24 Hours in Paris: A 1-Day Itinerary

Paris, France, is a bucket list destination for many travelers around the world. Although it would take days and weeks to explore all of Paris’s quaint alleyways, terraced restaurants, and world-famous museums and monuments, there are plenty of things to do in Paris with only a full day to pack in a Paris itinerary. So if your next trip to Paris is a day trip or a long layover, here are some ideas on how to spend 1 day in Paris.

Since there’s no right answer to how to spend 1 day in Paris, the below itinerary has a number of options listed for different times throughout the day- along with food, of course. Pick and choose the activities, tours, and attractions that suit your interests best, to make the most of your day in Paris.

Tip: To experience the most of Paris, including free entry and discounts to various attractions I’ve recommended, consider purchasing the Paris Pass. 

Breakfast

Fuel up for the big day ahead by enjoying a quintessential Parisian breakfast - a slice of baguette with butter, a pastry, juice and coffee. Paris is known for its restaurants serving food outdoors at small round tables with chairs facing the street, perfect for people-watching and taking in the sights and sounds of the city (bonus points if the tables are facing the Seine). Wherever you’re staying in Paris, you’re never far from a restaurant that will serve breakfast and a hot drink al fresco.

If you’re too excited to get your 1-day Paris itinerary started or are not much of a breakfast person, the city is covered in boulangeries (bakeries) and patisseries (pastry shops) where you can purchase croissants or pain au chocolat for the road. 

Morning

The morning in Paris is a sacred time because it’s when the tourists have yet to come out in full force at different attractions around the city. Start your morning sightseeing in Paris at either the Sacre Coeur, Paris’s pearly white hilltop basilica, with a cruise along the Seine River to get your bearings in Paris, or at the world-famous Notre Dame Cathedral and its neighbor, the Sainte Chapelle. 

Sacre-Coeur Basilica

Known as the Sacred Heart of Paris, this Roman Catholic church is located in Montmartre, at the highest point of Paris. The hilltop basilica is a beautiful place to witness the city waking up in the morning. 

“Sacre Coeur” translates to “sacred heart” and is dedicated to the sacred heart of Jesus. The stunning interior includes a massive mosaic depicting Jesus Christ, world-class stained glass windows, a grand organ, and a crypt. 

Entry to Sacre-Coeur Basilica is free (donations accepted) and visitors can pay extra to climb to the top dome of the Sacre Coeur for views across Paris. It’s open on Sundays and during mass throughout the week, but closed on religious holidays.

River Cruise on the Seine

The 1 hour river cruise on the Seine River is one of the most popular tourist activities in Paris, and for good reason. It’s the perfect way to see and learn about all the highlights of Paris first thing in the morning. View iconic Parisian sights like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the Louvre Museum from the Seine River, complete with audio commentary from an expert guide. 

Tours depart every 30 minutes from 10 AM at the base of the Eiffel Tower. Book cruise tickets in advance to lock in your spot at the time you prefer. 

Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle

Notre-Dame Cathedral and Sainte-Chapelle are two of the most recognizable religious structures in Paris, located just a stone’s throw apart on the Île de la Cité island in the Seine River. 

Following a tragic fire at Notre Dame in April 2019, the cathedral closed to the public, but the square in front allows you to see its famous gargoyles and two towers. Notre-Dame is expected to fully reopen in 2024, in time for the Paris Olympics. 

Sainte-Chapelle is a lesser-known but no less spectacular gothic chapel that dates back to the 13th-century. It has one of the most impressive stained glass window collections in the world, most of which were installed for the chapel’s original construction. It is no longer considered a religious building, so tickets are required for entry except on the first Sunday of the month. 

Lunch

Depending on your hunger levels, you can stop for something to eat near Notre Dame or head closer to the Louvre Museum before stopping for a bite. You’ll be spoiled with the variety of trendy restaurants in both neighborhoods. 

Top-rated restaurants and cafes near each Paris landmark include:

Near Notre Dame

• Hebe - This high-end French restaurant was founded by a two Michelin-starred chef and serves a variety of seasonal French dishes.
• Comme Chai Toi - Located just across the Seine River from the Notre Dame, enjoy lunch with a view at this traditional French restaurant that serves duck and bass filets, grilled octopus, and of course escargot.

Near the Louvre

• Happy Caffe - A budget-friendly creperie with crepes and sandwiches for less than €10. 
• Les Antiquaires - A rustic French restaurant serving escargot and foie gras, as well as steaks and burgers.

Afternoon

Spend your afternoon in Paris at one or more of its unmissable museums and galleries. Paris is recognized globally as a capital of the arts, and the city’s museum district is where the most famous art museums are concentrated. With a full day in Paris, it’s possible to see one or two of these art museums. 

The Louvre

The Louvre and its distinctive glass pyramid is the most visited and largest museum in the world. The 650,000+ square foot interior is home to treasures like the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo statue, and 35,000 other works of art. Tickets are required for entry, and due to long lines it’s best to purchase a skip-the-line ticket ahead of time. 

Visitors spend 2-4 hours on average at the Louvre, and passionate art fans will be able to spend the entire day there (restaurants, cafes, and gift shops are also available on-site). 

Pompidou Center

This contemporary and modern art museum is housed in a peculiar-looking building that opened in 1977. Its inside-out architecture was designed by the now world-famous Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. The building contains a modern art museum and various temporary exhibits, a public library, and an acoustics research center. Playful statues and fountains are located at the front of the building, which is popular with street performers. 

Work from renowned artists like Frida Kahlo, Henri Matisse, and Pablo Picasso can be found at the Pompidou Center. A rooftop terrace also allows visitors to see some spectacular views over Paris. Tickets are required, so buy skip-the-line tickets to save time here as well. 

Musée d’Orsay

Another world-class museum in Paris, the Musée d’Orsay was built in an old train station and rivals the Louvre as Paris’s best-loved museum. Dedicated largely to impressionist and post-impressionist artworks, masterpieces housed at the Musée d’Orsay include some of Vincent van Gogh’s self-portraits, Parisian Claude Monet’s landscapes, and Edouard Manet’s still life paintings. Again, purchase skip-the-line tickets ahead of time if you’re planning to visit, to make the most of your day in Paris. 

Picasso Museum

The Picasso Museum (Musée National Picasso Paris) pays homage to Pablo Picasso, who was born in Spain but spent much of his adult life painting, drawing, sculpting, and designing in Paris. It displays the chronology of this legendary artist’s work, including his drawings and sketches, books he’s illustrated, and of course works from his “Blue Period” and his classic cubism portraits. Entry to this museum is more budget-friendly than many of the other Paris museums, and with fewer crowds it’s optional to book tickets ahead of time. 

Other museum options in Paris worth noting include the Musée de l'Orangerie and the Rodin Museum and sculpture gallery. 

If you’re planning on visiting 3 or more museums during your day in Paris, consider purchasing the Paris Museum Pass. It gives you entry to many Paris museums and attractions, so it could save you money after a few visits. 

Afternoon, continued

If spending time at art museums isn’t your cup of tea during your day in Paris, consider joining a unique tour to either the Paris catacombs or Paris’s famous Père Lachaise Cemetery. These both allow you to experience the quieter side of the city for a few hours during your Paris itinerary, as well as giving you access to the city’s many stories and long history. 

Paris Catacombs

20 meters below the busy city streets of Paris are the catacombs, a labyrinth that makes up one of the world’s largest underground burial sites. The skeletons of over 6 million people are located in this unique system of tunnels, which was established in the 18th-century when the city’s surface graveyards were overflowing and affecting public health. The catacombs are a great place to experience some Parisian “dark tourism”, and escape the midday heat during the summer (the tunnels stay cool year-round).

Available booking times vary by day, and visitors are limited to 200 at a time, so be sure to secure tickets online ahead of your visit. 

Père Lachaise Cemetery

Before you think walking amongst gravestones is not your idea of a holiday in Paris, know that Père Lachaise is one of the most famous and most visited cemeteries in the world. Countless famous artists, musicians, writers, and other Parisian historical figures have their gravesites here, which are visited by fans who want to pay their respects. 

By joining a walking tour of the Cemetery, you can see where famous singer Edith Pilaf, writer Oscar Wilde, and composer Chopin found their final resting place. 

Budget travelers could spend an afternoon in Paris visiting the Champ de Mars park. It’s the perfect place to have a picnic, read a book, and wander through the beautiful gardens with a view of the Eiffel Tower. 

Sunset and evening

Sunset is one of the most magical times of the day in Paris, and one of the busiest times to get into tourist attractions. Make the most of your Parisian golden hour by getting some altitude and reaching the top of either the Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe. It’s critical to book tickets ahead of time, because everyone else will want to enjoy the Paris sunset, and the nighttime cityscapes, from the top of Paris. 

Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is not only the most iconic landmark in France, it was also an engineering wonder of the world for its time. Construction of the Eiffel Tower was completed in 1889, and it was opened as an immensely popular tourist attraction shortly thereafter. For four decades, the Eiffel Tower was also the tallest man-made structure in the world. 

A number of ticketing options are available for views of the city from the top of the Eiffel Tower, a must for your 1-day Paris itinerary. The Eiffel Tower has 3 main levels with viewpoints: the first floor at 57 meters above ground level, the second floor at 116 meters, and the summit at a whopping 276 meters above ground level. The different ticket options are:

• Access to all floors, including the summit, via the elevator - see a ticket and tour option here
• Access to the first and second floor via the elevator - buy a combined ticket and tour option here
• Access to the first and second floor via the stairs - buy a combined ticket and tour option here

Tickets to the second floor (via elevator or stairs) of the Eiffel Tower include first floor access, and tickets to the summit include access to both the first and second floors. For visitors spending 1 day in Paris on a budget, the park, fountains, and gardens at the base of the Eiffel Tower can be explored for free, with close-up views of the tower. You just have to go through the security gates.

Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is another Parisian icon, located in the middle of an impressive roundabout at one end of the Avenue des Champs-Elysées. The Arc de Triomphe is a patriotic landmark built between 1806-1836 to commemorate the French war victories, peace treaties, and soldiers who fought and died for the country. Visitors can admire the many sculptures built into the Arc by circling the base, but the highlight is the view of the city from the top. 

One of the perks of visiting the top of the Arc de Triomphe in the evenings is the ability to see the Eiffel Tower from a distance. For 10 minutes at the top of every hour after nightfall, the Eiffel Tower lights up and sparkles in dazzling illumination. Although it’s exciting to be on the Eiffel Tower when it lights up, it's magical to see it from a distance as well. 

Be sure to purchase tickets in advance for the exact time you plan to enter the Arc de Triomphe. 

Dinner

Close out your day in Paris by enjoying a beautiful French dinner on the Seine River. Joining a river cruise complete with champagne and a three course dinner is a glamorous, romantic, and fitting end to your full day in Paris. 

The City of Light looks completely different from the Seine at night than it does during the day, so you can reminisce on your time in the city from a completely different perspective as you see all of the city’s landmarks one last time. 

Late evening

Staying up late? Paris at night is a sight to behold.

Catch a cabaret show. Cabarets first came about in Paris in the late 1800s, and feature catchy music, upbeat choreography, and (partially nude) theatrical dances to woo audiences. With champagne included, they make the perfect nightcap for your day in Paris. 

The most famous cabarets in Paris include:

• Moulin Rouge - shows at 9:00 PM and 11:00 PM 
• Lido - show at 9:00 PM 
• Crazy Horse - shows at 8:00 PM and 10:30 PM

Make sure to wear smart attire (no flip flops, tennis shoes, shorts, or sportswear) and know that cabarets can include some nudity and seduction, so may not be appropriate for everyone. Some shows do not allow children.

Paris 1-day itinerary tour options

If juggling all of these activities during your day in Paris sounds a bit overwhelming for you, various full-day Paris itinerary tours are available, including:

• Paris full day private tour with Louvre art museum and Sainte Chapelle entry tickets. This includes lunch at a traditional French restaurant.
• Tour Paris in style in a vintage Citroen 2CV convertible to get up close and personal to Paris’s icons. Stops include the Arc de Triomphe, Cathédrale Notre Dame, Sacré Coeur and many more. 
• Prefer something a little more low-key? Try a full day Paris tour via tuk-tuk. This tour is fully customizable and will make stops at any of the Paris destinations you want to see.