Paris in Four Days
Following is a four-day list of things to do in Paris along with some historical facts. When we visited in July, one of the things that I loved was the long days. Not only did the sun rise at 6:14 a.m., but it had set by 9:38 p.m. Therefore, we had plenty of daylight for exploring.
I recommend that you visit Rive Droite or Right Bank of La Seine, Rive Gauche or Left Bank of La Seine, the artsy 6th Arrondissement on the Left Bank, and Montmartre.
The 6th Arrondissement is my favorite because it’s full of restaurants where you can dine outside, and people watch. Also, you can find numerous bakeries, art galleries, and clothing and accessory boutiques in this district.
Paris Day One
Rive Droite or Right Bank of La Seine
Musee du Louvre
Take a half day guided tour of Musee du Louvre and check out Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa who became famous when someone stole her in 1911. Unfortunately, she was missing for two years.
Tuileries Gardens
Walk through the Tuileries Gardens that was created by Catherine de Medicis in the 16th century.
Place de Concorde
Visit the Place de Concorde where many faced the guillotine during the French Revolution. Today, the 3,300-year-old Obelisk Luxor marks the guillotine location.
Champs-Elysees
Arc de Triomphe
Walk the Champs-Elysees and lunch at one of the cafes. Work your way to the Arc de Triomphe that Napoleon built.
Paris Day Two
Rive Gauche or Left Bank of La Seine
Les Invalides
Visit Les Invalides, formerly a military hospital, and visit Napoleon’s tomb. Also, don’t miss the World War II wings of the building.
Rodin Musee
Tour Rodin Musee and find The Thinker and The Gates of Hell that Dante’s Divine Comedy inspired. The Thinker initially represented Dante positioned over The Gates of Hell pondering the chaos of the damned.
6th Arrondissement
Head to the 6th arrondissement and relax at one of the many sidewalk cafes and people watch while sipping wine or cafe au lait.
Paris Day Three
Paris Open-Air Markets
Visit one of the open-air markets like Raspail organic market where you can buy fresh bread, desserts, a variety of cheese, fruits, vegetables, meat, flowers, and more. Noteworthy, Raspail is only open on Sundays but you can find additional markets and hours here.
Left Bank Shops and Restaurants
Peruse the multitude of shops and eateries on the Left Bank.
Les Deux Magots
Dine at Les Deux Magots, one of the oldest Paris cafes, where Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Jean-Paul Sartre and many other renowned figures frequented.
Eiffel Tower
Visit the Eiffel Tower at night when it shimmers in gold.
Paris Day Four
Ile de la Cite
Notre Dame Cathedral
Take a half-day tour of the Notre Dame Cathedral and then hop in a cab to Montmartre.
Montmartre
Montmartre is one of my favorite neighborhoods because its full of artists, and it has a seedy side since it’s not too far from the red-light district. You should walk Montmartre where Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gough, Auguste Renoir and many other famous artists had lived.
Sacre-Coeur Basilica
Montmartre, or “Mount of Martyrs,” was named because in the 3rd century the first Parisian Christians faced martyrdom where the Basilica of the Sacre-Coeur stands today. Walk up the 270 steps to the top for panoramic Paris views.
Place Du Tertre
Hire an artist to sketch your portrait at Place Du Tertre and browse through the local artwork.
Salvador Dali Museum
Explore the Salvador Dali Museum that “holds the largest collection of Dali’s art in France.”
Though there is much more to see, these are my top suggestions for four days in Paris. As mentioned, my two favorite places are Montmartre and the 6th Arrondissement. What are your favorite venues in Paris?
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Nice itinerary 👍
Thanks for reading it, we tried to see as much as possible but still missed a lot.
Although i am a French citizen, i appreciate your suggestions to visit these particular spots! Well done!
Thank you for checking it out.
Thanks for checking out my post, we loved Paris.
Thank you for putting together such an informative post! I missed a lot of these things during my Paris trips, and now I’m kicking myself. I have to plan another trip back soon so I can fit it all in!
Thank you for your comment. We missed a lot too, and I can’t wait to return.
Great list of things to do in Paris! I was just there in May and you hit all the good spots!
Good for you, we still didn’t see everything on our itinerary,
I just went to Paris for the first third time and FINALLY saw the Mona Lisa. haha.
Funny thing, though it was difficult to get to The Mona Lisa, my daughter and niece edged their way up and took a selfie with her.
great suggestions! I LOVED the Eiffel Tower at night!
The Eiffel Tower at night was amazing. Thanks for reading my post.
I can’t wait to go to Paris again and do some of these things!
Thanks for reading my post, we can’t wait to return too!
Great tips! I’ve only been to Paris once and I wasn’t able to go to some of places yet. Can’t wait to go back.
I can’t wait to return too, we weren’t there long enough.
Good ideas. There are also arcades with shops, nice in bad weather. And wonderful free evening concerts, marvelous small museums (and too much to see in short visits, of course). Good also to have a few polite expressions in French!
We were not in Paris long enough and hope to return. Before we do, I would love your advice and I will note the details. Thanks again for following me!