Montamartre and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica

5 Days in Paris

By Stuart Bak

Packed with world-class museums, verdant parks, superb shopping and household-name attractions including the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre and Notre-Dame Cathedral, it’s no surprise that Paris is one of the world’s most-visited cities.

5 days in Paris gives you just enough time to scratch the surface of this wonderful city, ticking off its top attractions and experiencing a flavor of its arty neighborhoods and exquisite café culture. The sheer number of things to see and do around the city can make it difficult to know where to start though, so check out our suggested 5-day Paris itinerary below for inspiration.

Day 1: Bucket List Bonanza

Everyone knows you haven’t really arrived in Paris until you’ve snapped a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower, our first port of call on this, your whirlwind romance with the City of Love. There are a number of ways to experience the Tower: you can climb the 674 stairs or take the glass elevator to the viewing platform on the second floor, 115 meters up. Or you can whiz all the way to the very top where, 276 meters above terra firma, a champagne bar awaits to help steady your nerves. Alternatively, dodge the queues and take in fantastic views of The Iron Lady from a number of nearby vantage points, such as the Champs de Mars park directly underneath, or through the majestic Fountain of Warsaw’s sky-high water jets in the Jardins du Trocadéro just across the Seine.

Make your way to the nearby Arc de Triomphe where you can pay your respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and laugh in the face of the meager 284 steps required to reach the viewing platform up top.

Board a bateau at dusk for a more relaxed way to sightsee, on a gentle Seine cruise. No time of day in Paris is more magical than when the skies begin to darken and the City of Light comes thrillingly to life, with the illumination of glorious riverside landmarks including the Louvre, Grand Palais and Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Day 2: Latin Quarter and Musée d’Orsay

Unless you’re absolutely art mad, a five-day trip to Paris will likely only take in one of The Big Two (that’s the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay to you and me). Perched on the Left Bank in the former Gare d’Orsay railway station, the Musée d’Orsay is smaller, more easily navigable and generally less crowded than its famous sibling with the glass pyramid that lies just across the river. The museum boasts the world’s largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art, with artists including Manet, Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Toulous-Lautrec, Degas, Gauguin et al very well represented here. Go for the fine art and stay for the fifth-floor café's huge station-clock window and its exhilarating views over the Seine to the Louvre and Sacré-Cœur Basilica.

From Musée d’Orsay it’s a short stroll east along the riverfront to where the Paris bouquinistes ply their trade from stalls packed with second-hand books of all kinds, from antiquarian atlases to graphic novels. Here, in the boho Latin Quarter, stroll the narrow cobbled lanes and alleys, and pause at one of the cute sidewalk cafés for coffee and pastries before paying homage to Rousseau, Voltaire, Louis Braille, Marie Curie and the dozens of other Gallic greats interred beneath the Panthéon’s impressive dome.

Day 3: Picnic in the park

Paris is made for picnicking. From the sweeping, manicured lawns of the Champs de Mars by the Eiffel Tower to the secluded hills and wooded valleys of Parc des Buttes-Chaumont on the edge of town, there’s a lunch spot to suit all tastes.

Step one: pick up your picnic. You’ll want crusty bread, a selection of cheeses and fruits and, why not, a cheeky bottle of French wine as a bare minimum. Sure, you could get all of this in a standard supermarché. But where's the fun in that? Instead, guarantee a knock-it-out-the-park pique-nique you’ll never forget by heading to one of the city's market streets and stuffing your hamper with delicious, fresh gourmet goodies.

Straddling the 1st and 2nd arrondissements on the Right Bank, Rue Montorgueil will make all your foodie dreams come true, and is also home to the oldest pâtisserie in town, where signature sticky rum babas are guaranteed to make your tastebuds sing. Across the river in the Latin Quarter, Rue Mouffetard is a picturesque place to pick up a picnic from the many bustling stalls and stores that line its cobbles.

Suitably stocked up, all you need to do now is pick a park for your leisurely lunch. For feet-up-by-the lake tranquility, formal gardens and sculptures by Rodin, Mailliol and more, head for Jardin des Tuileries by the Louvre. Or, for a spot of old-fashioned Parisian people-watching, the gardens of 17th-century Place des Vosges in the Marais are hard to beat. Meanwhile, out on the opposite edges of town, Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes, the city’s largest public parks, offer relative seclusion and room to roam amid chateaux, boating lakes, botanical gardens, grottoes and more.

Day 4: Montmartre

One of Paris’s ‘must-sees’, the Montmartre butte is the highest point in the city, with the flamboyant Sacré-Cœur Basilica perched on top, and some of the best views in town. Wander the cobbled streets and you’ll soon discover why this atmospheric part of Paris has inspired so many artists down the centuries. You can view the work of many of them – Manet, Van Gogh, Picasso and Miró – at the excellent Musée de Montmartre, a 17th-century mansion with tranquil gardens that were immortalized in art by Renoir, a former resident.

Grab a coffee and pastry at the Café des Deux Moulins, made famous from its starring role in the movie Amélie. Have your portrait painted by local artists in the picture-perfect Place du Tertre, just behind the basilica. Grab a snap of the Moulin Rouge’s iconic red windmill. And head to the wildly romantic-sounding le mur des je t’aime for a souvenir selfie of your time in the City of Love. Featuring the phrase ‘I love you’ in 250 languages, this ‘wall of love’ is a permanent art installation made from hundreds of enameled lava tiles.

Day 5: A Spot of Souvenir-Shopping

Make your last day in Paris as special as the first, with some leisurely souvenir-shopping in and around the Marais district, with its cobbled lanes, independent boutiques, cute pâtisseries and historic 19th-century arcades nearby.

Step back in time to Belle-Époque Paris in the wonderfully whimsical Passages Couverts, a series of 18th and 19th-century shopping arcades with narrow walkways, glass-and-iron roofs and old-fashioned storefronts. You’ll find two of the best in the 2nd arrondissement, neighboring the Marais. Neo-classical Galerie Vivienne has intricate mosaic floors and an elegant glass dome that sits atop a rotunda decorated with nymphs and goddesses. Nearby Passage Choiseul is the longest covered passage in Paris and a registered historical monument. Expect chic fashion boutiques, wine cellars, jewelers, antiquarian bookstores and an old-school Paris vibe inside both.

The gift shop just around the corner from the Marais' marvelous Musée National Picasso-Paris merits a visit in its own right, with tasteful Picasso-inspired homeware, art prints, pottery, bags and much more on offer. And it would be remiss to go home without a pretty box of macarons, that colorful meringue-based confection so beloved of Parisians. You’ll find these in any Marais pâtisserie worth its salt. But this is Paris, darling, so treat yourself by splashing out on some of the poshest in town from French pastry master Pierre Hermé.

Save on top attractions during your 5 days in Paris

Save on admission to Paris attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.

Continue reading

A young couple take a selfie in front of the Eiffel Tower
Blog

Things to do in Paris For Couples

Paris is a playground for couples, a veritable feast of top-rated restaurants, world-beating museums and galleries, and some of the best night-time entertainment you’ll find anywhere on the planet. Dive in to discover our pick of the 10 best things to do in Paris for couples. Get High on Champagne There are a few different ways to reach the top of the Eiffel Tower. The smart money is on taking the glass elevator aaaall the way up, but those with a sense of adventure (and buns of steel) can also climb the 674 steps to the second level and then catch the lift. There’s even a see-through floor at level one, from where the boldest visitors peer right down between their legs to the forecourt far below. However you do it, you’ll want a selfie with your significant other, glass of Champagne in hand, when you reach the top. Conveniently, a sky-high bar awaits you. But, at 276 meters above terra firma, best not let the bubbles go to your head. Take a Cruise on the Seine A Seine cruise is a fine way to see some of the city’s most iconic museums and monuments. Board at the Eiffel Tower and meander downriver past sights including the grand gothic melodrama that is the Notre-Dame Cathedral, and the Louvre Museum’s instantly recognisable glass pyramid. Sunset is a particularly atmospheric time of day to take the cruise, as dusk falls and the Seine’s grand bridges and riverside gardens and museums turn their lights on. Visit a Museum Whether you share a passion for the arts or not, you’re sure to find something of interest in Paris’s galleries – there are over 1,000 to choose from, after all. Couples who wish to avoid the crowds should opt for small but perfectly formed collections such as those found in the Rodin Museum or Gustave Moreau Museum. Choose Rodin for the splendid formal gardens, where sculptures including The Thinker and The Gates of Hell lurk among box hedges, rose gardens and ornamental fountains. Or pick Moreau for a fascinating glimpse into the artist’s mind: printed guides to the trippy and fantastical paintings inside his former home were written by his own fair hand. Go for a Wander Paris’s relatively compact center is best experienced on foot, and nowhere more so than on a romantic stroll along the Canal Saint-Martin. Starting where the Rue de Marseille joins the Quai de Valmy, meander past colorful waterside boutiques, and soak up the atmosphere from boho bars and bistros. Take a detour onto Rues de l’Ourcq and Rue Germaine Tailleferre for the wonderful street art, then cross the bridge to enter Parc de la Villette, a vast and verdant Paris playground that’s packed with sculptures, museums and music venues, where you could quite easily while away the rest of your day. Make Macarons Ever tried a macaron? These deliciously sweet little pastries are ubiquitous in Paris and come in any number of different colors and flavors. One taste and you’ll be hooked – find them brightening up the window display of every self-respecting pâtisserie in town. Now just imagine you could continue to eat these decadent French treats after you return home. Step forward the popular macaron-making class at the Galeries Lafayette Haussman department store where, in just 90 minutes, you and your partner will learn to mix, bake, assemble (and of course eat) macarons like pros. With your newly acquired skills, we guarantee your friends will love you forever, even if your weighing scales do not. Browse the Markets Paris has around 100 different markets, with something to satisfy every appetite, from farm-fresh produce to flea market knick-knacks, flowers and, yep, even animals. Pick up a selection of fabulous fromages, an oven-fresh baguette, a punnet of ripe strawberries and a bottle of organic wine at Marché Bastille, then head to nearby Place des Vosges for an impromptu picnic. Or satisfy your urge to bag a bargain at the vast Saint-Ouen flea market where the seemingly endless labyrinth of alleyways contains every treasure under the sun, from vintage vinyl to retro fashion, period antiques to old-fashioned toys and games. Take a Day Trip to a Château There are dozens of grand palaces and châteaux within easy reach of Paris, perfect for a romantic day trip out of town. A direct train gets you to the ridiculously opulent Palace of Versailles in under an hour. You could easily lose a whole day at this former royal residence, wandering among the countless paths, ponds, fountains and sculptures with your own king or queen, and exploring the almost comically extravagant interiors of the Hall of Mirrors and the King’s private apartments. More tastefully restrained chateaux including fairytale Fontainebleau and Renaissance-style Rambouillet are equally accessible by train from the center of Paris. Go Wine-Tasting Established in the 18th Century by King Louis XV’s personal sommelier (how the other half live, eh?), Les Caves du Louvre offers a different kind of wine-tasting experience. Descend into a network of tunnels beneath the streets of the 1st arrondissement, where your guided tour of the royal cellars culminates in a tasting experience with three different French wines. If you fancy viewing some fine art with your newly acquired double vision afterwards, it’s just a short stagger to the Louvre Museum. Take in a Show Get your glad rags on and hit the cabaret clubs. No self-respecting visitor should leave Paris without experiencing at least one of the myriad burlesque shows on offer at the likes of the Moulin Rouge, with its famous neon-red windmill. Or, if you prefer your entertainment a little less... risqué, you can take your date to see a classic opera or ballet at the refined Palais Garnier or Opéra Bastille. Or enjoy an old-fashioned movie night at one of the city’s historic picture houses, such as The Louxor, a sumptuous century-old mash-up of Egyptian and Art Deco design. Don’t forget the popcorn! Watch the sunset from Montmartre Hopeless romantics will be unable to resist Montmartre, with its atmospheric cobbled lanes, sultry bars and ultra-Parisian café culture. Take the funicular up to the top of the hill and stroll round the Sacré-Cœur to grab a selfie at Le mur des je t'aime (the Wall of Love). Ask one of the resident artists in the Place du Tertre to sketch a cutesy caricature of you and your beau, before heading back to the steps in front of the basilica and sharing a chocolate crêpe as the sun sets over the city. Save on things to do in Paris for Couples Save on admission to Paris attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
View of the Eiffel Tower with magnolia blossom
Blog

Why visit Paris in March?

Paris in March throws off its winter cloak with the expectation of the coming spring. Café tables begin to reappear beneath sidewalk awnings in ever greater numbers, strolls along the banks of the River Seine are once again an attractive proposition and the sun makes a concerted effort to brighten skies for at least half the month. The result is a renewed bounce in the step of many Parisians, brought on by a combination of improving weather, plants bursting into bloom and a panoply of one-off events. If you like the sound of all this plus low season prices and Paris without the crowds, March could be the month for you. Here’s just some of what you can expect. Food to die for   There are few better times of year than Paris in March for anyone with an interest in food and drink. Known as the gastronomic capital of the world, and boasting the second-highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants of any city on Earth, additional Paris attractions in March include National Cheese Day and Macaron Day. Yes, these two staples of French culinary culture each have their own special day of celebration. The country’s 1600 or so cheeses are celebrated on March 27. With the weather hopefully on your side it makes for a great excuse to explore the array of food markets dotting the French capital. The historic Marché des Enfants Rouge takes some beating, although the stalls of Rue Montorgueil are arguably even better for cheese, bread and chocolate lovers. Just a week before on March 20 it’s Macaron Day, which all but demands a visit to any of the high-end patisseries lining the boulevards of the central arrondissements (districts). Not only do you get to taste a range of classic and modern flavors, but a portion of the money you spend goes to the year’s chosen charity. Parks and gardens   If you prefer the smell of freshly mown grass to the yeasty scent of a microbrewery tasting room there’s plenty of things to do in Paris in March for you too. Green spaces aren’t hard to come by within the Paris city limits, which detour around the Bois de Boulogne to the west and Bois de Vincennes to the east. Both provide expansive spaces to take in the new growth of spring. Further out still lies the Palace of Versailles and its gardens. The main residence of the kings of France until the French Revolution, its gardens remain renowned for their spurting fountains and formal planting regimes. Meanwhile, the palace’s interiors, including the likes of the Hall of Mirrors, have become bywords for elegance, decadence and sublime style. Closer to the center of the city, the flower beds of the Champ de Mars will be bursting with color from early spring bulbs. Paris’s cherry and magnolia trees are another much-loved part of late March and early April. To capture them at their very best, head to the viewing platforms of the Eiffel Tower. If you can, avoid getting caught up in The Vertical, a race that sees competitors tackle the tower’s 1665 steps to reach the finish line. Rainy day activities that won’t disappoint   Although the weather in March is steadily improving, the month still sees its fair share of rain and cloud. Showers aren’t by any means unheard of, so keep your umbrella close at hand or slip into any of the French capital’s epic museums. The Pompidou Center’s Museum of Modern Art contains the second-largest collection of modern and contemporary works in the world – enough to keep you enthralled for an entire afternoon if you wish it to. Alternatively, the Musée du Quai Branly has an extraordinary collection of cultural artefacts from the four corners of the globe, including a standing stone from Easter Island and carvings from South America, Africa and Asia. To discover some of the greats of French history, you only need to go as far as the Panthéon. This grand would-be church is the final resting place of 80 people without whom the world would be a very different place. Some of the best-known names outside of France are Voltaire, Marie Curie and Josephine Baker – the first black woman to receive what is perceived to be one of France’s highest honors. Special events in March   More than just a place to buy the latest bestsellers, the second half of March welcomes in the Paris Book Fair (Livre Paris). It’s an event which brings together readers, authors and publishers. Usually taking place in the Grand Palais Éphémère, at the opposite end of the Champ de Mars to the Eiffel Tower, there’s a smorgasbord of live workshops and talks to look forward to. If it’s the silver screen rather than the written word that’s your first love, try and coincide your visit to Paris in March with the timing of the Cinéma du réel documentary film festival. Holding screenings at the Public Information Library at the Pompidou Center alongside several partner movie theaters, each edition of the festival brings around 200 notable movies of the genre to the attention of Parisian audiences. Nearby streets are taken over by the Carnaval des femmes – the ‘Women’s or Washerwomen’s Festival’. Expect a baffling array of costumes, from ordinary women dressed as the queens of old to men in full drag. Save on attraction admission in Paris in March If there’s a finer feeling in the world than thinking you’ve bagged a bargain, we haven’t yet experienced it. Discover our Paris attraction pass with Go City and you can visit landmark attractions you were going to visit anyway whilst making substantial savings on admission prices. At the same time, you’ll have an easier time budgeting for your trip, and you’ll have no currency conversion or international credit card fees to worry about. A smart choice all around however many times you’ve been to Paris in the past, it’s one of the best ways to keep costs down. Instagram and Facebook are great ways to keep up to the minute with all things Go City!
Ian Packham
A couple relaxing in the Jardin des Tuileries
Blog

Relaxing Things to do in Paris

What could be more idyllic than a restful break in the City of Love, with its multitude of parks and gardens, tranquil canals and cute pavement cafés, perfect for watching the world go by? Check out our guide to the 10 most relaxing things to do in Paris... Picnic by the Eiffel Tower Paris is a paradise for picnic-lovers, with over 400 delightful green spaces across the city in which to throw down a blanket and unpack your hamper. Pick up a fresh baguette, some fromage et charcuterie and a chilled bottle of Chablis and make for the Champs de Mars, a huge expanse of grassy parkland that’s straddled by the Eiffel Tower. Balmy summer evenings are perfect for this, as dusk falls and thousands of golden bulbs flicker on to illuminate the Paris icon. Come for the romance; stay for the spectacular light show that makes the tower sparkle like a diamond every hour on the hour until 1AM. Go Boating in the Bois du Boulogne Over twice the size of Central Park, Bois du Boulogne is one of the biggest parks in Paris. Its location a little off the beaten track in the 16th arrondissement also makes it one of the least busy. Rowboats are available to rent on the Lac Inferieur (Lower Lake), meaning you can while away a pleasant hour or two bobbing gently on its tranquil waters. Afterwards, take a stroll through the forest to smell the (many) roses in the beautiful Parc de Bagatelle botanical garden. If you’re lucky you might also encounter the park’s resident peacocks and elusive red squirrels along the way. Browse for Books in the Latin Quarter The Latin Quarter’s narrow, winding lanes are a far cry from some of Paris’s more hectic boulevards, and it’s here you’ll discover the semi-legendary English-language bookstore Shakespeare and Company, a labyrinthine treasure trove for literature lovers, where thousands of books pack into higgledy-piggledy shelves and teeter in corners. From here, you’re a stone’s throw to the Bouquinistes of Paris, where hundreds of booksellers line the left bank of the Seine, offering some 300,000 books (give or take). Creaking antiquarian tomes, literary classics, graphic novels, childrens’ books, poetry, art... it’s all here, and then some! Have a Hammam Stunning, intricate mosaics and an epic 33-meter-high minaret are not the only reasons to pay a visit to the Grande Mosquée de Paris in the Latin Quarter. There’s also a beautiful byzantine-style hammam with a marble steam room and babbling fountain. Book an exfoliating scrub or vigorous massage for a near-religious experience and complete your transition to a zen-like state by lingering for baklava and mint tea in the leafy courtyard. For religious reasons, there are separate times for men and women to visit the hammam. Enjoy Pizza and Beer by the Canal Dodge the tourist trail and get yourself down to Canal Saint-Martin, where cute cafés, bistros and craft-beer bars line a peaceful stretch of water that’s dotted with tree-shaded quays, garden squares, cobbled walkways and highly Instagrammable Venetian-style bridges. Eagle-eyed fans of French cinema may recognise the canal from Amélie, the quirky 2001 rom-com set in and around some of Paris’s most picturesque locations. Grab some pizza and beer from one of the boho takeaway joints and find a spot to sit down and skim stones across the water at sunset, just like the movie’s titular heroine. Walk the Coulée Verte Nothing soothes the soul like a bit of greenery and this central Paris walkway – literally ‘the Green Corridor’ – is no exception. A disused railway line that runs across a viaduct in the heart of Paris, it has been converted into a peaceful elevated walking route that’s alive with lush vegetation and foliage. Enjoy views of the Paris skyline from your verdant vantage point and refill your bottle with sparkling water (yes, really!) at the free fountain in Jardin de Reuilly, one of just a handful of its kind dotted around Paris. Play Pétanque One of France’s greatest and most relaxing pastimes, pétanque is a sport that’s beloved of hipsters and old-timers alike. You can have a go at this ancient boule-throwing contest in any number of locations around the city. We recommend Place de la Nation or stunning Luxembourg Gardens, where other gentle pursuits on offer include giant chess and sailing antique toy boats on the ornamental lake. Watch a Sunset (or Sunrise!) Sunset in Paris is truly something else. As the sky turns a dusky pink and lights flicker on across the city, it can feel like there’s magic in the air. Little wonder that this time of day (and its early morning counterpart) provided such inspiration for the likes of Monet. Take a cruise along the Seine to see iconic Paris landmarks including the Louvre and Pont Alexandre III illuminated from the water. Or head for the high ground: the view from the observation deck atop Montparnasse Tower is magnifique, while the atmosphere around Montmartre – as the light fades over the Sacré-Cœur and the colorful carousel below wheels into motion – is hard to beat. Visit a Garden You’re never very far from a park or garden in Paris, so it’s easy to take time out from the hubbub of the city streets and pause to smell the roses – literally. Handily located between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde, the 17th-century Jardin des Tuileries is a peaceful formal garden with two ponds, statues by the likes of Rodin and Giacometti, and plentiful seating. You can also put your feet up in the sculpture garden at the Rodin Museum, where ornamental ponds, perfectly manicured box hedges and a variety of famous pieces by the celebrated sculptor, make for a relaxing place to while away an hour or two. People-Watch at a Café For Parisians, the act of sitting at a pavement café, slowly sipping espressos and peering at passers-by over dark glasses, is something of an art form. Pull up a chair, order a croissant or three and join the locals in a spot of people-watching. Your server won’t bring the check until you ask for it, so you have all the time in the world to sit back, relax and watch what some would say is the best show in town. Save on relaxing things to do in Paris Save on admission to Paris attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak

Have a 5% discount, on us!

Sign up to our newsletter and receive exclusive discounts, trip inspiration and attraction updates straight to your inbox.

    Thick check Icon