Looking into going to Paris from Italy, or have a few days in Paris while touring Europe? Read on to find the ultimate 3 day Paris Itinerary from Italy or anywhere else in Europe! This post is all about the best places to eat Paris, things to do in Paris, places to stay in Paris, and so much more! This will also guide you through what you need to know about taking the metro in Paris and how to NOT get lost in the city!
3 Day Paris Itinerary
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Visit the Arc de Triumph
Visit Time: 1 Hr.
Cost: 13 €
Stop 1 for me on this ultimate 3 days in Paris journey was to visit the Arc de Triumph! Don’t miss this iconic spot in France. If you want the view of the city from up high, you can purchase rooftop tickets to go inside and up to the top. I personally found there are MUCH better views of Paris at the Montparnasse tower and other spots, however this is still a great option for views! Nearby this is the Av des Champs-Élysées, where you can enjoy plenty of shopping and dining. This is a relatively quick trip if you’re just stopping by to take a photo!
Even while going inside this takes just under a couple of hours at most. If you’re looking to go inside and up to the top, get skip-the-line tickets for 13 € that are valid for 1 day. This way, you can have more flexibility in when you go and you won’t feel stressed about missing your time slot.
When you get to the Arc, there is a tunnel to go down into to be able to get to the Arc without getting hit by A LOT of cars at the roundabout! Look for it just across from where you’ll get off at the metro, where a lot of people are likely taking photos of the Arc. You’ll see a sign where to go down into it. It might be confusing inside, but when you find a line, skip that line and show the guide standing near the entrance your ticket and COVID pass (vaccination card or negative test for US citizens).
Visit the Palace of Versailles and Gardens
Visit Time: 6-8 Hrs.
Cost: 12-109 € (Options Vary)
So if you want to live out your fairytale princess dreams and see one of the most BEAUTIFUL palaces in the world, book tickets to see the Palace of Versailles. You can’t have the ultimate 3 day Paris itinerary without seeing it! You will want to allow for at least 5-6 hours to be able to take in every square inch of the palace and its gardens.
When I took my trip, I flew out of Florence, Italy in the morning and toured the Palace in the afternoon in Versailles, France. This is something you definitely will want to take time to see, and want to plan on spending at least half a day here. I personally think it’s the best to go just after lunch, see the palace inside and then the gardens after the palace. Then, you can see the sunset while in the gardens and get an INCREDIBLE view on your way out.
The palace and its gardens are INSANE and can honestly take hours to explore it in its entirety. It is so worth a visit. Buy your tickets in advance! I recommend getting the passport ticket, but if you need to divide up the gardens visit and the palace visit, there are options for that as well!
Getting to the Palace of Versailles from Paris:
To get there from Paris, USE GOOGLE MAPS! (Pssstttt sorry not sorry do NOT use Apple Maps for this… not at all nearly as detailed or specific) They are AMAZING for public transport. Pay attention to every small detail so that you don’t get lost like I did on the metro. Google maps makes this so much easier! (GOOGLE MAPS DIRECTIONS) Without Google maps, it will NOT be an ultimate 3 days in Paris.
EASILY LOST GIRL’S GUIDE TO TAKING METRO IN PARIS:
***Feel free to skip this if you are good at paying attention to details! Unlike me my first time in Paris 🙂
Example from the Eiffel Tower station:
To get to the Palace of Versailles, it takes about an hour to get there, so plan accordingly! I personally recommend trying to leave about 1.5-2 hours ahead of your time slot just in case you get lost, because I did get lost the first time and wanted to make sure I didn’t miss it again! PRO TIP: PLEASE pay attention to Vick…. this is how I got lost the first time. (Don’t laugh at me! 😀 )
I figured “Ok, cool so you take RER C to Versailles Chateau Rive Gauche and get off there.” However…. I took one that was NOT named Vick and somehow ended up in the total OPPOSITE direction and missed my first tour and had to rebook. I still got to see the gardens alone my first night and then the Palace the next day, but learn from me and pay close attention to the name of the train you need to take wherever you are going.
You’ll see photos on the screens by the train that will say “Vick” or whatever name you are needing to take and what time it will arrive at. Don’t get on the train unless it matches all the details you need! This is why I always make extra sure I know which one to take before I get on. I got confused because I thought I was in the right location for the station I needed to go to, but ended up taking the train in the wrong direction because I took the first one that came by instead of making sure it was the correct train matching the arrival time I needed. If you don’t see it, check the other side of the platform you’re standing in and you will likely find it. Last resort, follow the signs everywhere you go!
ANOTHER PRO TIP: Some trains are “short trains” and you will likely hear an announcement before some train arrivals stating “head to the train court” and if you’re anything like me your stomach drops and you’re thinking “Oh nooooo what is that?!” DON’T PANIC! It just means that the train is a shorter length, so if you walked way far down the platform, head up towards the front near the stairs and you will be able to get on the train in time.
Visit the Louvre Museum
Visit Time: 3-4 Hrs.
Cost: 17 €
Next stop on completing the ultimate 3 days in Paris itinerary is the Louvre. Whether you want to see the Mona Lisa, or get a cute photo outside the Louvre, or actually see the incredible masterpieces inside of the Louvre museum, you absolutely have time to squeeze a visit into the 3 days you have in Paris! Be sure to book your tickets in advance, and hop in line a little earlier than your entry time to get in at the time you planned. COVID updates are listed on the Louvre website. Getting to the Louvre is not at all nearly as scary as getting to the Palace of Versailles. This one is a lot closer to where many people stay, and is much easier to get to. I still recommend leaving an hour early before your ticket time just in case, unless you are super comfortable with the metro system in Paris.
Spots nearby the Louvre:
To help plan your days out, the best locations located nearby the Louvre that you may want to visit are:
- Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
- Musee d’Orsay
- Chanel 31 Rue Cambon Store
- Musee National Picasso – Paris
- Saint Chapelle
- Pantheon
See Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
Across from the Louvre museum is the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. Built to commemorate Napoleon’s military victories, this is an example of Neoclassical architecture in the Corinthian order. Worth seeing while you are there are taking a photo!
See Institut de France
Nearby the Louvre is the Institut de France, across one end of the Pont des Arts. Makes for a great photo if you’re wondering what you’re looking at while walking around. While you’re there, you’ll walk across one of the most well known bridges in Paris across from the Louvre museum. You will find some great views of the Seine river here.
Visit the CHANEL 31 Rue Cambon Store
Not far from the Louvre museum is Coco Chanel’s original store at 31 Rue Cambon. There are two shops, as the one on the corner is an extension of the original store. This is where everything began for Chanel, and is worth at least walking by to see! Honestly it is not really worth going inside unless you are really cool and can afford to shop there. They don’t let you take photos inside, and it takes a WHILE to even be able to walk around inside. They have you wait in line, and then give you a personal shopper to walk with you through the store. If you have time to kill, it’s fun to go in and see! However, seeing it from the outside is just fine too. Truly will be the cherry on top of your ultimate 3 day in Paris itinerary.
Take a Riverboat Cruise Along the Seine River
Visit Time: 3-4 Hrs.
Cost: 17 €
Take a riverboat cruise around the Seine with a guide and see some of the most iconic landmarks in Paris! This is a great inexpensive way to tour the city and provide some really great views of the Eiffel Tower. Along this cruise you’ll see the Eiffel Tower, (of course!) the Notre Dame, Louvre, Conciergerie, and so much more. If you’re lucky, you might spot some famous people doing a photoshoot on one of the bridges while you’re on the boat cruise! We saw Sara Jessica Parker on ours, it was INSANE! The most ultimate 3 day in Paris itinerary is not complete without this tour.
The boat tours cost up to 20 Euros and run each hour throughout the day starting at noon, ending at 9pm. I recommend waiting until sunset to get the best view, and to have light for your photos. Then when the sun sets, you’ll have a nice photo of the Eiffel Tower lit up at night when you get back from the cruise. Any time of day is great though! The lines can get pretty long when you get to the meeting location, and it takes about an hour to board the boat for the river cruise. I showed up at around 6:30-7pm in line, and the boat tour didn’t start until 8. It is possible to get a good seat at the top even if you’re one of the last people on the boat!
I couldn’t find a link to the exact experience I booked, but you can buy tickets for a very similar option in the same location.
Walk Across the Pont des Arts
This is a bridge you will end up walking across on your way to the Louvre Museum! This bridge gives you the opportunity to take some great photos of the Seine River and enjoy a nice view of Paris.
See Paris from Montparnasse Tower
Visit Time: 3-4 Hrs.
Cost: 17 €
Arguably the BEST view of all of Paris from up high is at Montparnasse Tower, close by the Louvre area of Paris. Tickets are around 15 Euros, and they are valid for 24 hours after your first use, but when purchased are valid through the rest of the year, providing great flexibility for planning your trip. The validity for 24 hours after your first use makes it possibly to see the city both during the day and at night! It can be used the same day, the following day, etc. Don’t miss out on seeing this view!
*IMPORTANT: The tower is closed on quite a few days of the week, so be sure to plan accordingly. Check HERE for more up to date details.
View Notre Dame
While as of 2019 you can’t actually go in and see the Notre Dame, it is still worth seeing from the outside! It is crazy to see it under construction still in late 2021, however worth a view while in Paris. I took the opportunity on the riverboat cruise to see it from the river. Hopefully in the future, you can complete your ultimate 3 day in Paris itinerary by seeing this as it is meant to be seen!
See Eiffel Tower
Of course, you can’t miss it even if you try, the ultimate 3 day in Paris itinerary is not complete without seeing the Eiffel Tower. See it. Then see it again. And again… and at all times of the day. It is SO fun to photograph and really beautiful to see at all times. Every hour on the dot is when it will sparkle, and will go for only 5 minutes or so, so be sure to see it at least once! You will get to see it twice on the riverboat cruise if you choose to take one. There are certainly spots that are better than others to get the best view of the tower. Below are the BEST spots to see it and take photos, complete with a link to maps to get there!
I hope this post helped you to plan your trip to Paris as a study abroad student or if you are traveling in Europe! This post was all about the ultimate 3 day Paris itinerary. This covers the highlights you won’t want to miss visiting Paris.
