09:00 – 09:30
Happy Caffé
Breakfast
4.9(11K)· Paris
Casual cafe serving up sweet & savory crepes, plus filled baguette sandwiches & pastries to go.
3 Days in Paris: The Perfect First-Trip Itinerary
Paris · 3 days · First trip
Three days is the sweet spot for a first trip to Paris: long enough to see the icons, short enough that you have to choose well. This is the confident, can't-miss version of the city, the essential sights at a humane pace, a few well-judged cafés and brasseries, and walkable neighborhoods, with none of the deep-cut detours that eat a short trip alive.
Over three days you'll pair the two museums everyone means when they say Paris, the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay, with the stained-glass jewel box of Sainte-Chapelle, the white domes of Sacré-Cœur above Montmartre, and enough garden time in the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Tuileries to actually catch your breath. A Vedettes du Pont Neuf cruise and dinners at proper brasseries do the rest.
Everything below is a real, sequenced plan rather than a checklist, so each day flows from one stop to the next without backtracking. You can open this exact trip in the Wayfaro app and regenerate it for your own dates: keep the bones, swap what you like, and make it yours.
This is a real itinerary generated by Wayfaro. Open it in the app to regenerate it for your own dates and preferences.
Day 1: The Louvre, Left Bank gardens & a river cruise
Fuel up at Happy Caffé, where sweet and savory crepes and grab-and-go baguette sandwiches make an easy, unfussy start. Then head straight to the Louvre while your legs are fresh: this former royal palace, packed with everything from Roman sculpture to the Mona Lisa, is the single biggest thing you'll do all trip, so give it the morning and resist trying to see all of it.
Cross to the Left Bank for a gentler stretch. A pastry and organic eggs at Baguett's Café, under its exposed stone walls, set up a slow wander through the Jardin du Luxembourg, a 17th-century park of formal parterres, pedestal statues and tree-lined avenues that is made for sitting still for twenty minutes.
The afternoon tightens back toward the river with Sainte-Chapelle, a 13th-century Gothic chapel whose towering walls of stained glass are the whole reason to come. After that, rest your feet on a Vedettes du Pont Neuf cruise and let the city slide past from the water. Dinner at Brasserie des Prés closes the day with unhurried, classic brasserie cooking.
Day 1
7 stops- 12 min walk · 879 m
10:00 – 12:30
Louvre Museum
€634.7(371K)· Paris
Former historic palace housing huge art collection, from Roman sculptures to da Vinci's "Mona Lisa."
- 9 min walk · 702 m
13:00 – 13:45
Baguett's Café
€20Lunch4.7(5.6K)· Paris
Pastries & organic breakfast eggs, plus toasted sandwiches, in a cool cafe with exposed stone walls.
- 8 min by transit · 2.6 km
14:00 – 14:45
Jardin du Luxembourg
Free4.7(127K)· Paris
17th-century park with formally laid-out gardens, trees planted in patterns & statues on pedestals.
- 19 min walk · 1.4 km
16:00 – 16:30
Sainte-Chapelle
Free4.6(49K)· Paris
Ornate, 13th-century, Gothic chapel with relics & notable stained-glass windows of biblical scenes.
- 8 min walk · 635 m
16:45 – 17:30
Vedettes du Pont Neuf
€174.4(6.8K)· Paris
- 9 min walk · 645 m
19:00 – 20:00
Brasserie des Prés
€20Dinner4.7(8.9K)· Paris
Day 2: Musée d'Orsay, the Tuileries & the Eiffel Tower view
Open slowly with an all-week brunch and coffee at Kozy Pompidou before the day's centerpiece, the Musée d'Orsay. This monumental former railway station, now filled with 19th- and 20th-century European art, is an easier museum to love than the Louvre if you only want a couple of focused hours.
Refuel over duck confit or escargot at Bistrot Victoires, all vintage mirrors and terrace tables, then stroll the Tuileries Garden, a 17th-century formal garden dotted with statues and bronzes that neatly links the day's two halves on foot.
Save the grand view for later. Place du Trocadéro is a wide paved terrace famous for its dramatic sightline to the Eiffel Tower, so arrive with time to linger before the light goes. Dinner at Margaux caps a day built around one great museum and one unforgettable panorama.
Day 2
6 stops09:00 – 09:30
Kozy Pompidou | All-week Brunch | Coffee
€20Breakfast4.8(5.7K)· Paris
- 30 min walk · 2.2 km
10:00 – 12:00
Musée d'Orsay
€204.8(115K)· Paris
Major 19th- & 20th-century European art collections housed in a monumental, former railway station.
- 22 min walk · 1.6 km
13:00 – 13:45
Bistrot Victoires
€20Lunch4.4(7.3K)· Paris
Duck confit, escargot & classic bistro fare in vintage, mirror-lined interiors or on a terrace.
- 18 min walk · 1.4 km
15:15 – 16:00
Tuileries Garden
Free4.6(118K)· Paris
Expansive, 17th-century formal garden dotted with statues, including 18 bronzes by Maillol.
- 11 min by transit · 3.3 km
17:00 – 17:30
Place du Trocadero
Free4.7(13K)· Paris
Paved open space anchored by a military monument & known for its dramatic views of the Eiffel Tower.
- 13 min walk · 1 km
19:00 – 20:00
Margaux
€30Dinner4.7
Day 3: Montmartre's hill, Place du Tertre & a park finale
Ease into the neighborhood mood at Bon Bouquet Café, a hip little spot for pancakes, eggs and avocado toast, then climb through Square Louise Michel, a leafy terraced garden of fountains and city views whose steps lead you up toward the basilica.
At the top stands the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre, the white domed church completed in 1914, with mosaics and stained glass inside. A few streets away, Place du Tertre keeps Montmartre's old artist-village feel alive with easel painters and portraitists working the cobbles. Lunch is hearty and traditional at Le Poulbot: French onion soup, duck confit, snails.
The afternoon trades cobbles for green at Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, a dramatic 19th-century park built in a former quarry, with a lake, waterfalls and an old iron railway bridge slung high across it. Bouillon République then closes the trip with old-world broth, seafood and dessert at prices that still feel like a small secret.
Day 3
7 stops09:00 – 09:30
Bon Bouquet Café
€20Breakfast4.8(16K)· Paris
Hip, quaint hangout whipping up pancakes, eggs & avocado toast, plus coffee & specialty drinks.
- 20 min walk · 1.5 km
10:15 – 12:00
Square Louise Michel
Free4.5(8.2K)· Paris
Leafy square & gardens offering city views & fountains with steps leading up to Sacre Coeur church.
10:15 – 12:00
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre
Free4.7(165K)· Paris
Iconic, domed white church, completed in 1914, with interior mosaics, stained-glass windows & crypt.
10:15 – 12:00
Place du Tertre
Free4.5(20K)· Paris
Small, cafe-lined cobbled square & a hangout for buskers & artists painting visitors' portraits.
13:00 – 14:00
Le Poulbot
€20Lunch4.7(7.6K)· Paris
Characterful hole-in-the-wall for traditional fare like French onion soup, duck confit & snails.
- 12 min by transit · 3.8 km
15:00 – 17:15
Parc des Buttes-Chaumont
Free4.6(27K)· Paris
19th-century park in former quarry, with tall trees, lake, waterfalls and old, iron railway bridge.
- 8 min by transit · 2.5 km
18:30 – 19:30
Bouillon République
€20Dinner4.7(38K)· Paris
Plush restaurant with an old-world vibe serving classic broth, plus seafood dishes & desserts.
- That's the trip — time to head home. Safe travels!
Good to know
- Book timed-entry tickets for the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay and Sainte-Chapelle before you go. All three move faster with a slot, and it protects your morning.
- Wear real walking shoes. Montmartre's climb to Sacré-Cœur and the slopes of Parc des Buttes-Chaumont are gentle but long, and most of this plan happens on foot.
- Treat the gardens as rest stops, not sights to rush. The Jardin du Luxembourg and the Tuileries are where you recharge between the heavy hitters.
- Aim for the Vedettes du Pont Neuf cruise in late afternoon or at dusk, when the low light over the water is at its best.
- Eat like a local at the brasseries. Brasserie des Prés and Bouillon République are as much a part of the day as any monument.
Best time to visit
Paris rewards the shoulder seasons most: spring and autumn bring mild days, thinner crowds at the Louvre and Musée d'Orsay, and comfortable weather for the gardens and Montmartre's hill. Summer is warm, lively and long on daylight, though busiest at the big sights, while winter is quiet and atmospheric, with the museums at their calmest. Because this plan balances indoor culture with parks and a river cruise, it works year-round: you simply lean more on the museums when the weather turns.
Questions travelers ask
Is 3 days in Paris enough?
For a first trip, yes. Three days covers the essentials without sprinting: two landmark museums, Sainte-Chapelle, a river cruise, the Montmartre hill and real time to sit in the gardens. This plan deliberately keeps one big anchor per day, so you see the icons and still get to enjoy them.
How much walking should I expect?
A fair amount, since this is a walkable, on-foot itinerary. Each day pairs a major sight with gardens and a relaxed meal so you are never on your feet for hours straight, and the Vedettes du Pont Neuf cruise on Day 1 gives your legs a genuine break.
Do I need to book anything in advance?
The Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay and Sainte-Chapelle are all far smoother with a timed ticket, so reserve those ahead. The cafés, brasseries and gardens need no planning, so just turn up.
Can I use this exact itinerary for my own trip?
Yes. You can open this exact Paris trip in the Wayfaro app and regenerate it for your own dates, then adjust any stop. It becomes your plan rather than a generic list.
More trip ideas
Paris · 2 days
2 Days in Paris: The Perfect First-Trip ItineraryParis · 4 days
4 Days in Paris: The Perfect Itinerary for First-TimersParis · 5 days
5 Days in Paris: The Perfect First-Timer's ItineraryAmsterdam · 2 days
2 Days in Amsterdam: The Perfect First-Trip Itinerary
Plan your own trip
Tell Wayfaro how you travel and get a personalized day-by-day itinerary in minutes.
Coming soonGoogle Play