Only have one day in Paris? You can still see the Eiffel Tower, the Mona Lisa, explore Montmartre, and sip wine with a view. This guide mirrors our Paris in a Day Tour, giving you a high-impact itinerary shaped by locals who want you to see the real city.
Pro tips:
Bookmark this in your browser, you’ll want to circle back later. Trust me.
No, you can’t see all of Paris in a day. You couldn’t even if you tried. But you can string together a day so good that you’ll stop caring about what you missed. This itinerary isn’t about rushing through landmarks—it’s about picking the right ones, layering in real moments, and ending the day with a story worth telling. Get ready to walk, wander, and wonder your way across the best corners of the city.
Start the day with espresso and flaky pastry before heading uphill. Your guide will walk you through the artsy streets once home to Renoir, Van Gogh, and Picasso.
👉 Book our Paris in a Day Tour – a few clicks and this itinerary goes on auto-pilot!
Interessante Fact: Picasso lived and painted in Montmartre’s Bateau-Lavoir building, which got its name from looking like a laundry boat. He also fled without paying rent—bohemian legend or just broke?
🕐 12:00 PM – Lunch Break
Ask your guide for recommendations or keep it classic at Chez Fernand 📍13 Rue Guisarde, 75006
Order the beef bourguignon. It’s loud, packed, and the red wine flows freely.
Interessante Fact: Montmartre’s last working vineyard produces wine for charity auctions. You’ll find the vines behind Sacré-Cœur—just don’t expect to buy a bottle.
🕐 1:30 PM – Île de la Cité: Notre-Dame + Sainte-Chapelle
Visit the birthplace of Paris. Admire the newly restored Notre-Dame from the outside, then marvel at Sainte-Chapelle’s stained-glass windows.
💡 Sainte-Chapelle tickets are timed—buy in advance if you’re not joining our Paris in a Day Tour.
Interessante Fact: Sainte-Chapelle was built to house the Crown of Thorns. King Louis IX spent 135,000 livres on the relic—and only 40,000 on the chapel. Priorities.
🕐 3:00 PM – Louvre Museum Tour
Skip the lines and head straight for the hits: Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory. Our Paris in a Day Tour includes expert commentary and time-saving shortcuts.
Interessante Fact: During WWII, the Mona Lisa was smuggled to five secret locations. One of them? A countryside château that locals thought was abandoned. They were wrong.
🕐 5:30 PM – Eiffel Tower
Wrap the day with Paris’s most famous view. Includes access to the summit.
Old-school bistro near the Eiffel Tower. Order duck confit.
🍸 After dinner drink: Head to Chez Nous near Saint-Germain. No menu. Just tell them what type of wine you like.
Interessante Fact: Pont Neuf is the oldest bridge in Paris—but ironically means “New Bridge.” The French sense of humor is subtle, but savage.
✔️ Final Thoughts
Is it ridiculous to try and see Paris in a day? Maybe. But if that’s all you’ve got, you’d be a fool to do it without a plan.
This itinerary—based on our Paris in a Day Tour—crams the classics in with good food, compelling stories, and just enough snark to stay awake. Book the guided version and let someone else handle the nitty gritty details.
With a city as magnificent as Paris, it can be hard to find the perfect hotel at the perfect price. Explore the best hotels and places to stay in these incredible neighborhoods in Paris.
Sean is a co-founder and owner of The Tour Guy and its subsidiary The Roman Guy. He studied finance and statistics, but that is his "Dr. Jekyll" side! His "Mr. Hyde" is in love with travel, art, history, and culture. Sean has read libraries of historical text and believes that all internet content should come from books. A practice he follows!
Reader Interactions
Comments (2)
Alex
Very good article! 🙂 Now I have a lot of info for my next trip to Paris!
Thanks for all the great tips on paris! I haven’t heard much about the Grand Palais til now. I might have to add that to my Itinerary! I am going to Paris for the first time. This post was useful.
Very good article! 🙂 Now I have a lot of info for my next trip to Paris!
Thanks for all the great tips on paris! I haven’t heard much about the Grand Palais til now. I might have to add that to my Itinerary! I am going to Paris for the first time. This post was useful.