Paris, known as the city of love, is a popular city break destination for couples, friends or families. A reason for this is an abundance of things to see and do; from world famous landmarks to TikTok famous hot chocolate stops.
If you’re off for the weekend and struggling to fit it all in, here’s an itinerary that captures the best bits of Paris in just 48 hours.
Day 1
The Louvre
Whether you’re an art enthusiast or just want to see the city’s highlights, the Louvre is a must visit while in Paris. This is because it is home to the renowned Mona Lisa; a 16th Century Da Vinci classic that is today one of the most famous paintings in the world. This sight alone is worth the €17 entry fee; but with over 400 rooms filled with art, you can get more than your money’s worth by spending a morning here.
Top tip: Be sure to purchase tickets in advance, and try the entrance through the Carrousel du Louvre shopping centre first; this entrance is lesser known and often quieter than the queue by the pyramid.
Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe
Next, hop on the metro for 12 minutes and you’ll find yourself at Paris’ famous shopping street; Champs-Elysees. Running almost 2 km long, this avenue is home to various luxury shops including Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Tiffany and more, along with more affordable options like Nike and Zara. There’s also some great brunch options here, as well as souvenir shops to grab your latest collectible.
At the very top of the street you’ll find the Arc de Triomphe, where you can take the 284 stairs up for some stunning city views. We actually chose to climb the Arc de Triomphe instead of the Eiffel Tower; a controversial choice, but we had the Eiffel Tower included in our view so felt it was a win-win.
Eiffel Tower and the River Seine
It may be cliche, but no trip to Paris is complete without visiting the Eiffel Tower. Some of our favourite photo spots were:
Trocadéro – a viewpoint directly opposite the tower, an amazing spot to watch the sunset and wait for the sparkles (however, if you’re getting the metro back, try and leave before the sparkle ends to avoid the crazy queues).
Avenue de Camoens – this view sees the tower peeking out over the tops of trees, and a beautiful set of stairs acts as the perfect picture spot.
Avenue du New York – great for a close-up Eiffel snap, along the edges of the River Seine; another must-see whilst in the city.
Dinner with a view
We finished off the day in search of somewhere with good food and a great view, and we lucked out. Francette, a French restaurant situated on board a barge on the Seine, had views that truly took our breath away. The images speak for themselves!
The food was delicious too, but I’d highly recommend making a booking as this place gets booked up in advance.
Day 2
The most famous hot chocolate on the internet
Kick-off day 2 with a visit to Carette and find out what all the fuss is about. After queuing for a short while, we were seated in the beautiful restaurant and got to enjoy a pasty and the best hot chocolate we’ve ever had.
Though expensive (€12!!), the experience of sipping on a delicious hot chocolate with one of my best girl friends in a Parisian café was well worth it.
Moulin Rouge
Next, head North to see the world famous Moulin Rouge. Though we didn’t get to, I’d recommend trying to get tickets in advance for this if it’s something you’re interested in, as this was the one thing we felt was missing from our true Paris experience. But seeing it from the outside was still fun, and definitely saved us a lot of money!
Montmartre, Sacré-Cœur and Fotoautomat
Just an 18 minute walk away, you’ll find the district of Montmartre. This area is truly beautiful, filled with boutique shops, cafés, and an abundance of art and souvenirs. You’ll often come across the odd street performer too, whose music really adds to the artsy, laid-back vibe.
And of course, Montmartre is home to the wonderful Sacré-Cœur, a stunning landmark and basilica with an equally stunning view and an opportunity to secure your spot on the lock of love fence.
Before you leave Montmarte, don’t forget to visit the Fotoautomat for the retro photo booth snaps!
Notre Dame
Last on our list was a visit to Notre Dame. This also allowed us to explore an area that we hadn’t yet come across, to the South-East of the city, a must-visit area for the booklovers due to famous English language bookshop Shakespeare and Company (just be prepared to queue!).
And that’s all you need for a whistle stop tour of Paris! This beautiful city has so much to see and do, you could come back again and again. We found this route was the best way of seeing everything on our list, whilst still experiencing the charm of Paris at our leisure.
La Fin!
Visit date: April 2023.
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