Last updated on April 11th, 2026
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Your one-stop shop for planning 3, 4, or 5 days in Paris. This itinerary includes the classic, unmissable spots, unique things to do, and, as always, a dash of slow travel moments for a good balance.
Paris, for first-timers, can be both exciting and incredibly overwhelming, which is why, sadly, many travelers end up loving or hating it.
I absolutely adore this city! But, I’ll say, my first few visits were not the smoothest.
After visiting multiple times and having recently lived here for over two months, I’ve gathered that most travelers—like my past self—end up hating Paris because of overwhelm and poor planning.
Sometimes it comes down to where they based themselves for the trip, and how much they packed into their itinerary, leaving with a feeling that Paris is nothing but a tourist trap.
While yes, like every city, there are less nicer parts to stay in, and lots of tourists during high season, Paris is still a gorgeous city to explore, and the more you allow yourself to go off the step-by-step tourist map, the more you can see the true magic of the city.
For this, these 3, 4, and 5-day Paris itineraries will help you make the most of however long you have in this incredible city.
Guaranteeing that you tick off the essentials, explore unique spots, enjoy great food and coffee, and allow time for aimlessly wandering the charming Parisian neighborhoods.
In my opinion, aimlessly wandering through Paris is a sure way to fall in love with this city.
Without further ado, let’s get to it!

3, 4, or 5 Days in Paris: The Perfect Itinerary For Your Trip Length
I’m personally terrible with time management and following itineraries. When traveling, I’d normally choose one activity per day, maximum, and then simply explore a specific area at my own pace without a strict timetable.
However, for the sake of making it easier for you to visualize the day ahead, I’ve divided the days into morning, late morning, afternoon, and so on.
As always, you can just go with the vibes and follow a part of the itinerary that you like, and then adapt it to your own taste and travel style.
Either way, the core of this 5-day itinerary should really help you organize your time, group neighborhoods better, give you ideas for unique things to do in Paris, and provide personal recommendations to complement your trip.
Such as where to stop for coffee in Paris while being out and about, and where to have great food during your trip, which are some of my top priorities while traveling.
How many days do you need in Paris?
Visiting Paris is such a bucket-list trip, and I’m sorry to tell you that no matter how long you stay, it will never feel like enough.
This is how I felt even after living here for almost three months. I just love this city so much!😭
However, with strategic planning, there’s a lot that you can see in just a couple of days. The key is to be realistic about what’s possible with the time that you have.
- 2 days in Paris: This allows for a “tasting” of Paris, where you tick off the absolute must-sees with a speedy vibe, or skip some must-sees to enjoy some slow moments in Paris.
- 3 days in Paris: The perfect short visit where you get to see all the highlights with a more relaxed pace.
- 4 days in Paris: Perfect for seeing all the highlights and adding extra activities, such as more niche museums, tours, or spending an afternoon leisurely shopping.
- 5 days in Paris: Allows for a day trip, or simply enjoying the city and deeply exploring multiple neighborhoods at a comfortable pace.


Where to stay in Paris
It doesn’t matter if you’re spending 3 days in Paris or 5; having a good base can make all the difference.
For ultimate travel efficiency and convenience, you’ll want to stay in the 1st, 4th, or 6th arrondissement, if possible, closer to the Seine to be truly in the center of it all.
Here are some great options to stay in Paris for a central location:
- Hotel Korner Sorbonne: Affordable, modern, clean bedrooms in a great location, a short 10-minute walk from the Notre Dame Cathedral.
- Hotel De Suez: A mid-range hotel with bright, modern bedrooms, also a few steps away from Notre Dame.
- Hôtel de Fleurie: Chic bedrooms in the charming Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood, close to cafes, bars, and restaurants.
You can check out the whole breakdown of the best areas to stay in Paris (coming soon) and find my handpicked accommodations for every budget.
⭐️ Tip for first-time visitors:
While staying near the Eiffel Tower might seem idyllic, in reality, staying here will keep you too far away from most of the other sights in Paris.
Instead, stay somewhere central, and make the trip to the Eiffel Tower whenever you want to visit it.


Before you go: Quick Paris tips
- Knowing basic French expressions will go a long way. Learn how to order coffee, say hello, goodbye, please, and thank you, and you’ll see a nicer side to Parisians.
- Wear comfortable yet fashionable outfits—it’s Paris, after all!
- You’ll walk a lot, so bring comfortable shoes.
- Book your Paris activities in advance. Things sell out fast, especially during high season, so secure those museum entrances and guided tours with time.
- To easily use the public transportation, download the Navigo App. You can buy tickets on your phone while on the go.
- Get an Airalo E-sims to hit the ground running with data in France.
For transportation tips, general planning advice, and more, check out my full Paris for first-timers guide.
Day 1: Classic Paris highlights with a twist
For the first day on your 3-5 day Paris itinerary, you’ll get to tick off some of the main attractions in the city, while covering a lot of ground.
I find this to be the best way, as a first-time visitor, to get a better understanding of the layout and feel of the city, which will help you move around with more ease throughout the rest of your trip.
Day one in Paris overview:
- Notre Dame Cathedral
- Latin Quarter
- Saint-Germain-des-Pres
- Museum visit: L’Orangerie or D’Orsay
- River Seine
- Eiffel Tower
- Crazy Horse
• Morning: Breakfast with a view and Notre Dame Cathedral
For the perfect start to your trip, stop by one of the nearby bakeries around Notre Dame—my favorite one is The French Bastards—grab a couple of pain au chocolat and a cappuccino, and make your way to the Notre Dame Cathedral.
Grab a seat on the bleachers right in front of the Cathedral for the most iconic and affordable breakfast with a view.
Once you’re done with your French breakfast, it’s time to visit the iconic Cathedral.
Admission to Notre Dame’s Cathedral is free, but I’d highly recommend booking a timed slot in advance to avoid standing in line for hours.


• Late morning: Explore the lively Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain-des-Prés
After admiring Notre Dame inside and out, cross the river into the Left Bank, and stroll through the lively Latin Quarter, one of Paris’ oldest neighborhoods, and the city’s student district.
One of the top things to do in the Latin Quarter is stopping by the popular Shakespeare and Co. if you’re a book lover. For a less crowded option, visit The Abbey Bookshop, another cozy English bookshop in the area.
Wander the narrow alleys of this neighborhood to the west until you end up in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, a more upscale area packed with historic literary cafes, bars, bistros, and great shopping.
Walk along the charming Saint Germain Boulevard, and stop to admire the beautiful Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots, the most iconic, Hemingway-approved literary cafés in Paris.


• Lunch: Le Relais de l’Entrecôte for classic steak and frites
If you’re getting hungry by now—I love a French breakfast, but the fuel doesn’t last long—fear not, lunch is just around the corner.
Make your way to the popular Le Relais de L’Entrecote for lunch—one of my favorite things to do in Saint Germain, Paris, and a stop we fit into every itinerary, no matter how short our visit is.
Le Relais de L’Entrecote is a Paris staple; a steak frites restaurant loved by locals and tourists alike, which means that you can expect lines. For this, visiting during lunch hours is the best option as the lines are much shorter than for dinner.


• Afternoon: Museum visit, walk along the Seine, sunset at the Eiffel Tower
You’ll need to walk off all that delicious steak and fries, and what better way than to do it while looking at beautiful art?
To not overwhelm your first day with a very long museum visit, I’d highly recommend visiting Musée de L’Orangerie (1-2 hrs) or Musée d’Orsay (1-3 hrs).
L’Orangerie is the smallest museum of both, with the main highlight being Monet’s stunning water lilies—one of my favorite things to see in Paris!
Musée d’Orsay is housed inside a beautiful old railway station and showcases many incredible Impressionist and post-Impressionist works.
⭐️ Planning tip: If you’re planning a 3-day Paris itinerary, choose whichever museum interests you the most. If you’re spending 4-5 days in Paris, you can easily fit whichever one you don’t get to do today into another day.


After your short and sweet museum visit, it’s time to keep the step count going in the most scenic way: along the River Seine.
Walk on the Right Bank side of the Seine for a scenic stroll where you’ll get to walk past Place de la Concorde, the Petit and Grand Palais, and ultimately arrive at Trocadero, the best area from which to admire the Eiffel Tower.
📸 Photo tip: For the best, unobstructed picture spot of the Eiffel Tower, go next to the Pont d’Iéna on the Trocadero side.
I particularly like the right side of the bridge when looking straight at the tower. From here, you can get beautiful shots of the Eiffel Tower without fighting the crowds or having people walk into your frame.

• Evening: Apéro at Cave Vino Sapiens, dinner at Le Bizetro, and a show at Crazy Horse
Once you get your perfect shot, of course, you’ll want to admire the tower up close, so cross the river and visit the Jardin de la Tour Eiffel, before heading to the nearby Cave Vino Sapiens for a little apéro.
For dinner, make a reservation at Le Bizetro, a highly-rated, no-frills, cozy bistro, I’ve been wanting to visit forever, but haven’t managed to.
The menu is all French classics, and the one time we tried to show up without a reservation, the place was packed with locals—always a good sign.
If that fails, Les Marches is another highly-rated French restaurant nearby, that’s also on my list for next time I’m in town.
To finish the perfect first day with a bang, I’d highly recommend booking tickets for Crazy Horse Paris, one of the most iconic cabarets in Paris and the world, and much better than Moulin Rouge, by far.
Don’t miss out on this uniquely Parisian show and book your tickets before they sell out:


Day 2: The Louvre, gardens, and Le Marais
For the second day in your Paris itinerary—whether it is 3, 4, or 5 days—you’ll be visiting the iconic Louvre, wandering some of the city’s most beautiful gardens, and exploring the trendy Le Marais.
I think this day is a perfect combination of all things: starting the day with a top tourist attraction, followed by some slow travel moments, and a touch of off-the-beaten-path for a first-time visitor, exploring the unique Le Marais.
Day two in Paris overview:
- Louvre Museum
- Jardin des Tuileries
- Domaine National du Palais-Royal and Jardin
- Bibliothèque nationale de France
- Galerie Vivienne
- Le Marais neighborhood
• Morning: French breakfast and the Louvre
For a very unique breakfast with a view, arrive early at the Louvre to visit the %Arabica coffee shop located in the underground Carrousel du Louvre shopping center.
Grab a frothy cappuccino and a flaky croissant, and sit outside on the tables overlooking the inverted glass pyramid of the Louvre.
Told you, pretty unique!
Once you’ve fueled up, it’s time to see some art. For this, you’ll want to book your Louvre tickets in advance, like waaay in advance, as they sell out fast.
While the Louvre is a classic Paris checklist item, I think most people wildly underestimate the immensity of this museum. According to the official Louvre website, there are around 400 rooms(!) and over 35,000 works of art.
If you want to visit the Louvre, enjoy it, and leave with your sanity intact, I’d highly recommend booking a guided tour of the Louvre’s highlights—something I wish I’d done the first time I visited.
This 2 hr Louvre highlight tour is what we were aiming to book last time we were in Paris, but couldn’t because the museum kept striking and closing every other day.
Hopefully you’ll have better luck than us.
Book your Louvre guided tour for your dates before they sell out:
• Late morning: Stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries and photo opp at Domaine National du Palais-Royal
After your guided Louvre visit and some extra time wandering around the museum, it’s time to get some fresh air and walk it out at the beautiful Jardin des Tuileries, one of my favorite places in Paris.
This centrally located garden is the perfect resting point for the city, with locals going on morning runs, catching some sun, having picnics, and afternoon reading sessions around the garden’s ponds.
After a stroll around the park, don’t go too far, because we’re heading back in the direction of the Louvre, to visit the picturesque Domaine National du Palais Royal.
Here’s where you’ll find those photogenic black and white pillars, the Colonnes de Buren, a once controversial art installation that has now become a Paris staple for visitors.


• Lunch: Picnic at the Jardin du Palais Royal
For a quick, delicious, and hearty lunch, make your way to the nearby Omosubi Gonbei for delicious onigiri, or a full bento box including edamame, a Japanese egg omelet, and karaage pieces.
This is one of the best places to eat in Paris on a budget—and the quality is so good! I was here at least once a week while living in Paris.
While we might not be having French food, we can still turn this into a very French lunch... by picnicking at the park.
So take your bento box and grab a bench, or a Parisian green chair around the pond, at the charming Jardin du Palais Royal.
This is one of my favorite kinds of activities to do while traveling; it’s like slow travel multitasking.
You get to enjoy an iconic spot in the city, have lunch, and even take the time to people-watch and appreciate the locals and the culture around you. A win-win all around!


• Afternoon: Visit the gorgeous library, Galerie Vivienne, and explore the trendy Le Marais
After lunch, it’s time to visit one of the most stunning libraries in the world—which is also completely free!—the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, just behind the Jardin du Palais Royal.
I wouldn’t necessarily call this an off-the-beaten-path spot; however, I do feel like most first-time visitors to Paris miss it due to time constraints. But, since we’re already in the area, why not?
Make sure to look for the Oval Room; this is the beautiful reading room you see in pictures, and the only one open to visitors for free.
I spent many days typing blog posts from here while living in Paris for over two months, and it felt so surreal to be able to type these silly little travel guides from such a ridiculously beautiful place. Gotta love Paris!
Anyway, after falling in love with this library, make your way to wander the iconic Galerie Vivienne, one of the most beautiful covered passages in Paris, lined with cute cafes and unique shops.
Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the trendy and locally-loved Le Marais, a neighborhood packed with some of the best coffee shops in Paris, great shopping, cozy wine bars, top restaurants, and more.
Don’t miss my how to spend one day in Le Marais guide for more ideas on fun things to do and the best shops to visit in the area.


• Evening: Dinner at Vins des Pyrénées and drinks at Magnum La Cave
For dinner in the area, head to Vins des Pyrénés, a locally-approved bistro, on the often overlooked side of Le Marais.
I visited this restaurant with a Le Marais guided food tour, and I had the most delicious Croque Monsieur of my life here—with a light hint of truffle—and amazing duck croquettes.
Their menu consists of French classics, and honestly, everything looks delicious!
Our tour guide was a born-and-raised Parisian guy who lives around the corner from this restaurant, and he personally approved of this spot.
He also recommended staying around the area for drinks, as there are various cozy wine bars. Like the nearby Magnum La Cave, where you can go after dinner for a glass of wine to finish day 2 of your Paris itinerary.

Day 3: Montmartre, dinner in Saint-Germain, and a river cruise
For day 3 of your Paris itinerary, you’ll get to spend most of your time leisurely exploring the historic and artistic Montmartre.
I feel like this is a neighborhood lots of people rush through when visiting Paris for the first time and end up hating because of it—it’s me, I’m people.
To guarantee you don’t make the same mistake I did, today’s itinerary will help you see beyond the Sacre Coeur’s annoying souvenir sellers and the crowds, and show you the charming streets and cute corners of this iconic area.
Day three in Paris overview:
- Walking tour of Montmartre
- Sacré-Coeur
- Lunch at the best crepe restaurant
- Free time to explore Montmartre
- Dinner in Saint-Germain-des-Prés
- Sunset River Cruise
• Morning: Breakfast and walking tour of Montmartre
Start your morning in Montmartre with a delicious pastry from Leonie Bakery; their croissants are some of our favorite ones in the city, and I love their cardamom bun.
Skip the coffee, though, that’s coming up.
After your morning dose of French baked goods, walk the short distance to KB Cafeshop—one of my favorite coffee shops in Paris, and my favorite one in Montmartre.
The coffee is delicious, the location is great, with a corner spot on a local street in Montmartre, making it the perfect place to enjoy your coffee al fresco and people-watch.


After that glorious slow morning, you can leisurely serpent your way through the neighborhood until you reach your meeting point for the Montmartre for art lovers walking tour—one of my favorite tours I’ve ever taken.
First of all, the tour is outrageously affordable (make sure to tip Billy well), and it was such an informative, fun, and engaging tour.
You’ll get to learn so much about the artistic history of the neighborhood in a very fun, interactive way. You’ll even get to become an artist and stand at a Montmartre corner drawing on the tiniest of canvases. It’s just so freaking cute!
It’s the perfect introduction to this neighborhood, and the best antidote to thinking Montmartre is nothing but a tourist trap.
Don’t miss this fun, interactive, and incredibly affordable tour of Montmartre. Book your tickets now:


• Late morning: Visit Sacré-Coeur
The tour will conveniently finish at Sacré-Couer, or just around the corner, so you can guess what comes next.
Entering Sacré-Couer is completely free; you might just have to wait in line for a bit.
While beautiful, the interior of the church is quite simple. If you don’t feel like standing in line, honestly, the main attraction here is the panoramic views of Paris you get from the top of the hill.
Whichever you do, make sure to take some time to admire the views from up there—and whatever you do, do not give your wrist out for a souvenir seller to put a bracelet on you!


• Lunch: The best crepes in Paris at Café Breizh
All that walking will build an appetite. For lunch, make your way to Café Breizh to enjoy some of the best crepes in Paris.
I’ve tried many different crepe spots in the city, but after visiting Café Breizh, I was hooked. Luckily, they have multiple locations, and one of them is in Montmartre.
The crepes are simple, but you can taste how good the quality of the ingredients is. Even a simple ham and cheese one is delicious!
Our go-to crepe is the one with chorizo, with extra grilled onions. For dessert, you have to try their salted caramel banana crepe. It’s addictive!


• Afternoon: Explore Montmartre at your own pace
After lunch, you can now take the time to stroll the neighborhood at your own pace, which is always easier after having had a tour.
Now you understand the area better, and you probably have spots you want to return to with more time.
Wander the charming streets away from Sacre-Couer, visit the local shops, and look for locally-made art pieces as the perfect Montmartre souvenir.
Check out my one-day in Montmartre itinerary for specific ideas on fun things to do and some of my favorite shops to visit in the area.


• Evening: Dinner in Saint-Germain and sunset river cruise
To switch it up for the evening, take the metro and make your way down to Saint-Germain-des-Prés for a casual dinner at Le Balto, a locally-loved bistro in the neighborhood.
Every time I was in the area, I kept noticing this bistro come alive every evening, with locals gathering here at sunset, catching up, and sharing wine bottles with friends.
After grabbing some friends and doing just that, we became loyal customers.
The food is simple but delicious—their onion soup is my favorite in the city—the champagne is affordable, and a generous pour—also delicious—and their whole menu is very reasonably priced.
For the ultimate Parisian vibes, grab a table outside to have dinner and a glass of wine al fresco.
To finish off the perfect day in Paris, hop on this Seine evening river cruise with champagne that conveniently departs from Notre Dame—which I love, most Paris river cruises depart from the Eiffel Tower.


We did this as our office Christmas party while in Paris, and everyone loved it! It’s such a different and beautiful way to take the city in. If you time it well, you might get to sail past the Eiffel Tower at golden hour!✨
Book your fun evening of cruising along the Seine while sipping champagne here:
⭐️ The perfect 3 days in Paris itinerary. If 3 days is all you have, this itinerary covers all the must-sees at a comfortable pace, leaving enough time to also enjoy the city and not only tick items off a sightseeing list.
Day 4: Museums, shopping, and slow wandering through Le Marais
The first 3 days have you covered as a first-time visitor with a list.
If you have 4 days in Paris, you’ll have that extra time to slow down and explore beyond the main sights, allowing you to get a better understanding of the city, and even start to feel like you know the place.
You’ll walk past places you did before, you’ll recognize streets, and you’ll get to develop your own favorites too: your favorite park, your favorite square, your favorite corner café.
And that’s where the magic of travel lies!✨
Day four in Paris overview:
- Musée d’Orsay or L’Orangerie
- Champs Élysées
- Arc de Triomphe
- Eiffel Tower
- Le Bon Marché
- Luxembourg Gardens
- The Panthéon
• Morning: Breakfast and a museum
For your fourth morning in Paris, you can either keep the momentum going with another French breakfast—maybe try a new bakery—or, if you’re missing a heartier meal, stop by Eggs & Co, one of my favorite brunch spots in the city.
After breakfast, you can fit in another museum. Depending on which one you visited during the first day, Musée D’Orsay or L’Orangerie, today you can tick off the one that you’re missing.
I’ve visited both of these multiple times, and I love them! However, squeezing them into 3 days in Paris is a bit tight, so today is the perfect opportunity to complete the Paris museum trifecta.


• Late morning: Walk down Champs Élysées and see the Arc de Triomphe
After your museum visit, you can head to the Right Bank and take a slow, scenic walk from Place de la Concorde and follow the famous Champs Élysées. Did you also sing it in your head?
Along the way, you’ll walk through a few charming parks. If you’re a devoted art lover, you could even stop at the Petit Palais to take advantage of its free entrance.
As you make your way through the luxurious Champs Élysées, you’ll find all types of shops. From French staple brands, like Poléne—I got a bag while in Paris, and it’s beautiful!—Longcamp, Dior, a Ladurée tea house, and other international shops.
Strolling along this busy shopping street, you’ll already have eyes on the Arc de Triomphe at the back. Walk until you arrive here to admire the city’s iconic gateway and the chaos of this busy roundabout.

• Lunch: Bakery run and picnic by the Eiffel Tower
For lunch, I propose using this extra day to slow down and fulfill a Paris bucket list item: having a little picnic by the Eiffel Tower.
Stop by a bakery and pick up some picnic essentials. Most bakeries offer some type of lunch deal, with a combination of delicious sandwiches, salads, quiches, and a drink.
If you decide to keep on walking and make your way to the Eiffel Tower on foot, stop by Jolie Miche Chaillot, a new-ish bakery with really good reviews.
If you make your way down to the Eiffel Tower by metro, then visit Maison Bergeron, a highly-rated boulangerie, a few streets away from the Eiffel Tower park.
So grab your lunch, maybe a sweet little treat, and find a spot on the grass by the Eiffel Tower, or on a bench overlooking the tower. Peak Parisian vibes!✨
And that’s the beauty of Paris, truly, not everything has to be expensive to have a good time.
• Afternoon: Le Bon Marché, Luxembourg Gardens, the Panthéon and Place de l’Estrapade
After that pinch-me-moment type of lunch, head over to the beautiful Le Bon Marché for some shopping, whether it is window shopping or for real.
Make sure to stop by the neighboring La Grande Épicerie for my favorite kind of shopping: foodie shopping!
Here you’ll find all types of French treats, from chocolate, salted caramel candies—my favorite—wine, and the famous butter everyone stocks up on while in Paris.
Afterwards, take a stroll through the spacious Luxembourg Gardens, a beautiful park, loved by locals for slow morning strolls and peaceful afternoons reading by the pond.
I love this park, but it’s not something I’d recommend for someone spending 2-3 days in Paris, as it’s a little bit out of the way. However, I think it’s a great addition to a 4-day Paris itinerary to see a calmer, more local side of the city.
From here, you can make your way straight to admire the Panthéon and visit the now highly popular Place de l’Estrapade, otherwise known as Emily in Paris home square.


• Evening: Oysters and wine at Ostra
If you’re ready to wind down for the evening, head over to Ostra in the Latin Quarter, a charming, no-frills seafood bar with a great oyster and wine deal: 3 oysters and a glass of wine for €12(!).
Besides oysters and wine, their menu also offers various seafood dishes, from ceviche to frog’s legs, as well as other French classics like cheese and meat boards, onion soup, duck, and more. But their specialty is, of course, seafood.
Visiting this spot for ✨girl dinner✨ is one of my favorite things to do in the Latin Quarter, and I think it’s the perfect way to finish off a great day of exploring.

Day 5: Slowly exploring Le Marais or a day trip
With 5 days, you can really experience Paris at an even more relaxed pace, or opt to visit something outside of the city, like the Palace of Versailles, or the beautiful Giverny gardens, which have been on my bucket list forever.
If choosing to spend your day in the city, I’d recommend using the day to leisurely explore the trendy Le Marais.
Even though you’ve visited it before, today you really have the time to stop and enjoy the neighborhood better, go through the racks at the many vintage shops, and hop from unique coffee shop to coffee shop.
Day five in Paris overview (Le Marais option):
- Carette
- Place des Vosges
- Le Marais shopping
- Marché des Enfants Rouges
- Rue Montorgueil
Or a day trip.
• Morning: Breakfast at Carette, Place des Vosges
To start the day in Le Marais slowly and still tick off another Paris bucket list item, make your way to the neighborhood’s Carette location for the most decadent hot chocolate ever.
I’ll admit I put off visiting Carette for the longest time due to all the hype. I was scared it would just be an overpriced Insta-famous spot, but after trying it, I’m happy to report that it‘s actually worth it.
The Marais location is beautiful, right by the charming Place des Vosges. The hot chocolate is delicious, hands down the best one I’ve had in Paris, even when compared to Angelina, Café de Flore, and PLAQ, which tend to be other strong contenders.
While slightly on the pricier side of things, I was happy to see that even their croissants are really good. Definitely a splurgy but worth the hype, Parisian staple!
After stuffing yourself with the delicious chocolate, make sure to take a stroll through the picturesque Place des Vosges while you’re in the area.


• Late morning: Browse the shops
Spend the rest of the morning hopping in and out of the shops; there are so many good ones in the neighborhood, from local French brands to many fun vintage stores.
Some of the best shops in Le Marais to visit include:
- Caudalie: A beloved French skincare brand.
- Bon Parfumeur: Simple, clean, beautiful scents. I’ve been using their 103 scent for years now.
- Bobbies: A staple French shoe brand. I kid you not, I ordered a pair of ballerinas from them while writing this post.
- Sézane: An iconic brand to get that modern French-girl look.
- Check it Vintage Burberry: Racks and racks of secondhand Burberry trench coats.
If you’d rather visit a museum instead of overpacking your luggage even more, stop by the Carnavalet Museum; it’s free, their exhibition is all about the history of Paris.


• Lunch: L’As du Falafel
For a casual, tasty, and affordable lunch, line up at L’As du Falafel, one of the most popular falafel spots in Le Marais—fear not, the system is efficient, and the line moves fast.
This is another one of those spots that actually lives up to the hype—the falafel is the best one I’ve ever tasted, flavorful and not dry at all.
For only €10, you can get a hearty falafel pita packed with vegetables and bathed in a delicious sauce, making for a healthy and very filling meal, and for a very affordable price. A win all around!

• Afternoon: Marché des Enfants Rouges, Rue Montorgueil
After lunch, make your way to explore the historic Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest covered market in Paris, being nearly 400 years old!
The market is quite small and quick to visit. Nowadays, there are many modern food stands, such as a Japanese bento restaurant, a burger joint, an Italian food stand, and more.
If you need a little afternoon pick-me-up, stop by the Cortado coffee shop just around the corner from the market, before moving on to explore the lively Rue Montorgueil.
Rue Montorgueil is a charming street packed with all kinds of shops, from cheese shops and wine cellars to butchers, historic bakeries, florists, cute cafés, and more.
This is a great spot to see the real Paris, with locals coming in and out of shops, stocking up on groceries from the neighborhood’s small businesses.
If you want to stay close to the area and see the neighborhood come alive in the late afternoon, grab a glass of wine at Le Café Noir. This place is always busy with locals enjoying apéro with friends.


• Evening: Dinner at Les Marmottes
To finish off your fifth day in Paris, it’s time for some fondue!
If you’re a cheese lover, you’ll want to make your way to Les Marmottes, a raclette restaurant close by, offering both delicious raclettes and fondues to share—you need at least 2 people.
This is another one of my bucket list items for next time we’re back in Paris, as we didn’t make it last time, but some friends of mine went and said it was really good.
If you want to play it safe, I’d recommend making a reservation for this spot.
Day 5 in Paris, day trip options:
If you would rather leave the city and see something different on your last day in Paris, these are some of the top day trips you can take from Paris.
- Palace of Versailles: The former royal residence and the center of power in France, known for the opulent Hall of Mirrors and the beautiful gardens.
Book your entrance tickets to the Palace of Versailles here, or book a full-day tour to Versailles from Paris here. - Giverny Gardens: The beautiful gardens designed by Monet in his Giverny home, which inspired all his water lilies paintings. This one is at the top of my day trips to do from Paris. Sadly, I always visit in the off-season, so the gardens are always closed. If I were to visit in spring or summer, I would book this Giverny day trip from Paris.
- Disneyland Paris: For the children at heart and Disney adults, an extra day in Paris could be well put to use, spending the day at Disneyland Paris.
- Champagne tour: Another one at the top of my list, if visiting in spring or summer, is to take a champagne tour from Paris. French countryside, champagne tasting, lunch at a small family-owned winery, what’s not to love?
Final thoughts on 3, 4, or 5 Days in Paris Itinerary
Whether you have 3, 4, or 5 days in Paris, this itinerary will have you covered.
With the first 3 days in Paris, you get to tick off all the most important sights in the city for a first-time visitor, at a comfortable pace.
If you have the chance to add a fourth day to your itinerary, this allows you to visit some extra attractions, like another museum, and enjoy a more intentional day in Paris, doing things like picnicking by the Eiffel Tower and wandering the aisles of La Grande Épicerie.
A fifth day in Paris is perfect to fit in a day trip, or have a truly “slow travel” day in Paris, where you can pretend to be a local on a weekend day, hopping from coffee shop to coffee shop in Le Marais while browsing every shop that your heart desires.
No matter how long you decide to stay in Paris, I hope this itinerary helps you make the most of your time in this magical city.
If you don’t get to do and see it all, don’t worry, Paris is a city always worth coming back to. So just keep a list for your second trip!
Is there anything that you think we’re missing from this 5-day Paris itinerary? Let us know in the comments.