Day 1
Breakfast
On arrival day, start at a local café with outdoor seating built for people-watching — it’s the fastest way to actually soak up that Parisian feeling. One thing to know: breakfast in Paris usually comes as a brunch formula, meaning you get a whole set menu with both sweet and savory elements — baguette, croissant, an omelet, and coffee or orange juice, in various combinations. My personal favorite is Café Beugrenelle — it was close to my apartment, it holds up beautifully even on a rainy day since the interior is gorgeous, and it sits right in the heart of the city, making it a solid launchpad for the day.
Eiffel Tower + Trocadéro
Once you’re fueled up, it’s time for the long walk toward the Eiffel Tower — what else would kick off a Paris trip? Going up the tower requires booking tickets in advance through the official Eiffel Tower ticket office, but the park surrounding it is free. Make sure to cross over to Trocadéro Square too, directly across from the tower, for the best front-facing view.
Jardin des Tuileries
From here it’s an easy walk to the Jardin des Tuileries, which I’d argue is one of the most beautiful parks in Paris. Grab one of the loose chairs facing the fountain and just sit for a bit. Fit this stop in now — after the Louvre, you genuinely won’t have the energy left for it.
Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées
After lunch, close out the afternoon at the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées. It’s worth climbing to the top of the Arc — the view over the city is stunning. The Champs-Élysées itself is lined with luxury boutiques. Even if your budget doesn’t stretch to shopping there, it’s worth stepping inside a few just to see the elegance and design.
Eiffel Tower Sparkle
If you’ve still got energy after dinner, catch the Eiffel Tower’s sparkling light show — it happens on the hour, every hour, until 1 AM, starting after dark. Midnight is when it looks its most special. For the best view of the sparkle, I’d recommend either Rue de l’Université or Trocadéro.
💡 You’ll be on your feet basically all day — a crossbody anti-theft bag is worth having for exactly this kind of day. It keeps your hands free, your phone and passport safe in busy tourist spots, and it looks put-together enough for dinner after.
Day 2
Parc Monceau
Start with a walk through my personal favorite park in the city — it genuinely looks like it belongs in a painting.
Galerie Lafayette
Right next to the Opera, Galerie Lafayette has a free rooftop viewpoint offering one of the most popular views over the city. The department store’s glass dome is worth seeing from inside too, along with a browse through the shops. If fashion isn’t your thing, there’s a gourmet food hall right next door filled with elaborate pastries and baked goods.
Palais Royal
In spring, the whole park turns pink with blossoms, but honestly it’s beautiful year-round. It’s the perfect breather right before the Louvre.
The Louvre
We didn’t attempt to see the entire Louvre — we gave it half a day. If you’re not a huge museum or art person, half a day is genuinely enough. Book your timed-entry ticket in advance through the official Louvre ticket office — it sells out fast, especially in peak season.
💡This is a heavy photo day — a small instant/Polaroid-style camera is a fun way to actually walk away with physical souvenirs from the Louvre courtyard or the Tuileries, instead of 300 photos stuck on your phone forever.
Day 3
Spend the morning around Sacré-Cœur, getting lost in the charming winding streets nearby. In Montmartre the view over the city is fantastic, and there’s almost always a musician playing on the steps, which adds even more atmosphere to the visit.
In the afternoon, explore Le Marais — a neighborhood packed with small cafés and boutique shops. Colorful buildings, narrow streets — this was one of my favorite areas in the whole city. While you’re there, don’t skip Place des Vosges. It’s a beautiful, genuinely famous park — Victor Hugo lived in one corner of the square, and his former home is now open to visit as the Maison de Victor Hugo (permanent collection is free, but reserve ahead for busy periods). Whether or not you’re a literature fan, it’s fascinating just to see what an apartment on that square actually looks like inside.
Place des Vosges
Day 4
If you’re in Paris, it’s worth dedicating a full day to Versailles — especially in spring or summer, when the gardens are at their absolute best. Tickets need to be booked in advance through the official Château de Versailles website, and you can choose from several ticket combinations depending on what you want to see. Expect large crowds, and buy your tickets weeks ahead of time, not days.
We packed some cold food and had a proper picnic by the water on the grounds. If your legs and energy can handle it, an evening walk along the Seine is perfect for watching the sunset — or just find a small riverside bar and settle in for a drink.
💡 A compact, packable picnic blanket earns its keep on a day like this — light enough to stuff in your bag all day, and genuinely useful the second you find a good spot by the Versailles gardens or the Seine.
Day 5
We saved Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle for the last day, along with wandering the small streets behind them, which are also full of shops. Entry to Notre-Dame is free, but reserving a time slot through the official Notre-Dame reservation site cuts your wait significantly. Sainte-Chapelle requires a paid, timed ticket through the official Sainte-Chapelle site — book ahead, especially in high season.
In the second half of the day, we took things slower at Jardin du Luxembourg — a nice walk, then some downtime with a picnic or just settling into one of the park’s iconic movable chairs.
Jardin du Luxembourg
We closed out the day, and the whole five-day trip, with a visit to the Panthéon.
Fun fact for the Emily in Paris fans: Emily and Gabriel’s apartments are set right near the Panthéon.
💡 After five days of walking, a reusable water bottle you’ve actually kept refilling all week (Paris has fountains all over) will have paid for itself many times over — small thing, but it adds up.
