2 Days in Paris: The Perfect Paris Itinerary

Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world by travelers. About 18 million tourists come here every year! Have you decided to be one of them? Then you probably already wondered how long to stay here and what to see on your own in the first place. We will try to make your task easier give some valuable advice, as well as provide several options for interesting routes. Hers is the 2 days in Paris perfect itinerary.

Paris' Historic Center: Day One Walking Tour

Of course, initially it is better to go to the very heart of the city. There is an attraction at almost every step and in order not to miss all the fun, it is better to plan your route in advance. The route that we offer you is a long walk through the historic center of Paris and will be a serious test for your feet, so gain strength and put on comfortable shoes.

The first day is exclusively a review day. We will get acquainted with the city, its architecture and main attractions and will not waste time visiting museums yet. It will be very exciting and interesting! But if you decide to come for 3 days, then it's a good idea to have look on 3 days Paris Itinerary.

Exploring Bastille Square: A Must-Visit on Your 2-Day Paris Itinerary

As part of your Paris itinerary, the Bastille Square is a must-visit spot and we suggest you starting the walk from here. At the station of the Place de la Bastille, 3 metro lines intersect - 1st, 5th and 8th, so it will not be difficult to get here from anywhere in the city. The Place de la Bastille is also the place where more than 10 streets and boulevards intersect. It is one of great importance for the city, although from an architectural point of view, I must admit, we were not particularly impressed.

Place des Vosges and the Marais quarter

From the Place de la Bastille you can move to the small Place des Vosges - the oldest square in Paris. Next, go out onto the Rue Franc Bourgeois and move along it. Now you are in the rather famous Parisian colorful Marais quarter, which is favored by rich Parisians, the Jewish community, bohemians and sex minorities.

Exploring Modern Art at Pompidou on Day 1

The most popular attraction here is probably the Georges Pompidou Center, which is where you are heading. The exterior of the building certainly deserves attention.

If you plan to visit Pompidou museum, it is better to postpone it for another day so as not to waste time (and there is something to spend it on). The Flunch fast food restaurant is located nearby. If you want to have a budget and hearty lunch, you are welcome here.

From the Center of Georges Pompidou, turn off to the Seine River embankment. Nearby stands a rather interesting architectural creation - the Saint-Jacques Tower.

Notre Dame Cathedral's Timeless Allure

Including Notre Dame in your Paris itinerary offers a beautiful view into history. When you reach the embankment,you will find yourself in front of the island of Cité, on which the famous Notre Dame Cathedral stands. If you do not plan to go inside the cathedral, then you can walk to it on the first day.

If you want to explore its interior, it is better to postpone the visit to the second day, because there is always a queue of people who want to get inside near Notre Dame (and there is still something to see on the island of Cité!). It moves pretty fast, but you still have to spend 20-30 minutes. Entrance to the cathedral is free. If you have only one day allocated for Paris, then, of course, move here: Notre Dame is a must-visit.

If you decide to explore Notre Dame, then return to the Seine embankment after it. We continue to move along it. Ahead of you lies the next iconic landmark of Paris - the Louvre.

Day 1 at the World-Renowned Louvre Museum

A key highlight of any Paris itinerary, the Louvre museum stands as a testament to art and history. As mentioned above, on the first day we propose to take a sightseeing tour of the city, so we will not visit the Louvre itself and will only look at it from the outside. It is necessary to allocate a separate day for visiting the famous museum.

Tuileries Garden: A Peaceful Retreat

In front of the Louvre is the Tuileries Garden, one of the most picturesque parks in Paris, through which we will take a walk. There is also one of the two Triumphal arches of the city - the Triumphal Arch of Carrousel (this is a small arch, not to be confused with the famous Arc de Triomphe of Paris - it is ahead of you 🙂

The Champs-Elysees Adventure

The Tuileries Garden flows smoothly into the Champs-Elysees. They are separated only by the picturesque Concord Square, through which our path lies. From the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe of Paris, the 2-kilometer Champs-Elysees stretch, along which we will take a walk.

Along the way, you can step aside a little and look at the Elysee Palace. The final stretch of the Champs-Elysees is especially interesting - there are shops and boutiques of iconic brands. If you are in the mood for a little shopping, stay here.

The Arc de Triomphe: Must Visit

Right in front of us is the Arc de Triomphe! Admittedly, it turned out to be so huge and majestic that it personally took our breath away. By the way, there is an excellent observation deck on the arch.

The Eiffel Tower and the Champ de Mars

After visiting the Arc de Triomphe, the culmination of our walk awaits you. It should be getting dark outside, which means the Eiffel Tower is getting ready to light its lights. We are heading to the Champ de Mars, where, finally, we will rest our feet and give an unforgettable sight to our eyes.

Eiffel Tower

No matter how typical it might seem in a two days Paris Itinerary, a visit to the Eiffel Tower is anything but banal we hasten to assure you that the final result will exceed all your expectations. We run into the nearest store for a bottle of wine, make ourselves comfortable on the grass of the Champ de Mars and enjoy!

Champ de Mars

In your 2 days Paris, we suggest skipping the Eiffel Tower's observation deck: it is an unnecessary waste of time and money that is not worth it. There are much more interesting viewing platforms in Paris, one of which we will offer you to visit on the 2nd day, and the Eiffel Tower has one significant drawback: the Eiffel Tower itself is not visible from it.

Largest wine library in Paris - Lavinia

As part of your Paris Itinerary, consider a visit to Lavinia, the largest wine library in Paris, for a delightful detour. However, to get into it, you will need to take a walk a little away from the Champs-Elysees. And you will have to spend a lot of time to choose wine from this countless collection.

When the Eiffel Tower begins to shimmer with lights, you will definitely get goosebumps, and the thought will firmly stick in your head that at the moment you are a participant in some great event.

After you are ready to leave the Field of Mars, you can head home with a clear conscience and a full set of impressions.

Continuing the Paris Adventure: Day Two Highlights

On the second day, after getting a good night's sleep, we continue to explore the most interesting places in the city. The Island of Cité and Notre Dame Cathedral. Let's start with the island of Cite. The nearest metro stations are Chatelet junction or Cite branch 4. We do not recommend going to Cite, because then you will miss the opportunity to walk along the magnificent Notre Dame Bridge. The main attraction here, of course, is the famous Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral.

Paris Notre Dame Cathedral

Take the time to wait in line and be sure to go inside. It's worth it! Notre Dame Cathedral inside: Also, for a separate cost (8 euros), you can climb to the observation deck of the cathedral, which is reached by 387 steps. After visiting Notre Dame, take a walk around the island of Cité itself, explore its incredible architectural ensemble.

The Latin Quarter in Paris

Then we cross to the other side of the Seine and enter the Latin Quarter. This is an area of narrow, colorful streets with inexpensive cafes and restaurants, which has formed around the Sorbonne University, the oldest in Paris. If you want to have a budget snack or a full lunch, then Latin Quarter is one of the best places in Paris for this.

Tourists can enjoy numerous fast food outlets, as well as budget restaurants of French cuisine, where you can try frog legs and snails. A kind of entrance to the Latin Quarter for us will be the narrowest street in Paris - La calle mas estrecha de Paris. This, of course, is a kind of "attraction" for tourists - in almost every European city there are similar "narrowest streets", which, in most cases, lead directly to the entrance of some institution or, at least, into the arms of the waiting administrator of this institution. But anyway, the place is quite interesting and a couple of photos should be taken here.

Souvenir Shopping in the Latin Quarter

The Latin Quarter, by the way, is a great place to buy souvenirs that's why it is impossible to not have it in 2 days Paris itinerary. In local shops you can find a lot of souvenirs for quite pleasant promotions (buy more - pay less). But we do not recommend spending the entire budget allocated for this important item of expenditure.

There will still be a place ahead where you can do it with a clear conscience. We will not give you a clear route through the Latin Quarter, because the beauty of this place lies in its unique atmosphere, and it does not matter which paths you take. The main attractions of the quarter include the Sorbonne University, the Pantheon, the Church of St. Severina.

Paris Luxembourg Garden

After a walk through the Latin Quarter, we head to the Luxembourg Garden Palace and park ensemble - perhaps the most favorite recreation park among tourists and locals, after the Champ de Mars.

The Luxembourg Garden actually belongs geographically to the Latin Quarter, too, but deserves special attention. The main attraction of the park is the Luxembourg Palace, where the Senate, the second chamber of the French Parliament, sits.

Grab a coffee (or something stronger 🙂 and take a short walk through the park, sit on one of its many benches, and admire the beauty of this place.

Montparnasse: Must Stops on Your Parisian Getaway

The next area on our way is Montparnasse. There are two rather interesting sights here: the Montparnasse Cemetery and the Montparnasse Tower. The latter is perhaps the best observation deck in Paris, which overlooks the entire city, including the Eiffel Tower. At the same time, according to one popular local joke, the ugly Montparnasse Tower itself is not visible. You can climb to the 57th floor of a 200-meter skyscraper for 15 euros.

As for the Montparnasse Cemetery, it is, of course, slightly inferior in popularity to another Parisian cemetery, Pere Lachaise, but it is also quite popular. Many famous French figures are buried here. 

Montmartre and the Sacre Coeur Basilica

After Montparnasse, we take the metro and go to the most colorful Parisian quarter - Montmartre. It should be getting close to evening, and this is the best time to walk here. Montmartre is considered the most picturesque area of the city.

The notorious film "Amelie" was shot here, which brought additional popularity to this place. The hill on which it stretches is the highest point in Paris. On this hill stands the Sacre Coeur Basilica - one of the most magnificent sights of Paris, in our humble opinion.

Our main goal is the above-mentioned Sacre Coeur, but you should not rush and spare time in Montmartre. This is the most popular place in Paris to buy souvenirs. Be sure to check out some cafe on the street (if, of course, the weather is conducive to this) to fully experience the spirit of this amazing place.

Sacre Coeur Basilica

You can have a small picnic on the grass at the foot of the Sacre Coeur Basilica which will make this Paris itinerary even more colorful. By the way, you can get to the basilica itself for free and it's worth doing. At the top of the hill, at the foot of the basilica. By the way, there is a magnificent view of the city.

If you are traveling around Paris with your significant other, then during a walk in Montmartre. You must visit the Wall of Love, on which "I love you" is written 311 times in 250 languages of the world.

So, in Montmartre, your busy second day in Paris will come to an end.