Paris Itinerary 5 Days: The Ultimate Day-by-Day Guide

Quick answer

This five-day itinerary focuses on the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 18th arrondissements, balancing major museums like the Louvre and Musée d'Orsay with neighborhood exploration in Le Marais and Montmartre. You will spend approximately €150 ($165) per day excluding accommodation, covering Metro transport, site entries, and mid-range dining.

Trip summary

• Duration: 5 days.
• Ideal traveller: First-time visitors or returning travellers seeking a mix of landmarks and local culture.
• Pace: Moderate; expect 12,000–18,000 steps per day.
• Approximate daily budget: €130–€200 ($140–$220) per person.
• Best season: May to June or September to October for temperatures between 15°C and 22°C.

Day 1: The Historical Core

• Morning: Start at the Louvre Museum in the 1st arrondissement. Enter via the Porte des Lions to avoid the main Pyramid queue. Allocate three hours for the Denon and Sully wings.
• Afternoon: Walk 10 minutes through the Tuileries Garden to the Place de la Concorde. Continue to the Musée de l'Orangerie to view Monet’s Water Lilies.
• Evening: Walk across the Pont de la Concorde to the Seine riverbanks. Board a Bateaux-Mouche cruise at Pont de l'Alma (approx. €15).
• Transport: Primarily walking; Metro Line 1 (Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre).
• Walking load: 6–8 km.
• Sequence logic: These sites are geographically contiguous along the Right Bank axis, minimising transit time on your first day.

Day 2: Le Marais and Île de la Cité

• Morning: Visit Notre-Dame Cathedral (exterior views and archaeological crypt) on Île de la Cité, then walk 5 minutes to Sainte-Chapelle to see the 13th-century stained glass.
• Afternoon: Cross the Pont d'Arcole to Le Marais (4th arrondissement). Visit the Place des Vosges and the Musée Carnavalet.
• Evening: Dine at a bistro near Rue des Rosiers, such as L'As du Fallafel or Chez Marianne.
• Transport: Metro Line 4 (Cité) or Line 1 (Saint-Paul).
• Walking load: 5–7 km.
• Sequence logic: Moving from the city's medieval island birthplace into the adjacent Renaissance-era Marais district allows for a chronological appreciation of Parisian architecture.

Day 3: Artistic Montmartre

• Morning: Take Metro Line 12 to Abbesses. Walk uphill to the Sacré-Cœur Basilica. Explore the Place du Tertre before the midday crowds arrive.
• Afternoon: Visit the Musée de Montmartre and the nearby Vineyard (Vigne de Montmartre). Walk down via Rue Lepic, passing the Moulin de la Galette.
• Evening: Walk to Pigalle for dinner. See the Moulin Rouge exterior or attend a show at La Cigale.
• Transport: Metro Line 12 (Abbesses) or Line 2 (Anvers).
• Walking load: 6 km (steep inclines).
• Sequence logic: Starting at the highest point in the morning avoids the steepest heat and largest tour groups at the Basilica.

Day 4: Rive Gauche and Eiffel Tower

• Morning: Explore the Musée d'Orsay (7th arrondissement) for Impressionist works. Pre-book a 9:30 slot to avoid queues.
• Afternoon: Walk 20 minutes along the Quai d'Orsay to the Musée du Quai Branly or the Rodin Museum. Continue to the Champ de Mars.
• Evening: Ascend the Eiffel Tower (pre-booked tickets essential). Afterwards, walk to Rue Saint-Dominique for dinner at a traditional brasserie like La Fontaine de Mars.
• Transport: RER C (Musée d'Orsay to Champ de Mars) or walking.
• Walking load: 7–9 km.
• Sequence logic: This route follows the Left Bank westward, culminating in the Eiffel Tower at sunset/night for the hourly light sparkle.

Day 5: Palatial Grandeur and Shopping

• Morning: Take the RER C train (approx. 40 minutes) to the Palace of Versailles. Explore the Hall of Mirrors and the Gardens.
• Afternoon: Return to Paris. Visit the Palais Garnier Opera House or browse the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann for the rooftop view.
• Evening: Final dinner in Saint-Germain-des-Prés (6th arrondissement). Try Les Deux Magots or Le Comptoir du Relais.
• Transport: RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche; Metro Line 9 back in the city.
• Walking load: 8–10 km (Versailles gardens are extensive).
• Sequence logic: Versailles requires a half-day commitment; returning to the Opera district places you near major transport hubs for a final evening of shopping or dining.

Estimated costs

Note: Prices are estimates only; check official sites for current rates before travel.

Required reservations

• The Louvre: Time-slot booking is mandatory. Book 2–4 weeks in advance.
• Eiffel Tower: Book 60 days in advance for summit access.
• Palace of Versailles: Mandatory time-slot for the main palace.
• Sainte-Chapelle: Advance booking recommended to avoid 1-hour+ queues.
• Musée d'Orsay: Recommended for morning slots.

Common mistakes

• Buying individual Metro tickets: Use a Navigo Easy card or the 'Bonjour RATP' app to save money and avoid paper ticket demagnetisation.
• Validating RER tickets: You need your ticket to exit RER stations; do not discard it after passing the initial turnstile.
• Monday/Tuesday museum closures: Many national museums (like the Louvre) close on Tuesdays, while others (like d'Orsay) close on Mondays. Check schedules carefully.
• Over-scheduling Versailles: The estate is massive. Do not plan a heavy museum afternoon in Paris on the same day you visit the Palace.
• Underestimating walking distances: Paris looks small on a map, but the distance between 'nearby' landmarks like the Louvre and Place de la Concorde is nearly 1km.

Plan your trip

Journey Planner transforms this itinerary into a custom schedule by integrating real-time weather forecasts and live transport updates. It calculates specific walking times between your chosen venues, adjusts for local public holidays, and provides a consolidated packing list based on the seasonal climate in the Ile-de-France region. You can track your total spend against the estimates provided here and adjust your dining or transport choices to stay within budget.

FAQ

How much is a 5 day Paris pass? The Paris Museum Pass for 4 days costs €70; there is no 5-day version, so most travellers choose the 4-day or 6-day (€85) option depending on their museum density.

Is 5 days enough for Paris? Five days allows you to see the primary landmarks in the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 18th arrondissements plus one day trip to Versailles or Disneyland without rushing.

What is the cheapest way to get around Paris? The Metro is the most cost-effective. A Navigo Liberté + or a daily Navigo pass is cheaper than individual tickets for more than 5 trips per day.

Do I need to tip in Paris? Service is included in the bill (service compris). Tipping is not required, though leaving €1–€2 at a café or 5-10% at a high-end restaurant for exceptional service is common.