3 Days in Paris: The Perfect First-Time Paris Itinerary!

Paris, also known as the City of Lights (or the City of Love) is one of the most magical cities I’ve ever visited. Some people say it is overrated, but I couldn’t disagree more. No matter what type of travel you like, I promise you need to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle at some point in your life!!

But it’s not just the famous sites like the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre that make it special. I first visited Paris in 2012 with my family and have been back twice since then with my husband. In my opinion, the culture and vibes of this city are what make it shine!

If you’re planning your first trip to Paris, you are probably very overwhelmed with crafting an itinerary! There is obviously so much to see and do in (and around) the city. You can spend weeks here and not see and do it all.

But, if you’re like me, you don’t have weeks to spend in Paris, so we will have to fit as much in as possible in just 3 days!

Below, I’ll dive into exactly how I would spend 3 days in Paris on my first visit. I’ll go over where to stay, what to pack, and exactly what to do each day to maximize your time in Paris!

If you only have three days, this itinerary hits all of the highlights of the city and beyond!! You can follow this itinerary to a tee or just use it as inspiration, but first, let me share my biggest tip for planning your trip to Paris: leave time in your itinerary to do nothing.

Of course you won’t actually be doing nothing! But don’t pack your itinerary with 17 different tours and activities each day.

The magic of Paris is found in the quieter moments when you don’t have somewhere to be. So give yourself time to wander through the streets, sip coffee at a cafe, and enjoy the city’s atmosphere. You can thank me later!

Now, let’s get into this 3 day Paris itinerary! And make sure to check out the end of the post for other tips on visiting Paris, like where to stay, how to get around, etc.

Map of the Sites

To make it easier to follow along, I created the below map of Paris for you, which has all the main sites mentioned in this itinerary, color-coded by day!

You can even export and save this map directly so you can reference it during your trip. Don’t forget to “Download” the map of Paris offline in Google Maps before you leave so you can access it without cell service!

As you can see on the map, most activities are fairly close together, aside from the stops in Montmartre and Versailles. However, you can reach all of these sites by public transportation and walking!

I cover this more in the Getting Around Paris section at the end of this blog post, so make sure to read until the end for those tips!

P.S. Want to save this itinerary for later? I created a free downloadable PDF version of this 3 day itinerary that you can print out for your trip! It also has the link to this map 🙂 Just click the link above and enter your email address so I know where to send it!

The Paris Pass and Attraction Tickets

If you’re spending 3 days in Paris, make sure to look into the Paris Pass before your trip and decide if it’s worth purchasing.

The Paris Pass gets you entrance into over 45 tourist attractions in Paris, including the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, as well as specific tours like a French wine tasting, perfume mini workshop, and a Paris hidden gems walking tour!

There are different passes depending on the duration of your trip (1-day, 2-day, etc.) and how much you want to see and do.

In general, having tickets in advance for popular attractions in Paris is 100% recommended because you will be able to skip the huge ticket lines, so this is a huge perk of the Paris Pass.

You can of course buy tickets in advance to each attraction individually too. So, make sure to do your research and confirm if the Paris Pass will actually save you money! We didn’t end up getting one because a 2-day pass was about $140/day and the total for the sites we wanted to visit was less than that!

In general, the Paris Pass is best for people who are going to back in as many top attractions and tours into their trip as possible. Only you can decide if it makes sense for you!

Here’s a list of activities in this itinerary that I recommend reserving in advance:
🖼️ The Louvre tickets (Timed-entry and skip the line, book as soon as your schedule is set)
🏛️ Arc de Triomphe tickets (Skip the line, book as soon as your schedule is set)
🚤 Seine Dinner Cruise (Book at least 1 month out, especially if traveling in summer)
🏰 Versailles tickets (Timed-entry, book at least 1 month out or book with a guide!)
👠 Crazy Horse Cabaret (Very popular! Book a few months out)
💀 Catacombs (Timed-entry, tickets open 1 week in advance)
🥐 Le Maris Food Tour (Book a few days in advance)

Day 1: The Louvre, Gardens, Arc de Triomphe & A Dinner Cruise

Welcome to Paris! This itinerary assumes you have 3 full days in Paris. We arrived in Paris bright and early on a train from Brussels, dropped off our bags, and hit the ground running.

Depending on when you arrive in Paris, you may need to tweak this itinerary as needed. Day 1 is definitely action-packed, so if you don’t arrive the night before or are catching up from jet lag, I would consider swapping day 1 and day 3!

Morning: Visiting the Louvre Museum

To start your first day in the City of Love, grab a pastry, crepe, and a cappuccino from whatever café you stumble upon leaving your hotel (there is literally one on almost every corner!). Make sure to say “Bonjour” and “Merci”, but bonus points if you can order in French.

You’ll need your energy for today, as it is going to be busy!

First up, it’s time to head to the Louvre!! Even if you don’t like museums, the Louvre is just one of those things you have to do. I mean, you can’t spend 3 days in Paris and NOT see the Mona Lisa, right?

Make sure to reserve your tickets for the Louvre in advance. If you’re visiting in the summer, I recommend booking at least a month or two in advance so you can get a morning time slot.

This goes for pretty much every major site in Paris. At most places, like the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe, there is a line for people with tickets and a line for people without tickets, and the one for people who don’t have tickets is always INSANE. So, be proactive and buy in advance.

Another huge mistake people make when visiting the Louvre for the first time (myself included!) is waiting in the huge line in front of the pyramid! Instead, head to the Carrousel du Louvre (see Google Map location), which is the underground entrance to the Louvre and typically has a much shorter line.

There are two other entrances to the museum, the Porte des Lions Entrance and the Richelieu Passage Entrance. However, these are typically reserved for those with special gallery tickets or group tours.

Once you’re inside the Louvre, I would expect to spend a few hours here wandering the many wings! The Louvre museum is huge and has over 35,000 works of art, so you can’t expect to see it all in one day. Instead, I recommend having an idea of which pieces are most important to you and prioritizing those.

For us, this meant seeing the Mona Lisa (of course), Galerie d’Apollon (beautiful room shown below that houses the French Crown Jewels, and the Venus de Milo!

We also opted to skip the giant line for the Mona Lisa and just walk past it (where you can still see the picture clearly). Again, it is up to you!

Overall, I would allot a few hours to the Louvre, and plan to finish up around lunch time!

Again, do NOT wait until you get to Paris to purchase tickets. Grab your Louvre tickets now and get the time slot you want! 🎟️

Early Afternoon: Lunch in the Jardin de Tuileries

Once you wrap up at the Louvre, follow the exit signs for the Carrousel de Louvre or Jardin des Tuileries. This is the same place you came in through – the underground entrance – if you took my advice above!

After exiting, you’ll come back up to ground level at the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel! Just behind this arch is the beautiful Jardin des Tuileries aka the Tuileries Gardens!

This massive public garden stretches right in front of the museum and is one of my favorite spots to slow down and soak in Paris.

You can grab a crepe or sandwich from the small Boulangerie right next to the Arch. Or, if you want a full lunch, stroll down through the garden until you reach Café des Marronniers.

This cafe is located right near the large and famous pond inside the Tuileries Gardens – Octagonal Basin. Here, you can enjoy a beautiful outdoor lunch in the park.

The Tuileries are also a great photo op! If you’re into photography, you’ll find endless opportunities here with the flower beds, sculptures, and views of the Louvre in the distance.

And at certain times of year, there is even a large ferris wheel in the Tuileries Gardens you can ride for incredible views of Paris.

Late Afternoon: Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe

Once you’ve had your fill of the garden, it’s time to head to your next activity. Depending on where you are staying, you may want to head back to your hotel and change for the evening at this point, as tonight you are embarking on a dinner cruise along the Seine. However, there’s a few more stops before the dinner cruise!

First, head to the Champs-Élysées, a famous shopping street in Paris! If you don’t go back to your hotel at this point, you can hop on the #1 Metro Line from Concorde (right next to the Garden) and ride it a few stops to the George V station.

Once exiting the station, you’ll be right in the middle of the action! As you head west along the street, you’ll pass a number of high-end stores to window shop at, or do some shopping! It’s busy here and a little chaotic, but still fun to see.

As you continue west, you’ll hit the famous Arc de Triomphe, towering above the crazy roundabout. It’s beautiful from below, but I highly recommend climbing to the top for one of the best views in Paris!! I didn’t even realize this was possible until right before our trip, and it ended up being one of the best parts!

Going to the top of the Arc de Triomphe costs about ~15 euros, and I recommend buying tickets in advance. (It is covered by the Paris Pass if you decide to go that route!)

When you book online, you will select a time to visit – they have slots in 15-minute increments. For this itinerary, I recommend booking at slot about 2 hours before your dinner cruise (this will vary depending on the time of year!).

Important Note: The Arc De Triomphe is in the middle of a major intersection. To get to the monument, you actually have to go underground through a tunnel (see photo below)! We spent about 10 minutes trying to figure out how to cross through the crazy traffic before asking a policeman how to get across… he pointed to the signs for the tunnel (stupid American moment!)

When you get through the tunnel, you might see a HUGE line.. if you already have a ticket keep walking to the front and up the little stairs until you’re outside. There should be a separate (and much shorter) line for people with advanced reservations.

This is you! You’re welcome. We only waited about 5 minutes to start climbing the stairs!! There are elevators but I believe they are reserved for those who are physically incapable of climbing, have small children, etc.

Once you finish the climb, you will be rewarded with epic views of the entire city, including the Eiffel Tower! I actually recommend climbing the Arc de Triomphe instead of the Eiffel Tower for this reason – you want to be able to see the Eiffel Tower in the skyline!

In addition, the rooftop here is a much calmer and open experience than the Eiffel Tower one.

Spend some time walking around and taking it all in – there is a lot to see! Make sure you check out each of the 12 arterials that radiate out from the Arc de Triomphe, like the spokes on a wheel. From here, you can see the famous Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre towering in distance, as well as La Défense, the major business district of Paris (look for the skyscrapers!).

You can also learn more about the history of the Arc de Triomphe inside the building – did you know it was built to honor those who fought and died in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars?

DON’T WAIT! Grab your ticket to the Arc de Triomphe NOW in order to skip the long lines and get the time slot you want! 🎟️

Evening: Dinner Cruise Along the Seine

After you’re finished at the Arc de Triomphe, it’s time to make your way towards the river for your dinner cruise! If your cruise leaves from Pont de l’Alma Bridge, you can hop right on the #92 bus to the Alma – Marceau stop!

We booked our dinner cruise through Bateaux Mouches, and I highly recommend them!! They operate a few different dinner cruises, but I highly recommend the 4 Course Romantic Dinner Cruise that leaves later in the evening.

We almost booked the “early bird” one because it was much cheaper, but then I realized how late the sun sets in the summer in Paris! Our boat left around 8pm, and the sunset was around 9pm. Trust me, you don’t want to miss the sunset from the boat!!

BEST DINNER CRUISE IN PARIS

Paris Seine River Dinner Cruise with Live Music by Bateaux Mouches

• Price: €128-€165 per person
• Departure Time: 8:30pm
• Duration: 2.25 hours
• Rating: 4.5/5 stars ⭐
• Includes: Glass of champagne, 3 course dinner, bottle of red or white wine

book it here!

To start the cruise, they give you a little card that shows all the historic sites you will see along the way. The boat cruises along the Seine, first southeast towards Notre Dame and the Louvre.

Then, you’ll get to see the sunset from the river and get the fabulous golden hour lighting, but that’s not even the highlight!

The boat is timed perfectly so that you are right in front of the Eiffel Tower when the lights turn on at dusk, followed shortly after by its first sparkling light show on the hour.

We took our drinks and went to the roof at this point and got to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle right in front of our eyes. It was seriously magical. 

After the first viewing, the boat will continue down the Seine towards the Paris Statue of Liberty, then turn around and head back to the Eiffel Tower for another viewing of the sparkles (depending on the time of year).

This was one of the most romantic things we’ve ever done, and I highly recommend booking a dinner cruise during your time in Paris! You can read more about different cruises available and which is the best option for you in my full Paris Dinner Cruises Guide here.

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The boat docks back around 10:30pm-11:00pm. If you still have energy, I highly recommend strolling towards the Eiffel Tower along the Seine. This area completely comes alive at night, and you can catch a few more sparkling shows!

If you make it until midnight, you’re rewarded with a unique viewing where all the lights on the Tower turn off and the entire thing is covered in sparkles!! A sight not to miss!

Day 2: The Palace of Versailles + Dinner show

Since you have 3 full days in Paris, I highly recommend spending a half day getting out of the city and visiting one of the many famous sites!

We chose Versailles, which is what I will dive into in this itinerary. However, here are some other awesome options for day trips outside of Paris in case you have already visited (or don’t want to visit) Versailles!

1. Giverny: Where Monet lived and painted
2. Champagne: Need I say more?
3. Normandy: If you like history!
4. Bruges: The Venice of Belgium
5. Mont Saint-Michel: An incredible island village

Morning: The Palace of Versailles

Okay, back to Versailles! We chose to navigate getting to and around Versailles ourselves, but you can also book an organized tour from Paris if you don’t want to deal with all of the logistics. There are many options, including with guided tours of the Palace or without a guided tour, which is a bit cheaper.

However, getting to Versailles is actually very easy, even for tourists! So you don’t NEED to visit with a tour if you don’t want to (we didn’t). If you are visiting without a tour, make sure to book your Versailles entry ticket in advance in order to get a morning time slot!

Unfortunately, we didn’t book our tickets until a week before our trip and the earliest time slot we could get was 12pm. When we arrived, the lines were insanely long, so definitely try to get there as early as possible!

There are many ticket options on the Versailles website, which can be a little confusing. I recommend getting a Passport ticket, which includes access to the Palace, Trianon Estate, and the gardens.

Your ticket will come with an entry time for the Palace, which you can’t miss. We actually missed our entry time due to some miscommunication, and weren’t able to go inside the Palace at all!!

To get to Versailles from Paris, you will take one of the “RER” trains, aka commuter trains that run from the middle of Paris to the outskirts. The RER C train (yellow line) runs directly from Paris to Versailles, which makes it impossible to mess up!

You can get on the RER C train from multiple different spots throughout Paris, like the Champ de Mars station next to the Eiffel Tower or the Saint-Michel Notre Dame station!

P.S. Read my full guide on taking a Day Trip from Paris to Versailles to learn more about transportation options, ticket options, and even more details on how to spend your day!

Once you arrive at the Versailles Train Station (River-Gauche), just follow the crowds! Nearly everyone will be headed to the same place. There is a small little town outside the palace with shops to grab breakfast at as well. We found some delicious crepes here before heading inside!

Between the gardens and the palace, Versailles can easily fill your entire day. Below is a map of Versailles so you can get a feel for all there is (it’s not just a palace!) The grounds are absolutely massive.

Some top things to see include the inside of the Palace (based on your timed-entry), Trianon Estate (famously known as Marie Antoinette’s estate), and the vibrant garden and fountain shows. Similar to the Louvre, you’ll want to have a basic understanding of what you want to see during your time at Versailles.

Afternoon: The Gardens and Estates of Versailles

We ended up spending around 4 hours inside the gardens and exploring the grounds. I would expect an additional hour or two to see the main spots inside the palace itself (assuming you don’t miss your time slot like us – hah!).

To maximize your time, I highly recommend taking advantage of some of the methods of transportation available at Versailles, including bikes, golf carts, or the Petit train. We chose the train and bought tickets when we arrived, right in front of the gardens! It was very affordable and a fun way to see the grounds without walking miles.

If I were to go back to Versailles, however, I think I would book a guided bike tour in order to learn more from a guide and enjoy the scenery on wheels! While the Petit train was cute, the lines were long at some stops, so it would be nice to not rely on it.

Evening: Dinner Show in the City

Once you’re finished at Versailles, it’s time to head back into the city for another evening of fun! If you want to eat dinner before heading back to Paris, there are some great restaurants right outside the palace. We ate at Le Saint Claire and it was yummy! 

Back in Paris, I’ve got a few great options depending on your vibe and energy levels!

If you’re in the mood for a casual night, I recommend bar hopping through the Latin Quarter. This neighborhood is buzzing in the evenings and full of fun cocktail lounges and cozy wine bars, perfect for a chill night out.

But if you’re feeling like a more iconic Parisian experience, you have to check out one of the city’s legendary cabaret shows! Moulin Rouge is the most famous of them all with its red windmill and high-energy can-can performances.

The venue is located in the Montmartre neighborhood (where you’ll be headed tomorrow) and performances typically start at 9:00pm or 11:00pm. The minimum age for guests is 6 years old. You can purchase tickets of Moulin Rouge here!

However, we chose to see Crazy Horse instead, another cabaret show! This one is more adult-focused than Moulin Rouge (there is nudity), and as such, the minimum age is 16 years old! We absolutely LOVED this show – the artistic lighting and choreography were incredible (and sexy!).

Or, if you’re not interested in a dinner show, another unforgettable option is a nighttime tour of the Paris Catacombs. You’ll descend beneath the city into tunnels lined with millions of bones arranged in eerie patterns.

To access the Catacombs, you’ll need to book a ticket in advance and choose a time slot – they run in 15 minute increments! The last entry is typically around 7:00pm!

You can also check out my list of 19 things to do in Paris at night for more ideas to fill your evening!

Day 3: Churches, Food Tour, & Picnic at the Eiffel Tower

Morning: Saint-Chapelle & Notre Dame

Start your final day in Paris by heading to the Île de la Cité, the little island in the Seine that’s home to two of the most iconic religious buildings in the city: Sainte-Chapelle and Notre Dame.

Closed until the end of 2024, the Notre Dame Cathedral is officially back open to the public. It is free to enter the main cathedral building, and its open 7 days a week!

You can reserve skip-the-line tickets in advance for free, but they are extremely limited and hard to get. We did the standby line around 2pm and it moved quickly – we were inside in less than 10 minutes! So don’t stress if you can’t get the skip-the-line tickets.

Once inside, we were totally blown away by the incredible architecture, most notably the beautiful stained glass!

There are also great photo opts of the outside of the cathedral from the bridges (called ponts) around Île de la Cité, like the Petit Pont Cardinal Lustiger! We love walking around this area and across the street in the Latin Quarter and soaking in the Paris vibes.

And just a few minutes walk away from Notre Dame is the gorgeous Sainte-Chapelle.

While it does cost money to enter, the inside of the Sainte-Chapelle is absolutely stunning. The walls are lined with gorgeous stained-glass windows that look like you’ve stepped into a kaleidoscope. Make sure to buy tickets in advance if this is a must for you!

Early Afternoon: Le Marais

Once you’ve finished up at the Île de la Cité, continue walking along the Seine at your leisure and then head north into Le Marais, one of Paris’s most charming and vibrant neighborhoods. It’s got a little bit of everything, including boutique shops, historic streets, art galleries, and some of the best falafel in the city!

Some things to do in Le Marais include relaxing at the Place des Vosges, a beautiful and very underrated garden, or visiting the Maison de Victor Hugo. There are also a ton of different museums in Le Marais if you didn’t get your fill at the Louvre!

However, we decided Le Marais was the perfect place to do a walking pastry tour!

Paris is home to so much incredible food, from choux pastry to croissants to macarons to chocolate and more!! On a tour, you can learn more about the history and culture of Paris’s food scene while tasting some amazing treats.

Late Afternoon: Montmartre and Sacré-Coeur

Once you’ve finished up in Le Marais, I recommend heading to the quaint little neighborhood of Montmartre. If you went to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, you probably saw the most famous Montmartre landmark, the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. It stands high on a hill above Paris, and it is totally worth a visit!

The Basilica is open every day year round, and entry is free! You can explore the inside at your leisure. And, if you are looking for an incredible 360º view of Paris, consider climbing to the top of the dome! You’ll have to pay a small fee to enter (~€8), but it looks worth it.

We didn’t go inside because the line was soo long, but it was still 100% worth it to climb the steps to the top of the hill for incredible views of Paris!

In addition to the Basilica, you’ll find adorable cobblestone streets and fabulous eateries in Montmartre. This neighborhood has a totally different vibe from the rest of the city. It’s more bohemian and artsy, with winding cobblestone streets, hidden staircases, and cute cafés on every corner.

It also has a strong artistic history, as many famous artists lived here in the late 1800s, including van Gogh, Renoir, and Monet. Today, you’ll still find tons of artists in the Place du Tertre drawing, painting, and selling their art!

Evening: Picnic at the Eiffel Tower

And to finish your last day in Paris, of course we are going to spend the evening at the Eiffel Tower! Specifically, I recommend a picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower.

First, head to a local market or supermarket and shop and grab some food like cheeses, fruit, and a baguette. Don’t forget to grab a bottle (or two) of wine, as well as cups and a blanket if possible.

Once you have all of your picnic goods, head to the Eiffel Tower, and specifically, the Champ de Mars. The Champ de Mars is a large grassy area right in front of the Eiffel Tower where people sit and picnic throughout the day and night. It’s the perfect viewpoint of the Eiffel Tower at sunset!

I recommend trying to arrive around an hour before sunset. Make sure to check the sunset time based on when you are visiting, as it will vary by season. When we were visiting in late May, the sunset wasn’t until 9:45pm!!

Arriving at least an hour before sunset will allow you to soak in all the different views of the Eiffel Tower. First at golden hour right before sunset, then the sunset itself, then blue hour, then darkness!! They are all magic in their own way.

And of course the Eiffel Tower will change too. Around dusk, the Eiffel Tower automatically lights up with golden lighting. Then, on the first hour after dusk (9:00pm, 10:00pm, etc.) the Tower sparkles for 5 minutes. It is pure magic!

That view will be totally different from the one an hour later, as the next one will be completely dark outside. So I highly recommend staying for a few hours so you get all of the experiences!! 

We ended up staying in the area until around 1am because we were having such an amazing and romantic time. There really is no better way to end your 3 days in Paris than by watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle!

Note: You can also just eat dinner at a restaurant and then head to the Eiffel Tower afterwards with a bottle of wine to catch the light shows.

Other Things to Know for Your Trip to Paris

Where to Stay in Paris

If this is your first trip to Paris, one of the biggest questions you probably have is where to stay in Paris. Paris isn’t THAT big, but the main sights are slightly spread out, so it’s important to be somewhat central if you only have 3 days in Paris.

The city of Paris is organized into 20 Arrondissements (otherwise known as neighborhoods). They are ordered from 1-20 and spiralize around the city – check out the map below to see what I mean!

If this is your first visit to Paris, I highly recommend staying in either the fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh arrondissement to be as central as possible. These are the neighborhoods that surround the main sites like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Notre Dame, etc.

When looking at hotels, I highly recommend picking one that is within walking distance of a Metro Station.

I’ll talk about it more in the next section, but public transportation in Paris is exceptional and will save you tons of money versus taking cabs everywhere. So, it’s extremely convenient to be close to a train station!

In terms of hotel options, there is truly something for everyone in Paris, from hostels to luxury stays and everything in between. Don’t stress about finding the “perfect” hotel, unless you have something very specific in mind. For example, if you NEED a balcony with a view of the Eiffel Tower, you will have to do some researching!

But if you’re not super picky, you will have tons of options in Paris. The important thing is to pick a hotel within your budget, near a Metro station, and in a central neighborhood. Beyond that, don’t stress too much.

➡️ Read Next: You can read more about the different neighborhoods and my specific hotel recommendations in each in my guide on Where to Stay in Paris for First Time Visitors!

Getting Around Paris

Paris has a wonderful public transportation system that is SO easy to use, even for tourists! Don’t be intimated by it, even if you can’t speak French. RATP (Régie Autonome des Transport Parisiens) is the name of the entire system, which includes trains, the metro, trams, and buses.

🚇 Lana’s Tip: When you arrive in Paris, add the Navigo Transit Card to your Apple Wallet for easy tap-to-pay access to the metro! You can buy 10 tickets for €25!

I also highly recommend downloading Google Maps for your trip, which has all the public transportation schedules built in. Just enter your location and where you need to go, and it’ll show you the different options for getting there, including the easiest and the fastest.

No matter what pass you decide on, just know taking public transportation will save you a lot of money! If you rely solely on taxis in Paris, you will end up spending a ton of money and wasting time, so take advantage of the public transportation!

For example, we were trying to get from the Arc de Triomphe to our Seine River cruise. The metro station was nearby but we would’ve had to walk pretty far to get to the Seine River Cruise.

I found some free Wi-Fi and plugged in our current location and where were trying to go on Google Maps, and sure enough, there was a bus line right next to us that went straight to our destination!

We already had RATP tickets which can be used on the bus, tram, or Metro, so all we had to do was hop on and insert our ticket! It was so easy and saved us tons of time and money.

Don’t miss my list of 10 Travel Tips You Need to Know Before Visiting Paris for the First Time! 🇫🇷

What to Pack for Paris

I won’t list out my whole packing list for you, because that would be excessive right?! Instead I’ll give you my must haves for your trip to Paris! However, if you want more details, you can check out my detailed guide on What to Pack for Paris for Every Season!

1. Comfy Walking Shoes: If you’ve been to Europe before, you know that you walk A TON. Paris is no different! During our first day in Paris we walked over 15 miles… If you don’t have the right shoes, you will be miserable. So make sure to pack comfy sandals or sneakers that won’t give you blisters. I bought these cute platform sneakers recently and they’re soo comfy! Just don’t forget to break them in before your trip!

2. Cross-Body Bag: Before you visit Paris, it’s important to know that pick-pockets are prominent! They frequent tourist areas like in front of the Eiffel Tower and in the Louvre and will steal from you without you even realizing. It’s important to have a small cross-body bag that always stays on your person and in front of you.

3. Cute Hat and Sunglasses: Not totally necessary but helps with cute photos!

4. Europe plug converter: If you’re traveling from the USA, you will need a plus converter to use your electronics in Paris. I have this universal plug converter that works around the globe!

5. Power Bank: You will likely be out adventuring all day and not at your hotel much. Couple that with taking tons of photos and videos means one thing… low phone battery. I recommend buying an Anker power bank like this one to make sure your phone never dies!

my must-have travel product!

Traveling Internationally? Make sure to purchase an eSIM before you go!

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Final Thoughts

That wraps up my 3 Day itinerary for Paris! I hope this guide helped you plan your trip. In my opinion, 3 days in Paris is the perfect amount of time for your first trip in order to see the best parts of the city.

If you only have 2 days, I would cut out the trip to Versailles and focus on the main parts of the city!! And if you only have one day, that is not enough and you need to extend your trip! 

Now that you know how to spend your 3 days in Paris, make sure to check out my Guide on Where to Stay in Paris to help you figure out the neighborhood and hotel for you!

Or, check out my other Paris blog posts below! ⬇️ 🇫🇷
Visiting Paris For The First Time: 10 Things To Know!
Where To Stay In Paris For First Time Visitors: Detailed Guide
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