Paris 3-day itinerary
France
Where to go and what to see in Paris – a 3-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Anna Brooke.
Bucket list experience:
The world’s most visited museum, the Louvre dates back to the 13th century, and was the primary residence of the French Royal family until Louis XVI moved the household to the Palais of Versailles in 1682. It opened as a museum in 1793 with 537 paintings – mainly from the Royal collection; today it houses 35,000 works of art and 380,000 objects.
The building is almost as much of an attraction as the exhibits; explore the grand galleries with ornately painted ceilings, opulent stairways and remnants of a medieval Parisian palace. Let yourself wander – and wonder – your way through the museum’s beautifully laid out, labyrinthine halls and discover world-class Italian Renaissance and French Neoclassical and Romantic painting, antique sculpture, treasures from Ancient Egypt and Assyria, or medieval gold and silverwares.
The sheer wealth of exhibits in the Louvre can be intimidating on the one hand; on the other, it means there’s always something fascinating to discover.
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Destination Guide >Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience
France
Where to go and what to see in Paris – a 3-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Anna Brooke.
France
Where to go and what to see in Paris – a 6-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Anna Brooke.
The nearest Metro station is Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre. Queues at the main Pyramid entrance can be vast; try one of the other entrances – at the Porte des Lions, just east of the Pont Royal; at 99 rue du Rivoli; or at the Arc du Carousel.
There are audio guides for iPhone, Android and Nintendo 3DS available at the entrance for a small extra fee – you can book them ahead of time to avoid queueing for them once inside. They also offer several online ‘visitor trails’ focusing on different themes or parts of the collection. There’s a particularly useful one on ‘masterpieces’ to ensure you see all the greatest works in one visit. There are guided tours on Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 11am that will also take you to see the masterpieces, and explain the museum’s history – great for first-timers.
Allow around four hours to really take in the scale of the museum. There are more than 15 cafés, restaurants and stalls inside the Louvre and neighbouring Tuileries when you need a pit stop. Tickets for the Louvre are valid all day, so you can take a break in the Tuileries gardens in the middle of your arts fix.
The museum is open year-round, seven days a week.
Although always popular, it’s slightly quieter on weekdays, especially mornings. Avoid visiting on the first Sunday of the month, when entrance is free and queues are fierce. Look out for evening opening hours on Wednesdays and Fridays, which have more of a civilised feel.
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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.6 miles]
In a perfect Louvre-adjacent location, this witty, original boutique hotel pays homage to Parisian style.
Official star rating:
Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.7 miles]
A grand, historic boutique hotel, set in a 17th-century St-Germain townhouse, offers both history and a brilliant, contemporary Left Bank location.
Official star rating:
Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.8 miles]
A hip, Haussmann-style hotel is a fab base for anyone looking to mix sightseeing with shopping and nightlife. Uber-central, close to the Louvre, and with a brasserie and bars worth staying in for.
Official star rating:
Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.9 miles]
Seriously grand but pleasingly unstuffy, the queen of Paris’ palace hotels has a regal setting overlooking the Jardin des Tuileries.
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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Ile-de-France, France
Crammed with iconic buildings, world-class art and a culinary scene steeped in history, Paris is one of the world’s great capitals, overflowing with style, romance, and art de vivre.
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Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.4 miles]
The largest museum of decorative arts in continental Europe, home to an inspirational and diverse collection of 1M+ items of furniture, ceramics, jewellery and more, dating from the Middle Ages through to the latest designers.
Best for ages: 18+ | £12
Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.8 miles]
This vast Medieval palace was most famous as the ‘antechamber to the guillotine’ in the French Revolution. Three thousand prisoners were tried and convicted here, including France’s last queen Marie Antoinette.
Best for ages: 13+ | £10
Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.8 miles]
A gloriously-converted Belle Epoque train station that is now a temple to Impressionist art dating from 1848 to 1914. The exceptional collection includes works by Monet, Manet, Degas, Cezanne, Gauguin and Van Gogh.
Best for ages: 13+ | £14
Paris, Ile-de-France, France[1.1 miles]
Europe’s largest collection of modern and contemporary art, housed in Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano’s iconic inside-out building.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
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Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.8 miles]
Paris’ most exquisite Gothic monument was built by Louis IX in 1248 to house his collection of Passion relics, including Christ’s Crown of Thorns (now at Notre-Dame Cathedral). It has one of the most extensive 13th-century stained-glass collections anywhere in the world.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Paris, Ile-de-France, France[0.8 miles]
The birthplace of the rum baba in the 18th century, the city’s oldest patisserie still wows with its gateaux (cake) today.
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Paris, Ile-de-France, France[2.2 miles]
The apartment where famous French poet and novelist Victor Hugo lived for 16 years, now a museum about his life and works.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Paris, Ile-de-France, France[2.6 miles]
A long-running, extravagant, colourful cabaret featuring dancers and courtesans has been thrilling Parisian audiences since 1889. See the incomparable Can Can – the enigmatic dance that’s its greatest claim to fame.
Best for ages: 10+ | £74 | 2-4 hours
Round-ups that include this experience
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From New York to London, Paris to Berlin, here’s our round-up of the must-see art galleries and museums around the world that should be on everyone’s travel bucket list.