Vacation in Paris - Travel guide with 3-day itinerary!

Paris, the cosmopolitan city where famous artists, poets, writers have managed over time to find inspiration in the beauty present at every step. Nicknamed the city of lights or the city of lovers, the capital of France is the place where culture meets history and good taste. A short getaway is enough to fall irreparably in love with this vibrant, sophisticated and elegant city. 

Transport

Depending on the airport where you will land, there are several transfer options to get to the city center. Below are the main methods. 

Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)

Train: a fast and fairly cheap transfer option. The RER B train runs from Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) every 10 – 20 minutes and a journey takes around 50 minutes to reach the city centre. Tickets cost 10 euros each way and can be purchased from the ticket offices located in the arrivals terminal.

Bus: there are three bus lines you can choose from during the day. The most direct line is the Roissybus, which will take you directly to the city center. Other alternative options are lines 351 and 350 which make several stops along the way. At night there are two bus lines, N 140 and N 143. The ticket price is between 6 - 11.50 euros, depending on the chosen line, and the journey takes 80 minutes.

Taxi:  from Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) taxis are charged at a fixed rate. It will cost you €55 to travel on the Right Bank of Paris and €60 to travel on the Left Bank. A journey lasts around 50 minutes.

Paris Beauvais Airport 

Bus: there is a direct bus that will drop you directly in the city center. The ticket price is 16.90 euros, and the journey lasts around 90 minutes.

Train: The train is the best option if you are staying near Gare du Nord. There is no train station at Beauvais airport, so you will need to take a bus or taxi to get to the train station. The train journey takes about an hour and a half and ends at Paris Nord Station (Gare du Nord). The price is about 13€.

Taxi: Due to the distance between Beauvais airport and Paris, the prices are quite high, being between €170 during the day and €210 at night. The journey takes about an hour and a half, depending on traffic.

With what are you moving around Paris?

Public transport is the easiest way to move from one point to another. 

Metro it is the fastest method of travel, there are links with all points of tourist interest. The price of a ticket for a single trip is 1.90 euros and a subscription for a day with unlimited trips costs 5.80 euros, also the purchase of the Paris Pass tourist card offers unlimited trips on the metro. You can find more details on the website RATP.fr. 

The bus is another transportation alternative that, unlike the subway, offers you the chance to admire the beauty of the city even when you're on the road. The tickets are the same as those for the subway, so you don't have to worry about this.

Paris Pass

If you want to visit several tourist attractions, the most appropriate would be to purchase a Paris Pass tourist card. It offers a lot of advantages and significant discounts for various tourist activities. You can save both time and money with the Paris Pass, one of the main advantages being free and unlimited transport in the Paris public transport network (metro, buses). The card includes free entry or with significant discounts to most museums in Paris, free entry or discounts to other attractions, discounts to various shops and many other benefits. Prices start at 89 euros for a card valid for two days, but you can find more information here.

Where are you staying in Paris?

Hotels in Paris can have quite high prices, but it is not impossible to find a friendly option with your budget. If you want to explore the city, you can opt for an accommodation relatively close to the central area, about 2-3 km, thus managing to find the best price. Here are some accommodation options that we recommend:

Hotel Inn Design Paris Place d'Italie: located in arrondissement 13, just 250m from the metro station, this 3-star hotel offers all the necessary facilities for a successful vacation. The price of a double room starts from 95 euros, with the possibility of having breakfast at the hotel. 

Hotel Rivoli: this hotel located in an old building with specific Parisian architecture is only 1.4 km from the Louvre museum. The price of a double room is 120 euros and the hotel is located in an area with easy access to the subway, restaurants and numerous tourist attractions.

Hotel Cosmos: with all the necessary facilities, this accommodation will offer you an excellent quality-price ratio. The price of a double room is 121 euros and for only 8 euros you can have breakfast directly at the hotel to start your day with energy. 

Day 1

Eiffel Tower

The most famous symbol of the city, Eiffel Tower it can be an excellent start for your little escape in Paris. Considered by many at the beginning as a strange monument of Paris, useless and even unaesthetic, this tower has come to be loved by both locals and tourists over time. Millions of tourists climb the tower every year, being equipped with 3 platforms at different heights to admire the city. We recommend that you go as early as possible in the morning to avoid the extremely long queues that form in almost any season. The tower can be visited throughout the day, starting at 9.30 in the morning, and the rates start from 10 euros to climb the stairs to the second platform, a ticket for the last platform with the elevator being 25 euros.

Orsay Museum

Once the visit is over, we recommend a walk through the Trocadero gardens and then a visit to  Orsay Museum, one of the most famous art museums in Europe. The former train station and the former hotel, now turned into a museum, house works of art by famous painters, including Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cezanne and Rodin. The museum is open from 9.30 in the morning and closes around 5 in the afternoon (Thursday until 9 in the evening), and a ticket costs 17 euros. 

The Tuilleries Gardens

Another wonderful place located in the vicinity are The Tuilleries Gardens. A walk through the oldest and most famous French park will take you directly to the Louvre Museum, an objective that requires more time to visit, for this reason we recommend that you take at least half a day to do this. 

Louvre

Louvre it is a real cultural experience, not just a simple museum. Although you need a few days to fully explore all the collections and admire each work of art separately, we recommend that you make a concise plan to be able to see as many of the exhibits that interest you as possible. You need at least 4-5 hours to enjoy the true experience offered by this place full of culture. The entrance to the museum is in the eastern part of the Tuileries Gardens, under the famous glass pyramid. One of the largest and richest museums in the world was at the beginning a small fortress, then a royal palace, to later house the royal art collections. Here you will be able to admire some of the most famous works of art including: Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, Venus of Milo or Liberty leading the people by Eugène Delacroix. The more than 30,000 exhibited works are arranged in three wings with four floors and seven main sectors. The Louvre Museum is open daily (closed on Tuesdays), between 9 am and 6 pm (on Thursdays it is open until 9.45 pm), and the ticket costs 17 euros online or 15 euros if purchased on the spot.

Champs Elysees

After a visit full of culture and new information, we recommend a walk on the famous boulevard Champs Elysees, which became a symbol for the world of fashion and good taste. In addition to the luxurious shops, you can admire the superb architecture, specific to the city of Paris. We recommend you to take some time and stop by Avenue Winston Churchill to admire Grand Palais and Petit Palais, two sensational monuments built in 1900 for the Universal Exhibition, which currently house museums and unique exhibitions in the world.

In the evening we recommend a walk through Trocadero and Champ de Mars gardens. For a Parisian experience, you can stop for a picnic while you admire how the lights of the tower come on, the atmosphere being truly magical.

Day 2

The Pantheon in Paris

You can start your day with a visit to the Pantheon in Paris, originally built as a church in 1744 by King Louis XV. This construction was erected as a sign of gratitude for his recovery after a serious illness. Currently, it is the resting place of many great French personalities such as Honoré Mirabeau, Jean-Jacques Rousseau or Victor Hugo.

The Pantheon is open from April 1 to September 30 between 10:00 and 18:30 and from October 1 to March 31 from 10:00 to 18:00. The price of a ticket is 11.50 euros for adults and access for people under 18 is free.

Notre-Dame Cathedral

We recommend a walk on Ile from Cite, the place where the development of the city started. The most famous attraction of the island is Notre-Dame Cathedral, a symbol of Paris, its construction lasting over 200 years. A masterpiece of Gothic architecture, Notre Dame opens daily for visits starting at 8 in the morning and closes before 7 in the evening. Access is free, but there are also areas for which you have to pay a visitation fee. Near the cathedral you can also admire iconic buildings for this city such as The Palace of Justice or Sainte Chapelle.

Picasso Museum

Picasso Museum, includes an impressive collection of works by the master Pablo Picasso, thousands of paintings, drawings, ceramics and other works of art, as well as works by other artists from Picasso's personal collection. In a chronological presentation, the museum also presents photographs, manuscripts or personal objects of the artist to create a complete context. The Picasso Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 10.30 and 18 (on weekends from 9.30), and the price of the entrance ticket is 14 euros.

Galeries Lafayette

A place you should not miss is the Galeries Lafayette. With a rich history that began in 1852, the Galeries Lafayette are an objective not to be missed, especially by shopping enthusiasts. Here you will have the opportunity to admire the Art Nouveau architecture in all its splendor but also to find the newest designer collections.

To end the day with a unique experience, you can opt for a cruise on the Seine. Sunset is perhaps the most romantic moment to start discovering the city, the lights slowly turn on while the city is shrouded in mystery. There are many options from which to choose prices starting with 10 euros for a one-hour walk.

Day 3

Montmartre & Pietra Tertre

Montmartre, the bohemian neighborhood where over time an impressive number of French and foreign artists have found their inspiration. A walk along the charming streets full of houses, workshops, cafes, art galleries, theaters and markets, you will discover famous names of established artists.

Tertre Market, a place full of street artists, but also Picasso's Studio, the Dali Space, Van Gogh's houses, represent unique places that should not be missed, especially by art lovers. Montmartre is the perfect place where you can buy unique items, unique souvenirs made by local artists and artisans or even art objects, books, old records for those passionate about antiquities. For a moment of respite and an authentic experience, we recommend you to stop at one of the cafes that line the streets of Montmartre.

Sacre-Coeur Basilica

It is also in this fascinating neighborhood Sacre-Coeur Basilica, a monument not to be missed. It impresses with its elegant Roman-Byzantine style architecture, representing a tribute to the martyrs but also a promise of faith. The Sacre Coeur Basilica is open every day, and the entrance is free, with the exception of the dome where you can reach it on a narrow external staircase that leads to a panorama that will leave you speechless.

Montmartre Museum

Museum Montmartre it is the place where you will learn more about the history of the place, that's why we recommend you to visit it. Open daily from 10 to 6 or 7 in the evening, the museum itself was the home of many artists and includes paintings, drawings, photographs and manuscripts about the history of the neighborhood. The ticket for adults costs 15 euros.

To really get into the bohemian atmosphere of Paris and to end this excursion in an unforgettable way, we recommend you attend a show in one of the famous Montmartre locations. There are many options, but a cabaret show like the famous Moulin Rouge show will be an experience you will definitely remember. 

Moulin Rouge

The famous cabaret, known throughout the world, was first a mill, built in 1885, later being transformed into a dance hall, something that scandalized the respectable citizens and attracted artists and bohemians to Montmartre. This place, known especially for Can-Can shows, was immortalized in several paintings by Toulouse-Lautrec. The prices for a show in this famous location start from 100 euros, but the experience will definitely be worth it.

cuisine

French gastronomy is recognized worldwide, and Paris is the best destination for a varied experience. Hundreds of famous restaurants continue the tradition of French cuisine and refinement is the word that best describes French dishes. If you want a traditional culinary experience, we recommend you try dishes such as:

Quiche Lorraine a savory tart served cold, with a crispy and crumbly dough on the outside, is traditionally filled with bacon, cheese and a mixture of beaten egg and cream resulting in a delicious combination of crunchy and creamy textures.

Coq au Vin a traditional rooster dish, hence the name. The meat is cooked with butter, red wine and beef stock. The dish is beautifully enhanced by a glass of Pinot Noir wine

Ratatouille a kind of vegetable stew specific to the Provence region. Contains aubergines, onions, courgettes, peppers and tomatoes. A light and delicate dish that surprises with its simplicity.

Crêpes this specifically French pancake can be served sweet or salty, this kind of food manages to impress with its simplicity, being a kind of food for any person's taste.

Where do you eat in Paris?

Se'bon (rue d'Orsel 62) – In an extremely pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, it is a restaurant with excellent reviews, the owner being a well-known chef. A restaurant with few seats but with a high-class offer and good prices compared to the quality. An appetizer costs around 12 euros, a main dish up to 20 euros and the dessert around 8 euros.

L'Ange 20 (rue des Tournelles 44) – A welcoming restaurant with moderate prices, but with a varied and delicious menu and a welcoming atmosphere. The prices are fixed, a starter costs 10 euros and a main dish 20 euros.

Les Apotres de Pigalle (rue Germain Pilon 2) – Extremely popular, this small and chic restaurant has as its main attraction tapas of all possible varieties. The prices are moderate, a main course costing around 15 euros.

LINKS:

Transport

Tourist cards

Accommodation

Tourist spots

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