5 Days in Paris: A First-Timer's Itinerary
5 days · 4 nights
Five days is the right length for a first Paris trip: enough time for the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Montmartre, Notre-Dame, and a Versailles day trip without rushing between neighborhoods. Budget $1,370-2,090 per person excluding flights for a midrange trip, or $365-595 on a hostel budget; comfort travelers with a boutique hotel and private tours should plan $3,150-4,930. US passport holders don't need a visa for stays under 90 days, but round-trip flights from the US run $450-1,300 depending on coast, and Paris sits six hours ahead of Eastern time, so expect a red-eye each way. This plan runs the Eiffel Tower and the Seine, then the Louvre and Tuileries, Montmartre, Le Marais and Notre-Dame, and a Versailles day trip, with a Navigo Easy Metro card covering transport throughout. Book Louvre and Notre-Dame timed-entry tickets before you land.
Mubboo Verdict: Five days covers Paris's essentials without rushing — the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Montmartre, Notre-Dame, and a Versailles day trip. Buy timed-entry tickets for the Louvre and Notre-Dame before you land, and get a Navigo Easy card on day one for the Metro.
Spend on one Louvre guide and the Versailles day; keep the parks, Sacre-Coeur, and the Seine free. Skip trying to add a sixth neighborhood — five days rewards a slower pace.
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Duration
5 days / 4 nights
Pace
Moderate (2-3 major stops/day + 1 day trip)
Budget
$1,370-2,090 per person (excl. flights)
Best months
Apr-Jun, Aug-Oct
Route
Trocadero -> Louvre/Tuileries -> Montmartre -> Le Marais/Notre-Dame -> Versailles
Highlight
A sunset climb up the Arc de Triomphe and a private Louvre guide who skips the crowds.
Great for
Skip if
Your 5-day Paris plan
1The Eiffel Tower & the Seine
📍 Trocadero -> Champ de Mars -> the Seine
The Eiffel Tower & the Seine
📍 Trocadero -> Champ de Mars -> the Seine
Trocadero Gardens & the Eiffel TowerFREE
Trocadero's terrace gives the best free Eiffel Tower view in the city, especially before 9 AM when the tour buses arrive. Walk down to Champ de Mars park for a closer look at the tower itself.
Insider tip: Arrive before 9 AM for empty photos — the Trocadero esplanade fills with tour groups by 10:30.
Upgrade: Parisian Life Style Private Photo Shoot at Eiffel Tower
A professional local photographer captures the Trocadero skyline view in under an hour, no tripod required.
Champ de Mars park (picnic)· Bakery / picnic$8-16
Grab a baguette sandwich from a boulangerie and picnic on the Champ de Mars lawn facing the tower.
Seine riverside walk & Notre-Dame exteriorFREE
Walk the Seine's Left Bank past the bouquiniste booksellers to the Ile de la Cite. Notre-Dame reopened in December 2024 after its fire restoration, free to enter with timed reservations recommended.
Insider tip: Book a free Notre-Dame entry slot online a few days ahead — standby lines run long on weekends.
Upgrade: Historical Paris Walking Tour to Lively Food Market
A private guide covers the Left Bank's market streets and Notre-Dame's history in one afternoon walk.
Saint-Germain-des-Pres· Bistro / French classic$20-40
Bistros in Saint-Germain serve prix-fixe dinners — book ahead on weekends.
Eiffel Tower sparkle from the SeineFREE
The Eiffel Tower sparkles for five minutes every hour on the hour after dark, free to watch from anywhere along the Seine or Trocadero.
Insider tip: Bring a bottle of wine to the Seine's quais — it's legal and it's the classic free Paris evening.
🚇 Getting around
Paris Metro
Navigo Easy card (about $2, refillable) covers single rides at about $2.75 each; a day pass runs about $9.50
The Metro covers all five days' routes — skip taxis except late at night.
💵 Day budget (per person)
2The Louvre & Tuileries
📍 Louvre -> Palais Royal -> Tuileries
The Louvre & Tuileries
📍 Louvre -> Palais Royal -> Tuileries
The Louvre MuseumPAID
The Louvre opens at 9 AM and the Mona Lisa room is calmest in the first hour. Buy timed-entry tickets online — walk-up lines run 1-2 hours in high season.
Insider tip: Enter through the Carrousel du Louvre underground mall, not the glass Pyramid, to skip the worst of the line.
Upgrade: The Essential Louvre Masterpieces Tour - Limited to Six Guests
A guide capped at six guests covers the Mona Lisa and the must-see wings in 2.5 hours without you getting lost in 35,000 works.
Palais Royal gardens· Cafe / quick bistro$14-24
The Palais Royal's arcades have quieter cafes than the tourist-priced spots right outside the Louvre.
Tuileries Garden & Place de la ConcordeFREE
The Tuileries Garden runs from the Louvre to Place de la Concorde, free to wander with café chairs around the fountains — the classic Parisian stroll between two landmarks.
Insider tip: The Tuileries' Ferris wheel (small fee) gives a good orientation view of the Champs-Elysees axis.
Upgrade: Orangerie and Monet Water Lilies Exclusive Tour Reserved Entry
Skip-the-line entry to Monet's Water Lilies rooms inside the Tuileries, the collection most first-timers miss.
Rue Montorgueil· French bistro$22-40
Rue Montorgueil's market street has produce stalls by day and packed bistro terraces by night.
The lit Louvre Pyramid & Rue de RivoliFREE
The Louvre's glass Pyramid lights up after dark and the courtyard empties out, a quieter version of the daytime crowds. Rue de Rivoli's arcades stay lit and open for a browse.
Insider tip: The Pyramid courtyard is free and open until late — it's the best photo of the day with none of the queue.
Upgrade: Paris: Experience Segway Top Highlights Small Group 2 Hours
A small-group Segway loop covers Rue de Rivoli and the Pyramid grounds fast if the day's museum walking has worn out your legs.
🚇 Getting around
Walking + Metro
A day pass (about $9.50) covers zones 1-2, including the Louvre and Tuileries
The Louvre and Tuileries are a 10-minute walk apart — skip the Metro for this day.
💵 Day budget (per person)
3Montmartre & Sacre-Coeur
📍 Montmartre -> South Pigalle
Montmartre & Sacre-Coeur
📍 Montmartre -> South Pigalle
Sacre-Coeur Basilica & Montmartre's lanesFREE
Sacre-Coeur's basilica is free to enter and the steps below give a free panoramic view of the city. Montmartre's cobbled lanes climb past old windmills and artist squares.
Insider tip: Take the funicular (covered by a Metro ticket) up the hill to save your legs for the cobblestones.
Upgrade: Montmartre Walking Guided Tour
A local guide untangles Montmartre's maze of lanes and points out where Picasso and Van Gogh actually lived.
Streets off Place du Tertre· Crepes / casual French$12-22
Skip the restaurants directly on Place du Tertre — walk two streets over for the same food at half the price.
Place du Tertre & Montmartre's vineyardFREE
Place du Tertre is Montmartre's working artist square, free to browse with portraits and street painters. Paris's last vineyard, Clos Montmartre, sits a few blocks over.
Insider tip: The vineyard only opens to the public during the October harvest festival — otherwise view it through the fence.
Upgrade: Paris E-Scooter Tour with fun & informative guide
Montmartre's hills are steep on foot; a guided e-scooter tour covers more ground and adds stops a walking tour would skip.
South Pigalle (SoPi)· Modern French / wine bar$20-38
SoPi, just below Montmartre, has the neighborhood's best-value modern bistros without the tourist markup.
Moulin Rouge & Pigalle at nightFREE
The Moulin Rouge's red windmill lights up at night, free to see from the street even without a show ticket. Pigalle below is lively but fine to walk in a group.
Insider tip: A Moulin Rouge dinner-and-show ticket runs $150 or more and sells out weeks ahead if you want one.
Upgrade: Fantastic Evenings of Laurent Beretta
For an evening splurge instead of just viewing the windmill, this intimate magic show revives Paris's 19th-century entertainment tradition in a Parisian palace lounge.
🚇 Getting around
Metro + funicular
A single Metro ticket (about $2.75) covers the funicular up to Sacre-Coeur
Montmartre is hilly — wear real shoes, not sandals.
💵 Day budget (per person)
4Le Marais, Notre-Dame & the Latin Quarter
📍 Ile de la Cite -> Le Marais -> Latin Quarter
Le Marais, Notre-Dame & the Latin Quarter
📍 Ile de la Cite -> Le Marais -> Latin Quarter
Notre-Dame Cathedral & Ile de la CiteFREE
Notre-Dame reopened in December 2024 after its post-fire restoration, free to enter with a timed online reservation. The stained glass and stonework look sharper than before the fire.
Insider tip: Book the free entry slot online a few days ahead — same-day standby lines can run over an hour.
Upgrade: Historical Paris Walking Tour to Lively Food Market
A Left Bank guide covers Notre-Dame's history and a real neighborhood food market in one 2-3 hour walk.
Ile Saint-Louis· Ice cream / casual French$10-20
Berthillon's ice cream on Ile Saint-Louis is the Paris original — expect a line even for one scoop.
Le Marais & Place des VosgesFREE
Le Marais's medieval lanes mix boutiques and falafel stands around Place des Vosges, Paris's oldest planned square and free to sit in.
Insider tip: Rue des Rosiers has the best-known falafel — the lines move fast even when they look long.
Upgrade: Paris: Le Marais Private Guided Food Tour with 10 French Tastings
A private Le Marais tasting walk covers ten stops in one afternoon, faster than picking spots yourself.
Le Marais· Falafel / wine bar$14-28
Le Marais stays lively into the evening — a good, low-key last dinner in the neighborhood.
Latin Quarter & Shakespeare and CompanyFREE
The Latin Quarter's Rue Mouffetard and the Shakespeare and Company bookshop by Notre-Dame are free to wander after dinner, kept lively past dark by students and buskers.
Insider tip: Shakespeare and Company stays open into the evening — browsing is free and welcomed.
Upgrade: Private Paris Photo shoot with a Film Director: Natural Style
A private, cinematic-style photo session near Notre-Dame and the Latin Quarter is a memorable way to close out a Left Bank evening.
🚇 Getting around
Walking + Metro
Le Marais and the Latin Quarter are walkable across the river; a single ticket covers the crossing if needed
Cobblestones throughout — comfortable shoes matter more here than anywhere else on the trip.
💵 Day budget (per person)
5Versailles Day Trip & Farewell
📍 Versailles -> Champs-Elysees
Versailles Day Trip & Farewell
📍 Versailles -> Champs-Elysees
Palace of Versailles & the Hall of MirrorsPAID
Versailles is 45 minutes from central Paris by RER train. Go straight to the Hall of Mirrors before the tour groups arrive — it and the gardens easily fill a half-day.
Insider tip: Buy the Versailles Passport ticket online to include the gardens and Trianon estates in one ticket.
Versailles town· Cafe / casual French$14-24
Cafes inside the Versailles gardens are pricier — walk into Versailles town for the same food at local prices.
Versailles Gardens & the Trianon estatePAID
The gardens alone take two-plus hours on foot — rent a bike or a golf cart at the entrance to reach the Grand Trianon and Marie-Antoinette's hamlet without the full walk.
Insider tip: The Musical Fountains Shows run select weekends April through October — worth timing your visit around.
Saint-Germain· French bistro / farewell dinner$26-48
Book a Saint-Germain bistro for the last night — reservations matter on a Friday or Saturday.
Champs-Elysees & the Arc de TriompheFREE
The Champs-Elysees lights up for an evening walk from the Arc de Triomphe down toward Concorde, free, while the Arc's paid, timed terrace gives one last skyline view with the Eiffel Tower lit in the distance.
Insider tip: Climb the Arc de Triomphe (small fee, no lines like the Eiffel Tower) for the best free-standing viewpoint in Paris.
Upgrade: Paris in a Day - Private Experience
For a farewell splurge, this private custom tour closes the day with a guide-led loop past the lit monuments before your flight.
🚇 Getting around
RER C train (Versailles) + Metro
RER return ticket runs about $9 round trip — not covered by Metro-only passes
Buy your RER ticket at the station machine before the platform; a Navigo Easy card doesn't cover the RER to Versailles.
💵 Day budget (per person)
What 5 days in Paris costs
Budget
$365-595
- Hostel dorm (4 nts)$110-180
- Metro passes$35-45
- Food (bakery + market + cheap bistro)$140-220
- Activities (mostly free + 1 museum entry)$60-120
- Extras$20-30
- TOTAL (excl. flights)$365-595
Mid-range
$1,370-2,090
- 3-star hotel (4 nts)$560-820
- Metro passes + occasional taxi$50-70
- Food (bistros + 1 nice dinner)$280-420
- Activities (Louvre, Orangerie, tours)$420-680
- Extras$60-100
- TOTAL (excl. flights)$1,370-2,090
Comfort
$3,150-4,930
- Boutique / 4-star hotel (4 nts)$1,600-2,400
- Private transfers + taxis$150-250
- Food (fine dining)$600-1,000
- Private tours + a Versailles guide$700-1,100
- Extras$100-180
- TOTAL (excl. flights)$3,150-4,930
Round-trip to Paris (CDG) from the US East Coast runs $450-900 on Delta, United, American, or Air France; West Coast fares run $700-1,300. Paris sits six hours ahead of Eastern time, so expect a red-eye each way — set a fare alert 2-3 months out.
Find flights →When to do this trip
Paris is mild April through October, with April-June and August-October the sweet spot — warm days in the upper 60s and 70s Fahrenheit without July's heat and crowds. Winter (December-February) is coldest and wettest but has the cheapest flights and hotels, plus Christmas markets.
Search flights & hotels to Paris
Ready to make this trip happen?
Before you go: Paris checklist
- Set a flight price alert to Paris (CDG) and book earlyGet it · aviasales →
- Get a travel eSIM for France before you landGet it · airalo →
- Book Louvre and Notre-Dame timed-entry tickets ahead
- Reserve an airport transfer from CDGGet it · welcomepickups →
- Store luggage after checkout before a late flightGet it · radicalstorage →
- Get travel insurance for trip cancellation and delaysGet it · safetywing →
- Reserve a Versailles Passport ticket including the gardens
- Load a Navigo Easy card at any Metro station on arrival
- Enroll in the State Department's STEP program before you fly
Make it your trip
On a tight budget
Lean on museums' free first-Sunday hours and skip the day trip.
- Visit the Louvre on a free first-Sunday-of-the-month slot (October-March) instead of paying full price.
- Skip the Versailles day trip and walk Montmartre's vineyard and a picnic instead.
- Eat bakery sandwiches and market food instead of sit-down bistros for lunch.
Food & wine lovers
Swap Versailles for a Champagne day trip and add more tastings.
- Replace the Versailles day trip with the Paris Wine Day Tours Champagne excursion (about $440-453, includes 3 vineyard visits).
- Add the Le Marais 10-tasting food tour on Day 4 instead of just browsing Rue des Rosiers.
- Book a wine bar crawl in Saint-Germain instead of a sit-down bistro dinner one night.
With kids
Trade the Louvre's full collection for the family-friendly private tour and add playground time.
- Book the Family Friendly Louvre Museum Private Guided Tour instead of the six-guest adult tour.
- Swap the Champ de Mars picnic for the playground next to the Eiffel Tower lawn.
- Skip Versailles' full estate walk — stick to the Hall of Mirrors and the gardens near the entrance.
Paris insider tips
Notre-Dame's post-restoration reopening means longer lines than pre-fire years — book the free timed-entry slot a few days ahead.
— r/ParisTravelGuide
The Navigo Easy card (a physical card, not the paper Navigo Decouverte) is the easiest way to load Metro tickets and works for tourists without a French address.
— r/travel
Bakeries sell some of the best-value food in the city — a fresh baguette sandwich runs $4-7 versus $15 or more at a sit-down cafe near a landmark.
— r/solotravel
Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards points to Air France/KLM Flying Blue for cheaper premium-economy fares, and pack a light jacket even in summer — Paris evenings cool off fast.
— Mubboo Editorial
Don't forget — pick up a local eSIM for data:
Need a ride from the airport? Book a transfer ahead of time:
Paris itinerary FAQ
How many days do you need in Paris?
Five days covers the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Montmartre, Notre-Dame, and a Versailles day trip without rushing. Add a sixth day for the Musee d'Orsay or a Champagne day trip if you have it.
How much does a Paris trip cost?
Plan $1,370-2,090 per person for 5 days excluding flights on a midrange budget. Hostel travelers can do it for $365-595; comfort travelers with a boutique hotel and private tours run $3,150-4,930.
Do US citizens need a visa for France?
No. US passport holders can visit France visa-free for stays under 90 days as tourists. Make sure your passport is valid at least 3 months beyond your return date before you fly.
How do I get from Charles de Gaulle Airport into central Paris?
The RER B train runs from CDG to central Paris in about 45-75 minutes for roughly $15. A flat-rate taxi runs $60-70 and takes 45-60 minutes depending on traffic; rideshare runs similar.
What is the best time of year to visit Paris?
April through June and August through October are the sweet spot — mild weather in the upper 60s-70s Fahrenheit and lighter rain than winter. July gets hot and packed with tour groups; December-February is coldest but cheapest.
Do I need to speak French in Paris?
No, but a little effort helps. Most people in tourist areas and hotels speak English; opening with a simple bonjour before switching to English is a courtesy Parisians notice.
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