A Perfect Day in Paris Exploring Famous Landmarks

Discover how to spend a perfect day in Paris exploring its most famous landmarks. From the Palais Garnier to the Eiffel Tower, experience the iconic sights and hidden gems that make Paris unforgettable.

Wondering how to spend a perfect day in Paris? If you only have one day to explore Paris, you’ll want to make every moment count.

The City of Light is full of iconic landmarks and rich history, offering endless opportunities for discovery.

This post will guide you through what one perfect day in Paris looks like for us, and what it can be for you too.

With so many things to do and see spread throughout the city, it’s nearly impossible to enjoy everything in just one day.

To maximize your time we’ve arranged a walking and subway-aided itinerary in the center of the city.

This one-day Paris itinerary will take you to some of the most iconic areas that the city has to offer.

So, if all you have is one day in this amazing city, read on to discover how to spend a perfect day in Paris.

Getting Started

Start your day at a local Boulangerie with a buttery croissant or a delicious Pain au Chocolat with coffee or tea.

It’s hard to go wrong with this famous Parisian staple.

Our first stop is Palais Garnier, commonly known as The Paris Opera or Opera Garnier. Subway lines 3, 7, or 8 will take you to the Plaza in front of the Palais, you need to get off at the Opera station.

As an alternative, the station Chausée d’Antin La Fayette in Line 7 or Line 9 will also leave you close to the Palais Garnier.

This spectacular building was designed by architect Charles Garnier in 1900’s at the behest of Napoleon III. Take a walk around the building and study the sculptures dedicated to the different arts; music, poetry, and drama.

Can you find the busts of Mozart and Beethoven in the main facade?

The interior of the Opera is stunning but will take at least a couple of hours of your time. So we recommend that you leave this for another visit to Paris when you have more time.

As you make your way around the Opera building make a quick detour into the famous Galleries Lafayette shopping mall.

Located at the back of the Palais Garnier, take a quick peek inside and admire the beautiful stained glass ceiling and the Art Deco design of the interior.

Back outside continue circling the Opera until you come back to the Plaza. This is the Grand Avenue de l’Opera.

As you stroll down the grand Avenue de l’Opera to the Louvre transport yourself back to the era of Napoleon III.

This Avenue was the way the emperor came and went to the Opera from the Louvre, the regents’ humble home at the time.

Royal Paris

At the end of Avenue l’Opera, you will reach the Place du Carrousel de Louvre.

As you approach the center plaza you’ll be able to fully appreciate the size of this palace-turned-museum.

In the center courtyard, you will be greeted by the now-famous glass pyramid of the Louvre.

Take a stroll around the courtyard and appreciate the different styles of architecture that compose this magnificent building.

Right beside and under the Louvre you will find a shopping hall called Carrousel du Louvre. If you’re hungry, need to pick up a souvenir, or just need a shopping break this is a good place to do it.

One of the things you can pick up in the area is Macarons from Laduree.

One of our favorite things to do, if it isn’t raining, is to purchase some macarons. Then find a bench in the Jardin des Tuileries and people watch while enjoying the unique flavors of this Parisian classic.

After properly refueling and a well-deserved rest, finish crossing the Jardin de Tuileries to the Place de la Concorde.

This plaza that today holds two beautiful fountains and an Egyptian Obelisk from Luxor was once the home of the dreaded guillotine of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette fame.

From this vantage point, you can appreciate the grandness of the Champs Elysée. One of the largest avenues in the World and an inspiration to many of the great avenues in Europe and America.

This tree-lined avenue filled with high-end fashion stores ends at the grand monument known as the Arc de Triomphe.

Walking from the Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe can take over an hour. One alternative option is to take Line 1 of the subway halfway to Franklin D. Roosevelt station and begin your walk from there.

If you’re tired of walking, another option is to take Line 1 of the subway to Charles de Gaulle-Etoile station, which drops you off directly at the Arc de Triomphe.

Take the underpass and come out right at the base of the arch. You can walk around the base and see the arch and the ever-burning flame of the unknown soldier.

Or if you want to experience one of the most impressive views of Paris climb to the top of the arch for views of the city and the 12 streets that radiate out of the plaza.

As of this writing this post, the entrance fee to climb the Arc de Triomphe is €16 euro. For current prices and more information on times, go to their official website Arc de Triomphe.

To end the day, you can walk about half an hour to the Eiffel Tower. Alternatively, you can take Line 6 and get off at Bir-Hakeim station and walk only 10 minutes to reach the Eiffel Tower.

What better way to end a day in Paris than to sit at the Quai or on the grass of the Champs du Mars and just enjoy Paris’ most famous monument?

Nighttime In Paris

After a long day, you might be ready to have a nice dinner at a local Brasserie and retire for the night.

But if you still have some energy and want to squeeze out every last drop of your time in Paris take a boat ride down the Seine.

A few steps from the Eiffel Tower on the pier in the Seine you’ll find several outfitters that will take you for a boat ride down the Seine.

Is it touristy? Yes. Is it worth it? Oh yes. Especially at night.

Can you imagine seeing all the buildings, the homes, the streets, the monuments illuminated at night? Just Beautiful!

There’s a reason that Paris is called the City of Lights, and you can discover why by taking a night river cruise down the river Seine.

A Museum Alternative For A Day in Paris

If you can’t imagine yourself visiting Paris without seeing at least one museum, we hear you.

So, we offer you three alternatives that will satisfy your love for museums with just a small tweak to this itinerary.

Two of these alternatives are located right inside the Jardin des Tuileries, where the park meets the Place de La Concorde.

On one side of the Jardin is the Museum of Impressionist Art, L’Orangerie. Here, you can admire Monet’s Water Lilies as he intended them to be seen by the public.

Plan for your visit to take 1 to 2 hours. Be sure to purchase your tickets in advance on the museum’s website, as they sell out quickly.

On the opposite side of the Jardin, you can find Jeu de Paume. This museum is dedicated solely to photography in all its forms, still photography and video. This visit is also 1 to 2 hours long.

The last alternative requires a detour to this itinerary. About a 10-minute walk from Place de La Concorde is Petit-Palais de Beaux Arts. The small palace of fine arts.

This museum is an eclectic collection of art. It includes works from Renoir, Sisely, Cezanne, and many other Italian, Dutch, and French masters.

The building itself is beautiful with an interior garden that is worth a visit in itself. It has a small coffee shop where you can relax and enjoy some much-needed rest.

From here cross the most photogenic bridge on the Seine, Pont Alexander III, and take a 25-minute walk to the Eiffel Tower and enjoy the rest of your day.

After such a great day all that’s left is a good night’s rest and planning for your next, longer trip to Paris!