourg Gardens, inspired by the Boboli Gardens in Florence, were created upon the initiative of Queen Marie de Medici in 1612. The gardens, which cover 25 hectares of land, are split into French gardens and English gardens. Between the two, lies a geometric forest and a large pond. There is also an orchard with a variety of old and forgotten apples, an apiary for you to learn about bee-keeping and greenhouses with a collection of breathtaking orchids and a rose garden. There is no fee to enter the gardens.
Tour the Opera House
The Palais Garnier, also known as Opéra Garnier, is a 1,979-seat opera house at the Place de l’Opéra in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was built for the Paris Opera from 1861 to 1875 at the behest of Emperor Napoleon III. Open from 10 am – 5 pm. Tickets are 14 Euros. Click here for tickets.
Where to Eat + Drink in Paris
- Carette Paris – Known for their hot chocolate and pastries. Serve breakfast options. Do not take reservations.
- La Maison Rose – Snacks offered at La Maison Rose between 3pm-6pm.
- Le Consulat – Get an outdoor table at Le Consulat for a light bite, but be patient for an outdoor table.
- Pink Mamma: Spanning over 4 floors, this gorgeous Italian Restaurant does not disappoint. Reservations highly recommended.
- Café Cassette – Café off bustling Rue de Rannes, which is a great place for shopping.
- Sacree Fleur – Traditional French cuisine and beef restaurant.
- Café de Flore – One of the most famous and ancient cafes in Paris opening in the 1880s. Be patient is you want to sit at a table on the terrace. Walk in NO reservations.
- BigLove – Part of the Big Mamma Group. Vegetarian restaurant. Click here for more reviews. Great Italian cuisine.
- Les Philosophes – Authentic Parisian restaurant where it is recommended to get the onion soup.
- Les Deux Magots – Opened in 1885, this iconic brasserie serves traditional French fare in an airy, charming space. Walk in, NO reservations.
- LouLou – Perfect spot if your’re craving brunch-y fare. Gluten free options. Click here for menu. I highly recommend stopping here for brunch on your way to Luxembourg Gardens one morning.
- HollyBelly 5 – Amazing brunch and lunch spot in Paris. Everything is made in house.
- Le Saint Regis – Cafe located on the island of Ile Saint-Louis, just south of Le Marais, and is also one of the top things to do in Paris. The food is great, reasonably priced, and the ambiance is beautiful and very Instagram friendly.
Well, there you have it! A lovely and epic weekend in Paris! Do you plan to visit Paris soon? I would love to hear your plans or if you used my guide during a recent trip! Comment below and let me know!
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