I’ve often read that Paris is overrated and not worth much time. I disagree, but I will add the caveat that it is important to have reasonable expectations. Paris is not always clean and perfect, Parisian waiters can be rude, and the top sights will be packed with other tourists. However, Paris is a wonderful city and no matter how long you spend here, you won’t be able to see it all. Even after my five days in Paris, I left feeling like I had barely scratched the surface.
This itinerary is for five days in Paris and is almost identical to what I did during my first trip. Compared to many of my other itineraries, this will seem like a very long time. But Paris is full of wonderful sights. Not to mention, this is a perfect city to take it easy at meal times. Sit in a cafe with a good view and watch the world go by.
Before Your Trip
Before you actually go on your trip, I recommend purchasing the Paris Museum Pass. While it may seem pricey at 70 euros per adult for a 4-day pass, it’s well worth it. This works out to 17.5 euros per day for nearly unlimited sightseeing. That’s a great deal and if you visit all of the sights on this itinerary, you will end up saving money.
If you don’t purchase your pass online, stop at a tourist office or at any sight that accepts the Paris Museum Pass to purchase it. But since you can purchase it online, take the hassle out of it and purchase it before your trip.
There is one major caveat to this pass, though. When I used it, I could just skip the line and go into museums as I pleased. That’s no longer the case. Even with the Paris Museum Pass, most sights either require or strongly encourage, making a reservation in advance. This does take the spontaneity out of your trip, but it means that you’ll be able to see everything on your list. Hopefully these measures also mean that your visit will include less people.
At the end of this post, there’s more information about which reservations you’ll need. Plus you’ll also find my time recommendations to help you map out your Paris itinerary.
Five Days in Paris
Let’s jump into this Paris itinerary.
Day 1 – Welcome to Paris
Plan to arrive in the morning. Drop your bag off at your accommodation and then it’s time to get out and start exploring this magnificent city. You only have five days in Paris and you’ll want to make them count.
Whenever possible, I like to start my visit to any city with a walking tour. My suggestion is that other traveler’s do the same. You have loads of options for tours of Paris. You could join a group walking tour, hire a private guide, or do your own self guided tour. I prefer self-guided walking tours since they give me the ability to go at my own pace. In Europe, I use Rick Steves’ City Walks. While they can have cheesy dialogue, they are free (just download the app to your phone) and give an efficient and informative overview of the city.
With your introduction to Paris walking tour complete and your Paris Museum Pass in hand, it’s time to head to your first museums of the trip. This afternoon, the plan is to visit two museums: The Museé d’Orsay and the Museé d’Orangerie. Your Paris Museum pass covers both museums.
At the Museé d’Orsay, you’ll see 19th and 20th century art. For many visitors, seeing the impressionist artworks are a highlight. It’s at this museum that you’ll find paintings from Claude Monet, Edouard Manet, Vincent Van Gogh, Auguste Renoir, Paul Cezanne, and so many more.
Just a short 8 minute walk from the Museé d’Orsay is the Museé d’Orangerie. The collection at the Museé d’Orangerie is smaller, but it holds Claude Monet’s famous waterlily paintings. These waterlilies are the highlight of the Museé d’Orangerie.
The evening is yours to explore. Find a cafe, eat a nice dinner, or if you’re battling jet lag, call it an early night.
Day 2 – Goodbye Paris, Hello Versailles
Yesterday you arrived in Paris, but today you’re already heading outside of the city. It’s time for a day trip to what some consider to be the most magnificent palace in Europe: Versailles.
Your Paris Museum Pass covers your entrance fee to the Chateau at Versailles, but you must reserve a timed entry ticket in advance. This timed entry is free (just select the Free Palace Admission at checkout) and bring that with your Paris Museum Pass when you arrive at the palace.
Getting to Versailles is easy and efficient. Simply catch the RER C from one of the numerous stops in Paris and ride it all the way to the very last station: Versailles Chateau Rive Gauche. Once at the train station, follow the crowd of tourists as you all make your way to the palace.
The Palace of Versailles is one of the most popular day trips from Paris. If you add any day trip to your Paris itinerary, I think it has to be Versailles. When I visited, there were no timed entries. Crowds just got larger as the day goes on. Event though there is now a timed entry reservation in place, I recommend going early. Try to get the earliest entry possible in the day.
Generally, early in the day is still going to have the fewest crowds.
At the Palace of Versailles, the interior. Take note of its magnificent decor and do your best to survive the crowds in the Hall of Mirrors. When you’ve finished touring the interior, don’t forget to visit the expansive gardens.
After you finish touring the Palace of Versailles, it’s time to head back to Paris. We’re not in a rush though, so you have time to eat some lunch. Stop in the city of Versailles or wait until you get back to Paris. There’s no wrong answer.
Once back in Paris, it’s time to visit one of the most iconic museums in the world: The Louvre. While the museum will undoubtedly be backed, try not to let that stop you from enjoying it.
Not a big fan of art? The building itself is a former palace and absolutely stunning. I think I enjoyed marveling at the architecture of the building more than some of the actual paintings. I followed a self guided walking tour of the Louvre to make my visit efficient, but not too long winded. Without the tour giving me context, I’m sure I would have been bored.
The evening is once again yours to explore. Eat a nice dinner, find a park to enjoy a picnic, or consider taking a sight seeing boat. While touristy, these sight seeing boats are great way to see Paris. I took mine at night and the city was just beautiful. As a note, your Paris Museum Pass does NOT cover this boat trip. It is one of the few additional things you will need to pay for.
Day 3 – Île de la Cité
It’s the halfway point of your five days in Paris and today we’re spending it at the birthplace of the city. The Île de la Cité is the island in the middle of the Seine River and it’s in this area that Paris was born. This island, and its immediate surroundings, house three phenomenal stops: Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle, and the Archeological Crypt.
Visit Sainte Chapelle early when you can admire the stained glass without crowds of tourists. This chapel was built to house Jesus’s crown of thrones and the stained glass windows tell the stories of the Bible. A visit here can be quick, but the chapel is beautiful.
A short walk away on the actual island where Paris was founded sits Notre Dame and the Archeological Crypt. Most people just visit Notre Dame and skip the Archeological Crypt. However, the Paris Museum Pass gets you into the Archeological Crypt for free, so why not make a quick stop while you’re here? The Archeological Crypt allows you to walk through the ancient Roman ruins that Paris was built upon. While you’re down here, you’ll wonder why more people aren’t visiting (especially because you’ll exit and be surrounded by people again).
Notre Dame is a magnificent 14th century cathedral that has become one of the symbols of Paris. Unfortunately due to a fire in April 2019, much of the Cathedral is closed and is not expected to be open until December 2024. While you can’t enter the cathedral, you can still admire the structure from the exterior.
By now, you’ve probably worked up an appetite. The good news is, you should have absolutely no problem finding a cafe nearby to grab a bite to eat.
After lunch, hop over to the Conciergerie to see this fortress which includes the cell where Marie Antoinette was kept. Don’t worry, your Paris Museum Pass covers this entrance fee too.
In the late afternoon, you have your choice. There’s room to squeeze in one more museum. Since you have your Paris Museum Pass, it makes sense to pop into at least one more, even if it’s just for a little bit. Consider visiting another art museum like the Pompidou Center, Museé Rodin, or Museé de Cluny.
Day 4 – More Iconic Parisian sights
There’s so much to see in Paris that it can feel impossible to take it all in, even in a 5 day itinerary. But with careful planning it’s all possible. Today we’re wrapping up the last of our sights and they are a bit scattered across the city. You can walk between all the sights, but for efficiency, plan to buy some tickets for the Metro.
Start in the morning at the Pantheon and see Napoleon’s final resting place.
After, take the metro across the city to climb up the Arc di Triomphe for fantastic views of Paris. And before you get freaked out about crossing through the massive roundabout—you don’t have to. Before you cross the street, look around. There are entrances that will allow you to go down, under the street, and under the roundabout, to reach the Arc di Triomphe.
Finally, it’s time. Head over to the Eiffel tower. Gaze up at Paris’s most iconic sight. For a great experience I recommend either a picnic or splurging on a cafe with a view. You’re in Paris and what better way to celebrate everything you’ve done in the last four days.
You can head up the Eiffel Tower, but your Paris Museum Pass does not cover this entrance fee. You will need to pay for this separately. By visiting the Arc di Triomphe or Sacre Cœur in Montmartre, you’ll have several amazing views of the city (with Paris’s most iconic symbol in your photographs!) Even if you don’t want to go up to the tower, you can go through the security check point and get some really cool views from underneath the tower.
If you want to go up the Eiffel Tower, make sure to reserve your spot in advance to avoid wasting time in line.
Day 5 – Another Day Trip from Paris
It’s the last of your five days in Paris and your Paris Museum Pass will have expired. So, you have a great excuse to include another day trip in your Paris itinerary. You have several options, but Chartres can be a very easy one. Chartres is an hour away from Paris by train and offers a nice French town away from the hustle and bustle of Paris. The main thing to see here is it’s iconic Cathedral. If you can, take the tour. It lasts about one hour and provides an excellent history of the cathedral as well as shows you how to “read” the windows.
Since a trip to Chartres can be done in a half day, you still have the afternoon free. Head back to Paris in the early afternoon and wander through Montmartre. This area is home to many artists and features one more iconic sight: Sacre Cœur. Since this church is not included in the Paris Museum pass, it makes sense to leave this to a day where your pass is no longer valid.
Just a note, most of Paris is very flat and walkable. Sacre Cœur sits on the top of a hill and can feel like a bit of a hike to get to the church, especially after not walking up any hills for the past few days.
With Less Time
With four days – Cut the day trip to Chartres. I still recommend seeing Montmartre, but you can easily explore the area any evening. Your itinerary might feel slightly busier than with five days in Paris, but you’ll still get to see all of the major sights.
More Notes on the Paris Museum Pass
Many sights now days require timed entry reservations. When you purchase a ticket online, you will pick a time slot to go with it. For users of the Paris Museum Pass, there will be an option to make a free reservation. You will still be held to that time slot, but you do not have to pay for it.
When I visited Paris, I didn’t need timed reservations and I just showed up with my Paris Museum Pass whenever I wanted. It was a lot more convenient, but it’s no longer quite that easy. So here’s what I recommend for timed entry reservations. These are based on my experience (of how long I felt like I needed at each sight) and factors in travel time between sights.
Museé d’Orsay – Day 1, 2:00pm or later
Museé d’Orangerie – Day 1, 3:30pm or later
Palace of Versailles – Day 2, First entry of the day
Le Louvre – Day 2, 2:00pm
Sainte Chapelle – Day 3, 9:00am, First entry of the day
Archeological Museum – Day 3, 10:30am
Additional Museum (Rodin, Pompidou, or Cluny) – Day 3, 2:00 pm
Conciergerie – Day 4, 9:30 am, First entry of the day
Pantheon – Day 4, 11:00 am
Arc di Triomphe – Day 4, 2:00 pm
Eiffel Tower – Day 4, 4:00 pm – **not covered by your Paris Museum Pass
Final Thoughts
Five days is longer than I typically spend in any city. In many cities, I find myself bored after two days. Paris was different. With some many incredible sights, and the efficiency of the Paris Museum Pass, it wasn’t until the end of day 5 that I started to feel like I was ready to move on. There’s a lot to discover in this city, and even with five days in Paris, you won’t cover it all.
Continue Your Adventure
More in Paris: Not everyone has five days in Paris, so if you have less than five days, check out my two day Paris itinerary. And if you find yourself with a layover, check out my guide to A Layover in Paris.
Loire Valley: This region of France is famous for its castles, or chateaux. Learn which chateaux to visit (and which to skip) and how you can plan your car free visit to the Loire Valley.
France Trains: Whether you are taking a day trip from Paris or traversing the entire country, learn everything you need to know about Trains in France.
France: For more about France, check out my France Travel Guide.
Europe in 10 Days: Starting in Paris, travel to Belgium before finishing in Amsterdam on this amazing 10 Days in Paris, Belgium, and Amsterdam Itinerary.