Paris, the city of love and lights, is the perfect destination for a city break that blends cultural refinement with unforgettable romance. With its historic streets, iconic museums, and distinct landscapes, Paris attracts visitors from all around the world, offering a memorable experience. While 3-4 days is ideal to explore the city, with good planning, you can also visit many top attractions in just 2 days.
Since I was a child, I’ve dreamt of visiting Paris—not for Disneyland, but for the Eiffel Tower, Parisian fashion, the unmistakable music, the French language, and the famous chocolate croissants. Paris epitomizes romance, good taste, and the ultimate in sophistication.
Having visited Paris multiple times, each trip leaves me even more in love with the city. Though many of my visits have been short weekend getaways, I’ve had the chance to explore the city in great detail.
In this guide, you will find useful tips on flights, accommodation, transport, and more.
1. Flights to Paris
One of the most common questions I get asked is about flight prices, so let’s start there. I flew with Air France, and my tickets cost €110 per person, which was a promotional price at the beginning of the year. From my experience, I recommend avoiding airlines that fly to Paris Beauvais airport, even if the prices might be lower. The airport is small, which often leads to delays or cancellations, and it’s quite far from the city.
2. Accommodation in Paris
Finding affordable accommodation in Paris can be challenging, especially during the spring and summer seasons. I visited Paris during December once, but I wouldn’t recommend it—it’s extremely cold, and the city doesn’t have the same charm as it does during the warmer months, when you can explore on foot.
If you’re visiting during peak season and want to find a good price on accommodation, consider staying in the city’s outer areas, but not too far from a metro stop, especially for a city break.
The first time I visited Paris was in September 2018, when I stayed near Trocadéro at a reasonable price, but unfortunately, I don’t remember the name of the location. Nowadays, prices have increased, and you can even find rooms that are three times more expensive in the central area.
On my most recent trip, I stayed near the Arc de Triomphe, which was fine. The rooms were quite small—something typical of Paris—but everything else was perfect. The hotel is called Hotel Boris V. by Happy Culture.
Accommodation prices in Paris typically start at €100 per night for a double room on the outskirts of the city but with metro access. Prices rise significantly as you move toward the city center. I usually make reservations through Booking.com, as I can always find at least one option that meets my needs.
Accommodation in Paris:
3. Getting Around in Paris
At first glance, Paris’ public transportation system may seem like a complex puzzle. The city is divided into 20 districts (arrondissements), with Zones 1 and 2 covering the main tourist attractions. Overall, there are six zones in the public transport system, but the key tourist spots are located in Zones 1 and 2, with a few exceptions—such as Disneyland (Zone 5) and the Château de Versailles (Zone 4).
For tourists, the Paris Visite cards are a great option. These are available for 1, 2, 3, or 5 days and are perfect for a city break in Paris. Depending on your travel needs, you can choose a card for Zones 1-3 or Zones 1-5. Prices start at €11.65 for one day in Zones 1-3 and go up to €37.25 for five days. For Zones 1-5, prices start at €24.50, rising to €63.90 for five days.
For longer stays, you can opt for the Navigo card, which costs €5 to purchase. Then you can load it for a week, a month, or even a year. One week of validity is from Monday to Friday, so if you purchase the card on a Wednesday and load it for a week, it will expire on Sunday.
For stays of 2-3 days, the Mobilis card is a good option. It’s valid from 5:30 am on the day of purchase until the same time the next day. Prices start at €7.50 and can go up to €17.80, depending on the number of zones.
If you’re just planning to make a few trips, single tickets cost €1.90, while a pack of 10 tickets is €14.50.
How to Get from the Airports to Paris
Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
- RER Train: Departs from terminals 1 and 2 (not terminal 3) every 10-20 minutes, and reaches Gare du Nord in Paris in about 35 minutes. A one-way trip costs €11.
- RoissyBus: Departs from terminals 1, 2, and 3 every 15-20 minutes, with a travel time of about 1 hour 15 minutes. A one-way ticket costs €13.70.
Beauvais Airport (BVA)
There is no direct train from Beauvais to Paris, so the only direct public transport option is the shuttle bus. You can catch the bus from terminal 1 or 2, and a one-way ticket costs €17. The journey takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Paris Attractions – 10 Iconic Sights You Can’t Miss
Top 10 must-see attractions, from iconic monuments to hidden gems. This guide will help you make the most of your visit!
Read More
4. What to See in 2 Days in Paris
Since I’ve only had short weekend city breaks in Paris, I’ve had to plan my itinerary carefully. The key is to visit attractions in the order they appear on the map, minimizing travel time.
Day 1
- Sacre Coeur: We started at Sacre Coeur, which was our first stop of the day.
- Love Wall Paris: Just a 5-minute walk from Sacre Coeur to the Love Wall.
- Montmartre: We strolled around the neighborhood and headed to the next spot.
- Moulin Rouge: About 10-15 minutes from Montmartre.
- Arc de Triomphe: We originally planned to take the metro, but the weather was so pleasant that we decided to walk, and it took around 40 minutes.
- Eiffel Tower: After a well-deserved lunch break, we continued our walk to the Eiffel Tower, which took about 25-30 minutes.
- Louvre Museum: After taking plenty of photos at the Eiffel Tower, we hopped on a bus (lines 72 or 69) to the Louvre, which is about 15-20 minutes away.
- Saint Chapelle: This beautiful chapel was only a 10-minute walk from the Louvre, and I highly recommend visiting.
- La Favorite Café: One of the most Instagrammable spots in Paris. It took us about 20-25 minutes to walk there.
- Trocadéro: We rested at the hotel for a couple of hours, then went to Trocadéro to see the Eiffel Tower illuminated at night. We ended the evening with a great burger at Schwartz’s Deli.
This itinerary might seem tiring at first glance, but it felt much more manageable than we expected. We only entered Saint Chapelle, so if you plan to visit all the attractions, make sure to allocate extra time for each.
Day 2
- Palace of Versailles: We started the day early at Versailles, knowing it would take several hours to explore.
- Galeries Lafayette: After lunch, we headed to Galeries Lafayette.
- Montparnasse Tower: We ended the day with a spectacular sunset view from the Montparnasse Tower, overlooking the Eiffel Tower.
Day 2 was much more relaxed, as we spent most of our time at Versailles and Montparnasse Tower, making it a less hectic itinerary.
Final Thoughts
Paris isn’t just about romance, art, food, and fashion. While it certainly shines with its cultural splendor and undeniable romantic appeal, Paris also has its challenges—such as the less-than-spotless streets, a high number of homeless individuals, and pickpockets. Be cautious and aware!
Nevertheless, Paris remains a city of fascinating contrasts, a vibrant blend of places to explore. It’s a unique destination that draws visitors from around the world, despite its imperfections. The allure of Paris continues to captivate and inspire all who visit.
If you found this article useful, please give it a thumbs up or share it with your friends.
Happy Travels!🥰
