Paris 2-Day Icons & Landmarks
Paris · 2 days · 12 places
Day 1 · Île de la Cité, the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower at night Île de la Cité, Louvre & Trocadéro
- 1. Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris) Wikipedia
Best time: Early morning · Admission: Free (timed reservation available) — Long lines since it reopened in late 2024 — a free timed reservation helps / Be quiet during Mass - 2. Sainte-Chapelle Wikipedia
Best time: Sunny afternoon · Admission: Paid · timed tickets — An upper chapel walled in stained glass — glows in sunlight / Inside the courthouse complex, so expect a security line - 3. Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre) Wikipedia
Best time: At opening, or a late-opening evening · Admission: Paid · timed booking practically required — Usually closed on Tuesdays / The Mona Lisa room is the most crowded — plan your route in advance - 4. Tuileries Garden (Jardin des Tuileries)
The Tuileries Garden is a public garden between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. Wikipedia
Best time: Afternoon · Admission: Free — Sitting in the green chairs is a Parisian pastime / Runs from the Louvre to Place de la Concorde - 5. Jardins du Trocadéro
The Jardins du Trocadéro is a public space in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, France. Wikipedia
Best time: On the hour after dark · Admission: Free — The classic head-on Eiffel view — the tower sparkles for 5 minutes each hour after dark / Quietest early in the morning - 6. Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel)
The Eiffel Tower is a lattice tower on the Champ de Mars in Paris, France. Wikipedia
Best time: Sunset · Admission: Paid · book online — Official tickets sell out early; stairs-to-2nd-floor tickets often remain / Watch for pickpockets and petition scams below the tower
Day 2 · From the Musée d’Orsay to the Arc de Triomphe and Montmartre Orsay, Champs-Élysées & Montmartre
- 1. Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay is a museum in Paris, France, on the Left Bank of the Seine. Wikipedia
Best time: Morning, or Thursday evening · Admission: Paid · book ahead — Usually closed on Mondays / The 5th-floor Impressionist galleries and the giant clock window are highlights - 2. Pont Alexandre III
The Pont Alexandre III is a deck arch bridge that spans the Seine in Paris. Wikipedia
Best time: Sunset to night · Admission: Free — Paris's most ornate bridge, with gilded statues and lamps / With the Eiffel Tower in view - 3. Champs-Élysées (Avenue des Champs-Élysées)
Best time: Evening · Admission: Free to browse — About 2 km up from Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe / Car-free on some first Sundays of the month - 4. Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile, often simply called the Arc de Triomphe, is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, France. Wikipedia
Best time: Sunset · Admission: Rooftop paid — Use the underpass — don't cross the roundabout / Rooftop views of the Champs-Élysées and Eiffel Tower (about 280 steps) - 5. Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre Wikipedia
Best time: Sunset · Admission: Basilica free · dome paid — Avoid the 'friendship bracelet' scammers at the foot of the steps / The funicular (metro ticket) goes up the hill - 6. Place du Tertre
The Place du Tertre is a square in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France. Wikipedia
Best time: Morning · Admission: Free (portraits paid) — A square full of painters at their easels / Politely decline anyone who starts sketching you unasked
Sources
These courses are compiled from public sources. Hours, prices, and closing days can change — check official info before you go.