Paris has a gift for making the familiar feel new. From Roman Lutetia to the medieval Île de la Cité and Haussmann’s boulevards, the City of Light has reinvented itself without losing its soul. Today’s Paris is a layered tapestry of world-class museums, sidewalk cafés, covered passages, and riverfront promenades that reward both first-timers and devotees.

Across the Île-de-France, royal ambition shaped Versailles into Europe’s most influential court—a stage for power, ceremony, and landscape design. Its palace apartments, Hall of Mirrors, and vast gardens remain a masterclass in grandeur. Beyond the gold, the town of Versailles charms with markets, crêperies, and shady squares perfect for lingering.

In this 9-day itinerary you’ll savor essential Paris—Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, and Saint-Germain—plus an elegant overnight in Versailles. Expect candid dining tips, neighborhood gems, and logical routing. Pack comfortable shoes, pre-book key tickets, and keep an eye on belongings in crowded areas. Bring an appetite: from buttery croissants to market lunches and classic bistros, Paris rewards those who follow their noses.

Paris

Paris dazzles with icons—the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Notre-Dame—but its real magic often happens on a café terrace or in a hidden courtyard. Mornings mean pastries, afternoons bring museum marathons and garden strolls, evenings glow along the Seine.

• Top sights: Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Sainte-Chapelle, Musée d’Orsay, Montmartre, Luxembourg Gardens, Le Marais, Canal Saint-Martin.
• Food & drink: classic bistros (Bistrot Paul Bert, Le Comptoir du Relais), modern seafood (Clamato), crêpes (Breizh Café), market bites (Marché des Enfants Rouges), pâtisseries (Stohrer, Pierre Hermé).
• Fun fact: Paris has 37 bridges over the Seine; Pont Neuf is the oldest (despite its name, “new bridge”).

How to get there: Fly into Paris (CDG/ORY). For flights within or to/from Europe, compare routes on Omio (flights). If you’re coming from outside Europe, search long-haul deals on Kiwi.com. Arriving by train? Use Omio (trains) to reach Paris Gare du Nord, Est, or Lyon.

Where to stay (Paris): Browse apartments on VRBO Paris or check hotels on Hotels.com Paris. Specific picks: Hotel du College de France (Latin Quarter charmer), Hôtel des Arts Montmartre (artsy and friendly), Hôtel des Grands Boulevards (stylish hideaway), Generator Paris (design-forward budget), and for five-star splendor: The Ritz Paris, Le Meurice, Hôtel Plaza Athénée, or The Peninsula Paris. Families value Novotel Paris Centre Gare Montparnasse for space and transport.

Versailles

Versailles is France’s royal theater—designed for spectacle and diplomacy. The palace gleams, but the real romance comes in its gardens, where fountains dance to Baroque music and tree-lined alleys lead to intimate retreats.

• Highlights: Château de Versailles, Hall of Mirrors, Royal Apartments, Gardens & Musical Fountains (seasonal), Grand & Petit Trianon, the Queen’s Hamlet, Notre-Dame market square.
• Dining: garden-side Italian at La Petite Venise, market tapas counters around Marché Notre-Dame, polished seasonal cooking at Le Bistrot du 11.
• Fun fact: The 1919 Treaty of Versailles, signed in the Hall of Mirrors, formally ended World War I.

Getting there from Paris: Take RER C to “Versailles Château–Rive Gauche” (35–45 minutes, about €4.00–€4.50 one way). Compare regional options on Omio (trains) or Omio (buses). Taxis/rideshares from central Paris take ~45–60 minutes depending on traffic.

Where to stay (Versailles): Search centrally located stays on VRBO Versailles or hotels near the palace via Hotels.com Versailles. Aim for the Notre-Dame district for easy market access and evening strolls.

Day 1: Arrival, Île de la Cité, and a Sunset Stroll

Afternoon: Arrive and check into your hotel. Shake off jet lag with a gentle loop around Notre-Dame (the cathedral’s interior reopened—expect lines) and along the Seine quays. Pause for an espresso and lemon tart at Café Saint-Régis on Île Saint-Louis, then window-shop along Rue Saint-Louis en l’Île; grab a scoop at Berthillon.

Evening: Dine in the Latin Quarter at Le Coupe Chou (fireplaces and 17th-century nooks) or historic Le Procope (opened 1686; order the coq au vin). Nightcap options: Harry’s New York Bar (classic cocktails) or Caveau de la Huchette (swing jazz) if you have energy.

Day 2: Louvre Masterpieces and Royal Gardens

Morning: Fuel up at Du Pain et des Idées (try the pistachio-chocolate escargot) and a flat white at KB Coffee Roasters in the 9th. Walk via the Palais Royal arcades to the Louvre pyramids by opening time.

Afternoon: Dive deep with the Louvre Museum Masterpieces Guided Tour with Access—a focused path to Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, and the Mona Lisa, plus context you’d miss on your own.

Afterward, decompress in the Tuileries with a kiosk crepe, or sit down at Café Marly (arcaded terrace, pyramid views) or LouLou (Italian-inflected, Tuileries-side).

Evening: Wander the covered passages (Passage des Panoramas, Galerie Vivienne). Dinner nearby at Bistrot Vivienne (onion soup, steak-frites) or Racines (market-driven plates, great natural wine list). For dessert, detour to Stohrer on Rue Montorgueil, Paris’s oldest pâtisserie.

Day 3: Montmartre Heights and Belle Époque Glamour

Morning: Climb to Sacré-Cœur before crowds; the view earns every stair. Breakfast at Pain Pain (award-winning baguette; try the praluline) and coffee at Dose. Explore artists’ hangouts around Place du Tertre, then seek quiet at Musée de la Vie Romantique’s garden café.

Afternoon: Head downhill to Pigalle for lunch at Bouillon Pigalle (fast-moving line, bargain classics—oeufs mayo, boeuf bourguignon). Tour the Opéra Garnier’s grand staircase and Chagall ceiling, then catch the Galeries Lafayette rooftop for a free city panorama.

Evening: Chicken lovers: book Le Coq & Fils (heritage birds, rotisserie mastery). Otherwise try Le Pantruche (classic bistro spirit; book ahead). Finish with a digestif at Le Bar à Bulles tucked behind the Moulin Rouge, or go for rooftop spritzes at Le Perchoir (Marais) if you’re crossing town.

Day 4: Left Bank Classics and a Seine Dinner Cruise

Morning: Saint-Germain ritual: croissant and café crème at Café de Flore or a specialty brew at Coutume. Stroll Boulevard Saint-Germain to the church of Saint-Sulpice, then unwind in the Luxembourg Gardens. Visit the Panthéon’s crypts (Voltaire, Hugo, Curie) if you love history.

Afternoon: Cross to the Musée d’Orsay for Monet, Degas, and that clock-face view. Treat yourself to Pierre Hermé macarons (Ispahan!) en route back to the river.

Evening: Celebrate on the Bateaux Parisiens Seine River Gourmet Dinner & Sightseeing Cruise—glass-canopy views, live music, and illuminated monuments sliding by.

Day 5: Le Marais, Markets, and Cool Paris

Morning: Start tiny and lovely at Boot Café (former cordonnerie) or Fragments (precision espresso, cinnamon rolls). Explore Place des Vosges and the Maison de Victor Hugo (quick, insightful visit).

Afternoon: Lunch at L’As du Fallafel (go for the signature sandwich) or sit down at Breizh Café for buckwheat galettes and cider. Choose a museum: Musée Picasso (brilliantly curated) or the free Musée Carnavalet (Paris history). If you like immersive art, Atelier des Lumières thrills with projections in a former foundry.

Evening: Pre-dinner cocktails at Little Red Door (seasonal menus, inventive presentations). Dinner at Chez Janou (pastis selection, mousse au chocolat) or seafood small plates at Clamato (walk-in friendly, arrive early). Nightcap at Septime La Cave for thoughtful pours.

Day 6: Paris → Versailles, Palatial Afternoons

Morning: Brunch at Holybelly 5 (pancakes and perfectly poached eggs) before you travel. Take RER C to “Versailles Château–Rive Gauche” (35–45 minutes, ~€4–€4.50). Drop bags and grab a quick crêpe around Marché Notre-Dame.

Afternoon: If you prefer a guided deep-dive with transport logistics handled, book the Versailles Palace and Gardens Tour from Paris for streamlined entry and expert storytelling.

Otherwise, tour the State Apartments and Hall of Mirrors independently, then wander the gardens. Time permitting, continue to the Grand & Petit Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet.

Evening: Dine at Le Bistrot du 11 (seasonal and refined; book ahead) or La Petite Venise in the park for an atmospheric early dinner. Stroll Avenue de Paris at dusk with an ice cream from Raimo.

Day 7: Eiffel Tower Day and Champ de Mars Picnic

Morning: Breakfast at Maison Noailles (historic Versailles bakery), then RER C back to Paris. Pick up picnic supplies on Rue Cler—cheese, charcuterie, baguette, fruit.

Afternoon: Ascend with Eiffel Tower Dedicated Reserved Access Top or 2nd floor by lift to skip long lines and hear the best vantage-point tips from your guide.

Celebrate with your Rue Cler picnic on the Champ de Mars (watch out for grass rules in wet weather). If you crave pastry after, pop into Aux Merveilleux de Fred for feather-light meringues.

Evening: Classic bistro dinner at Le Florimond (7th; warm service, stuffed cabbage is a sleeper hit). Toast the day at Bar Hemingway in the Ritz for storied cocktails, or keep it casual at Le Repaire de Bacchus wine bar.

Day 8: Canal Saint-Martin, Buttes-Chaumont, and Bouillons

Morning: Coffee at La Fontaine de Belleville (Belle Époque vibe, jazz on some nights). Stroll along Canal Saint-Martin’s iron footbridges and indie boutiques.

Afternoon: Snack your way through Marché des Enfants Rouges—try Chez Alain Miam Miam’s legendary sandwiches or Moroccan tagines at Le Traiteur Marocain. Green escape in Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, then a crisp pils at Paname Brewing Company by Bassin de la Villette.

Evening: Experience the revived “bouillon” tradition at Bouillon Julien (Art Nouveau room; generous portions, low prices). For dessert, seek out Yann Couvreur’s Paris-Brest or seasonal fruit tartlets.

Day 9: Saint-Germain Shopping and Farewell

Morning: Brunch at Claus (elegant breakfast plates) or Café Méricourt (shakshuka and pancakes). Browse Le Bon Marché and La Grande Épicerie for edible souvenirs—salted butter caramels, Bordier butter, Alain Milliat jams.

Afternoon: A last garden stroll at the Musée Rodin (the outdoor sculpture garden is perfect for a quick visit) before your departure. Use Omio (trains) or Omio (flights) to check updated schedules to your next destination; for long-haul returns, compare on Kiwi.com.

Practical Notes

• Transit: Consider a Navigo Easy card for metro/bus/RER within zones 1–2; RER C to Versailles is extra. Use Omio (trains) for regional tickets.
• Timing: Louvre is closed Tuesdays; many bistros close Sundays/Mondays—book dinners ahead.
• Costs at a glance (approx.): Louvre guided tour from ~€60–€80; Seine dinner cruise from ~€95–€150; Eiffel Tower reserved access from ~€40–€65; RER Paris–Versailles ~€4–€4.50 each way.

Optional curated experiences (swap into any open slot): If you want a one-day whirlwind, consider a comprehensive city day with museum entry and a river cruise:

Paris in a Day with Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame & Cruise—ideal for first-timers short on time.

In nine days you’ve traced Paris from island origins to Belle Époque rooftops, tasted your way through markets, and walked in the footsteps of kings at Versailles. Keep this itinerary handy—it balances icons with local life, and it leaves just enough undone to guarantee your return.