5 Days in Paris: Sights, Costs & Metro Tips

Five days is close to ideal for a first trip to Paris — enough time for the major landmarks without a schedule so packed you don't get to just sit at a café and watch the city go by.

Getting around: buy a carnet of Metro tickets (or load a Navigo Easy card) the moment you land. The Metro is faster than a taxi for almost every cross-city trip during the day.

Day 1–2: Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, and a Seine-side walk at golden hour. Book timed-entry tickets in advance for the Louvre — the walk-up queue can eat an hour of your morning.

Day 3: Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur in the morning, before the crowds; the Eiffel Tower at night, when the hourly light show is worth timing your visit around.

Day 4: A day trip to Versailles, or — if you'd rather stay in the city — the Marais neighbourhood and Place des Vosges for a slower, less touristed afternoon.

Day 5: Whatever you missed, plus one last pastry. Budget roughly €80–120/day for a mid-range trip covering food, museums, and transit, excluding your hotel.