Things to Do in Paris in 2 Days

If you only have two days to explore Paris, you must choose your route carefully. Considering the City of Light one of the richest and most diverse tourist destinations on the planet, choosing what to see and do in Paris can be extremely complex.

But I'm here to save you with a two-day itinerary for Paris. We won't take into account the day of arrival, as it's usually an exhausting day when some arrive in Paris with the first rays of sunshine, while others arrive late in the afternoon. Now, let's get started!

The left bank of the Seine is the name given to the entire south-eastern part of Paris. On our first day of the trip, although we will start the tour on the right bank, we will focus especially on the major tourist attractions on the left side of the river.

Watch the sunrise at Trocadero Square

After a well-deserved night's rest, make sure you're awake and on time to get to Trocadero Square and watch the sunrise at the Trocadero fountains without too many people around.

The square is a large, slightly elevated open area located just in front of the Eiffel Tower. This is the spot where the most exquisite photographs of the famous Parisian monument are taken, so every book or magazine cover you see with the Eiffel Tower was surely taken from here.

Add the sunrise to this impressive view and the result is one of the best places to watch the sunrise in the whole city. And, if you ask me, the best way to start a tour of the City of Light!

• Opening hours: open 24 hours.
• Admission price: free.
• Duration of visit: as long as you like.

Visit the Trocadero Gardens

Visit one of the most beautiful gardens in Paris, located in the 16th arrondissement. The main attraction of the gardens is the Warsaw Fountain, an elongated reflecting pool made up of 24 fountains that shoot jets of water up to 12 metres high.

It is located opposite the entrance to the gardens. Don't linger too long! It's time to explore the left bank of the Seine in depth.

• Opening hours: open 24 hours a day.
• Admission price: free.
• Duration of visit: 20 minutes is enough time to walk around the garden and take photographs.

Head to the Eiffel Tower

Begin your exploration on the left bank of the Seine by visiting the quintessential Parisian monument: the Eiffel Tower. To save time, the best strategy is to buy your tickets for the Eiffel Tower in advance. This way, you can avoid the long queues and make the most of your time.

From your location in the Jardins du Trocadéro, head to Avenue de New York on the banks of the Seine, cross the Pont de Léna and you will find yourself in front of the tower's esplanade.

• Opening hours: from 9:30 a.m. to 11:45 p.m.
• Ticket price: starting at €10.70, the price increases if you want to go to the top and use the lifts.
• Duration of visit: approximately 1.5 hours to visit the second floor and 2.5 hours if you want to go to the top.

Tour of the Musée d'Orsay

It's time to experience one of the best museums in Paris and one of the richest and most exciting fine art museums in the world. Its permanent collection houses hundreds of works by modern and impressionist masters such as Matisse, Van Gogh, Rodin and Monet, among others.

You can enjoy a 30-minute tour along the left bank of the Seine until you reach the Musée d'Orsay. Other transport options will take less time, but you won't enjoy the view.

My recommendation is to book a guided tour of the Musée d'Orsay. Bear in mind that this is one of the most visited museums in Paris, so queues can be long. A specialist guide will take you through the most important works, ensuring you see everything you want to see and a little more.

• Opening hours: from 9.30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Ticket price: approximately €16
• Duration of the visit: you should allow between 2 and 4 hours.

Lunch in the vicinity of the Musée d'Orsay

Now it's time to enjoy an authentic Parisian lunch. Here are some interesting options to consider.

Inside the Musée d'Orsay
You'll find interesting options to enjoy, such as:

• Café de L'Ours, a self-service sandwich bar.
• Café Campana, a brasserie-style café serving different types of food throughout the day.

In the vicinity of the museum
You will find many interesting options. Below is a list of those that do not require advance booking.

• La Laiterie Sainte-Clotilde: a simple bistro that accepts last-minute reservations. Closed on Sundays.
• Treize: their menu includes tasty pies, salads and slices of Laurel Sanderson cake.
• Le Relais de l'Entrecôte: the ideal place to eat a good steak.

Some luxuryoptions
I recommend booking as soon as possible.

• Garance: a very cosy modern bistro.
• La Ferme Saint-Simon: one of the most established restaurants near the Musée d'Orsay.
• Les Climats: worth visiting just for the beautiful terrace where they serve lunch.

Tour of the Luxembourg Gardens

Starting from the Musée d'Orsay, head to the Lille-Université metro station, take line 83 for a 6-minute ride to the Fleurus station, from where you will be just 2 minutes from the entrance to the Gardens.

Le Jardin du Luxembourg is one of the most popular destinations for both Parisians and visitors. It stands out for the diversity of its spaces and gardens, combining different styles in one place.

• Opening hours: from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Entrance fee: approximately €14 for adults.
• Duration of visit: 30 to 40 minutes.

Explore the catacombs of Paris

At the end of the afternoon, get ready for one of the most spine-chilling tours in Paris: a visit to the city's catacombs.

Every day, thousands of Parisians and tourists are unaware that the city's underground tunnels are home to an average of 6 million skeletons.Here, alongside thousands of anonymous corpses, lie the remains of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette. Visiting them at the end of the day adds an extra dose of horror.

To get there, leave the Luxembourg Gardens via Boulevard Saint-Michel and head towards the Catacombs. Take line 38 at Porte D'Orléans station and get off at Denfert-Rochereau station. The Catacombs are just a minute away.

• Opening hours: from 9:45 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• Admission price: approximately €35 for adults (including audio guide).
• Duration of the visit: approximately 45 minutes.

Day two is for exploring what is known as the right bank of the Seine, the area of Paris located in the northeast. As you might expect, there is plenty to see and do!

In the middle of the Seine, you will find two islands: Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis. The first is particularly famous for being the site of Notre Dame Cathedral, so I suggest starting day two at this iconic monument.

Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris

Like the Eiffel Tower, visiting Notre Dame is considered a must in Paris and one of the most impressive Gothic works in all of Europe.

Unfortunately, the 2019 fire caused the wooden roof with its iconic spire to collapse, and since then, the building has been closed to the public until further notice.

However, for some time now, the square in front of Notre Dame Cathedral has been accessible, which means that although you cannot visit the interior, you can admire the exterior.

Sainte-Chapelle

Just a few minutes away, you can visit Sainte-Chapelle, another magnificent example of French Gothic architecture, famous throughout the world for housing the largest collection of 13th-century stained glass windows ever seen. This chapel is open to the public, so you can explore it and admire it in its entirety.

• Opening hours: from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Admission price: from €15
• Duration of visit: the tour inside Sainte-Chapelle will take you about 30 minutes.

Enjoy a morning of art and history at the Louvre

Leave Sainte-Chapelle on foot and take the Pont au Change to Boulevard Georges Pompidou on the right bank of the Seine. Take the boulevard to the left on a route that will take about 12-15 minutes to the Musée du Louvre.

Buy your tickets to the Louvre in advance or consider a guided tour so you don't miss out. Keep in mind that the Louvre Museum is one of the largest museums in the world, with thousands of pieces to see and admire.

• Opening hours: from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Admission price: around £20 for adults.
• Duration of visit: you may need a whole day to see the entire museum, but at least two hours to see the most important pieces in the Louvre.

Visit the Opéra Garnier

Leaving the Pompidou Centre, take a short walk to Châtelet–Les Halles station and take the RER A to Auber train station. From here, it's a 2-3 minute walk to the Palais Garnier Opera House.

You will find yourself not only in front of the building that houses the most important opera house in Paris, but also one of the architectural masterpieces of the 19th century. This makes it one of the most important monuments of French culture. Its exterior decoration is, to say the least, surprising; worthy of a royal castle thanks to elements such as its glass dome and golden statues.

The interiors of the Opera House are no less impressive, and you can explore them on a tour. Take a moment to enjoy the exterior façade and, why not, take some photographs.

• Opening hours: from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Admission price: from €12 for the regular exhibition, with temporary exhibitions from €14
• Duration of visit: 90 minutes is enough for a complete interior tour.

Watch the sunset at Sacré-Cœur

Visiting the Sacré-Coeur Basilica means discovering one of the most recognisable monuments in Paris, located imposingly on the hill of Montmartre. One of the main reasons for visiting the basilica is the fabulous view it offers, towering over the city and providing panoramic views of the whole of Paris.

Starting from the Opéra Garnier, the quickest way to get there is by taxi, which takes just 15 minutes through the streets of Paris. I think this is the best option as you can admire the beautiful Parisian streets of Montmartre.

• Opening hours: open for visits from 6 a.m. Access to the dome is from 9 a.m. to 8.30 p.m., with variations in certain months.
• Admission price: free access.
• Duration of the visit: about 45 minutes to visit both the dome and the crypt of Sacré Coeur.

Enjoy a night show at the Moulin Rouge

After enjoying a car tour of Montmartre and a breathtaking sunset at Sacré-Coeur, get ready for an evening of fun watching a show at the Moulin Rouge with dinner! Booking your ticket is highly recommended as certain shows are in high demand and tickets sell out quickly.

Today, this venue hosts world-class dancers, trained in classical jazz and contemporary dance in the most diverse corners you can imagine.

To get there, walk back down the hill from Sacre Coeur along the streets to Boulevard Marguerite de Rochechouart; turn left and take a leisurely stroll along the boulevard until you reach the iconic Moulin Rouge.

• Opening hours: if you attend the dinner show, service is available from 5pm and you will get privileged seats with great visibility of the stage.
• Ticket price: it depends, but you can estimate an average cost of €90 for the show and €185 for dinner and show.
• Duration of the visit: on average, it will take 1.5 hours or more.