Paris in 4 Days: Your Essential Guide to Exploring the City and Beyond

Paris! How many of us have dreamed of visiting this city since we were young? If you are reading this blog, it’s because you surely want to make this dream come true. That’s why, on this occasion, at World Welcomes, we want to congratulate and help you. We are sharing this 4-day itinerary so you can enjoy your trip to this wonderful city to the fullest.

This city is magical, and the activities in its surroundings will leave you speechless. It has everything to enjoy alone, as a couple, or with the whole family.

Of course, if you have fewer days and only want to explore the French capital, we invite you to check out our article “Paris in Three Days: Essential Guide” where you will find an itinerary covering all the must-sees of this impressive city.

An important thing to mention is that Paris is a vast city divided into districts. You can decide to explore it using its excellent public transport or, if your physical condition allows, by walking. We personally advise walking because you experience it differently and enjoy each of its streets.

But if you definitely prefer to take public transport, at World Welcomes, we recommend that once you arrive in the city, you get transportation cards. Currently, you have two options: the Passe Navigo, which you can use to travel through all zones of Paris and its surroundings, including distant airports, Versailles, and Disney (note that you need to buy validity for zones 1-5), and it costs 30.75 euros per week. It perfectly fits this itinerary and is the most economical option.

The other option is the Paris Visite card, which allows you to use the metro, bus, RER, tram, Orlyval, Montmartrobus, Noctilien, and Montmartre funicular unlimitedly. It costs 74.30 euros for adults (including all zones) and 37.15 euros for children aged 4-11. It’s important to mention that these passes are personal and non-transferable, and you must register the card at the entrance and exit of each mode of transport to avoid being fined.

Well, after giving you this great tip and recommendation, let’s start with the most comprehensive itinerary to explore this wonderful city and its surroundings in just 4 days.

First day in Paris on a route through Paris in 4 days

We have arrived at our dream destination and finally, we are in the French city. It’s time to start our journey, where we recommend finding a very good accommodation area, central to the tourist area with easy access to transportation. Here are some recommendations:

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Ready for our adventure, we begin in head to Notre Dame Cathedral. Although it is currently not possible to tour its interior due to reconstruction, admiring it from the outside is a must-stop.

Next, and very close to Notre Dame, visit the Sainte-Chapelle located in the heart of Paris, it is an architectural gem that you cannot miss during your visit to the city. Built in the 13th century by order of King Louis IX to house religious relics, this Gothic chapel is famous for its impressive stained glass windows that narrate biblical stories and historical events.

Our third stop of the day is the Latin Quarter, in French “Quartier Latin,” which is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating and lively areas of Paris. It has been the intellectual and student hub of the city for centuries. One of the best ways to explore the Latin Quarter is simply by strolling through its picturesque streets. Discover Rue Mouffetard, a charming pedestrian street where you will find fresh food markets, delicatessens, and cozy cafes. Don’t miss Place de la Contrescarpe, a lively square surrounded by restaurants and bars with terraces, where you can find various dining options and have a good time.

Continuing our tour very close to where we are, we will find the Pantheon, an imposing neoclassical building where illustrious figures of French history like Voltaire and Marie Curie rest.Continue your journey, exploring the wonderful Luxembourg Gardens until you reach the Musee d’Orsay, one of the most beautiful in the city. It is housed in an old train station where you can appreciate works by Van Gogh or Manet.

Capture the best snapshots on the Alexandre III Bridge, enjoy its details, and cross it slowly. The Grand Palais is another must-visit in Paris, with an amazing glass roof, and the best part is that admission is free.Continue your way through the Esplanade des Invalides, where Napoleon’s Tomb is located.

As evening falls, we recommend heading to the Eiffel Tower to enjoy its views at night. The best option is to take a night cruise on the Seine, where you can enjoy anything from a glass of wine to a dinner on board and have an evening with live music. This concludes our first day of adventure.

Reservations for this day

Second day in Paris on a route through Paris in 4 days

To start this day, we recommend heading to a café and enjoying the best croissant in the world. The buttery sensation it will leave in your mouth and the crunch of its puff pastry will take your breath away. In this post, we suggest starting your day by visiting he Montmartre district, known for being the freest in the city. There, you can stroll through its streets and perhaps take a free tour. Additionally, you must visit the Moulin Rouge, the “Je T’aime” wall (Wall of I Love Yous), where you’ll find this word written in over 200 languages. And if you still have plenty of energy, you can’t miss the visit to the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur located at the highest point of Montmartre, where you can enjoy a bohemian sunset in Paris.

An important recommendation is that whenever you visit places with a high influx of people, be cautious of pickpockets, who take advantage of your distraction to steal. It’s better to be vigilant and never leave your belongings unattended.

You’re surely starting to get hungry, so we recommend visiting a local restaurant serving typical French cuisine where you can try ratatouille at its finest and enjoy a delicious lunch accompanied by a glass of wine or a pint of beer. Now, head towards the famous Arc de Triomphe, where you can also climb to its highest point and enjoy its viewpoint. Continuing our tour, you can stroll more leisurely through the Champ de Mars and, of course, take a boat for a daytime cruise on the Seine, where you can view the best tourist attractions in the city from a different angle.

We recommend you continue your route through the Trocadero Gardens, which will take you to the foot of the beloved Eiffel Tower, where you can appreciate the tower with the sparkles of the sunset and marvel at the dozen tourists and diverse cultures who, like you, dreamed of to be there. We advise you to buy your ticket where you can choose between stairs or elevator ascent according to your preference and enjoy the most impressive viewpoint in the city purchase your tickets here.

Reservations for this day

Third day in Paris on a route through Paris in 4 days

For our third day in this magical city, we recommend starting your route by heading to the majestic and important Louvre Museum, where we advise you to buy your tickets in advance. This museum is considered the most important in Paris and one of the best in the world, so many people visit it daily. Therefore, going early in the morning is the best option, and of course, admiring the Mona Lisa’s work is an invaluable experience.

Very close to this stop are the Gardens of the Palais Royal. Continue your journey across the new bridge, the Pont des Arts, and the Tuileries Gardens.

Continuing on foot, we will come across the Garnier Opera House, also known as the Paris Opera, where you can marvel at its exterior architecture or buy tickets in advance to explore all its internal curiosities.

ust a few steps away, you will find Galeries Lafayette, which have been open since 1912. Their infrastructure will leave you speechless, and of course, you cannot miss the opportunity to visit their terrace for a breathtaking view of the city, free of charge.

And if you have been very quick and have extra time to bid farewell to this journey, we recommend heading to the Montparnasse Tower viewpoint, where you can enjoy the most beautiful sunset in Paris.

Reservation for this Day

Fourth day in Paris on a route through Paris in 4 days

We start this fourth day with a content heart because we can say that we have explored Paris and all its must-sees, but it’s time to go further. Near Paris, we can find two wonderful plans to do.

The first one is to visit the Palace of Versailles, one of the largest in the world, with over 700 rooms and 1800 hectares of park where they have built simply spectacular gardens.

To reach this marvelous palace, you’ll need to use the RER C suburban train in the direction of Versailles-Rive Gauche. It departs from Saint-Michel Notre-Dame station and makes intermediate stops at Musee d’Orsay, Les Invalides, and Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel stations. You’ll need to get off at Versailles – Rive Gauche station. The journey takes approximately 30 minutes and costs around 4.10 euros.

Entry to the Palace and gardens incurs a cost, but don’t worry, in this post, you will find the link to purchase the full entry which includes access to the gardens that took years to become what you can see today, a work of nature and art.

For this visit, plan your day well, so dedicate a full day to its tour. Take your time during the guided tour inside the palace, where you’ll enjoy each area such as the Royal Chapel, the Opera House, and the Hall of Mirrors with 375 mirrors. Also, explore the King and Queen’s apartments, which are adorned with a great number of decorative elements, and undoubtedly enjoy each of its gardens and musical fountains, a total spectacle.

As a second option, if you’re a fan of amusement parks and want a 2-in-1 experience, you can visit Disneyland Paris where you can explore its two theme parks: Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios. To reach this super park, you can take the RER A line (Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy), marked in red, which connects central Paris with Disneyland (Marne la Vallée), line A (red). The park is located in zone 5, and the journey takes about 35-40 minutes.

Undoubtedly, visiting Disneyland Paris is a dream; you can relive your childhood memories and if you go with the little ones, spend unforgettable hours.

Although this route is for four days, it’s perfectly applicable for five if you decide to visit Versailles and Disneyland (each on a separate day), so you can say that you lived one of the best trips of your life.

Reservation for this Day

Well, that concludes our route through this beautiful city and its surroundings. We invite you to break out of routine and venture into a journey of wonder where you’ll fulfill a dream, “Exploring Paris.

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