Paris in Four Days: the Best Itinerary for a Short Trip
Are you looking for the best way to see the most of Paris in four days? Maximize your time with this four day Paris itinerary, complete with sightseeing, top eateries, and suggestions for slowing down to get a little lost.
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Can you really experience Paris in just four days? While it’s not enough time to do and see everything – a lifetime isn’t enough – it’s a solid amount to get a taste of the City of Lights. Just be ready to leave wanting more… Paris kind of does that to you.
Built into this four day itinerary are opportunities to get lost in my favorite city. Experience quintessential cobblestone streets, meander into bread and chocolate shops, stop for a spontaneous glass of wine. Stop for a second spontaneous glass of wine…
Authentic Parisian experiences – along with the tourist hot spots – are possible, even in only four days.
The Best Itinerary for Four Days in Paris
The ideal itinerary to see Paris in four days breaks up your sightseeing by area or neighborhood. This lets you customize your itinerary, linger in a neighborhood if it suits you, or move along if you wish. Paris is very much about going with what feels right…but also having a plan.
This is the itinerary we followed when we were in Paris for four days in January for our babymoon.
Day 1 | Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower at Night
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Walk the Champs-Élysées and Surrounding Streets
Start off your four days in Paris with some time to acclimate, marvel at the French architecture, and wander. Stop in Ladurée for a classic French macaroon. Pop into a café for coffee or a glass of wine. Pick up a chocolate croissant or a baguette to go.
Tip: Baguettes are classically affordable and delicious, but the rising cost of ingredients forces bread makers to use sub-quality ingredients. For less than €1 more, opt for a tradition, which typically uses higher quality ingredients.
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Find Yourself at the Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe, at the end of the Champs-Élysées is also accessible by Métro via the Charles de Gaulle Etoile stop. The night views are spectacular.
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Eat Dinner at La CoÏncidence
A short walk from the Victor Hugo metro station, La CoÏncidence is centrally located between the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower, though not in an overcrowded or touristy area. I dream about their mashed potatoes frequently.
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Go to the Top of the Eiffel Tower at Night
Every night, from sunset until 1 or 2 am, the tower lights up and sparkles for a few minutes each hour. If you’re planning to climb the Eiffel Tower, time your trip up with the light show.
Get Your Eiffel Tower Summit Tickets Here
Day 2 | The Louvre, Caves du Louvre Wine Cellar, Paris Catacombs, Montparnasse
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Visit the Louvre
Unpopular opinion: you don’t need a full day at the Louvre. If you want to save time and see more of Paris in four short days, don’t spend all day at one museum. By timing your Louvre tickets right, you’ll be able to see most of the popular pieces in an afternoon. We did just that. And when we were selfie sticked one too many times, we decided to move on.
Tip: A few hours is enough of a taste of the Louvre during a four day trip, but take the time to meander around the Oceania art room … it’s is entirely worth it and many don’t even know it’s there. Read: no crowds, no selfie sticks.
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Wine Taste at Caves du Louvre Wine Cellar
A tour of the Caves du Louvre Wine Cellar is necessary if you’re a wine person. Get a comprehensive, educational tasting that focuses on the five senses and how they relate to properly tasting wine.
Not a wine person? This probably isn’t the blog for you. Spend the time in Tuileries Garden, walking the Seine, or shopping in the Le Marais neighborhood.
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Eat Pizza at Marzo
Pizza in Paris? I finally found edible pizza outside of New York…you’ll just have to fly 6 hours to get it. Dont. Skip. Marzo.
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Tour the Paris Catacombs
The Paris Catacombs is an ossuary containing the bones of six million Parisians in an underground network of tunnels. A bit more obscure than some major tourist attractions, the catacombs are, umm, memorable. Is that the right word to describe a bunch of stylized human remains? Interesting doesn’t begin to cover this tour, but it was one of the coolest we’ve been on!
You can read all about our tour of the Paris Catacombs here.
Tip: lines for the Catacombs can be long. This is one tour you’ll want advanced, skip the line tickets for.
Get your Paris Catacombs Tickets Here
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Spend Time in Montparnasse
The Catacombs are in the Montparnasse neighborhood of Paris, and while it gets less foot traffic, it’s worth your time. Montparnasse is home to many of Paris’ literary cafés, famous for frequenters such as Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Baudelaire, and Zola. Dinner at La Closerie Des Lilas wasn’t just a phenomenal meal, but nostalgic for this European and American Lit major.
If you have time, visit Montparnasse tower for some spectacular views of Paris.
Get Your Tickets to Montparnasse Tower (plus champagne!) Here
Day 3 | Luxembourg Gardens, The Latin Quarter, Île de la Cité, Musee D’Orsay
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Sip Coffee in Luxembourg Gardens
Touring Paris in just four days requires a balance of jam-packed afternoons and and slow strolls through the parks and cobblestone streets. A morning in Luxembourg Gardens is complete with a cup of coffee, pastry, and some good-ole people watching. Don’t miss the iconic Medici Fountain.
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Peruse the Latin Quarter
Everyone should get lost in Paris’ Latin Quarter. Famous for Shakespeare and Company, a popular English bookstore, the Latin quarter is filled with cobblestone streets, shops, cafés and crepe stands. Always the crepes.
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Explore Île de la Cité
The small island in the middle of the Seine is where Paris was founded. Home of the Notre Dame cathedral (which is closed for the foreseeable future), Île de la Cité also houses the famous Sainte-Chapelle cathedral, Parisian cafés, and the archaeological crypt, containing some of Paris’ founding structure.
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Wander through the Musée d’Orsay
Though we spent a short amount of time here, I feel the need to come clean that I like the Musée d’Orsay more than the Louvre. It’s smaller and less assuming, but perfect for tight schedules, Impressionist lovers, or architecture buffs, being that it’s housed in a former railway station.
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Eat Raclette at Le Chalet de Neuilly
Maybe it was the fact that I was almost seven months pregnant and served a plate of cheese for dinner, but Raclette at Le Chalet de Neuilly was one of the best meals. Of my life. Most Parisians don’t eat the entire thing. Its a good thing that I’m not French.
Day 4 | Montmartre
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Marvel at the Sacré-Cœur
The famous Sacré-Cœur, sitting at the top of Montmartre, overlooks Paris and the Place du Tertre, a hub for local artists and shopping. As a fully functioning church, it’s free to enter – just be respectful of worship service.
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Explore the Streets of Montmartre
Parisian street vendors and artists litter the streets of Montmartre with authentic (and touristy!) souvenirs. Musicians play in the background while you peruse artwork, eat ham and cheese baguettes, and take in the city views.
Read about the perfect afternoon in Montmartre here. Complete with museums, our favorite shopping and souvenirs, and the best ham and cheese baguette.
Spending time in Montmartre is an absolute perfect way to wrap up four romantic and fun days in Paris. Montmartre feels, to me, like old Paris, and when I close my eyes I can still hear the accordion playing La Vie en Rose while sipping my rosé.
Extra Tips to Help You Enjoy Four Days in Paris
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Travel Off Season
It’s less crowded. Obviously. I literally had the Mona Lisa to myself when I went in January. Minus my Instagram husband.
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Pack Light
You’ll be surprised how much time you save by packing light. Avoid waiting for luggage at the airport, time to unpack, early airport arrivals to check luggage.
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Know How to Get Around Paris
Maximizing four short days in Paris means getting around the city efficiently. Here’s what I recommend:
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- Métro – the fastest and most efficient way to get around Paris with sixteen lines and connections to the Paris train system, the RER. A carnet of ten tickets is ideal for a four day trip to Paris.
- Walk – Paris is an incredibly walkable city. Once you’re central to a neighborhood or your hub for the day, walk the cobblestone streets of Paris. You never know what you’ll find.
- Uber – cabs can be scammy and overcharge unassuming tourists. With Uber you’ll know your fare ahead of time.
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Book Tours in Advance
My number one suggestion to maximize what you’re able to do and see in Paris in four days is to get tickets and tours ahead of time. Skip the line tickets save you time. Time is money. Time is another glass of wine!
What Will You Take Away From Paris after Four Days?
My husband will tell you that his number one piece of advice is not to buy the airport Toblerone. He’s convinced this might help someone, somewhere.
I will tell you to enjoy the moments you have to sit back and just be in Paris. Be a tourist, see the museums, eat the food you’ve been dreaming of. But get lost on the cobblestone streets, find a cafe and order a coffee, make the most of the opportunities to slow down and take it all in.
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Has this itinerary helped you plan your four day Paris vacation? What will you be seeing on your next Paris trip? What would you add?
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