Firstrd time I went to Paris, it was for a long weekend that I will never forget. I thought that by being well organized, I would be able to see everything in 2 days. But Coco always has eyes bigger than her stomach. Obviously, it is impossible to discover all the treasures of Paris in just 2 days of visiting. I therefore had to make a choice to optimize my 2 days in Paris and plan an itinerary which brings together the sites most interesting to me.
If you are going to Paris for the first time and you want, above all, to see the most beautiful sites of the City of Lights, then here is a guide to the most beautiful visits to do and my advice so that your two days in Paris are truly successful !
You will find ideas for visiting Paris in 2 days but above all itineraries to take on foot to discover the most beautiful places in the city with their Google Maps.
So go in sneakers and don't forget your bottle of water! That said, those who don't like walking can take a taxi or the metro for longer distances or for returning to the hotel in the evening.
How to visit Paris in a weekend?
You have several possibilities to visit Paris in a weekend:
- Panoramic tour of Paris + cruise on the Seine + visit to the Eiffel Tower
- Private tour of Paris with a guide
- Discover Paris by bike
- Tour of Paris by tourist bus
- Sightseeing tour in 1 day + shopping day in Paris
- Or combine 2 days of walking tours by following my itineraries, the details and map of which you will find below.
Not all the monuments and museums in Paris can be visited in one weekend, it's totally impossible. However, it is interesting to discover them from the outside if only to admire the majestic architecture.
Depending on your tastes and your pace of visit, you may be able to select one or two for a quick visit. For my part, it is the museum ofOrangery which I had selected for a complete visit because my favorite painter Claude Monnet painted the most beautiful frescoes in the world there (this is simply my opinion): the nymphs. But those who prefer the smile of Mona Lisa can take a little tour of the immense Louvre Museum.
Program and itinerary for your first day in Paris
This first day is quite busy but allows you to see the most emblematic sites of Paris. Here is the program and the itinerary that I propose to you:
- In the morning, you will leave the Trocadéro, pass through the Champs de Mars to arrive at the Eiffel Tower via the Esplanade des Invalides.
- At the end of the morning you can visit the Musée d'Orsay.
- At midday, a lunch break can be had right next to the Musée d'Orsay at the Deux Margots restaurant.
- In the afternoon, passing by the Pont des Arts, this route allows you to visit cultural Paris:
- Louvre Museum – See where is the Mona Lisa in the Louvre ;
- Orangerie Museum ;
- And, passing through the Tuileries Gardens, you will reach the Grand Palais
- At the end of the afternoon, head to the Champs-Élysées which is a must-see shopping in Paris and that you will walk along to the Arc de Triomphe
- The evening will be under the theme of romance with a dinner cruise on the Seine.
To avoid getting lost, I recommend that you follow the Google Maps route below on foot:
Program and itinerary for your second day in Paris
This second day is less busy than the first but just as interesting.
I suggest a walking tour to discover the Paris of the Middle Ages with the Holy Chapel and its 15 glass roofs and 1 stained glass windows and of course the Notre-Dame cathedral who knew how to resist the flames and still stands upright and proud in the heart of Paris.
The circuit also passes through the Pantheon which houses the remains of the greatest men in the political and cultural history of France but above all through a series of museums for all tastes (Modern art with the Centre Pompidou, Cubism and surrealism with the Picass Museumo and entertaining with the Grévin wax museum).
In France, we always say thatwe keep the best for last. And for me, the best of Paris is Montmartre, its hill, its typical neighborhoods, its alleys, its bistros and its Basilica of the Sacred Heart.
Without forgetting a little shopping in Paris and a party night in the legendary Moulin Rouge cabaret!
Here is the recommended itinerary for this second day which allows you to discover the other emblematic sites of the French capital on foot:
- Morning:
- Holy Chapel
- Pantheon
- Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral
- Picasso Museum
- Centre Pompidou
- Lunch: Restaurant le Pharamond (24 Rue de la Grande Truanderie)
- Afternoon :
- Musee Grevin
- Montmartre
- Basilica of the Sacred Heart
- Evening at the Moulin Rouge
To do this tourist circuit, I advise you to follow the Google Maps route below on foot:
Dream evening for a weekend in Paris
If you want your weekend in Paris to be unforgettable, I recommend that you book a dream evening: Dinner at the Eiffel Tower + romantic cruise + show at the Moulin Rouge
Where to stay to visit Paris in 2 days?
For your short stay or weekend in Paris, an apartment rental can be a good accommodation solution. I recommend a nice apartment with an ideal location to make the visits of my walking tours of the essentials of Paris.
If you prefer a hotel, here is the one I recommend: Ibis Montmartre. I chose this hotel because I love this area but it was mainly to save money because it has very good value for money.
On the other hand, for those who have a more flexible budget, I recommend a 5-star hotel that is very well located and ideal for a romantic weekend in Paris: theJuliana Hotel !
It is one of the best 5-star hotels located right next to the Eiffel Tower and only a 10-minute walk from the Seine cruise departures. In addition to its proximity to the Eiffel Tower, the Champs de Mars and the Champs Elysées, its main advantage is having a beautiful terrace on the 7th floor.
If you only have one day to visit Paris, here is how to visit Paris in 1 day
or maybe half a day: Visit Paris in 1 afternoon
or want to continue around Paris: What to visit around Paris
and if you want to take another city tour in France, why not
weekend in Bordeaux or visit of Marseille in 2 days or a short stay in Toulouse ?