Paris in 2 days

Morning

• Eiffel Tower2h

  Start at the Eiffel Tower for your pre-booked morning summit slot, before the queues and the crowds build at the base. Cross to the Trocadero terrace afterward for the classic head-on photo of the whole tower, keeping your bag zipped in this pickpocket hotspot.

  TipBook a timed lift ticket to the summit online weeks ahead, the official site releases slots about 60 days out and they sell fast; walking up to the second floor by stairs is cheaper and rarely queued. Come for the first morning slot or after dark, when the tower sparkles for five minutes on the hour. Keep bags zipped tight, the base and the Trocadero across the river are prime pickpocket ground.

• Musee Rodin1h15

  Walk east to the Musee Rodin near the Invalides, where the rose garden holds The Thinker and The Gates of Hell in one of the city's prettiest settings. A garden-only ticket is a quick, cheap way to see the big bronzes if time is tight.

  TipThe sculptor's mansion and rose garden hold The Thinker and The Gates of Hell in one of the loveliest museum settings in the city, near the Invalides. A garden-only ticket is a cheap way to see the big bronzes outdoors if you are short on time or budget. It is closed on Mondays; come on a fine afternoon and pair it with the nearby Invalides and Napoleon's tomb.

Afternoon

• Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Elysees2h

  Take the metro to the Arc de Triomphe and climb the 284 steps to the terrace for the view down the twelve-avenue star, reaching it by the underground passage, never across the traffic. Then walk the Champs-Elysees downhill toward Concorde and the Tuileries.

  TipThe rooftop terrace gives a superb view straight down the Champs-Elysees and the twelve-avenue star, and it needs a timed online ticket to climb the 284 steps. Reach it by the underground pedestrian passage from the Champs-Elysees corner, never by crossing the traffic roundabout. Go late afternoon for the golden light down the avenue, and walk the Champs down toward Concorde rather than up it.

Evening

• Seine River Cruise1h15

  Board a Seine cruise at dusk near the Eiffel Tower or Pont Neuf for the sunset-into-lights glide past Notre-Dame and the Louvre. Sit on the open upper deck and take a standard hour-long departure rather than a pricey dinner boat.

  TipAn hour-long boat glide past Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and the Eiffel Tower is the easiest way to link the monuments and rest your feet, and it is magical after dark when everything is lit. Skip the pricey dinner cruises and take a standard Bateaux-Mouches or Vedettes du Pont-Neuf departure for around 15 EUR. Board at dusk for the sunset-into-lights transition, and sit on the open upper deck.

• 2h

  Head back to Le Marais for dinner in the lanes around Place des Vosges, booking a table for anywhere with a name. Finish with a drink in one of the quarter's late bars, a short walk from your hotel.

Morning

• Louvre Museum3h

  Be at the Louvre for your pre-booked 9am slot and go straight to the Mona Lisa before the phone-wall forms, then loop the Italian paintings, the Venus de Milo, and the French crown jewels. Enter via the Carrousel or Porte des Lions to skip the pyramid line.

  TipReserve a timed entry online, it is mandatory even with a Paris Museum Pass, and pick the first 9am slot to reach the Mona Lisa before the wall of phones forms. The Louvre is shut on Tuesdays and open late (until about 9pm) on Wednesdays and Fridays, when the evening is far calmer. Enter through the Carrousel du Louvre or Porte des Lions to skip the pyramid queue.

Afternoon

• Sainte-Chapelle1h30

  Cross to the Ile de la Cite for your timed Sainte-Chapelle slot, saving the fifteen walls of stained glass for the bright afternoon light. Use the combined ticket to see the neighboring Conciergerie, and expect a security check at the courthouse gate.

  TipThis 13th-century royal chapel holds fifteen soaring walls of stained glass, best seen on a bright morning when the light pours through. Book a timed ticket online, and buy the combined ticket with the neighboring Conciergerie to see both on one visit. It sits inside a working courthouse so there is an airport-style security check at the gate; come at 9am opening to beat both the queue and the coach groups.

• Notre-Dame Cathedral1h15

  Walk to Notre-Dame, reopened in December 2024 with its restored interior, using your free reserved timed slot to skip the long walk-up queue. Circle the exterior and the flying buttresses from the riverside garden behind it afterward.

  TipReopened in December 2024 after the fire, and the restored interior is dazzling. Entry is free but a walk-up queue of an hour is common, so reserve a free timed slot on the official app or website up to two days ahead to walk straight in. Go early or in the evening for the calmest visit, and book the separate tower climb if you want the gargoyle-level rooftop view.

Evening

• Latin Quarter2h30

  Cross the river into the Latin Quarter, wandering the bookshops and Shakespeare and Company before dinner. Eat one street back from the touristy Rue de la Huchette, and end with a drink around the Pantheon.

  TipExplore the streets around the Pantheon and the Sorbonne for bookshops, the Shakespeare and Company store by the river, and the crumbling Roman arena of the Arenes de Lutece hidden off Rue Monge (free). Skip the touristy Rue de la Huchette for dinner and eat one street back. The morning market on Rue Mouffetard is the local highlight, best before noon.