Things to Do in Paris in 2 Days

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

But here I come to save you with an itinerary for two days in Paris. We will not take into account the day of arrival, because it is usually a tiring day in which while some arrive in Paris with the first rays of the sun, others will arrive just after sunset. Now, let's get started!

The Left Bank of the Seine is the name by which the entire southeastern part of Paris is known. On our first day of travel, although we will start our 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, try to be awake and in time to move to the Trocadero Square to watch the sunrise at the Trocadero fountains without so many people.

The Square is a large open and slightly elevated area located just in front of the Eiffel Tower. From this point the most exquisite photographs of the famous Parisian monument are taken, so every book or magazine cover you find with the Eiffel Tower was surely taken from here.

If you add to this breathtaking view the sunrise, the result is one of the best places to see the sunrise in the whole city. And, if you ask me, the best way to start a tour of the city of light!

• Hours: open 24 hours.
• Entrance fee: free of charge.
• Duration of visit: as long as you want.

Visit the Trocadero Garden

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 mirror of water made up of 24 fountains that shoot jets of water at heights of up to 12 meters.

It is located in front of the entrance to the gardens, so don't linger too long! It's time to explore the left bank of the Seine in depth.

• Hours: open 24 hours.
• Entrance fee: free of charge.
• Duration of the visit: 20 minutes will be enough to walk around the garden and take pictures.

Reach the Eiffel Tower

Start your exploration on the left bank of the Seine by visiting the Parisian monument par excellence: the Eiffel Tower. To save time, the best strategy is to buy your Eiffel Tower tickets in advance. This way, you will be sure to avoid long lines and make the most of your time.

From your location in Jardins du Trocadéro, go out to Avenue de New York on the banks of the Seine, take the Pont de léna to find yourself in front of the esplanade of the tower.

• Opening hours: from 9:30 am to 11:45 pm.
• Entrance fee: from 10,7 € the price increases if you want to go up to the top and if you want to use the elevators.
• Duration of the visit: approximately 1.5 hours to visit the second floor and 2.5 hours if you want to climb to the top.

Tour of the D'Orsay Museum

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

You can experience a 30-minute ride along the left boulevard of the Seine to the Musée d'Orsay. Other transportation alternatives will take less time, but you will not enjoy the view.

My recommendation is to hire a guided tour of the Musée d'Orsay. Keep in mind that we are talking about one of the most visited museums in Paris, so the waiting time in lines can be long. A specialized guide will take you through the most important works so you will see everything you want to see and a little more.

• Hours: from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm
• Entrance fee: 16€ approximately
• Duration of the visit: you should book between 2 to 4 hours.

Lunch in the surroundings of Le Musée d'Orsay

It's time to enjoy an authentic Parisian lunch. Here are some interesting alternatives to contemplate.

Inside Le Musée d'OrsayYou will find interesting alternatives to enjoy such as:

• Café de L'Ours self-service sandwich style.
• Café Campana brasserie style that serves different types of food during the day.

In the vicinity of the museumyou will find many interesting options. Below I list those that do not require advance reservations.

• La Laiterie Sainte-Clotilde: a simple bistro that accepts last minute reservations. They do not work on Sundays.
• Treize: they include tasty empanadas, salads and slices of Laurel Sanderson cake on their menu.
• Le Relais de l'Entrecôte: the ideal place to have a good steak.

Some luxurious optionsI recommend you to book as soon as possible.

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

Tour of the Luxembourg Gardens

Starting from the Musée d'Orsay, go to the metro station Lille-Université, take line 83 for a 6 minute ride to Fleurus station, from here you are only 2 minutes away from the entrance of the Gardens.

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

• Hours: from 10 am to 7 pm.
• Admission fee: 14€ approximately for the adult rate.
• Duration of the visit: 30 to 40 minutes.

Explore the catacombs of Paris

By the end of the afternoon, get ready for one of the most thrilling tours in Paris: visit the catacombs of the city of Paris.

Every day thousands of Parisians and tourists are unaware that the subway tunnels of the city house an average of 6 million skeletons, along with thousands of anonymous corpses, the remains of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette. Touring them at the end of the day adds an extra dose of creepiness.

To get there, leave the Luxembourg Gardens by Boulevard Saint-Michel street to go to the Catacombs. Take line 38 at the Porte D'orleans station and get off at the Denfert-Rochereau station. The Catacombs are only one minute away.

• Opening hours: from 9:45 am to 8:30 pm.
• Admission fee: approximately €35 for the adult rate (including audio guide).
• Duration of the visit: an average of 45 minutes.

Day two is to explore what is known as the right side of the Seine, this is the area of Paris located in the northeast and, as you might suspect, there is plenty to see and do!

In the middle of the Seine you will find two islands: l' Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis. The former is particularly famous for being the site where Notre-Dame Cathedral was built, so I suggest you start day two on this iconic monument.

Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris

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

Sadly, a fire in 2019 caused the collapse of the wooden roof with its iconic spire and, since then and until further notice, the work will remain closed to the public.

However, for some time now, the Notre-Dame Cathedral square has been accessible which means that, although you won't be able to tour the interior, you will be able to admire the exterior.

Sainte-Chapelle

Just a few minutes away you can visit Sainte-Chapelle, another magnificent work of French Gothic architecture, famous the world over for housing the most extensive collection of 13th century stained glass windows ever seen. This chapel is open to the public so you can walk around and admire it to the fullest.

• Hours: from 9 am to 5 pm
• Entrance fee: from 15€.
• Duration of the visit: the tour inside Sainte-Chapelle will take 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 the boulevard Georges Pompidou on the right bank of the Seine. Take the boulevard to the left on a walk that will take about 12-15 minutes to the Musée du Louvre.

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

• Hours: from 9 am to 6 pm.
• Admission fee: around 22€ for adults.
• Duration of the visit: you might need a day to see the whole museum, but at least two hours of itinerary to see the most important pieces of the Louvre.

Visit the Opéra Garnier

Leaving from the Pompidou Center, take a short walk to the Châtelet-Les Halles station and take the RER A to the Auber train station. From here you will walk 2 or 3 minutes to get to the Palais de l'Opéra de Garnier.

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

The interiors of the Opera are no less impressive, and you can tour them in one visit. Take a moment to enjoy the exterior facade and, why not, take some pictures.

• Hours: from 10am to 5pm
• Entrance fee: from 12€ for the regular exhibition, with temporary exhibitions from 14€.
• Duration of the visit: 90 minutes are enough for a complete interior tour.

Watch the sunset at Sacre-Coeur

To visit the Sacre-Coeur basilica is to see one of the most recognizable monuments in Paris; located imposingly on the hill of Montmartre. One of the biggest motivations to get to the basilica is the fabulous view that accompanies it, elevated above the city, presents us with panoramic views of all Paris.

Leaving from the Opera de Garnier, the fastest way to get there is by cab, making a tour of the streets of Paris in just 15 minutes. It seems to me the most appropriate option since you will be able to admire the beautiful Parisian streets of Montmartre.

• Hours: available for visits from 6 am. Access to the dome is from 9 am to 8:30 pm, with variations in certain months.
• Admission fee: 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 driving tour of Montmartre and a breathtaking sunset at the Sacre-Coeur, get ready for an evening of fun watching a show at the Moulin Rouge with dinner and transportation! Reserving your ticket is the most recommended option as certain shows are in high demand and tickets sell out quickly.

Today this space 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 through the streets to Boulevard Marguerite de Rochechouart; turn left and take a leisurely stroll down the boulevard to the iconic Red Mill.

• Hours: if you attend the dinner show, service is available from 5pm and you will get prime 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.