Paris wears its history in stone and light: Roman foundations, royal palaces, revolution and renaissance. From medieval Île de la Cité to Haussmann boulevards and contemporary galleries, each arrondissement adds a stanza to the city’s long poem. You’ll walk between centuries in minutes.

Art anchors the experience—Mona Lisa’s glance at the Louvre, Monet’s water lilies wrapped like a dream at L’Orangerie, Rodin’s Thinker brooding in a garden of roses. Food is a daily festival: crackling baguettes, oysters on crushed ice, bistros with blackboard menus, natural wine bars humming late.

Practical notes: Notre-Dame reopened in December 2024; many museums now require timed entry. Public transit is fast and affordable, and taxis/Uber are plentiful. Pack comfy shoes, a small umbrella, and an appetite—you’ll need all three.

Paris

Paris is a mosaic of villages: the literary Left Bank, fashionable Right Bank, hilltop Montmartre, and the Marais’ medieval lanes. Mornings smell of butter and coffee; nights glimmer on the Seine. Between are markets, ateliers, covered passages, and parks that feel like outdoor salons.

• Top sights: Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Musée d’Orsay, Sainte-Chapelle, Notre-Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Sacré-Cœur, Luxembourg Gardens, Place des Vosges.
• Experiences: Seine dinner cruise, Montmartre at sunset, Saint-Ouen flea market, market-grazing on Rue Cler, speakeasy cocktails behind a taqueria door.
• Dining vibes: Classic bistros (Bistrot Paul Bert), seafood temples (Clamato), crêpes (Breizh Café), falafel wars on Rue des Rosiers, chocolat chaud at Angelina.

Where to stay (Hotels & VRBO): Browse stays on Hotels.com or VRBO. Standouts: opulent The Ritz Paris, art-filled Le Meurice, fashion-address Hôtel Plaza Athénée, view-forward The Peninsula Paris, boutique Hôtel des Grands Boulevards, Left Bank gem Hotel du College de France, romantic Hôtel des Arts Montmartre, stylish-value Hôtel du Temps, family-friendly Novotel Paris Centre Gare Montparnasse, and social-budget Generator Paris.

Getting to Paris: For flights within or to/from Europe, compare on Omio (1–3 hours from major European hubs; typical fares $50–$200 one-way). For long-haul, check Trip.com and Kiwi.com (7–11 hours from U.S. East Coast, 12–15 from West Coast; watch for shoulder-season deals). For trains into Paris (Eurostar/Thalys/TGV), use Omio—e.g., London to Paris ~2h15 from $70–$180; Amsterdam ~3h20 from $80–$200. Buses can be great value via Omio.

Airport transfer: CDG–Paris by RER B (~35–45 min; ~€11.45), taxi flat fare (~€55 Right Bank/€62 Left Bank), RoissyBus to Opéra (~60 min; ~€16.50). Orly: OrlyBus to Denfert-Rochereau (~30 min; ~€11.20), taxi flat fare (~€35–€41).

Day 1: Arrival, Île de la Cité, and Left Bank Welcome

Morning: In transit. Hydrate and download off-line maps and museum tickets. If you arrive early, drop bags with your hotel.

Afternoon: Start where Paris began: stroll Île de la Cité. Admire the reborn Notre-Dame (reopened 2024; book timed entry if going inside), then bask in Sainte-Chapelle’s stained-glass blaze. Cross Pont Neuf to the Left Bank and browse the bouquinistes along the Seine.

Evening: Settle into Saint-Germain. Aperitif at Le Bar du Marché; dinner at Le Comptoir du Relais (classic bistro hits; arrive early or expect a line) or Semilla (market-led plates, natural wines). Sweet tooth? Pop to Pierre Hermé for a macaron flight. Jet-lag hack: a slow loop through the Luxembourg Gardens after dusk.

Day 2: Masterpieces at the Louvre, Tuileries & Saint-Honoré

Morning: Coffee and viennoiserie at Café Kitsuné in the Tuileries or Stohrer (Paris’s oldest pâtisserie) on Rue Montorgueil. Enter the Louvre with a guide to hit highlights swiftly and hear the stories behind them.

Book: Louvre Museum Masterpieces Guided Tour with Reserved Access (small groups; efficient route to Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, Venus de Milo).

Afternoon: Picnic in the Tuileries or lunch at Angelina (famed chocolat chaud and Mont-Blanc). Then cross to Musée de l’Orangerie to be enveloped by Monet’s Nymphéas. Window-shop Rue Saint-Honoré—Colette’s spirit lives on in curated concept boutiques.

Evening: Cocktails at the art-deco Bar Hemingway inside The Ritz Paris (reserve ahead). Dinner at Frenchie Wine Bar (walk-in counter, seasonal small plates) or Chez Georges (old-school boeuf and béarnaise). Nightcap along the Seine—watch the city’s lights ripple on the water.

Day 3: Eiffel Tower, Rue Cler Market & Seine Dinner Cruise

Morning: Breakfast on Rue Cler—Le Petit Cler for omelettes and tartines. Then glide up the Iron Lady with timed reserved access.

Book: Eiffel Tower Dedicated Reserved Access Top or 2nd Floor by Lift (guides share engineering lore and 1889 Expo tales; go early for softer crowds).

Afternoon: Stroll the Champ de Mars and snap the classic carousel shot from Quai Branly. Art lovers: pop into Musée d’Orsay for Impressionists in a Beaux-Arts train station. Coffee at Coutume Café (roastery-driven, bright Nordic roasts).

Evening: Dress for a glass-canopy dinner cruise—an elegant, front-row glide past Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and the glittering Eiffel Tower.

Book: Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Gourmet Dinner & Sightseeing Cruise (live music, multi-course menu; great for anniversaries). If you prefer a lighter option, dine before and take a later sightseeing sailing.

Day 4: Montmartre, Sacré-Cœur, and Nouvelle Bistrots

Morning: Take the funicular or wander stairways up to Sacré-Cœur for a panoramic city wake-up. Brunch at The Hardware Société (Aussie-leaning specials, house-made jams) or café crème at KB Coffee Roasters on Rue des Martyrs.

Afternoon: Explore artists’ haunts: Place du Tertre (peek, then push on), Rue Cortot, and the Musée de Montmartre’s Renoir Gardens. Seek out “Le Mur des Je t’aime” and the pastel-pink La Maison Rose on a quiet corner—go for photos between lunch and dinner lulls.

Evening: Dinner at Bouillon Pigalle (Parisian classics at friendly prices—escargots, steak-frites, floating island), or Le Bon Georges (well-sourced beef, seasonal veg, superb wine list). For cocktails, duck into Lulu White in SoPi for New Orleans-inspired sips.

Day 5: Half-Day Versailles Palace & Gardens (Guided)

Meet in central Paris and ride to the Sun King’s stage-set of power. With fast-track group entry and a guide, you’ll walk the Hall of Mirrors, royal apartments, and learn how etiquette policed the court. After, stroll André Le Nôtre’s gardens with their geometric perfection; on fountain days, music animates the groves.

Book: From Paris: Versailles Palace Live Tour with Gardens Access (bus transfer included, separate entrance, garden access). Independent alternative: RER C from central Paris to Versailles Château–Rive Gauche (~35–45 min; ~€7.10 each way) plus palace tickets.

Back in Paris, treat yourself to seafood at Clamato (no reservations; order the maple tart) or classic roast chicken at La Rotisserie d’Argent across from the Île Saint-Louis.

Day 6: Marais, Picasso & Bastille to Speakeasy Night

Morning: Coffee at Café Charlot, a true Parisian terrace. Wander Place des Vosges’ arcades, then dive into Musée Carnavalet (brilliant, free chronicle of Parisian history) or the recently refreshed Musée Picasso for Cubist play.

Afternoon: Lunch options: L’As du Fallafel (crisp, saucy, enormous), Miznon (cauliflower and stuffed pitas), or Breizh Café (buckwheat galettes with Bordier butter). Browse Rue des Rosiers’ boutiques and Merci concept store. Pause for a pastry at Blé Sucré (legendary kouign-amann) or Poilâne (apple tart).

Evening: Bistronomic dinner at Bistrot Paul Bert (entrecôte and pepper sauce; save room for Paris-Brest) or Septime’s seafood sibling, Clamato, if you didn’t go Day 5. For afters, find Candelaria: push past a tiny taqueria to a hidden cocktail bar—try the guava-and-chili signature.

Day 7: Latin Quarter Ramble, Gardens & Last Bites (Departure)

Morning: Breakfast at Café de Flore (history with your tartine) or Le Pantruche for a flaky sendoff. Explore the Latin Quarter: Panthéon, Sorbonne lanes, and the Shakespeare & Company bookstore. Breathe in the Luxembourg Gardens one last time.

Afternoon: Lunch near Saint-Sulpice at Freddy’s (standing tapas-style) or Breizh Odéon for a final crêpe-and-cider. Pick up edible souvenirs: Bordier butter (ask your hotel for fridge storage), Alain Milliat jams, Maille mustards, Patrick Roger chocolates. Transfer to the airport or station via RER/taxi; allow 2.5–3 hours buffer for flights.

Evening: If you’re on a late departure, consider a casual apéro board at Le Petit Cler or oysters at Le Baron Rouge in the 12th before you go—Paris tastes better with a final clink.

Optional Add-Ons If You Have Extra Time

- Saint-Ouen Flea Market (weekends): vintage posters, copper pots, mid-century gems. Arrive early.

- Baking class: learn laminated dough technique for croissants and pains au chocolat; many workshops near the Opéra/2nd arrondissement.

- Parks & views: Parc des Buttes-Chaumont’s suspension bridge; rooftop terrace at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann.

Included Tours & Tickets (Quick Reference)

• Louvre Museum Masterpieces Guided Tour with Reserved Access
• Eiffel Tower Dedicated Reserved Access (Top or 2nd Floor)
• Seine River Gourmet Dinner & Sightseeing Cruise
• Versailles Palace Live Tour with Gardens Access (from Paris)

Finally, for flights and trains in and out of Paris, compare options on Omio (flights), Omio (trains), Omio (buses), plus long-haul deals on Trip.com and Kiwi.com. For stays, scan availability on Hotels.com or VRBO.

Seven days in Paris let you savor both the icons and the in-between: a museum masterwork, a pastry still warm, a twilight bridge. With this itinerary, you’ll move like a local—unhurried but precise—leaving room for serendipity amid the landmarks.

As you depart, you won’t have “done” Paris; you’ll have started a lifelong conversation with it. That’s exactly the point.