Day 1 - Classic highlights
Begin at the Eiffel Tower, then walk along the Champ de Mars to the Seine. Cross to the Left Bank and explore the Latin Quarter with its bookshops and narrow streets. Afternoon at the Louvre along the rue de Rivoli, ending at the Tuileries Gardens. Evening dinner near Montmartre after riding the funicular to Sacre-Coeur; pick a corner bistro for steak-frites and a glass of house red.
Day 2 - Art and the islands
Morning at Musee d'Orsay on the Left Bank, then stroll the Tuileries toward Place de la Concorde. Cross to Ile de la Cite to see Notre-Dame and the flower market. Afternoon in Le Marais, browsing galleries and the Place des Vosges. Evening canal-side in Canal Saint-Martin; choose a wine bar for charcuterie and oysters before a slow walk back.
Day 3 - Markets and Versailles
Morning at a covered market such as Marche Bastille for cheese and pastry tastings. Take the RER to Versailles for the palace gardens and the Grand Trianon. Return to the Trocadero for sunset views of the tower. Evening in Saint-Germain-des-Pres at a brasserie; order onion soup and a dessert crepe to close the trip.
Daily food picks
Paris rewards slow meals. Start days with a bakery croissant and espresso. For lunch, try a neighborhood creperie or a falafel stand in Le Marais. Dinner should be a bistro with seasonal mussels or duck confit. Save one evening for a fromagerie cheese board paired with a neighborhood wine shop bottle. Pastries from any corner patisserie make easy daytime snacks.
Getting around & budget
Buy a multi-day metro pass and walk wherever districts connect. The RER reaches Versailles cheaply. Central hostels and mid-range hotels cluster near the Bastille and the 11th. Budget about 90 to 140 euros per day including sights and meals if you favor markets and bistros over fine dining. Museums are free on the first Sunday monthly.
