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:
Paris, IIe-de-France, France
The Grand Palais
Credit: Vlasyuk Inna / Shutterstock.com
At first sight, Paris’s gorgeous golden stone gives the city an apparently uniform classical image. But beneath the illusion are numerous distinct periods of Parisian history – centuries of grandiose urban planning schemes, when kings and presidents left their mark on the city’s look and landscape.
Today Paris stands out for its elegant squares and broad boulevards, peppered with Gothic churches, Baroque palaces and mansions, strings of prim, balconied Hausmann-style apartment buildings and adventurous modern icons.
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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.
Paris, Ile-de-France, United Kingdom (UK)
Gustave Eiffel’s eccentric, iron-clad tower built as a temporary exhibit for the World Fair in 1889, has views all over the city and has become iconic symbol of Paris.
Best for ages: 4+ | £23
Paris, Ile-de-France, France
Charles Garnier’s opera house oozes Second Empire style, with its green copper dome, florid marble, bronze sculptures, chandeliers and painted ceilings.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Paris, Ile-de-France, France
Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano’s iconic inside-out building has a glass- and steel-frame, colour-coded exposed pipes, ducts and escalators.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Paris, Ile-de-France, France
A brilliant example of glass and steel architecture, the Grand Palais mixes Classicism and Art Nouveau, colonnades and bravura sculptural groups.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Paris
£13 | Rating 4.73 / 5 [15 ratings]
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Paris
€76 | Rating 5 / 5 [14 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
Paris
€300 | Rating 5 / 5 [6 ratings]
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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Paris, Ile-de-France, France
A legendary Paris grande dame hotel and altar to old-school opulence, at the historical heart of the city.
Official star rating:
Paris, Ile-de-France, France
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
A designer boutique bolthole that’s perfectly positioned for the stylish, gay-friendly Marais district and Centre Pompidou.
Official star rating:
Paris, Ile-de-France, France
Homely country-cottage charm and welcoming calm in this 26-room boutique hotel, halfway between magical Montmartre and louche Pigalle.
Official star rating:
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.