Last updated on January 31st, 2026
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Here’s how to spend a day in Montmartre, Paris, covering the area’s main sights, where to eat, the best coffee shops to visit, and where to get the perfect souvenir for a well-rounded day in this bohemian neighborhood.
Montmartre is one of Paris’ most iconic districts, known for its artistic heritage, its hilly landscape, and its unique “village” vibe, differentiating it from the rest of Paris down below.
Having been home to some of the world’s most famous painters, such as Vincent van Gogh, Edgar Degas, Henri Matisse, and many others, it’s easy to romanticize the cobblestone streets of Montmartre—and you should!
This bohemian neighborhood is a must for anyone visiting Paris for the first time, even if all you do is go up to see Sacré-Coeur and take in the views.
But even better if you have the time to spend a whole day in Montmartre, exploring its charming—and sometimes aggressively steep—streets.
After visiting Paris over five times now, it wasn’t until my most recent stay that I started to truly appreciate Montmartre.
Not because it isn’t beautiful and picturesque as people say, but because I was always walking down the wrong streets—the ones packed with cheap souvenirs right by Sacré-Coeur.
After spending days wandering Montmartre in every direction, I’ve curated this itinerary to help you avoid my mistakes and truly enjoy the easygoing, local vibe of the area instead.
This day in Montmartre itinerary will cover the essentials, while leaving space to slowly wander around, sit down at a café to people-watch, and simply take in the bohemian vibes of this unique Parisian neighborhood.
The way artists probably did back then.
How to Spend a Day in Montmartre, Paris
Breakfast pastry from Leonie Bakery
To start the perfect day in Montmartre, make your way to Leonie Bakery, an artisanal boulangerie, for a tasty croissant or pain au chocolate, if you want to stick with the classics.
If you want to try something not necessarily French, but still delicious, try their cinnamon bun—it’s really good!
Grab a pastry, but skip the coffee; that’s our next stop. Enjoy it on an outdoor table to fully embrace the Parisian café life and set the vibe for the day.
Coffee and people-watching at KB CaféShop
If you care about your coffee, then you’ll want to save the first caffeine fix of the day for KB Caféshop—one of the best coffee shops in Paris.
This locally loved neighborhood coffee shop is located on the perfect corner on top of a hill, a prime location for catching some sun with your morning cup of coffee.
We were sitting there on a cold January winter day, so the sun was very appreciated.
The coffee is prepared to perfection, and they also offer a few bites on site, but I think it’s still worth it to stop by the bakery first, for the sake of exploring more businesses in the neighborhood.
If you’re visiting during sunnier months, the outdoor seating space is generous and perfect for slowing down with your coffee and people-watching.
Visit Sacré-Coeur Basilica and admire the views
Once caffeinated, it’s time to tick the main item off the list: Sacré-Coeur Basilica, Montmartre’s iconic church overlooking the city.
As I mentioned before, walking around Montmartre can be quite hilly, with long staircases and uneven terrain. Getting to Sacré-Coeur is no exception, so make sure to wear the right shoes for the occasion.
Entering the Sacré-Coeur Basilica is completely free, but it might take you a while to get in, as the lines can get quite long depending on when you visit.
While pretty, the interior of the Basilica is quite simple, so if you’re not in the mood to wait in line, I’d recommend skipping this and admiring the building from the outside and taking in the panoramic views from the viewpoint instead.
But, you do you.
Walk down Rue de l’Abrevoir
Once you’re done taking in the views from Sacré-Coeur, make your way to the picturesque Rue de l’Abrevoir.
Take the back streets on your way there for a calmer, more village-like side of Montmartre.
At the corner of Rue de l’Abrevoir, you’ll find the picturesque and iconic La Maison Rose, a French restaurant founded in 1905, with a long list of influential clients, from Picasso to Dali and Matisse.
Walk down Rue de l’Abrevoir and make sure to look back once you reach the bottom, for a postcard-worthy shot of the curved street with a view of Sacré-Coeur in the back.
Stop by the historic party spot: Le Moulin de la Galette
Make your way up Rue Girardon, en route to place du Tertre, but first, a quick stop to admire one of Montmartre’s famous windmills—and it’s not the “Rouge” one—but Le Moulin de la Galette.
Le Moulin de la Galette is one of the remaining windmills in Montmartre, where grain used to be ground up until the 1800’s when the area became more residential, and the owners turned the windmill into a casual bar with food.
From Renoir, Picasso, and Van Gogh, the artists of the late 1800’s loved this “party” spot, and immortalized their eventful days here in various paintings.
One of the most famous ones is Renoir’s “Le Bal du moulin de la Galette“, which you can see in Museé d’Orsay.
I’ve always loved that painting, and only recently put two and two together—so Montmartre keeps scoring points on my Paris list.
Admire the artists at work at Place du Tertre
Too much talk about the artists that used to live here, it’s time to see the ones that still do.
Make your way to Place du Tertre, one of Paris’ most iconic squares, and one that truly embodies Montmartre’s artistic heritage.
En route to Place du Tertre, you’ll walk past the charming Le Consulat, a straight-out-of-a-book, adorable cafe, which has seen a fair share of historical figures in its time.
Across from it, you’ll find Galerie Butte. Make sure to pop your head in for some souvenir shopping, unique prints, and postcards.
Arriving at Place du Tertre, you’ll be greeted by a small square filled with artists, painters, and caricaturists at work.
Wander the tight aisles between the artists, and see if there’s something that catches your eye. A painting from Place du Tertre would definitely make for a great souvenir.
Even if you don’t buy anything, the whole place looks straight out of a movie, lined with picturesque restaurants that make it worth lingering for a bit.
Lunch at Breizh Cafe: Best crepes in Paris
After all that walking around, it’s time for lunch. Luckily, my favorite crepe place in Paris has a location closeby: Breizh Cafe Abesses.
I’m a Breizh Cafe fangirl. After trying out so many crepe spots in Paris, this is the absolute winner for me. You can just taste that everything is made with high-quality ingredients. Even the simplest of crepes is delicious!
A favorite one of ours is the chorizo crepe, with extra grilled onions. Some locations have different “special” crepes, and this location specifically has a beef pastrami crepe that is amazing!
If you want something sweet, you have to try their caramelized banana crepe with salted caramel and vanilla ice cream. It’s so so SO good!
One of my favorite places to eat in Paris on a budget, since you can get a classic crepe for €13. Tasty and affordable, a win-win overall!
Optional Montmartre walking tour:
While it’s easy to spend a day in Montmartre slowly getting to know the area by ourselves, it truly makes a difference to get an overview of the highlights with an expert guide.
I’ve been a very stubborn traveler for the longest time, never taking tours anywhere we went. Until I took my first one and realized how nice it is to get more context on the beautiful places we get to see.
Especially in Montmartre, which is packed with incredible history and a deep-rooted artistic community.
So, if you’d also like to dive deeper into the artistic heritage of the area, I highly recommend this Montmartre guided tour for art lovers.
It’s a two-hour-long walking tour, starting at the Montmartre cemetery, passing by Van Gogh’s old apartment, and in which you’ll visit many spots in the neighborhood that became immortalized by famous painters.
At one point, you even get to become a Montmartre artist yourself when handed the tiniest of canvases to draw the famous Cabaret Au Lapin Agile. So fun!
With the tour, you would once again visit Rue de l’Abrevoir and Place du Tertre. For the first one, you get so much information about the famous inhabitants of the area that I didn’t find it redundant to stroll the street once again.
The stop at Place du Tertre is very quick, so it’s also still worth it to visit it by yourself at your own pace.
Check the availability for this super fun (and affordable) Montmartre walking tour here:
If you’d rather spend the day at a more leisurely pace and just explore around, then you can skip the walking tour and head to our next destination.
Stop by the famous photobooth in Montmartre
For the best affordable and practical souvenir of your day in Montmartre, head over to 53 Rue de Trois Frères for Montmartre’s popular photobooth.
After seeing it so many times online, we decided to check it out while exploring the neighborhood. We were lucky enough to find it with only two people waiting in line, so we decided to try it.
The photobooth is a regular photobooth; there’s no customization or anything. You can tap your phone or card to pay, and for €6 you get one strip of four photos.
It’s simple, but I do love to look back at photos and remember the day it was taken on, and this way, you get the perfect little souvenir of your day in Montmartre.
The way from Breizh Cafe to the photobooth is short, but still take your time looking around, as there are a few shops worth stopping by.
One of my favorite ones around here is La Fabrique 18, the perfect spot to shop for unique souvenirs made by Montmartre artists—from handmade ceramic mugs and unique flower-pressed jewelry to Parisian prints, naturally dyed silk scarves, and more.
Afternoon pick-me-up at Beans on Fire
If you’re at least a two-cups-of-coffee-a-day kind of person, then fear not, there are plenty of great coffee shops in charming Montmartre, and one of my favorite ones is just a few steps away.
For an afternoon pick-me-up, head to the eye-catching red facade ofBeans on Fire. I love the brightness of it!
The coffee here is great, the space is cozy, and there’s plenty of room to sit, so it’s also a good spot if you want to enjoy your coffee slowly and kill some time.
Visit the romantic “Wall of I love you”
After your coffee break, we are heading back to the Rue des Abesses (the street the crepes restaurant was on), but this time to admire the “Wall of I love you” inside the little park by the Place des Abbesses.
Hopefully, when you visit, it isn’t half covered for maintenance like it was for us this last time. But at least we got to see half of it.
The eye-catching, bright blue tile wall is a project created in 2000 by two artists, Frederic Baron and Claire Kito, who asked embassies, neighbors, and strangers what the most romantic words were in different languages.
And they must’ve asked around a lot!
The wall showcases 312 different ways of saying ‘I love you’ across 250 languages.
While this is a popular photo op for couples, it’s still a very cute art piece to admire, with a heartfelt intention behind it.
Stroll the lively Rue des Abbesses
After that, we are heading into the slow rhythm of the late afternoon—my favorite part of a travel day, when it’s less about checking items off the list, and more about slowing down.
At least for my travel style.
When spending a day in Montmartre, aimlessly wandering around its cute streets is a must, and at this point, you can easily do that while following Rue des Abbesses, lined with cute cafes, bakeries, cheese, and wine shops.
Make sure to look up Rue Tholozé to see Le Moulin Blute-Fin, another one of the remaining windmills in Montmartre.
Glass of wine at Soif: One of the cutest wine bars in Paris
For a nice glass of wine to start the evening, head to Soif—which is technically in Pigalle, but it’s just a short walk away.
Soif is a small but very cute wine bar, and I particularly loved how casual and unpretentious it feels. The wine is served from a tap!
The service is friendly and informative, as there’s no set menu, just the wines on tap. The server will ask you what type of wine you prefer and then they can reccomend you something.
I was in the mood for a white wine, and the one he paired me with was delicious! And quite affordable, around €5(!).
While the indoor place is quite small, if you’re visiting in warmer months, there should be tables set outside as well.
Dinner: Classic French or modern Italian
For dinner, I’ll give you two options depending on the vibes.
If you want to stick to the French theme and want a classic French dinner, then you should visit Titi Graille.
Titi Graille is a highly-rated restaurant in the heart of Montmartre, where you can find most of your typical French dishes you’d want to try—from onion soup to steak and potatoes, duck confit, creme brulee, and more.
If, on the other hand, you’ve had a long stay in Paris and could use a break from French dinner, then a great option in the area is the beloved Pink Mamma, for hearty, modern Italian dishes in a beautiful setting.
Catch the iconic Moulin Rouge show
I’ll say this straight away: I don’t think it’s necessary to see Moulin Rouge.
I’ve done it, and I was happy to tick the box, but I wouldn’t do it again.
However, if you’re also curious and just want to tick the box and know for yourself that you made the most of your time in Paris, and in Montmartre, by all means, book those Moulin Rouge tickets.
Just thought I should say my most honest thoughts. But it’s true that catching a show at the end of the day would fit perfectly with this itinerary, so I’m giving you the option.
Check availability for tickets for Moulin Rouge in Paris here:
Final thoughts on how to spend a day in Montmartre, Paris
Montmartre is a must-see neighborhood for any first-time visitor to Paris; sadly, travelers tend to rush up to Sacré-Cœur before moving on to the next item on their list.
Which, I completely understand.
I did exactly this multiple times when visiting Paris on a tight itinerary.
However, if you have the time to spend a day in Montmartre, this will allow you to really get to know the neighborhood, away from the crowded tourist shops.
Wander the charming streets aimlessly, admire all the cute corner cafes, browse the local shops, and sip your coffee slowly while watching the locals go on about their day.
This guide to how to spend a day in Montmartre will take you through the must-sees in this bohemian district, such as Sacré-Cœur and Place du Tertre, while allowing time for slowing down, eating great food, and having some tasty coffee.
A well-rounded day spent in Montmartre, if you ask me.
Is there anything else that you think should make it into your one day in Montmartre? Let us know in the comments.