3 Days in Paris: Best Things to Do

We couldn’t start this list any other way. If you’ve heard of Paris, you’ve heard of the Eiffel Tower. And if you’ve heard of the Eiffel Tower, you don’t need us to tell you to visit. But just make sure you do. It’s huge, it’s worth the hype, and it’s insanely impressive.

The loftiest structure in Paris, it measures in at over 1000 feet, dominating the city’s skyline. In person, it looks much bigger than you’d expect from photos—and the views from its top are incredible. 

Useful tip: As you’ve probably guessed, the Eiffel Tower is often mega busy. You can (and should!) avoid the often-huge lines by booking an e-ticket in advance here.No actual ‘skip-the-line’ tickets exist.

Useful tip 2: If you want the best views of the Eiffel Tower, head to the Arc de Triomphe, which is plonked right in the middle of a roundabout. If you can dodge the traffic to get there, climb to the top of the Arc for the city’s most impressive view of the tower

Again, you’ve all heard of the Louvre. But again, it’s absolutely one of the best places to visit in Paris.

One of the most impressive art galleries in the world, the place is home to over 35, 000 pieces of art and almost 400, 000 objects. Some of its most prized assets include the Mona Lisa (of course!), Michaelangelo’s David, The Venus de Milo and stuff from Caravaggio, Raphael, and plenty more from Da Vinci.

Useful tip: The Louvre is absolutely massive. So on a visit, you always feel like you’re looking for something rather than looking at something. To get the best out of the gallery and its exhibits, visit the Louvre with a guide.

Useful tip 2: Just like with the Eiffel Tower, it’s a good idea to get a line pass. Consider the Paris Pass, or book an e-ticket with a time slot. To avoid long lines without buying a pass, visit on early weekday mornings or late weekday afternoons.

As a symbol France’s national power, the Arc de Triomphe was requested by Napoleon Bonaparte in order to commemorate the victory during the Battle of Austerlitz in 1806.Today it commemorates the First World War and hosts the Flame of the Unknown Soldier.

The Arc de Triomphe overlooks Paris in general, and the Avenue des Champs-Elysées in particular, which is known to be the most beautiful street in the whole world.

The Champs-Elysées is also a great place for shopping because it gathers the biggest French and international brands.

Schedule: Every day from 10 AM to 10:30 PM (last access 45 minutes before closure).

Full price: 12€knock-off rate: 10€ (young people from 18 to 25 years old, tourism professionnal, and foreign teachers)Free for people under 18 years old and for people between 18 and 25 years old from European Union countries as well as for disabled people and their helpers.

Arc de Triomphe: Metro Charles de Gaulle-Etoile (lines 1, 2, 6, RER A)Champs-Elysées: Franklin Roosevelt (line 1), George V (line 1) or Champs-Elysées – Clémenceau (lines 1 and 13)For more information about the Arc de Triomphe, you can check its official website.

>> Book a tour of the Arc de Triomphe (and skip the line) <<

This is a relatively small chapel that is not too far from Notre Dame, but the interior, which consists of almost floor to ceiling stained glass, is absolutely outstanding. It will definitely take your breath away.

The 13th century Saint Chapelle is quite popular, and the small size and mandatory security checks mean that the line to get in can be long. This is why I have put it on my list as the first thing for your second day in Paris – you want to get here early, ideally get in line ten – fifteen minutes before the opening time. After all, no-one wants to spend their time standing in lines.

There’s a fee to enter Saint Chapelle, which is also free to holders of the Paris Pass. You can also buy tickets online in advance here. There’s also a combination ticket for Sainte Chapelle and the Conciergerie here, which is worth visiting.

No more than ten minutes walk from Sainte Chapelle is Paris’s most famous religious building, known for her flying buttresses, twin towers and, of course, hunchback resident.

You will definitely see two out of those three when you visit Notre Dame, the major Catholic cathedral in Paris. Construction of this magnificent building took nearly two hundred years, and was completed in 1345.

Unfortunately, on April 15th 2019 a devastating fire seriously damaged Notre Dame. The cathedral will be closed for the foreseeable future as a result of this tragic incident. We certainly think it is worth visiting the facade, but as you can’t go inside at the moment, you might wish to visit another nearby attraction like the Conciergerie (where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned) as well.

If you manage to tear yourself away from Versailles, my suggestion for finishing off your last day in Paris is to head to the Montmartre region. This is home to a large hill, atop which sits the glorious Sacre Coeur de Montmartre, another of Paris’s iconic buildings.

This area of Paris was particularly famous as being home to artists, and folks like Dali, Picasso and Hemingway all either lived or frequented this area. It’s still popular with artists, and the Place du Teatre is the place in Montmartre is the place to go to get your portrait or caricature painted. Fans of Dali will also want to visit the Dali Exhibition, home of the largest collection of works by Dali in France.

Montmartre is a maze of cute little streets, cafes and shops. The Basilica is free to visit, if you get here in time, although there is a small fee if you want to climb the tower.Montmartre is also a popular place to watch the sunset across the city, and what better way to finish your 3 days in Paris than by watching the sun set across this magical city from atop Montmartre?

Apart from all the historical landmarks and monuments, you could also glance at the best views in Paris near its rivers and canals; that’s why you should try and spare some time for walking!Come and stroll around the spots below:

You should definitely try a night stroll too! Otherwise, you can always pick a spot where you can have a picnic or a nearby cafe where you can have a snack. Spend the time ‘crowd watching’, or just simply bask away in the atmosphere of Paris and its residents.

Some of the best are Luxembourg Gardens (which has a vast, beautiful palace), Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Jardin des Plantes (with its botanical gardens), Parc Monceau, Parc Floral de Paris (which is more like an art gallery than a park), and loads more.

Compared to many other big, populated cities, Paris has a huge number of green spaces, and they all have lots of peaceful pockets for escaping the busy bustle of Paris. If you’re in Paris long-term with a partner or kids, this is one of the best things to do in Paris.

Source: iamaileen.com, thehomelike.com, findingtheuniverse.com
📷 Ana Esakia