If you’re wondering what to do in Paris in 4 days, I’ve put together the ultimate guide with more than 30 things to see in Paris. Get ready to savour the City of Lights with this 4 day Paris itinerary.
How To Spend Four Days in Paris
Why Bother Visiting Paris?
Where should we begin? The world class food or the world class architecture? The history that reaches into almost every part of the world or the icons we all grew up with? The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Mona Lisa and Notre Dame?
Trouble is, the whole world knows about this city, which is why it helps to plan ahead and avoid frustrating crowds. Also, be ready to open your mind beyond the classics. For Paris is a modern city, with innovative design, fashion, food, sport and architecture. Never mind 4 days in Paris, you could fill a lifetime with everything you can find in the City of Lights.
However, if four days is all you have, then four days is all you have. Let’s make the most of it with this 4 day Paris itinerary.
If you book or buy through the links on this page, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Cheers!
When to Visit Paris
Honestly, there’s never a bad time to visit Paris. I’ve travelled there during every season there is and you’ll always find stunning ways to fill 4 days in Paris.
That said, spring and early autumn are the easiest to enjoy. In the summer months of July and August, tourist crowds and prices increase and many places still close down. And the winter, while beautiful, can feel cold and barren in places that otherwise ooze with laid back charm in the warmer months.
So, if I had to answer the question when is the best time to visit Paris? I’d plump for spring or autumn.
How to Reach Paris
As one of the world’s major cities, Paris is served by all the major transport networks.
Rail
International train services connect across Europe, including the Eurostar rail service which runs from St Pancras International to Gare du Nord in approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes.
From Brussels, the Thalys train also connects to Gare du Nord in around 1 hour and 30 minutes. For those coming from Germany, high-speed trains from Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich offer direct connections to Paris’s Gare de l’Est or Gare de Lyon.
Air
Flights from cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago frequently land at Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) or Orly Airport (ORY), with a flight duration of about 7 to 11 hours depending on the departure city. From CDG, travelers can take the RER B train directly to central Paris, or opt for a taxi or shuttle service. Similarly, from Orly, the Orlyval light rail connects to the RER B at Antony station, facilitating relatively easy access to central Paris.
Ferry & Car from the UK
For those traveling to Paris from the UK via ferry, there are several convenient options. Ferries from Dover to Calais, operated by companies like P&O Ferries and DFDS Seaways, take about 1.5 hours. Once in Calais, the drive to Paris is approximately 3 hours via the A16 and A1 motorways. Alternatively, the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle offers a quick 35-minute journey from Folkestone to Calais for those traveling with a car. Another popular ferry route is from Portsmouth to Le Havre, with a crossing time of around 5.5 hours, followed by a 2.5-hour drive to Paris via the A13 motorway.
Bus
Bus travel is an economical option for reaching Paris. Companies like FlixBus and Eurolines operate services from most of the major European cities. From London, the bus journey typically takes around 8 to 9 hours, with departures from Victoria Coach Station arriving at Paris Bercy Seine or Gallieni bus stations.
From Brussels, the bus ride is around 4 hours, while from Amsterdam, it’s approximately 7 hours. For longer trips from cities like Barcelona, the journey can take around 14 hours. Buses offer relatively comfortable seating, Wi-Fi, and rest stops, making them a viable option for budget-conscious travellers with time on their side.
How To Get Around Paris
Central Paris is surprisingly easy to walk around and you’ll only really need the Metro or taxis for a few places that are further away – as long as you have comfy footwear.
The Paris Metro is reasonably clean and easy to use, although something of a nightmare with pushchairs for young children or for anyone requiring a wheelchair.
Want a little more detail?
The Paris Metro
The Paris Métro is one of the busiest and oldest underground transit systems in the world. Officially inaugurated in 1900, the Métro has 16 lines, each identified by a number and colour, spanning over 220 kilometers of tracks and comprising 302 stations.
The system is renowned for its Art Nouveau station entrances designed by Hector Guimard, a distinctive feature of Parisian architecture.
The Métro operates daily from around 5:30 AM to 1:15 AM (2:15 AM on weekends), with trains running at intervals of approximately 2-5 minutes.
Key interchange stations, known as “correspondances,” facilitate easy transfers between lines, making it an efficient way to navigate the city.
Serving millions of passengers daily, the Paris Métro connects major landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower (via Bir-Hakeim on Line 6), the Louvre (Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre on Line 1), and Notre-Dame Cathedral (Cité on Line 4).
Should You Buy a Paris Pass?
With 4 days in Paris, it’s worth considering a Paris Pass, something I very rarely recommend!
The pass includes a Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour and entry to over 60 attractions including the Palace of Versailles and Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre Museum, Orsay Museum (which used to be a railway station) and Centre Pompidou. The Pompidou centre usually attracts crowds for the artists and performers who congregate there – a bit like Covent Garden in London.
The pass also includes a Bateaux Parisiens river cruise, and unlimited public transport use. You can take the RER (Paris overground) to the Château de Vincennes where the remains of England’s Henry V were barrelled up to be returned to England after he died there of something nasty.
4 Days in Paris Itinerary For First Timers
I’ve designed this 4 days in Paris itinerary with first timers in mind. That said, if it’s been a while since your first visit, it’s probably worth doing again! If, however, you’re a regular in the City of Lights then check out this guide to unusual things to do in Paris instead.
Day One: The Classics
The Louvre
Visit the Louvre first thing in the morning on day one just to get you in the mood. Home to the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory and the Venus de Milo, it would take you more than 100 days to see everything, but let’s start with just an hour or two. Expect long queues and long lines to see the Mona Lisa unless you book your ticket in advance – which you can do here.xx
Even if you decide to skip the inside of the museum to save time, the glass pyramid is a sight worth seeing in its own right.
Tuileries & Place de la Concorde
From the Louvre, enjoy the short walk through the Tuileries Gardens to the world-famous Place de la Concorde. It was hear that the bloody executions of the French Revolution took place, and Marie Antoinette lost her head. However, since then, the place has been renamed as the place of agreement and friendship. These days, it’s often a snarl of traffic but worth visiting en route to Notre Dame. From here, you should be able to see your first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower.
Pont Neuf to Notre Dame
Cross the River Seine on Pont Neuf and head towards Notre-Dame Cathedral. Pont Neuf is Paris’ oldest standing bridge (although the name actually means ‘new bridge’) and Notre Dame used to be the most visited historical site in Paris.
Since the damaging fire, you need to check ahead to see when it will reopen. However, even if you can’t enter this burial chamber for former Kings and Queens, you can walk around the outside and get a sense of scale and size.
While here on the Ile de la Cite, it’s worth the short detour to the nearby Ile St. Louis for a spot of lunch and some shopping for Parisian souvenirs.
L’Orangerie
Take your time over lunch, before walking back to the Musée de l’Orangerie to see the Monet’s Nymphéas or waterlilies. They’re not the only art on show in this bright and fascinating museum, but they absolutely are the must-see. The curved walls of the galleries were purposefully designed to showcase this art and there’s something mesmerising about wall to wall lilies that still remains so different to other works of art.
Champs Élsées & Arc de Triomphe
Walk along the Champs Élysées, a grand leafy boulevard, to reach the Arc de Triomphe and the tomb of the unknown soldier. This is one of the grandest streets in Paris, with designer shops and high end restaurants filling its pavements and high profile events like the end of the Tour de France filling its street.
It’s a good place to stop for dinner before climbing the Arc de Triomphe for sunset, depending on the time of year of your visit.
Remember your trip for years to come with these quality, meaningful Paris souvenirs.
Day Two Paris Itinerary: Cafés & Culture
Channel Your Inner Philosopher at St Germain de Prés
Early morning in St Germain de Prés summons up the romance of the literary and philosophical age. Have breakfast, or strong coffee at least, at either Les Deux Magots or Café de Flore and explore the Latin Quarter. Twas here that the likes of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir enjoyed their tête-à-têtes and you can soak up some of that bygone age at breakfast before the tourists arrive.
Institut du Monde Arabe and the Paris Hammam
For an intriguing look at modern Paris and ancient traditions, visit the Paris Mosque on 39 Rue Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire and bring your swimsuit. It’s a sex-segregated hammam with steam rooms and invigorating black scrubs set in gorgeous buildings with a gentle mint tea cafe.
After that, for lunch, try the Institut du Monde Arabe on 1 Rue des Fosses Saint Bernard. The panoramic restaurant gives great views of the city and is one of my favourite unusual things to do in Paris.
The Eiffel Tower and Around
And now it’s time for the classic. Queues aside, I believe that everyone should try to climb the Eiffel Tower at least once in their lives. Just walking around the shadows and shimmers of its base gives me a shiver of a thrill even now.
For the best views of the tower, though you have two main option. The first is to head to the pretty area of Trocadero across the Seine. The second is to head to the Tour Montparnasse. This is one of the ugliest towers in Paris, if not the world, but it has a sky high restaurant and bar with great views of the Eiffel Tower at sunset.
An Evening in Montmartre and the Moulin Rouge
If you’re visiting in winter when the evening darkness arrives early, then I’d suggest skipping the Paris Mosque in the morning and heading to Montmartre instead to catch the daylight.
However, at all other times of year, head to Montmartre in the late afternoon and early evening and relax and make the most of this beautiful, beautiful area.
The white tulip dome of the Sacre Coeur dazzles in its own right but then turn around to see one of the best views in Paris spread out before you.
By day, postcard-pretty Montmartre often throngs with caricaturists and crowds but by the evening, the crowd thins and the cosy cafes and bistros welcome diners with enthusiasm anew.
The Moulin Rouge lives close to Montmartre, its striking red windmill lights bright in the sky. Despite the poetic references throughout history, I’ve always found it a little seedy. So I’d suggest just walking by to see the windmill – and then to keep on walking.
Day Three Paris Itinerary: Versailles
Don’t make the same mistake as me and wait for too long to see Versailles! Yes, it’s a day trip from Paris but it’s a short and easy hour long journey on the RER train to Versailles-Château – Rive Gauche.
The Palace of Versailles is, of course, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But it seems as though it should be more than one. It is so vast and so ornate. Don’t miss the Hall of Mirrors, the Royal Opera and the chambers of Marie Antoinette. Let them eat cake indeed…
Ideally, leave yourself an entire day to explore and understand Versailles and her gardens. A visit here really does leave you with a much better idea of France’s history, view of herself and place in the world.
Where to Eat in Paris? Some Unique Ideas
- At Bouillon Chartier, 59 boulevard du Montparnasse, the dining room is full of Art Nouveau charm, a vast space with high ceilings, soaring mirrors, brass rails, and a gallery with carved balustrades. Along the walls are wooden armouries with small, numbered drawers where regulars once stored their couverts, or silverware and napkins; this is the place old Paris comes to life, and the food is good too.
- Lunch at Luxembourg Gardens. Grab a baguette to take away and enjoy your lunch on the park benches of this 17th-century garden.
Day Trips From Paris For Your 4 Day Paris Itinerary
If you’re adventurous and energetic you can conquer the main sights in three days and dedicate the fourth to trips outside Paris.
Disneyland Paris & Parc Asterix
Perhaps no family trip to Paris would be complete without visiting Disneyland Paris. Situated just outside the city, access is possible by car, train and shuttle bus.
Disneyland is as you would expect it to be: just like the American version but perhaps with a little more panache.
For a more French but no less fun theme park, head to Ancient Gaul at Parc Asterix! Check out our review of the incredible time we had at Parc Asterix here.
The Palace of Fontainebleau
Paris is full of royal palaces but this one homed one iconic Napoleon Bonaparte. In 1812 Pope Pius VII was held prisoner at Fontainebleau, but ‘prisoner’ was a misleading term, as Napoleon gave the Pope a lavish apartment in which to spend his last years.
In 1814 Napoleon was stripped of his right to live in Fontainebleau as part of the 1814 Treaty of Fontainebleau and Napoleon was exiled to the island of Elba.
- To reach Fontainebleau, take a Transilien train from Gare de Lyon heading towards Migennes, Montargis or Montereau. The journey is straightforward and should take around 40 minutes.
Take a Food Tour
One of the best ways to see Paris, well, any city is to take a good food tour. You’ll often visit fresh markets and off the beaten track eateries where locals really go. xx
They’re great options for solo travellers as you get to make friends, and pretty good for families, too, as you can try lots of different foods.
Evening tours tend to include alcoholic drinks, so perhaps keep the little ones away from those.
Where to Stay in Paris
Paris has so many beautiful hotels and luxurious houses available for your stay. It also has a whole load of overpriced, stuffy, shabby and downright unpleasant places, too.
But while you will find some of the world’s top luxury hotels here, you don’t have to stay there to have a great time.
Hôtel du Continent at 30, rue du Mont Thabor. The Hotel is designed by the famous couturier and designer Christian Lacroix. Ask for a room on the Arctic floor. A little crazy but also lovely.
For a totally grand hotel stay, check in to The Ritz Paris a famous 5-star hotel popular with film stars and celebrities alike. Just remember you won’t be allowed in without a tie.
More on Travel in France
Discover plenty of unusual things to do in France with our unique look at the country, this list of interesting facts about France and out guide to what France is famous for.
More on Travel in Paris
We hate tacky souvenirs, but as you’d imagine, France offers something a little more chic in terms of the souvenirs you can find in Paris. Finally, have you seen and done everything we’ve mentioned here? Then it’s time to check out our guide to unusual things to do in Paris here. Finally, check out our guide to visiting Paris with kids.