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When we talk about a city like Paris, thinking of being able to visit it in such a short time is absolutely unthinkable. However, there could be endless reasons why you might want to spend even one weekend in Paris: a romantic getaway; a road trip with destination in Loire; or, again, the desire to return to a place, for many people, magical.
This itinerary is designed for those who look out for the first time in the Ville Lumiére, and therefore, should be taken as such. Always follow your interests and your tastes and above all do not stop at appearances: Paris is a city that can offer much more than you think.
1st DAY WEEKEND IN PARIS
Generally, much of the first day of the Weekend in Paris should be spent on the trip. The hope is that you have available all afternoon and evening to dedicate yourself to the city. Our advice is to start with one of the symbols of the city, the Cathedral of Notre Dame of Paris. It is, absolutely, among the most beautiful and harmonious French Gothic buildings, with a plan with five naves.
A visit to the cathedral is obviously a must for anyone traveling to Paris, as is the Eiffel Tower. Unfortunately, due to the fire in April 2019, you will have to content yourself with admiring it from the narrow streets of the Île de la Cité, from the bridges of the Seine, from the quays of the left bank and from Île Saint Louis. At the moment, the Cathedral is undergoing consolidation and safety measures.
Crossing the Pont Neuf, the oldest bridge in the city, you will enter along the Rive Droite. We advise you to go all the way Rue de Rivoli passing in front of the Louvre and the famous glass pyramid. The visit to one of the main museums will be postponed to the second day of the Weekend in Paris. We advise you to reach the nearest Jardins des Tuileries. It is the largest and oldest park in the entire city, a historic monument from the 1914 and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Gardens represent the main axis that goes from Place de la Concorde e Defense, until the Louvre. It is the park of those who want to quickly stretch their legs between one appointment and the other, and those who want to sunbathe or eat an outdoor baguette. Fountains, large basins and sculptures today represent the current structure of these gardens.
Do not miss the next one Église de la Madeleine, a majestic neoclassical building, enclosed in a marvelous church, in the form of a Greek temple. Take a look: it’s open every day from 09: 0 to 19. Outside, the flower market takes place and there are several “haute cuisine” shops. From the Church to the Place de la Concorde one can access the sumptuous ones Jardins des Champs Élysées, in which today as yesterday, the Parisians stroll among the tree-lined avenues and crowd the terraces of the ancient cafes. This is the ideal place to relax, especially after days of great treks to visit the city. The Petit and the Grand Palais are located in this area.
Here you are, therefore, in the mythical Avenue des Champs Élysée, the Parisian street of excellence, with restaurants, cafés, luxurious windows of Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gaultier or big hotel names like Marriott. It is here that there is a large part of the Parisian nightlife, among the various places on the Via. Our advice is obviously to stop for dinner: you’ll be spoiled for choice. Follow your tastes, or even simply your pockets. A little advice is to eat in L’Éntrecote, where, at a reasonable price, you can try delicious meat, with salad and croutons, and fries at will. Obviously, choose the wine sparingly.
With your stomach full, walk the long Elysian Fields up to Place de l’Etoile, where is the Arc de Triomphe, the large arch that dominates the square, built between the 1806 and the 1836. Inside there is a museum that traces the whole history of this monument. Going up to the terrace, you can admire a beautiful panorama. The Arc is open every day from 10:30 to 23:00 (winter closing is scheduled for and 22:30) and the cost for the ticket is 8€.
2nd DAY WEEKEND IN PARIS
Also for this day, a tour de force awaits you. Obviously, follow your times. Wake up calmly (not too much, though) and stop at a Boulangerie that most inspires you: you are in Paris and you can not not try the croissant! If you did not do it the day before, buy the PARIS VISITE card to circulate on all means.
Spend the first part of the day dedicated to one of the city’s main museums: the choice is not obvious, because it is not true that the Louvre merit more than the museum of Orsay, like so many support. The advice is to inform you beforehand to try to understand what may be closer to your tastes (maybe, it could also be the Center Pompidou). Follow this official Kanoa.it guide on the three main Museums of the City. For those who write this guide, having seen them both, watching the masterpieces of Impressionism on the fifth floor, is something incomparable, exciting; for this, and also for the particularity of the building, I would opt for the Musée d’Orsay.
After such a demanding visit, a well-deserved break is what you need before resuming the tour. Take the Metro and get off at the Pigalle stop. This is the red light district, the area where there are bars and trendy clubs such as Le Cigale and, above all, the famous Moulin Rouge. If you have the chance, try to book for a really fun evening. In the area there are also numerous sexy-shops and a museum of eroticism: a seven-storey building entirely dedicated to erotic art; in the basement there is a very special collection of erotic machines!
After passing the Moulin Rouge, the perpendicular Boulevard de Clichy leads to the Montmartre Cemetery. Here, you can read on the tombstones many important names: Berlioz, Offenbach, Stendhal, Emile Zola, Degas, Francois Truffaut, just to name a few. The Parisians call this steep hill, “La Butte”. In this area, despite the massive presence of tourists, it is still possible to walk through narrow streets and quiet squares that have maintained a village atmosphere. If you are a fan of Impressionist painting, you can not help but take a stroll along the Rue St Rustique, famous for being frequented by the likes of Renoir, Monet, Césanne, and Van Gogh: at the 18, a commemorative plaque marks the “A la Bonne Franquette” restaurant where the various artists used to dine.
The district of Montmartre it is literally stormed by tourists and, therefore, full of souvenir shops and cafes: choose to walk along Rue Lepic, the road that leads up to the hill and still retains the tranquility and charm of the past. The view of the imposing white mass of the Sacré Coeur is something indescribable, exciting, as the panoramic view of the city from the 270 meters of its hill. The Basilica has been entirely built with the limestone of Château-Landon, whose characteristic, besides the very white color, is not to retain dust and smog. So, after every rain, it’s even brighter! In neo-Byzantine style, it was built in the 1873 and completed in the 1914. The Basilica can be visited daily from 08:30 to 20:00 in summer, and from 09:00 to 17:00 in winter. For more information you can consult the official website.
To end the evening, you can not miss a visit to the esplanade of Champs de Mars in which stands out, imperious, the Eiffel Tower.
The Tower saw the light in the 1889 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French revolution, during the universal exposition, and in its original intentions, it should have been demolished in the 1909. Instead, soon, he will be doing well 130 years. High just over 300 meters, it is organized on three levels: 57 meters the first, 115 the second and finally 276 the third, all reachable with a lift running from 09:30 to 23:45. Lighting is provided by 336 projectors for golden light, with well 20 thousand light bulbs that light up 5 minutes every hour until one or two at night. At night, the tower becomes the suggestive romantic lighthouse of the city. There is also a small museum on the Tower where you can watch a short film about the history of the construction and two renowned restaurants are quite expensive. Today it is the WORLD’S MOST VISITED monument and the view from its height is incomparable.
The lift works every day from 09:30 to 23:45. To go up to the top floor, the full rate is €26.80 for adults, €13.40 for children (12-14 years) and €6.70 for children (4-11 years). Those wishing to save money can opt for the second floor, at a cost of €17.10 per adult. For more information, please refer to to the official website.
For dinner, depending on the time, the desire and your pockets you could try to take a leap to Latin District where there is a wide choice by type and prices. If you would rather try the authenticity of Paris, choose a dinner + show at one of the famous Cabarets (we recommend the Paradis Latin), taking into account, however, that you will not pay less than 100€ per person!
3rd DAY WEEKEND IN PARIS
For the departure day itinerary, everything is left to your discretion; choose how to spend the last few hours in Paris, taking into account what you have not yet seen. Perhaps you could pay a visit to a museum, or simply relax in one of the city’s many green parks. The guide of the Itineraries by Kanoa can be, in this sense, really helpful. Have a nice weekend in Paris