Paris is one of the most attractive European destinations and people travel from all over the world to spend some of their time here.
The capital of France is one of those places where one lifetime is not enough to visit it from the ground up!
As soon as you think you’ve seen the best, something new appears in front of you, worth exploring: a cute boulangerie, a new temporary art exhibition or a little-known museum. So how many days in Paris are enough?
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How Many Days in Paris?
There’s no easy answer to this question and it depends on factors such as your budget and available time.
With this post, we’ll explain how long you should stay in Paris and what to do during that time so you can fully maximize your stay in this romantic city.
Is Paris worth visiting?
There is no doubt that Paris is safe for tourists and there are thousands of reasons why you should visit a city that at every corner can surprise you.
Below are the reasons to visit Paris that we consider worthwhile:
- There’s a huge number of things to do all year round! Starting with the must-see attractions like Notre-Dame, the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre to the fascinating neighbourhoods of Montmartre and the Latin Quarter. If you’re passionate about art, then Paris is your place. Here you can admire the best Impressionism masterpieces whilst visiting the Orangerie and the Musee d’Orsay or deep dive into the contemporary art world at the Centre Pampidou or at the MAM. The list can continue for days, the French city is simply incredible when it comes to art and culture.
- Paris is the perfect city to walk around thanks to its beautiful gardens and parks. Check out the Jardin du Luxembourg in the Latin Quarter and the Jardins des Tuileries that you can access from Palace de la Concorde to reach the Louvre. We really recommend walking along the Canal Saint-Martin and get lost in the Marais neighborhood streets. Also, by night it’s lovely to take a walk along the Seine, the river flowing through the city.
- There are great flight and public transport connections to Paris and this makes of this destination an easy one to reach, wherever you’re in the world! There are tens of flights getting to one of the three international airports: Paris Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Beauvais. The capital city is also well-connected to the rest of the country and the rest of Europe by train. The main railway stations are Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est, Gare de Lyon, Gare d’Austerlitz, Gare Montparnasse and Gare Saint-Lazare.
Impacts of tourism in Paris
Similarly to other European destinations like Venice and Barcelona, tourism has a positive impact in Paris on one side, but also some negative ones.
The tourism industry is one of the biggest source of income for the city and the whole country and even non-touristic businesses benefit from it.
But there are some negative impacts of tourism that can not be forgotten. First, overcrowded tourist attractions that can be annoying not just for the huge number of people but for the noise pollution that can cause.
This is part of the reason why Parisians leave the city to move somewhere cheaper or to the suburbs.
The main issue is in fact that the city has seen an increasing number of flats and houses transformed into Airbnbs or short rental accommodation. This phenomenon has led to the overall rise of house rent and costs, making it difficult for locals to keep living in such an expensive city.
As a consequence, Paris has fewer locals and more tourists and the businesses are more keen on offering services and products for visitors rather than Parisians.
Loss of authenticity with the appearance of restaurant and hotel chains as well as shops like Starbucks is nothing less than grim reality.
Tourists can make a better impact on the city by spending more days in Paris and by spending money at locally-owned businesses instead of big chains.
Where to Stay in Paris
There are many independent hotels and B&Bs where you can have a fabulous stay in Paris, check out these suggestions we have carefully selected for you:
- Hotel Les Deux Gares – a 4-star hotel in the 10th arrondissement, the perfect place for a stylish stay in the French capital. The rooms provide guests with top amenities to make their stay cosy and unforgettable.
- Hôtel Rosalie – it’s a recently renovated design hotel, located in the Gobelins district. Some rooms also offer a view on the Tour Eiffel and the neighbourhood is lively and full of restaurants with delicious food to try.
- Hotel de l’Esperance – located only 10 minutes walk from the Latin Quarter and is another cool 4-star boutique hotel where to stay in Paris.
How Many days in Paris is Enough?
Now that you have a list of reasons why you should visit this city, let’s also find out how many days in Paris is enough to make the most of its charm.
Is one day enough for Paris?
One day in Paris is definitely not enough. But if you have limited time because Paris is just a stop of a wider French itinerary then it’s important to carefully choose what to see based on your interests and strategically visit the main attractions without spending too much time moving around.
In one day here, we recommend taking a walk near the Eiffel Tower, the symbol of France, visit Notre-Dame de Paris, one of the most beautiful cathedrals in the world, stroll around the Champs-Elysées and get to the Arc de Triomphe or even Place de la Concorde and the Jardin des Tuileries.
Champ de Mars is located in front of Trocadero, and if you’re in Paris during the summer is a perfect place for picnics.
Bear in mind that if you have only one day in Paris, you won’t be able to cover top attractions such as the Louvre and Musee d’Orsay as they require at least a couple of hours of your time.
Is 2 Days in Paris enough?
Two days in Paris is still not enough, but if you have a very short time to spend here, then it’s better than nothing!
On top of the things you can visit during in your day one, we suggest going to Montmartre, a picturesque district full of nice cafés and artistic shops.
This is a good place to find some French gifts to carry home. Before leaving this part of the city, don’t forget to visit the Sacré-Coeur Basilica, from where you can enjoy a wonderful view over Paris on a sunny and clear day.
Another district to include in your day two is the Latin Quarter, where you’ll discover the medieval side of the city. This neighbourhood is home to attractions like the Sorbonne dating back to the year 1253 and the Pantheon.
If you’ve still time, then take a walk around the cobblestoned streets of Le Marais neighborhood. Here you’ll find the famous Hotel de Ville, the Place des Vosges, the oldest square in Paris and the Centre Pampidou.
Is a week in Paris too long?
Paris is such a big metropolis that not even a month is enough to visit it properly, so a week in Paris is not too long.
On the other side, it might start to feel boring spending all your time visiting museums, art galleries and walking around neighbourhoods.
Having a lot more time means also having the chance of getting to know a few hidden spots of the city and add a couple of day trips to your list of things to do.
The Versailles Palace is certainly a must-see attraction and can take up to 2 hours and you can get there by joining this Versailles Skip-the-Line Tour & Gardens Access or getting a RER C train that will take you to Chateau rive Gauche train station in Versailles.
If you’re travelling as a family or simply love the idea of having a fun day out, you could also spend a day at Disneyland Paris during your stay!
Our recommended amount of days in Paris
Our recommended amount of time to spend in Paris is 3 or 4 days.
During this time you can visit the most important attractions, add a couple of off-the-beaten-path sights and squeeze in a half-day or full day trip, if you like the idea.
On top of the suggestions mentioned on the previous paragraphs, in Paris we recommend visiting the Jardin de Luxembourg in the Latin Quarter and the Sainte-Chapelle on the Ile de la Cité district (the most central one).
You should also have enough time for a mini-cruise on the Seine river, from where to take in all the beauty of a Paris by night (you can also have a romantic dinner on it!).
Finally, walk around the Pigalle neighborhood where the popular Moulin Rouge is, you can also book a ticket for a can-can show. For more than 15 years this was an area of the capital where visitor where advised not to go, but today, it is a trendy place to explore and full of cool boutique shops.
Best Guided Tours in Paris
After years of traveling ourselves, we really suggest booking in advance tours and day trips that will allow you to save time and be accompanied around the city by expert and passionate guides.
Paris Day Tours
Joining a tour in Paris is a way to save time and support locals. Most of the time the guide is a local person that has a strong passion for the city and knows it better than anyone else!
Also remember that locals know very well some of the best-hidden gems to discover, authentic Parisian restaurants to try and much more.
Spend some time with a guide who is giving you the chance to ask questions and advice about anything you want!
From how to move around by public transport, which day trips to do, to where to go for a full immersion in the Parisian culture.
Finally, a guide is able to share with you information about the city and its history in a short span of time and what he/she will say will remain impressed in your mind for longer than by reading it in a book.
So, let’s check out a couple of ways to make the most of your time in Paris and some interesting guided tours.
Eiffel Tower Direct Access Tour
With this Eiffel Tower (direct access tour) you’ll have direct access to the most iconic attraction of the French capital: the Eiffel Tower.
Every day there are thousand of visitors that want to climb it, so if you have limited time to spend in Paris, book your direct access is essential. From the top of it, you can enjoy a fabolous view over the city and spend your time, exploring the different tower’s levels.
1-Hour River Seine Cruise
One of the best ways to visit Paris is by navigating its romantic river, the Seine. By joining this 1-Hour River Seine Cruise tour, you’ll admire some iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Place de la Concorde and many more from your boat.
The audio commentary will provide the most important information about each one of them, whilst you’ll be enjoying some of the best views of Paris.
Louvre Museum Timed-Entrance Ticket
If you don’t have much time available but want to visit the most important museum in Paris and in the world, then you should definetely get this Louvre Museum Timed-Entrance Ticket.
This ticket will allow you to skip-the-line at the entrance and get immediate access to the museum. You can spend as much time as you want, enjoying its masterpieces dating back to the Ancient Egypt till the Reinassance.
Skip-the-Line Arc de Triomphe Rooftop Tickets
When walking down the Champs-Élysées, you can’t miss the chance to visit the Arc de Triomphe too. These Skip-the-Line Arc de Triomphe Rooftop tickets are the best way to skip-the-line at the entrance, save your precious time and get to the top of the city gate where you cab admire the breathtaking panorama of the city of love.
How Many days in Paris
Now you should have a better idea of how many days to spend in Paris to make the most of your time and don’t miss any important attractions.
Paris is a city that requires a lot of time to be explored throughly and we can’t deny that in some cases, the best spots happen to be also the less touristic ones.
With 3 or 4 days in Paris, you’ll have time to visit the most important attractions and hopefully, the desire to come back to see more!
If you’re wondering how to visit such a touristic place and reducing your impact on the local environment, see our sustainable travel tips blog post.
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