The Ultimate 3 Days In Paris Itinerary For First-Time Visitors

Last Updated on 15th April 2024

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3 days in Paris gives you plenty of time to explore the abundant beauty of the French capital.

From devouring baguettes in a traditional French bakery to indulging in a decadent hot chocolate at Angelina’s to seeing the top sights such as the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Notre Dame Cathedral, this 3-day Paris itinerary shows you the very best that Paris has to offer!

1. Spend an afternoon in the Louvre

The Louvre is without a doubt somewhere that you should spend the afternoon while in Paris, especially if it’s a miserable day. You can literally spend hours getting lost amongst the incredible art, intriguing sculptures and mesmerizing artefacts.

The museum is absolutely massive and it’s so easy to get lost amongst all the art but it’s 100% worth doing; even if you’re not a huge arty fan, it’s still somewhere that anyone can enjoy and appreciate.

I do have to say, however, that the Mona Lisa was probably the most underwhelming work of art in the whole museum, yet the hype surrounding it is insane! The rest of the art was absolutely unreal though; there are so many things to see at the Louvre that you’ll probably miss a good amount of it, but it’s still worth having a go at fitting everything in!

2. Be a princess at Sacré-Cœur

I’m an absolute sucker for beautiful buildings – New York and Budapest really reinforced this fact for me – and Paris’ offerings were no different.

The Sacré-Cœur was like something straight out of a fairytale movie and with the snow falling in the background, it truly was incredibly magical. The basilica resides on top of a huge hill and while the ascent is pretty tiring, the views from the top (and the basilica itself) make it totally worth it.

The interior of the basilica is just as impressive as the exterior, with stunning religious paintings and picturesque stone walls, it’s definitely something that you need to see if you ever find yourself in Paris.

3. Visit the oldest monumental fountain in Paris – Fontaine des Innocents

The first stunning piece of architecture we saw when we arrived in Paris was the Fontaine des Innocents as it was located just a few minutes away from our apartment. While there was no water in the fountain, it still looked beautiful in the sunshine and there were lots of people around the area eating their lunch and enjoying the atmosphere.

4. Admire the Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral at night – 3 days in Paris

Notre Dame is a stunning piece of architecture at all times of the day, but it’s at night that it really comes alive for me. The eerily gothic church looks particularly impressive lit up at night and the two towers at the front remind me somewhat of the York Minster.

While it was certainly a beautiful building, it definitely wasn’t my favourite place in Paris, but it’s still somewhere that I think you have to visit.

5. Be a true Parisian at the Arc de Triomphe

Located at the end of the Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe is one of the most impressive pieces of French architecture. It stands proudly at 164 feet high and is a true testament to French history.

We were lucky enough to see it against the snowy backdrop and it really was quintessentially Parisian; the arc itself resides in the middle of an extremely busy roundabout and it’s definitely something not to be missed.

6. Make a wish at the Fontaine Saint-Michel

The iconic fountain is yet another stunning building to admire while in Paris. The fountain towers above the street below and the two winged dragons sit proudly on either side of the fountain.

It may not be the most famous building in Paris but it’s certainly still immensely stunning.

7. Take in the grandeur of the Church of Saint-Eustache – 3 days in Paris itinerary

This impressive gothic building wasn’t too far from our hotel and while there was a number of reconstructions going on, it was still a stunning sight.

It’s considered a masterpiece of late gothic architecture and it’s not hard to see why; we didn’t actually see inside the church but the exterior alone is something to admire.

8. Enjoy the view of the Institut de France from the Pont des Arts

The Institut de France is a French learned society and it’s a truly beautiful building. It’s situated directly opposite the pont des Arts (a bridge that crosses the river Seine) and is a lovely building to admire both during the day and at night.

I love how it kind of looks like a mini basilica and the tall pillars at the front of the Institute give it a really powerful presence.

9. See the flamboyant Saint-Jacques Tower

The Saint-Jacques Tower is all that remains of the once largely famous Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie. The tower itself gives off a gothic vibe; something that is extremely common in French architecture.

The tower wasn’t too far from our hotel and we walked past it a fair few times during our jaunts out into the city.

10. Visit the world-famous Eiffel Tower – 3 days in Paris

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you may have seen my dismay at the fact we couldn’t go up to the top of the Eiffel Tower due to ice on the platforms. Suffice it to say, we were both pretty devastated but the tower itself was still a sight to behold.

It’s pretty much Blackpool Tower but a little taller 😉

11. Check out the love locks

Paris is renowned for being the city of love and to celebrate that, thousands of people add to the collection of locks in the city.

While the locks used to reside on the Pont des Arts bridge, the weight of the love that radiated through the locks (lol) became too much for the bridge to bear and so they were relocated to a square nearby. Hundreds of thousands of locks fill the metal mesh of various gates and while Matt and I didn’t actually contribute (we totally forgot to bring a lock with us!) it was incredibly lovely to see.

12. See the remarkable Panthéon – 3 days in Paris itinerary

The Panthéon resides in the Latin Quarter and it reminded me of the one in Rome . The domed roof is so beautiful, and even more so inside where the domed ceilings have the most beautiful carvings and sculptures.

The marble floors, towering pillars and beautiful paintings look absolutely gorgeous.

13. Stroll along the river

The walk along the river Seine is almost stunning, whether it’s raining or shining. There are so many gorgeous buildings along the river and it’s such a beautiful, peaceful setting.

It was bloody freezing though, so if you visit it during the winter then make sure to wrap up warm!

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Have you ever spent 3 days in Paris? Would you like to go one day? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter at @imjustagirl_16.