Paris in 2 days: day by day
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- 5 of 9 free; 4 paid — see “Cost”
- Duration
- 2 days, 9:30 to 17:49 each day
- Start and finish
- Notre-Dame de Paris → Place de la Concorde
- On foot
- ≈ 1 h 27 min in total
- Transport
- 1 ride, ≈ 19 min
- Lunch
- around 11:38
- With kids
- fine: short walks
- Best time
- Spring and autumn; the tower at opening or at sunset.
Day-by-day plan
Times include walking and lunch. Drag a stop by ≡, remove it with the cross or add one nearby — the plan updates.
Day 1 · Paris09:30–17:37 · 4 places · 8 h 10 min
Notre-Dame de Paris
· 1 h · Free
- 8 min on foot
Sainte-Chapelle
· 1 h · Timed ticket, online
- Lunch · 1 h
- 16 min on foot
The Louvre
· 3 h 30 min · Timed ticket, online
- 13 min on foot
Tuileries Garden
· 1 h · Free
Day 2 · Paris09:30–17:49 · 5 places · 8 h 20 min
Eiffel Tower
· 2 h 30 min · Timed ticket, lift or stairs
- Lunch · 1 h
- 13 min on foot
Trocadéro
· 40 min · Free
- 19 min · transport or taxi
Arc de Triomphe
· 1 h · Roof on a ticket
- 18 min on foot
Champs-Élysées
· 1 h 30 min · Free
- 19 min on foot
Place de la Concorde
· 30 min · Free
Add nearby
Places near the plan — Yes puts one into the day and the times update.
What the route costs
5 of 9 are free; 4 charge entry — prices below, check them on site.
| 2 | Sainte-Chapelle | 57 | 1 h | Timed ticket, online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | The Louvre | 62 | 3 h 30 min | Timed ticket, online |
| 5 | Eiffel Tower | 65 | 2 h 30 min | Timed ticket, lift or stairs |
| 7 | Arc de Triomphe | 62 | 1 h | Roof on a ticket |
| Other 5 places | 4 h 30 min | Free | ||
| Total | 12 h 40 min | 5 of 9 free |
Tips for each stop
Day 1
- 1
Notre-Dame de Paris. The Gothic cathedral on the Île de la Cité with its rose windows and gargoyles. Free entry, best with a free timed booking.
- 2
Sainte-Chapelle. Louis IX's chapel, walls almost entirely of 13th-century stained glass. Timed ticket, security check at the entrance.
- 3
The Louvre. The world's largest museum: the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory, the Venus de Milo. Timed ticket online; closed Tuesday.
- 4
Tuileries Garden. Le Nôtre's royal garden between the Louvre and Concorde: ponds, green chairs, statues. Free.
Day 2
- 5
Eiffel Tower. The 330 m iron tower: lift or stairs, sparkling every hour after dark. Timed ticket online.
- 6
Trocadéro. The Palais de Chaillot esplanade with the best Eiffel Tower view and the Warsaw Fountain. Free.
- 7
Arc de Triomphe. The arch on Place de l'Étoile with a rooftop terrace over 12 avenues. Underpass access, ticket for the top.
- 8
Champs-Élysées. Paris's grand avenue from the Arc de Triomphe to Concorde: shops, cafés, gardens. Free.
- 9
Place de la Concorde. The city's largest square with an Egyptian obelisk and two fountains. Free.
Who this route is for
- A weekend in Paris
- A first overnight trip
- Couples and friends
- Montmartre and the Opéra: see the 3-day route
- Versailles and Disneyland need their own days
Spring and autumn; the tower at opening or at sunset.
What to see in Paris in two days
Day one is a walk through the centre along the Seine; day two follows the great axis in the west, from the Eiffel Tower and Trocadéro to the Arc de Triomphe and down the Champs-Élysées. Book the tower and the Louvre online for set times.
Photograph the tower from the Trocadéro esplanade first, then cross the Pont d'Iéna and go up. From the tower to the Arc de Triomphe is about 20 minutes on foot or two metro stops.
You can remove any stop with the cross, reorder with ≡ or add another nearby, and the timings update.
Day two: the Eiffel Tower and Champs-Élysées
In the morning, the Trocadéro and the Eiffel Tower: up to the second floor or the summit. For lunch, try Rue Cler by the Champ de Mars or a café on Avenue Kléber on the way to the arch.
After lunch, the Arc de Triomphe's terrace over its star of twelve avenues, then a walk down the Champs-Élysées past shops and gardens to the Place de la Concorde. In the evening, head back to watch the tower sparkle.
What else to see
With a third day, add Montmartre, the Sacré-Cœur and the Palais Garnier. A fourth day is for Versailles.
How to do it right
- Timed tickets for the tower and the Louvre.
- Photograph the tower from the Trocadéro in the morning.
- Reach the arch by the underpass.
- Many Paris museums close on Monday or Tuesday, so check the closing day before you go.
- France uses the euro. Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere. Book the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the Sainte-Chapelle ahead on their official sites, which list entry times and closing days.
Questions
What can I see in Paris in 2 days?
The Île de la Cité, the Louvre and Tuileries, then the Eiffel Tower, Trocadéro, Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élysées.
Are two days enough for Paris?
For the main landmarks, yes; Montmartre, the Orsay and Versailles need more days.
When is the best time to go up the Eiffel Tower?
At opening or at sunset; book online in advance.
How do I get around on this route?
On foot and by metro: two or three stops between the tower and the arch.
How do I pay in Paris?
France uses the euro. Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere. Book the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and the Sainte-Chapelle ahead on their official sites, which list entry times and closing days.
Sources and fact-check
- Prices, opening hours and time on site come from each place's page, with its own sources and check date
- UNESCO: Paris, Banks of the Seine (no. 600)
