Paris in 3 days: the perfect first-timer's itinerary

Three days in Paris is short — but well planned, it is enough to fall in love with the city. Here is a realistic, district-by-district itinerary designed for a first visit, with tips to dodge queues and tourist traps.

Day 1: Île de la Cité and the historic heart

Start with Notre-Dame and the Sainte-Chapelle (book online), then cross into the Latin Quarter: the Panthéon, the Luxembourg Gardens, the bookshops of Rue Saint-Jacques. In the afternoon, follow the Seine quays to the Louvre — don't try to see everything: pick one wing, two hours is plenty. End with sunset at the Pont des Arts.

Day 2: the Eiffel Tower and the Right Bank

Climb the Eiffel Tower at opening time (booking essential) or admire it from the Trocadéro. Continue to the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe, whose terrace offers the finest view of the historic axis. In the afternoon, wander the Marais: Place des Vosges, the free Carnavalet museum, boutiques and the falafels of Rue des Rosiers.

Day 3: Montmartre and the covered passages

Climb Montmartre early: Sacré-Cœur, a still-quiet Place du Tertre, the vineyard on Rue des Saules. Walk down through Pigalle to the 19th-century covered passages (Panorama, Jouffroy, Vivienne). Depending on taste, finish with the Musée d'Orsay or a twilight Seine cruise.

Budget tips

• A ticket carnet or the weekly Navigo Découverte pass beats every tourist card if you stay 3 days or more.
• National museums are free on the first Sunday of the month (and all year for EU residents under 26).
• To sleep smart, target the 10th, 11th or 12th arrondissements: well connected by metro and noticeably cheaper than the centre. See our hotel selection for Paris.
• Have your main meal at lunch: bistros offer fixed-price menus often half the evening price.

Three days will not exhaust Paris — which is the best reason to come back. And if you extend, Normandy and the Loire Valley are under two hours away.