8 Places to Visit in Paris in 2 Days

It’s been a little over a month since my mini Eurotrip and I’m still in the feels about the two days I spent in Paris. I’ve never fallen in love with a city and Paris was everything and then some. When planning, the essential sites for me to visit were Norte Dame, The Eiffel Tower, and the Louvre Museum. Everything else was pretty much up in arms. As a first-time visitor, having even less time than London, and being solo I wanted the trip to be as off the beaten path as Barcelona with a little more planning.  I also wanted to get nice photos of myself so I booked a photo shoot with Airbnb Experiences a few days before. If you plan to visit Paris, here is a guide to 8 of the best places to visit in Paris in 2 days.

Traveling to Paris From London

When booking my overall ticket to Europe, the plan was to travel to Paris from London via train on the Eurostar high-speed train. The train is about a 2 1/2 hour ride, BUT the longer you wait to purchase the ticket, the more expensive it is. To save money, I flew from London to Paris on British Airways. Due to London having many airports, there are a number of budget airlines to choose from as well.

When leaving, my aunt pointed out that leaving LCY airport is a shorter flight time if you’re staying in Central London. Another important tip is Paris has two airports: Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and Paris Orly Airport (ORY). If you’re staying in Central Paris, ORY is a shorter drive-in. Both airports, however, have public transportation options to the city center.

2 Days in Paris Itinerary: Take the Eurostar from London to Paris high-speed train
Eurostar high-speed train from London to Paris

Where to Stay in Paris

One of the most affordable options for staying in Paris is to book an Airbnb or another alternative. I stayed at the Hotel Eiffel Seine, a boutique hotel around the corner from the Eiffel Tower, across the street from the metro station, and close to cafes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you’re looking for a higher-end hotel in the area, I recommend the Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel.

How to Get Around Paris

Paris is a very walkable city with the most notable sites and museums centered around the Seine River. I spent the 2 days in Paris walking around, using the metro only once, but if you’re not a walker, there are buses, taxis, the metro, and water taxis that will get you around.

Best Places to Visit in Paris in 2 days

Most of the sites I visited on the same day, but if you want to split your 2 days in Paris itinerary up, it is definitely doable. Here’s a day-by-day list of must-see sites for two days in Paris.

The Notre Dame Cathedral

Location6 Parvis Notre-Dame – Pl. Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris, France

Nearest Metro: Metro line 4 Cité, RER B, and RER C: Saint Michel – Notre Dame

I visit a church or temple on almost every trip and the first stop on my 2 days in Paris itinerary was to Notre Dame Cathedral. Notre Dame is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité and took almost 200 years to build. There are free 90 minutes guided tours of the cathedral in English at noon on Wednesday, at 2 pm on Thursday, and at 2.30 pm on Saturday.

The Holy Chapel (Sainte-Chapelle)

Shortly after visiting Notre Dame, I walked over to The Holy Chapel also known as La Sainte-Chapelle. Built by King Louis IX, the Holy Chapel is a 13-century gothic style royal chapel known for its stained glass. It also housed the remains of the True Cross and Crown of Thorns.

Location: 8 Boulevard du Palais, 75001 Paris, France

Nearest Metro: Metro line 4 Cité, RER B, and RER C: Saint Michel – Notre Dame

Louvre Museum

After visiting La Sainte-Chapelle, I headed over to the Louvre Museum. One of the top attractions in Paris, the Louvre is the largest art museum in the world and home to Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. If you aren’t sure where it is, just look for the glass pyramid which is the museum’s entrance. For quicker entry, use a skip-the-line pass or the Carrousel du Louvre, by going down the stairs of the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel.

Location: Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France

Nearest Metro: Metro lines 1 and 7 – Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre

Tuileries Garden

A short walk from the Louvre Museum is Tuileries Garden. Formally a private garden of the Tuileries Palace, it became a public park after the French Revolution. You can end day one of your  2 day Paris itinerary here, visit The Place de la Concorde or take a ride on The Big Wheel at Place de la Concorde.

Location: 113 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, France

Nearest Metro: Metro line 1, Tuileries

The Orsay Museum

Day two of 2 days in Paris itinerary starts at The Orsay Museum. Formally a Metro Station, The Orsay Museum is the second most visited Museum in Paris. The museum mostly displays famous works of artists including Monet and Van Gogh.

Location: 1 Rue de la Légion d’Honneur, 75007 Paris, France

Nearest Metro: Metro: line 12, to Solférino RER: line C, to Musée d’Orsay

Champs Elysees Avenue

Take a stroll down Champs Elysees for food and shopping. Here you will find high-end stores like Cartier, Guerlain, Chanel the Louis Vuitton mansion and more! Don’t forget to visit Ladurée for freshly baked macarons.

Nearest Metro: Metro lines 1, 13 to Champs-Élysées–Clemenceau

Arc de Triumph

At the end of Champs Elysees, you will find Arc de Triumph. The Arc de Triomphe is the world’s largest traffic roundabout and is the biggest and tallest triumphal arch in the world. Travel tip – If you’re looking to get a first-hand look at the square, use the underground passage as it is not only dangerous but pretty impossible to cross due to massive traffic.

Location: Place Charles de Gaulle, 75008 Paris, France

Nearest Metro: Metro lines 1, 2 and 6: RER A –  Etoile – Charles de Gaulle

Eiffel Tower

The last stop on the 2 days in Paris itinerary was to the Eiffel Tower. Built by engineer Gustave Eiffel for the 1886 World’s Fair, the Eiffel Tower is the #1 attraction in Paris. Since my hotel was around the corner, it was just easier to start further out and work my way back in. During my photo session, my photographer mentioned the tower was almost torn down before discovering it could be a platform for transmitting antennas. From the top or below, visiting the Eiffel Tower is a must. Due to the rainy weather, I couldn’t go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, but it is a good reason for me to visit again during the warmer months.

Location: Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France

Nearest Metro: Metro line 6 – Bir Hakeim or Metro line 8 Ecole Militaire. RER C: Champ de Mars

I spent 2 days in Paris loving every corner I turned and I can’t wait to visit other sites like the Alexander Bridge, and Luxemburg Gardens, and take a trip to the Palace of Versailles. If you have more time, a day trip to Brussels, Nice, Monaco, or the Champagne region is also doable.

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2 thoughts on “8 Places to Visit in Paris in 2 Days

  1. Lavina Correia says:

    Exactly what I was looking for, planning for a short trip to Paris before going to UK! Thanks Joanna for the guide, this is so helpful!!

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