How Many Days In Paris Would Be Enough? Find Out The Answer!

By Alice Ross | EUROPE

Jul 02
how many days in paris

If you are planning to visit the City of Lights for a fun and unforgettable vacation, it is important to plan some things beforehand in order to make your trip hassle-free and to know how many days in Paris is enough for you to enjoy the entire trip. Some of the no-brainer things when planning a Paris trip include choosing the best time of year to go, booking the cheapest flight possible, and making an itinerary of what places to go.

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The season of spring and summer are the best time to go to Paris. These times are perfect for those who want to experience great weather and stunning floral scenery. It’s important to remember, however, that most travelers prefer warm weather while exploring a city, so it leads to overflowing tourists and expensive accommodations.

If you don’t like big crowds, then visit during other time of the year would be better. The holidays for example or the fall could also be a perfect time to go to Paris. If you do not mind traveling while it is cold and damp, then going there during the winter wouldn’t be so bad. 

Paris at sunset

Another thing to consider is choosing your flight. To take advantage of cheaper rates, it’s smart to book early enough. Booking your flights earlier tend to be cheaper and give you plenty of time options if there are changes you want to make. Booking your flight early isn’t just logistically smart, it is also psychologically soothing. Definitely, booking your flight earlier is one of the most important things when planning a trip to Paris. 

Another important thing to consider is the places of interests you want to go. Paris is a nice walking city and riding any form of transportation wouldn’t be much necessary. It is not hard to get around and it is safe! It will be helpful to learn some French phrases especially if you are traveling alone. Paris has an excellent transportation system which includes the well-known buses and Metro subway. It’s definitely important to consider the use of these if walking is not possible on long distance explorations.

But one question that not many people consider before going to The City of Lights is, “How many days in Paris is enough to see it?”

travel to paris

If I’m being honest and straightforward, my answer would be, “There are never enough days in Paris.”

But of course, this is not always the case for most people traveling to Paris. In this case, you have to plan and decide how long would be enough for you. To help you choose, here are some things you have to consider:

Read more: 5 Most Exciting European Cities

Things to Consider When Deciding How Many Days in Paris Is Enough

Parisian street

How much budget do you have? You have to know that accommodation in Paris can be extremely expensive, as well as the food and attractions. If budget plays a big part on your trip, it is important to have an idea on how much budget you have to prepare. Averagely, the cost of expenses in Paris as a traveler is more or less €100 depending on your accommodation and activities.

What’s your interest? Do you like to go to Paris for art or maybe just to take pictures with the Eiffel tower and try delicious food? Depending on what you like to do while in The City of Lights, you can easily decide how many days in Paris is ideal for you.

In order to give you some ideas on what to do on your days while in Paris, here are places you must check out and which ones you can consider missing, but then again, it is still on your own preference:

Things You Shouldn’t Miss

The Eiffel Tower

- The Eiffel Tower

No Paris trip would be complete without getting a glimpse or photo op with The Eiffel tower. Yes, this area is normally crowded with tourist, but it’s definitely something you should not miss. To make the most of your Parisian experience, you can even get inside the tower. Not just will you get some excellent sights of Paris, but you will get to see the different levels of this world-famous structure.

- Notre Dame

Another attraction that you would want to fit in your itinerary is Notre Dame. This cathedral is not just centrally situated in the central of the city, which makes it very accessible, but it also has imposing Gothic architecture and remarkable stained glass windows that will definitely leave you stunned. While you definitely wouldn’t be alone among the sea of tourists going in and out the cathedral, pushing yourself through the mass of people would be worth it. 

Sacre Coeur

- Sacre Coeur

This white Romanesque basilica sits on a hill overlooking Paris is another one you wouldn’t want to miss during your Parisian trip. Perched on the narrow streets of Montmartre, Sacre Coeur has imposing architecture, accompanied by a fantastic sight of the city rambling out below.

- Seine Boat Tour

Yes, it’s touristy, but taking a boat ride down the Seine can be a great way to take in a whole lot of the city even if you are only spending a few days in Paris. Together with being a lovely and picturesque ride down the river, taking a Seine boat tour is also a nice way to make yourself get used to the city, see many major bridges and monuments immediately and lets you choose what places you spend more time on.

D'Orsay museum

- Musee d’Orsay

I understand that not everyone is interested in museums and paintings, but if you do, make sure to include this on your itinerary. Masterpieces made by famous artists like Manet, Monet, Rodin, Degas, Gauguin and others are found in here. Musee d’Orsay is definitely remarkable and interesting places to see arts. Get there as early as possible, as queue gets long easily.

- Arc de Triomphe/Champs Elysees

Although you just stop here for a while to take some pictures, Arc de Triomphe is another place you should check out in this city. Even though this is another place that is overly photographed, you will still be awestruck by the wide boulevard; even it’s filled with touristy and costly shops and restaurants. Even though that’s the case, is a place not to miss

Champs Elysees

What You Can Miss

- Louvre

While a lot of people who visit Paris believe that it’s important to go to the Louvre in order to share an obligatory Mona Lisa shot on this Instagram, I personally would advise skipping this if you have limited time in Paris. It’s just that no matter how majestic it would be to get a glimpse of this famous painting, I don’t think it would be fun to stand up in a line for hours just to get blocked by other people who want to take photos of it as well.

Louvre

- Catacombs

Another one I would suggest for you to strike off your itinerary if you have limited time is the Catacombs. Although the thought of exploring a haunted place while traveling sounds like very interesting, maybe you want to consider checking this place out next time. Not just are the tunnels rather overcrowded during peak season, however, you will find other things that are more interesting than this.

So, how many days in Paris would be the best for you? I would say at least 5 days, 7 days would be even better, or if you can, make it 10.

Again, there’s so much to see and do while in the City of Lights, regardless of how long you are planning to stay, some people tend to plan too much and not able to cover the things that they will find more interesting.

The best plan is to travel slow, be open for spontaneity, and consider going back.

So, how many days in Paris do you think would be enough? Share what you think in the comment below!

Rating: 4.63 (19 votes)

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Alice Ross, a long-term traveler who left the corporate world to travel the world. I chose to live life on my own phase and live day by day while immersing myself in new experiences, new knowledge, and new people in a different walk of life I met along the way.

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