Paris · 3 days
Paris in three days
Three days in Paris gives you room for a few major landmarks and slower neighbourhood time. This outline groups the Eiffel Tower area, central Paris around the Louvre and Seine, and Montmartre into separate days. It is a suggested route rather than a timed schedule: adjust it around your accommodation, interests, and confirmed bookings.
By SoundsGood · Updated
Day 1: The Eiffel Tower area
Morning
Begin around the Eiffel Tower and decide whether you want to go up or simply enjoy the area from ground level. If a tower visit is a priority, arrange the ticket first and build the day around that slot. Allow time for entry and security checks.
Afternoon
Leave time for lunch and a walk near the Seine. Add another visit only if you still have energy. Keeping the afternoon flexible helps when a morning attraction takes longer than expected.
Evening
Plan dinner near your final stop or accommodation. A riverside walk is an optional finish; avoid making your first day depend on several reservations in different parts of Paris.
Make it fit: Choose a tower entry time before fixing the rest of the day. For an outdoor version, enjoy the views from Trocadéro and the surrounding area without adding a tower visit.
Day 2: The Louvre and central Paris
Morning
Choose the Louvre as your main visit if art is a priority. Select the collections you most want to see rather than aiming to cover the entire museum. If you prefer to stay outdoors, walk around the surrounding area and keep the museum for another trip.
Afternoon
Take a proper lunch break, then continue with a walk beside the Seine. Choose a short additional stop according to your interests, but keep enough time to enjoy the route itself.
Evening
Make this a relaxed food-focused evening. If you book a river cruise or another activity, check the departure point and allow time to reach it from your afternoon route.
Make it fit: The Louvre is normally closed on Tuesdays. Swap this day with the Eiffel Tower or Montmartre day if needed, and check for exceptional closures before booking.
Day 3: Montmartre at a slower pace
Morning
Explore Montmartre and the area around Sacré-Cœur. The neighbourhood has slopes and steps, so choose a route that suits your mobility and pace. A short route with regular breaks can be more enjoyable than a long checklist.
Afternoon
Stay in the neighbourhood for lunch and time in its smaller streets. Keep the rest of the afternoon open for a favourite place you missed or a café stop before departure.
Evening
If you are staying another night, finish with dinner in an area you enjoyed. If you are leaving, protect the time needed to collect luggage and reach your station or airport.
Make it fit: The Montmartre funicular offers an alternative to the long stair approach. The surrounding streets can still be steep, so shorten the route to suit your mobility and protect your departure time.
Make the plan work for you
- Check official opening days and ticket availability before deciding the order of the days. Museum closures and timed entry can change the best sequence.
- Budget for transport, food, and any paid attractions separately. This outline does not assume fixed admission prices or a particular travel pass.
- Keep one major booked activity per day as an anchor. Add optional stops after accounting for queues, meals, and travel.
Before you go: bookings, budget and getting around
Check the Louvre day before booking the rest
The Louvre is normally closed on Tuesdays and recommends timed reservations, including for visitors eligible for free admission. Swap the order of the days around your actual dates. Check its official page for exceptional closures and current admission rules rather than treating this itinerary as an opening-hours calendar.
Choose which Eiffel Tower visit you want
Tower tickets differ by floor and by lift or stairs access. Compare the official options before booking, and leave space around the entry time for travel and security. A view of the tower from outside is a valid alternative if going up is not a priority; your whole first day does not need to depend on a ticket.
Allow for hills, breaks and your onward journey
Montmartre is the day to keep deliberately short. The funicular can replace the long stair approach to the hill, but it does not make every nearby street step-free. Check the official visitor information and the access details for each place you plan to enter. Leave a separate block for collecting luggage and reaching your station or airport.
Check the official visitor information
- Eiffel Tower: official ticket options and opening times
- Louvre: opening days, admission and reservations
- Paris tourist office: Montmartre funicular
This is a suggested route, with official information linked for your own checks. Opening times, tickets, transport and access arrangements can change. Confirm them for your travel dates before booking.
Questions about your Paris itinerary
- Is three days enough for a first Paris itinerary?
- Three full days allow a useful first visit if you prioritise. This route gives the Eiffel Tower area, the Louvre and central Paris, and Montmartre their own days. Choose one main booked visit per day and use the remaining time for meals and neighbourhood walks.
- What if my Louvre day falls on a Tuesday?
- The Louvre is normally closed on Tuesdays. Switch that day with the Eiffel Tower or Montmartre route, then book the museum for an open day. If you cannot change the order, enjoy the surrounding central Paris route and choose a different indoor visit after checking its own opening times.
- Can I follow this Paris route without paying for every attraction?
- Yes. You can choose exterior views and neighbourhood walks instead of going up the Eiffel Tower or entering the Louvre. That changes what you experience, so decide which interior visit matters most to you before budgeting. Keep food, transport and any paid tickets separate when estimating the cost.