Paris travel guide: monuments, walks and itineraries

Arrange the closing days first, and then decide how to travel in the three days

When traveling to Paris in 2026, a practical Paris travel guide should first help you reduce the need for back and forth. It is recommended to concentrate the daily activities in one area: the first day is reserved for the Île de la Cité and the Left Bank, the second day is for the Louvre and the Tuileries Garden, and the third day is to choose between the Orsay Museum or Montmartre. The following are route suggestions compiled by the editor, not a fixed itinerary that requires all check-ins.

Day 1: Notre Dame and Ile de la Cité

Start at Notre Dame Cathedral and then walk along the Seine, leaving the first day to be relaxed. The main church of Notre Dame is free to enter. Individual tourists can make official free reservations or queue up on site; reservation quotas are released in batches. You should check the system on the day and do not need to purchase so-called church admission tickets. Climbing the tower is a separate visit and cannot be confused with free admission to the church.

Day 2: Louvre Museum and Tuileries Garden

The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays and is open in the evenings on Wednesdays and Fridays. Ordinary opening days are usually from 9:00 to 18:00, evening opening hours are extended to 21:00, and the last admission time is one hour earlier than closing time. It is more practical to first select the collection area you want to see and then reserve an admission time slot, rather than treating the entire museum as a must-see list. After visiting, you can take a walk in the Tuileries Garden, which is free and open to the public, without having to add a large museum to it.

Day Three: Consider the Olympiad as an Alternative

Visitors who prefer Impressionism and 19th-century art can devote half a day to Orsay. The regular arrangement is from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 to 18:00, Thursday to 21:45, and closed on Monday; temporary closures and project arrangements will be subject to the notice of the museum. You can take metro line 12 to Solférino, or RER C to Musée d’Orsay. Online full-price tickets are currently listed as 16 euros, and on-site full-price tickets are 14 euros. Free qualifications and special arrangements need to be checked based on individual circumstances.

Spend time on the road instead of filling up your schedule with attractions

It's easier to adjust to a three-day itinerary with one major reservation-required visit per day and the rest of the time devoted to neighborhood and riverside walks. You can extend your stay in the museum when it rains, and add outdoor routes on sunny days. Save your reservation voucher in advance to check the last admission time; the opening hours of the gardens and terraces should not be directly applied to the museum time.

Information: Official websites of venues and merchants, Paris Tourism Bureau, Paris City Hall and the 14th arrondissement. Business arrangements may be temporarily adjusted.