Paris in 3 Days: The Main Attractions You Must See!

You’re in the city of love, lights and history! If you only have a few days in this miraculous place, you’ll want to get the most out of it by having a plan and knowing which of your favorite activities you can consolidate on a map. Having an organized game plan will help you see everything you want while enjoying the spontaneity of travel.

Paris in 3 days and the main attractions you must see will vary based on your interests. This guide will break down the most important options for art lovers, history buffs, foodie fanatics, and more. It will also give you tips on saving time, transportation expertise, understanding the locals, as well as saving money.

As someone who studied in the French Countryside and has been to Paris many times, I can tell you what’s worth seeing and what’s not. I don’t tell you this to boast or sound snooty – because the truth is, I save up all year to travel and use Groupons to do it! Do it affordably in a money savvy way while seeing the best Paris has to offer with this comprehensive guide for visiting Paris in 3 days like an expert!

Paris in 3 Days - The Main Attractions You Must See:

You’re in the most beautiful city in the world. What now? Planning your days for a vacation is always a balance between finding the things you really want to do, researching the city enough to be sure you’re not missing the best things while there, and also leaving free time for serendipitous magic to ensue.

If you’ve never been to Paris before, there are certainly some touristy things that you must do and see. You are a tourist so just own this fact before arriving! Don’t be embarrassed to not be living like a local. Simply embrace that you’re there to see some of the major tourist attractions.

The perk of doing the touristy things the first time around, is that you can visit Paris in the future and know what parts of town or attractions you want to go back to see more of and which you can skip. You can load them up the first trip, so you get the full picture of the city.

This is me sounding assumptious that you’ll be back to Paris again, but I have no doubts you’ll love it so much you’ll be returning again, my sweet friend!

Being that we’re proud first timers and owning our touristic label – I recommend the Hop-on-Hop-off Tours. You may feel a little silly on the top of that bus and Parisians may scowl at you, but they scowl at everyone so don’t worry about this.

I always take these buses for my first time in a new city because they really are a great way to see everything and know what’s worth coming back to. It’s also easy transportation because you do not want to pay for taxis (very expensive in Paris), and the subway can be difficult if you don’t understand French language basics.

Walking is the true best way to see the city so I recommend this when you can.

Easy transportation like the Hop-on-Hop-off tours will help you access the entire city and are affordable compared to other tour companies. Your guide will want your time in Paris to be magical and to excite you with all the history. Tip them well if they blow you away but also know that tipping is included in most places around Europe. We will discuss this later more in depth.

A great hack for savings if you plan to hit many of the tourist attractions is the Paris Pass. This pass is about $160 for a 2 day pass, and $200 USD for a 3 day pass. You can google online and purchase directly from them, but it will be in Euros. This pass is a huge savings if you plan to hit main attractions or want the Hop-on-Hop-off tour bus.

Some of what the Paris Pass includes is:

Hop-on-Hop-off tour (Usually €38-42 a person)
Louvre Museum (Usually €15 a person)
Notre Dame Cathedral (Usually €10 a person)
Palace of Versailles (A must see and usually €27 a person)
Orsay Museum (Usually €12 a person)
French Wine Tasting (€32 without the pass)
Paris Opera House (€17 a person)
Montmartre Walking Tour (€29 a person without pass)
Picasso Museum (Usually €12.50 a person)
Montparnasse Tower (Amazing views and €18 a person without pass)
Siene River Cruise (Best way to see the city, €15 a person without pass)
Arc de Triomphe with audio tour (€12 without the pass).
Dali Museum (€12 a person without pass)
The Pantheon (€9 a person without pass)

There are also passes for just the Museums and often these include skip the lines which can be a huge timesaver if you don’t want to waste 2-3 hours or more each day of your trip standing in long queues.

The Museum Pass includes:

Louvre
Arc de Triomphe
Musée Rodin
Musée d’Orsay
Musée de l’Orangerie
National Museum of Asian Arts
The Army Museum
Quai Branly Museum
Conciergerie
Centre Pompidou
Sainte-Chapelle
Château de Versailles
Château de Fontainebleau
Basilica Cathedral of Saint-Denis

As you can see, if you have little time in Paris and don’t want to buy each of these tickets individually, the Paris Pass is a wonderful option to save time and money. The main things it doesn’t include is the Eiffel tower.

History Lover Attractions:

If you’re from America or haven’t traveled overseas before, you’re in for a whirlwind of history and magic! You think the world itself is quite young when living in America because we’re a nation that only developed a few hundred years ago.

Once you arrive in Paris, you’ll realize that you had no idea what history was before now. Thousands of years of culture and stories, a real root to their ancestry that you can feel on every street corner. It’s no wonder they’re so proud of their culture and feel they know a thing or two more than our beautiful baby-nation of American. The French culture is like your grandmother – older, wiser, and blunt as heck.

Some of the top picks that you must see are:

The Eiffel Tower: Of course, this one is first on the list because this magnificent tower is even more beautiful in person. Able to be seen from almost anywhere in the city, look out for the lights at night that will sparkle on the hour, every hour.

If you go to the Eiffel tower (not included in the Paris Pass) be sure you purchase the correct tickets for your intention. Different ticket options for the Eiffel Tower are:

You can get the cheapest where you have to climb the stairs – a big workout but fun views all the way up if you’re fit enough for it.
You can also buy cheap tickets to the second level which is near the middle.
It is most expensive to go to the top which they call ‘Summit,’ and will require an elevator.

Buy your tickets ahead of time to skip the lines and save yourself 2-4 hours in the Summer during peak busyness.

Purchase a tour guide or tickets for the Eiffel Tower to get the most out of your experience and learn the history more than through the boring audio. It will mean more to you and resonate in your memories if you’re hearing it from a human perspective that is excited about the history rather than a dated recording.

The Palace of Versailles – Le Palais de Versailles is a history lovers dream! This was the home of Marie Antoinette who infamously said, ‘Let them eat cake,’ during the great famine of the French Revolution. This blast to the past is a palace made significantly out of gold with some of the most lavish details imaginable.

Sprawling gardens that go on for acres and over 700 rooms, this piece of history will humble you at how much the royals had while giving so little to the commoners. It will absolutely open your mind to see how different things were in a class structure that didn’t care about their subjects while indulging in frivolous merriment.

It is worth the trip just for these doses of perspective but be sure you have time for it. It can take a while to commute back and forth so this can be an all-day event. Plan accordingly or save it for a future trip when you have more time.

The Catacombs – I have yet to experience the Catacombs myself, but this looks like a history and ghost-lovers ideal time! Travel beneath Paris to see the six million people in the tunnel work underground that is the largest cemetery in Paris.

Creepy to think they’re beneath your feet while you skip across the city of love, but this time machine to the eighteenth-century buried cemetery is sure to shake you up a bit. Whether that’s in a good or a bad way will depend on your taste.

Arago Medallions – Not an attraction but a bonus for history lovers to look out for around the cobble stone streets of Paris. There are 135 small bronze medallions in the cobble stone that say “Arago” with North and South labeled.

They seem randomly peppered around the town, but they actually are shaped in an arc and signify how the French used to measure latitude and longitude. This figure of the earth was of high importance in astronomy and these Parisian medallions are still a long-standing rival to the Greenwich Meridian.

If you have open plans and just want fun experiences without the lines, other options are checking websites like Viator or Airbnb Experiences. (You can even rent an Airbnb for a day!) You can read reviews and add excursions like History walking tours, vineyard day trips, guided food tours, and more. Transportation and lunch are often included.

Art Lover’s Paradise:

If you’re in Paris, there will be history everywhere, no need to worry about that!

Perhaps you don’t want to wait in touristic lines and you’d rather experience the local artistic side that Paris has to offer. Here are some wonderful options for an art lover’s paradise:

The Louvre: Obviously this tops our list with quintessential art pieces you must see like The Venus de Milo, I.M. Pei’s infamous glass Pyramid, and the queen herself, Mona Lisa. Lines are huge and it can be expensive. Do yourself a favor and purchase the skip-the-lines pass or the Paris Pass if you think it will save you money.
Musée de l’Orangerie: This is a quieter museum to opt for instead of the Louvre. You’ll avoid the lines and see Monet’s stunning abstract gardens painted like murals across an entire gallery.

Take a Day Trip to Monet’s Gardens: About a one hour car ride or three to four hour bike ride, you can head to Giverny to explore Monet’s actual home and the garden’s that inspired his lilies. He said his gardens were his masterpiece and they are a true portal back in time. Serene and worth the trip if you are an art lover and have the time.
Get lost in the Marais – in the neighborhood that spreads across the 3^rd and 4^th arrondissements (neighborhoods in Paris), this hip part of town is known to be artistic and full of nightlife. Wine bars and delicious cafes on every corner, this part of town is eclectic and fun.
Picasso Museum – If you love Picasso this is a must see. Included in the Paris Pass and if not purchasing that, see if you can buy online ahead of time to avoid waiting in lines.

Nature Fanatics:

There are many parks and quieter sections to explore for a slower pace of Paris. You may want to grab a picnic and enjoy the people watching at places like:

Jardin des Luxembourg – This garden has history from the French Revolution sprawled about peaceful gardens and tranquil fountains. Almost like the Central Park of Paris, this is a beautiful place to slow down, get lost, and breath quietly for a while.

My favorite spot in the Luxembourg Garden is the Medici Fountain (in French called La fontaine Médicis). It was built in about 1630 by Marie de’ Medici, the widow of King Henry IV of France and regent of King Louis XIII of France. It’s beautiful and haunting. Made me miss my soulmate terribly while traveling alone overseas.

Sacré-Coeur Basilica – This spot near the heart of Paris is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to the Sacred heart of Jesus. Locals hang out here on the steps and congregate for picnics around lunch and sunset often. It’s exhausting to the top and I thought I may actually die. But once I saw all of Paris from this high perch, the Eiffel tower in the distance, Arc de Triomphe and all of Paris’s romance, I knew it was worth the climb. It’s basically the views from heaven.
Parc Monceau – in the 8^th arrondissement this park was originally landscaped in the 18^th century with Corinthian columns and pyramid art touches.

Lac Inférieur, Bois de Boulogne – One of the largest parks but a bit out of town. Commissioned by Napoleon III in the 1850’s, this stunning park even has lake which can be accessed by boat. Picturesque and peaceful, this is a wonderful picnic spot or romantic hideaway from the tourist masses.

Food Lover’s Dream:

Instead of listing restaurants, as there are so many wonderful ones to choose around Paris, I’d rather give you an idea of what to expect on the menu. Eating as the locals do is another way to open up your mind and palette to new things.

I encourage you to try all of these French favorites at least once. My rule is, if you hate it, never eat it again. But if you love it, then you’ve opened your taste-buds up to something unique. It’s worth trying so give yourself the freedom to experience the unknown in your travels.

Some of the most popular French delicacies you’ll see often on menu are:

Fois Gras – You’ll see many menus completely in France, especially if you leave Paris and the touristic parts of town. Fois Gras is a type of duck or goose meat that is best served on brioche bread with a fig or onion jam. Prepared many ways, people often pack up on cans of this delicacy before catching their flight home.
Canard – you may want to familiarize yourself with basics for meats. Canard is duck meat which is very popular in French dishes. You want to know the general names so for example – if you know you like chicken dishes, look on the menu for something that says, ‘poulet.’ Others to know are – beef which is ‘du boeuf’ in French. And fish which is, ‘poisson.’
Escargots – Snails. Don’t be frightened! Try at least one! If you like mushrooms, you’ll probably like escargot. Even if you don’t like the snails, it’s worth it just to get the garlicy butter sauce they come in and dip your baguette in there!
Fondue et Fromage – Cheese. Stinky cheese shops are one of the best parts of Europe. Try some unique cheeses and eat it for dessert like the locals do.
Crêpes – I lived with the sweetest French family that would cook us chocolate crêpes with strawberries every night. Basically, living my dream to eat tiny pancakes on the regular. Try some of the best at Krügen, Crêperie Gigi, and Crêperie La Belle Bio.

These are just some of the basics, but I always recommend reading reviews and filtering to high ratings plus the number of dollar signs you’re wishing to spend based on your personal budget.

If you don’t speak French but want to dine in a very authentic place, I recommend reading the menus at home and translating then to have an idea of what you’ll order. You can’t do this for everywhere you eat in Paris, but for a nice dinner, it’s worth the research to know what you’re ordering.

Wine Lover’s Paris:

There are stunning wine bars all over Paris and places to purchase quality French wine. Vineyards from all around France want their wine on the shelves.

You can easily find €1 bottles of vino that are actually good!

You can of course invest in quality bottles, but the point is that you can find affordable wine all over Paris. A favorite cheap meal of mine is to get the fresh squeezed orange juice they sell in fruit markets all around, a bottle of French vino, a baguette and some cheese. Take your picnic and dine in front of the Eiffel tower for a romantic night you’ll never forget.

Surprisingly, there is only one vineyard in Paris. You would think the city of romance would have vineyards all over, but they’re all located outside of the city except for the Montmartre Vineyards.

This hidden gem has been around for over 800 years! This is a historical and whimsical spot to spend an afternoon if you want to spend one (or all) of your days in Paris drinking. Some say the wine isn’t the absolute best quality at the Montmartre vineyard, but it’s more about the history, experience, and visiting the only vineyard in Paris.

If you are a self-proclaimed wine-snob, opt for classier wine bars or take a day trip because you’re in one of the best countries for wine in the world.

Some of the best day trips from Paris to wine regions are:

Champagne Region: world-class vineyards, stunning hillside views, and can be done in a 9-10-hour excursion day-trip. You can hire a driver which is smart with the drinking you’ll be doing or opt for a train ride which may be slower but equally as scenic.
Loire Valley: Known for it’s stunning chateaux’s and castles, the Loire valley is a countryside portal to the renaissance days. This time machine of serenity will blow you away with history and quality wine alike. Find a French lunch and take your time meandering from Chateau to Chateau like the royalty you are.
Bordeaux – Known for having some of the best wine in the world, this is a must see for a wine connoisseur or sommelier. If you hate cigarette smoking, you may not like Paris but you’ll hate Bordeaux even worse because they all smoke like chimneys. Keep this in mind if it will bother you.

There are many other wine regions around France but none as close to Paris. Perhaps you can plan for these on your next trip.

What to Expect from the French People:

I love to travel despite not having tons of money to do it. I think that it opens your world up and shows you how people live outside of your everyday bubble. It’s humbling and gratifying to see how others live

When I first arrived in the French countryside (which is very different than Paris), It was like a dream. Everyone was riding around on bicycles with baguettes tucked under their arms. It was so quaint I thought, “This can’t be real life.”

If there’s anything the French take seriously, it’s their gardens and their bread.

Life in the French countryside is a 180 from Paris. In the city, the streets are bustling, taxis and tourists everywhere (especially in the summer), and there is a faster pace of life. It is true what they say, some French people do hate Americans and you will experience more of this in Paris than the rest of France.

I found the French Countryside and Mediterranean coast to be full of the kindest people I’ve ever met. But the first time I visited Paris I remember being spat on by a French man.

*Yes, he literally hawked spit at me* simply because he didn’t like my American accent.

I still ended up learning the French language, love the culture, lived there and will always feel this way. I’ve met so many kind French people that I don’t group them all together based on one rude person. If anything, I feel sorry for the man who spat on me because who knows what experiences he’s had with Americans to make him hate them so much.

The point is – don’t have false expectations for a culture. Allow them to be as they are because you are the visitor here. The best advice I can give you is that the French people, especially Parisians – will be much kinder to you if you learn some of their language. They are very proud of their culture and it feels good when foreigners make an effort in your home.

Learning the French basics is a great place to start, even if you just crash course on the plane ride over.

I can speak from experience that not all in Paris are crass, they just smile less than Americans. So many Parisian people were kind to me and would help me perfect my French. They encouraged me and seemed to appreciate that I wanted to learn about their way of life.

Tipping in Paris:

Tipping etiquette in Europe is much less than in America. We are conditioned to tip our service industry as they make a lower wage that we want to help supplement for good service.

In Europe, most of the service industry makes a much higher wage that is livable, so tipping is less common. Tipping in Europe is a standard of 0-10% whereas in America it may be 15-30%.

Check your tab and you should see a line that says, ‘Tip,’ ‘Gratuity,’ or ‘Service Charge.” This is usually only done in the US for large parties over 6-10 people and your waiter will often let you know in the states. Checking the tab will help you avoid double tipping and you can add a little extra love to the tip if you feel they’ve taken wonderful care of you and earned it.

Cash is preferred and it’s more likely to go to the person you intend instead of the managers or establishment.

As far as counter service, cafes, bartender’s, hostel managers, hotel staff, and taxis – the basic rule is “Keep the change.” You don’t need to tip more that unless your taxi driver helps you with a lot of bags or drives you very long distances.

There is really no right or wrong answer, but I will end with my initial thought on tipping karma. Those of us that have worked in the service industry have seen this mystical power of abundance in action. We know that what you give comes back to you tenfold.

Add a love bomb like a generous tip to someone’s day and it will come back to you in another wonderful way. It feels good to take care of your fellow human so tip what feels right to you in that moment.

(For more on how much to tip when traveling, check out this article!)

Final Tips:

Now that you have a bit more of the ‘lay of the land,’ so to speak, I hope you can plan your time in Paris a bit more magical! It is a wonderful thing to do your research and have a game-plan before arriving. Check out cheap flights to Paris to start planning your trip.

Just be sure you’re not over planning your vacation to the brim with activities. You don’t want to be rushing around from appointment to appointment or it won’t feel much like a vacation. You may simply want to leave an evening to, ‘explore the Marais district,’ or ‘dinner and dancing in the Latin Quarter.’ Something open-ended like these.

Keeping the plans loose and flexible will allow the real magic to happen of just stumbling upon beauty. That is what Paris is about so slow down and take in the moment.

Safe travels you beautiful adventure-nut-wanderlust-guru! And as the French would say, Bon Voyage!

(Next time you have a weekend that you need something to do, there are plenty of things to do in San Francisco in 3 days!)