Visiting The Top Attractions In Paris – 5 Insiders Itineraries

There's a lot to see in Paris… and we mean a LOT! It seems that no matter how many days you have in the City of Light there's not enough time to see everything you wanted to. So, we've taken that big list of must-see Paris attractions and grouped them together to create manageable half-day and full-day itineraries. Our best advice? To see a lot and have more fun doing it sign up for guided tours of museums, walking tours of Paris neighborhoods, or food & wine tours. They are the best ways to experience Paris. It's how we do it!

line

Our Top-Rated Paris Attractions Tours

1. Skip-the Line Eiffel Tower Tour… Don't waste your precious time in Paris standing in line

2. The Palace & Gardens of Versailles… The opulent royal life in France

3. A Taste of Montmartre Food & Wine Tour… Culinary tour of the village on the hill

4. Louvre Masterpieces Tour… Skip the lines and go directly to the Mona Lisa

Itinerary #1: Trocadero – Eiffel Tower – Quai Branly

Trocadero – Eiffel Tower – Quai Branly The Eiffel Tower seen from Trocadero (Palais du Chaillot to left), photo by Mark Craft

Catch Metro line 6 or 9 to Trocadero station to begin your first day of exploration. We're going to start out with an iconic view of the Eiffel Tower. Exit the train and make your way up the stairs and then turn into the plaza at the Palais du Chaillot and there, in front of you, is the oh-so-popular Iron Lady.

You'll want to take a few photos, maybe even pose with the tower in the background. After you've had an eyeful, you might want to visit one of the museums located in the palais, perhaps the fascinating naval museum, Musée National de la Marine.

From the place, stroll down the hill, past the fountains and gardens, and cross the Seine to get directly to the Eiffel Tower. If you've signed up for an Eiffel Tower tour, you'll be able to follow your guide up the tower without the long wait in a ticket line. Alternatively, simply stroll beneath the tower and marvel at its size.

line

Skip-the-Line at the Louvre Museum

The Louvre's Greatest Masterpieces
Skip the lines make the most of your time in Paris with a whirlwind tour of the must-see works of art in the Louvre on this professionally-guided tour. The top choice.
Check Availability…

Louvre Skip-the-Line Tour
Head straight to the front of the line, then journey through art history on a 3-hour private Louvre visit. On this complete tour, an expert guide reveals subtle details about the artwork.
Check Availability…

The Louvre's Greatest Masterpieces
Skip the lines make the most of your time in Paris with a whirlwind tour of the must-see works of art in the Louvre on this professionally-guided tour. The top choice.
Check Availability…

line

The pedestrian bridge at Quai Branly, photo by Mark Craft The pedestrian bridge at Quai Branly, photo by Mark Craft

line

After your visit to the Eiffel Tower you have a choice to make. It's a short walk to the Musée du Quai Branly, which we think of as "the museum of the rest of the world", or you can choose to take the pedestrian bridge at Quai Branly (in front of the museum) and cross to Palais de Tokyo, home of the Museum of Modern Art of the City of Paris. We prefer the latter, and not only because it's free!

If you've had enough sightseeing for the day and want to have an authentic Paris moment, stroll to Rue Cler, also in the 7th Arrondissement, where you'll find a variety of cafés, markets, and food shops.

line

More Information about this Itinerary

line

Romantic Dinner Cruises In Paris

VIP Dinner Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens
This romantic dinner cruise includes champagne, wine & a classic meal. Choose the Service Privilege option for the best seating, best meal, and the ultimate experience.
Reserve your table…

Dinner Cruise by Maxim's of Paris
The legendary Parisian restaurant takes you on a dinner cruise complete with champagne and wine. Choose the 2-hour cruise for a stellar evening in Paris.
Check Availability…

VIP Dinner Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens
This romantic dinner cruise includes champagne, wine & a classic meal. Choose the Service Privilege option for the best seating, best meal, and the ultimate experience.
Reserve your table…

#2: Arc de Triomphe – Champs Elysées – Tuileries

Arc de Triomphe – Champs Elysées – Tuileries The Arc de Triomphe, located on a busy traffic circle

This itinerary tour starts at the top of the Arc de Triomphe, at the west end of Champs Elysées. Entry to the Arc is included with the Paris Museum Pass, or you can by a ticket online or at the entrance.

To get to the Arc take Metro line 1, 2 or 6 to the station Charles-de-Gaulle-Étoile. Once above ground, don't try to cross the traffic circle! Instead, find the stairs that take you underneath the traffic to the place on which the Arc sits. (Find the stairs on the north side of Champs-Elysées or, on the other side of the tower, on the north side of Avenue de la Grande Armée.)

The Arc de Triomphe offers one of the very best views of Paris. It's much more human-scale than the aircraft-like view from the top of the Eiffel Tower, and you have clear sight lines right up to the Louvre in one direction and La Grande Arche at the La Defénse in the other.

Take your time to get a real feel for the city. When you're done, return on the underground stairs to walk down Champs Elysées towards the Louvre, and do a bit of window shopping at Louis Vuitton and the other designer shops. From Louis Vuitton it's an easy nine-minute walk to the traffic circle at Avenue Montaigne, home to another batch of luxe shopping destinations — Christian Dior, Valentino, Chanel, Bulgari and others.

line

Two Of The Most Popular Paris Experiences

VIP Dinner Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens
This romantic, VIP dinner cruise is the #1 nighttime activity. Be sure to choose the Service Privilege option for the best seating, the most champagne, the best meal, and the ultimate experience.
Reserve your table…

Versailles with Priority Access + Gardens
Skip the long lines to experience the grandeur of Versailles on a guided tour. Stroll through the stunning gardens with your guide, then visit Marie Antoinette's estate.
More information…

The Most Popular Paris Experience

VIP Dinner Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens
This romantic, VIP dinner cruise is the #1 nighttime activity. Be sure to choose the Service Privilege option for the best seating, the most champagne, the best meal, and the ultimate experience.
Reserve your table…

line

The Petit Palais, photo by Mark Craft The Petit Palais, photo by Mark Craft

line

But you can't shop forever, especially at these prices! So, pop down to Avenue Winston Churchill (turn right at the next intersection) and stop at the Petit Palais, home of the Museum of Fine Arts of the City of Paris, for a dose of free art. (Almost all City of Paris museums are free.) It's a lovely museum and they have some surprising pieces. We also like the gift shop!

Back on Champs Elysées, turn right to stroll along the beautiful, tree-lined section of the avenue and pass through Place de la Concorde (the US Embassy is on your left) into the luscious Jardin des Tuileries, where you can have a rest and a drink at one of its outdoor cafés. You've earned it, you've walked the entire length of the most famous avenue in the world!

line

More Information about this Itinerary

line

Experience the Splendor Of Versailles

Versailles with Priority Access + Gardens
Skip the long lines to experience the grandeur of Versailles on a guided tour. Stroll through the stunning gardens with your guide, then visit Marie Antoinette's estate.
More information…

Half-Day, Skip-the-Line Tour of Versailles
If you don't have a full day, this popular half-day tour of Versailles includes priority access with an expert guide. The small-group ensures personal attention and includes transportation right from your hotel.
More information…

Versailles with Priority Access + Gardens
Skip the long lines to experience the grandeur of Versailles on a guided tour. Stroll through the stunning gardens with your guide, then visit Marie Antoinette's estate.
More information…

#3: Montmartre – Place du Tertre – Sacre Coeur

Montmartre, dome of Sacre-Coeur in the background, photo Wikimedia by Albany Tim Montmartre, with dome of Sacre-Coeur in the background, photo Wikimedia by Albany Tim

This walking itinerary starts at the postcard-pretty Places des Abbesses where you get off the Metro at station Abbesses (Line 12). As you come above ground (there's an elevator to get you up most of the way) notice one of the last surviving Art Nouveau Metro station entrances designed by Hector Guimard.

From there, wander uphill on Rue des Abbesses (against the traffic direction) to take in the Montmartre village vibe. It wasn't that long ago the the was, in fact, a village on a hill near Paris, with dirt streets and cheap accommodations that attracted the likes of Picasso and his bohemian clique. Stop in one of the prize-winning boulangeries along Rue des Abbesses for a mouthwatering, warm baguette. Montmartre has a thriving food scene and a perfect way to experience it is on a guided food walking tour of the quartier.

line

Street in Montmartre, photo by Mark Craft Street in Montmartre, photo by Mark Craft

line

After a slice of real life in real Montmartre, continue up Rue des Abbesses and then take Rue Lepic uphill (it forks off to the right). Wind your way through the old village streets and historic cabarets (and more tourists!) until you reach Place du Tertre, hangout of artists in Picasso's day and still the haunt of many Parisian artists. To discover more of the Montmartre that Parisians know, sign up for this highly-rated guided tour of hidden Montmartre.

Follow the curves of Rue Lepic up the hill and you'll end up Sacre Coeur, the big white church on the hill. Walk around to the front of the church for some of the best views of Paris. If you have your Paris Metro pass with you take the funicular down the hill and then walk two short blocks to Metro Anvers on Line 2.

line

More Information about this Itinerary

line

Delectable Food Tours in Paris

Discover the Food & Wine of the Marais
Visit the top food & wine shops in the historic Marais, tasting the best of French foods. There's plenty of sampling on this small-group tour.
Check Availability…

Cheese & Wine Tasting in a Paris Cellar
In the cheese-aging cellar of a Paris fromagerie you discover 7 classic French cheeses and the wines that pair with them. Lots of sampling!
Check Availability…

Cheese & Wine Tasting in a Paris Cellar
In the cheese-aging cellar of a Paris fromagerie you discover 7 classic French cheeses and the wines that pair with them. Lots of sampling!
Check Availability…

#4: Musée d'Orsay – Tuileries – Place de la Concorde

Musee d'Orsay The Statue of Liberty at Musée d'Orsay

It started life as a train station, but the d'Orsay is now home to the most famous Impressionist paintings and one of the major attractions in Paris. And that's where we start this itinerary. Musée d'Orsay, located on the Left Bank of the Seine at the border between the 6th and 7th arrondissements, is something you are not going to want to miss. Plan to spend three hours there, maybe having lunch in the Belle Époque dining room.

Metro Solferino and Metro Asssemblée Nationale are the closest stations; both are on Line 12. From Solferino walk towards the Seine on Rue de Belle Chasse; from Asssemblée Nationale walk east along Rue de Lille. (We often take bus 24, which stops right in front of the museum.)

Now that you're at the museum, are you going to have to stand in the long ticket line? Not if you have your Paris Museum Pass in hand! Stroll to Door C, where there's no line, and show your pass to the guard, who waves you through.

After your morning, and perhaps your lunch, at d'Orsay, cross the quay to the Seine and take the pedestrian bridge to the pretty garden of the Jardin des Tuileries, attached to the Louvre. Stroll through the garden, enjoying the paths and fountains. If you haven't eaten lunch, stop into one of the cute cafes in the park. After your stroll, be sure to head to the west end of the park (towards Place de la Concorde) to take a quick tour of the Musée l'Orangerie to see Claude Monet's famous water lily paintings. The rest of the collection is also worthwhile.

Exit the Orangerie into the Place de la Concorde, replete with fountains and romance, as well as the famous Egyptian obelisk. If you're up to it, turn right and cross Rue de Rivoli for a well-deserved hot chocolate or pastry at Angelina tearoom. (There will be a line there!)

line

Musée d'Orsay Skip-the-Line Impressionism Tour

Orsay Museum Skip-the-Line Tour Musée d'Orsay Skip-the-Line Impressionism Tour

The Musée d'Orsay holds the world's most important collection of Impressionist art, with scores of stunning works by the likes of Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, and Renoir. Since the lines are always long, the best way to get to see the art is on a skip-the-line tour with an Impressionism expert guide. Once the tour finishes, you're free to spend as much time as you want perusing the masterpieces.

line

More Information about this Itinerary

line

Top-Rated Paris Museum Tours

The Louvre's Greatest Masterpieces
Skip the lines and see a lot of art on this professionally guided tour. Choose from a private tour or semi-private (max 6 people.) The top choice.
Check Availability…

Musé d'Orsay Guided Tour
Enjoy skip-the-line access and learn the stories behind the world's greatest Impressionist art at Musé d'Orsay.
More information…

The Louvre's Greatest Masterpieces
Skip the lines and see a lot of art on this professionally guided tour. Choose from a private tour or semi-private (max 6 people.) The top choice.
Check Availability…

#5: A Day at the Louvre

A Day at the Louvre The Louvre and its Pyramids

It can't be done in a day, perhaps not even in a lifetime, but the Louvre Art Museum should be on your shortlist. So far in our Paris attractions itineraries we've sort of skirted around the Louvre — we've visited Place de la Concorde and the Jardin des Tuileries. A quick glance at a map will show you that these both are related to the Louvre and that, if you start at Concorde and head east through the Tuileries, you will finally arrive at the Louvre.

The Louvre is, by itself, a full-day itinerary. Even if you don't spend all day inside, you need time to absorb what you've seen and time to wander around the grounds, up and down Rue de Rivoli, and stroll along the banks of the Seine.

A normal person can probably only take 3 or 4 hours at a time in the Louvre. (That's us, anyway, if you can call us normal!) So, after you emerge from the museum, stop in at the terrace of Cafe Marly for a refreshing glass of champagne. Then, cross Rue de Rivoli and spend time relaxing in the garden of the Palais Royal, one of the more under-appreciated spots in Paris.

line

Louvre Masterpieces Tour

Masterpieces of the Louvre Masterpieces of the Louvre guided tour

Don't just show up at the world's biggest museum only to wait in line. Skip the queues and go straight to the Louvre's greatest masterpieces. Instead of standing in line, you'll be admiring the Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and of course, the Mona Lisa. This small-group tour is led by an expert museum guide. After the tour ends you're free to explore the museum as long as you like.

line

More Information about this Itinerary

line

Romantic Dinner Cruises In Paris

VIP Dinner Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens
This romantic dinner cruise includes champagne, wine & a classic meal. Choose the Service Privilege option for the best seating, best meal, and the ultimate experience.
Reserve your table…

Dinner Cruise by Maxim's of Paris
The legendary Parisian restaurant takes you on a dinner cruise complete with champagne and wine. Choose the 2-hour cruise for a stellar evening in Paris.
Check Availability…

VIP Dinner Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens
This romantic dinner cruise includes champagne, wine & a classic meal. Choose the Service Privilege option for the best seating, best meal, and the ultimate experience.
Reserve your table…

Paris – A Small City

Walking in the Marais Walking in the Marais, photo Ville de Paris

Paris is a relatively small city, so it's possible to see a lot in a short amount of time. Whatever your pleasure — the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde, Sacre Coeur, Champs Elysées, the Louvre, or Musée d'Orsay — these itineraries will save you time and get you to a whole bunch of great Paris attractions in one fell swoop.

It's important to allow extra time to explore the neighborhoods after a guided tour or a visit to the top attractions. There are small, local parks; narrow streets; bars and cafés to discover in every part of Paris. Did we mention the shopping?

Six Free Paris Planning Guides

A Gift from Us to You.
Bon Voyage !