The Perfect Trip to Paris in 5 Days
Travel Designer Review:
Get ready for a pretty intense day! I'm going to suggest an itinerary for you to visit several important points in Paris, but I'm not going to suggest a strict schedule.
Imagine if I tell you that you have 5 minutes to see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum? Or that you have 15 minutes to eat a baguette at Campo de Marte? It doesn't make sense... You have to calculate your own time, but you can't forget to enjoy. I remember being mesmerized by a painting in the Louvre Museum called The Raft of the Medusa.
I advise you to start early and have a good breakfast. Bring a small backpack with a bottle of water and a sandwich in case you get hungry.
It's going to be a phenomenal day, and just thinking about everything that is going to happen gives me goosebumps. Our tour starts with a visit to the Louvre Museum.
I made you a little map so you can see the route:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1lGaRcwG-AMkbLrT8_-CbPcVVwqiIJnY&usp=sharing
The Louvre Museum is recognized as the best museum and the most important in the world. It opened its doors to the public in 1793 and was the first of its magnitude to be directed towards the people and not exclusive to the elites. It comprises a collection of more than 300,000 works that were obtained since the time of Napoleon and today receives more than 7.5 million visitors per year.
To see the entire museum with the attention and time it requires, you should spend at least a whole week at the museum. The entrance fee per person is approximately 16 euros. I recommend starting your visit at the opening hour, which is at 9 am (check the official website for hours: https://www.louvre.fr/).
People start lining up to enter the museum from 8 am. There is a secret entrance that is faster, which I share with all those who book an itinerary with this activity.
I believe it is important to read about the rooms and works that interest you the most before. For example, if what interests you the most is seeing the Mona Lisa, you can try to be one of the first to enter and go straight to see the Mona Lisa before the crowds arrive. Important note, if this is your plan, try to study your path to the Mona Lisa through the museum because it is very easy to get lost.
There are so many things to see in the Louvre that you will have to choose between one or another because you won't be able to see everything. If you have no idea what you should see in the museum, they give you a brochure at the entrance with some of the main works. There are also audio guides (I recommend them).
People who book an itinerary with this activity will receive a map of the Museum.
I think a reasonable amount of time for a quick visit to the Louvre is between 3 and 5 hours. Therefore, if you start the tour at 9 am, you will be leaving the museum between 12 pm and 2 pm.
You will probably be hungry when you leave, there is a place with fast food restaurants in the Louvre where you can grab something quick to eat. Otherwise, you can continue towards the Tuileries Garden, which is our next visit, and buy something to eat while you stroll around Paris.
The video I share with you is a documentary that I recommend watching before the visit. It is not the same to visit a place without knowledge as it is with knowledge.
Additionally, those who make a reservation for one of my itineraries with this activity will receive my personal experience and some tips for their visit. I am not an art expert, I am a passionate traveler and I have been to the Louvre on several occasions.
The Jardin des Tuileries (in French pronunciation, as nobody I know uses its Spanish name) is located in front of the Louvre Museum and extends to the Place de la Concorde.
This is the most important and oldest garden in Paris. It is called this way because in the 17th century there were tile factories ("tuileries" in French) in the surroundings.
I can give you information for you to read about the history of the Jardin des Tuileries, but I don't think it is very relevant. What I believe I can share with you that will help you enjoy your walk more is knowing that, although it is a very touristy place, it has a special typical Parisian atmosphere.
Wherever you look during your walk in the Jardin des Tuileries, you will find monumental buildings, fountains, sculptures, artists, and people enjoying Paris. There is a large Ferris wheel and shops where you can buy a beer or a baguette.
How much you can enjoy this walk will also depend on the time of the year. If you happen to go on a rainy, windy, and cold day, it probably won't seem as beautiful. But if you are lucky and have a nice day, you will see that it is a very special place.
Walking from the Louvre Museum through the Jardin des Tuileries, you will find the Place de la Concorde. Another place that I find extremely special.
The Plaza de la Concordia, although it may not seem like it, is one of the largest squares in Paris.
This place is special because it is where the executions took place. Here, King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and Maximilien Robespierre were killed during the French Revolution. The name is somewhat strange because "concordia" means "agreement or harmony between people" according to the dictionary... well...
The most special thing about the square is the Luxor Obelisk. This is a gift that the Egyptian government gave to France as a symbol of friendship. The Obelisk was originally located at the entrance of the Luxor Pyramid in Egypt, it is over 3,300 years old and the hieroglyphics tell the story of the ancient Emperor Ramses II.
The obelisk is impressive and it also has gold decorations at the base.
The bridge of Alexander III connects the Tuileries Garden with the area known as "Les Invalides". The bridge commemorated the friendship between France and Russia in 1896. At that time, both countries were great world powers.
If you go towards the bridge from the Tuileries Garden, I recommend walking to the statue of General Charles de Gaulle and turning left on Winston Churchill Avenue. You will see two very important palaces on this avenue which are:
The Grand Palais usually has exhibitions and is a visit that takes time. Entering the Petite Palais is free and the visit is shorter. I recommend visiting the Petite Palais.
Then you will reach the beginning of the Alexander III Bridge and you will be amazed. It is the most ornate and extravagant bridge in Paris. Golden statues and in the background an impressive dome (also with gold) from the Army Museums.
WOW!
If you book one of my itineraries with this activity, I will share an additional tip with you.
The construction of this complex began in 1670 ordered by King Louis XIV to provide a home for disabled veterans of the French army. The complex is impressive and houses the Army Museums and the remains of Emperor Napoleon.
Napoleon's tomb is located in a giant "hole" inside the building with the intention that anyone who sees his tomb must pay their respects.
Because of the impact the Napoleonic era had on the world, I am very impressed to see a place like this. But if you're not interested, the Rodin Museum is located very close by. The museum houses the artist's most famous sculptures and is situated in a house with a beautiful typical French garden.
I usually arrange this activity as the last one to finish the day. For those who book an itinerary with this activity, I will share a bit more about my experience.
To see the description of the day activities clic on the videos or description button
The following suggested activities and notes are not included in the reservation of this itinerary. The Travel Designer included them so that you can optionally do them on your own during your trip.
Paris is a monumental city with too many things to visit, places to see, stories to tell, and flavors to taste. How is it possible to create the perfect travel itinerary to Paris? It's not possible, but I'll do my best.
This travel itinerary is mainly intended for people arriving in Paris from a distant place like America. Although it can be done perfectly by someone traveling from Spain. Usually, trips from America arrive in Paris in the afternoon and people feel tired from the long journey.
We'll leave the first day a bit free with some suggestions, assuming you'll arrive in the afternoon and only have time from 5 pm.
I planned the second day to visit the Louvre Museum, we'll take a "quick" visit that will take between 3 and 5 hours, just enough to see the most important things. We could spend whole days at the Louvre Museum and still not finish. Then we'll take a beautiful walk to Les Invalides to see Napoleon's tomb.
The third day will be dedicated to visiting the Eiffel Tower, Champ de Mars, and Champs-Elysées with the Arc de Triomphe. But there will be surprises along the way, like the Museum of Modern Art and the Flame of Liberty.
We'll dedicate the fourth day to one of the most impressive and famous palaces in the world, the Palace of Versailles. It will take us at least the whole morning to visit. When we return, I'll suggest visiting Montmartre at sunset and the Sacred Heart Church.
On the fifth day, we'll return home! No need to cry, someday Paris will be waiting for your return so you can show it a new version of yourself and at the same time see a different version of Paris.
The maps are automatically generated and an indicative and inaccurate representation of the route.
