Mike & Nancy love the artsy side of Paris – their guide to seeing the palaces, gardens, museums, and cathedrals if you only have 4 days in Paris!
Paris
4 Days in Paris: Activities
Eiffel Tower
Our first stop once we landed in Paris was taking the train to visit the Eiffel Tower! I highly recommend visiting during the day and again at night. The tower lights up at night and is beautiful! Bring a bottle of wine and snacks to enjoy on the lawn in front of the tower.
Tuileries Garden
We stumbled upon this park, the Tuileries Garden, on our way to visit the Louvre Museum and ended up spending an entire afternoon walking around. It is picturesque Paris – filled with locals, gelato stands, fountains and beautiful flower gardens.
Palace Versailles
Versailles is located about 45 minutes outside of Paris, and this museum was definitely worth the longer commute. I recommend the walking tour, since the Palace is so expansive and there is so much history to learn about. Both the inside and outside gardens at Versailles are massive, so make sure to set aside at least a half day to walk through the property. We were glad we planned on 4 days in Paris, so we had plenty of time to set aside to see this beautiful palace.
Inside the Palace
Musee de l’Orangerie
We stumbled upon Musee de l’Orangerie one afternoon while walking through the Tuileries Gardens. We were chatting with a few other tourists who had visited Paris multiple times and they said this museum was one of their favorites, so we had to check it out. My favorite paintings there were the famous Water Lillies by Claude Monet. They span the length of an entire room and are made up of 250 separate oil canvas’s.
Louvre
We knew the Louvre was a must see during our 4 days in Paris, but unfortunately it was our least favorite museum of the trip. In comparison to Musee de l’Orangerie it was loud, crowded and massive! We quickly went though a few rooms, making sure to see the Mona Lisa, and then headed out. The outside of the museum was stunning though, so we made sure to relax outside of the building and take lots of pictures!
Notre Dame Cathedral
We stayed within walking distance of Notre Dame and went past it a few times when walking along the Siene river. You can purchase tickets to do a full tour of the Cathedral, but we opted to just walk through it ourselves. The architecture inside was gorgeous and we enjoyed walking around the outside looking at the Cherry Blossom trees as well. (See header image above!)
Restaurants
Les Deux Magots
Le Deux Magots is a cute lunch spot located within the neighborhood of Saint Germain des Pres. Artists such as Picasso and Hemingway are said to have eaten here. Sit outside and make sure to order a glass of Rose with lunch!
Cinq Mars
Cinq Mars is a great local restaurant for a romantic dinner. Our hotel made a reservation for us here and it was our favorite dinner spot by far! It is situated on a quiet street and filled with locals. We trusted our server in recommending wine and entrees for us and it did not disappoint!
Laduree
I had heard so much about the famous macarons from Laduree, but it was unfortunately my least favorite lunch spot/bakery we visited. It was over priced and the food options were not great. I would definitely recommend local bakeries and less touristy spots for anyone visiting Paris!
Hotel
Hotel Verneuil
I highly recommend Hotel Verneuil for its great location in the St Germain area and excellent customer service. It was a little difficult to find after getting off the train from the airport, so I suggest paying the extra money for a car from the hotel to pick you up. The staff gave us recommendations and tips throughout our stay and we really felt at home during our 4 days in Paris.
Transportation
Public transportation in Paris is easy and you can get everywhere you need to. No need to rent a car.
Paris Travel Tips:
Language – My biggest advice for visiting Paris is learning a few key French words before your trip. Even if you’re only spending 4 days in Paris, this will be worth it! The locals are much more receptive to your questions if you are at least trying to speak their language. Being nice goes a long way while traveling abroad!
Weather – April/May was a perfect time to visit. The cherry blooms are all starting to blossom and the city is filled with colorful flowers and trees. The weather was similar to Spring in the Midwestern US, so it is best to pack layers and be prepared for rain showers.
Cherry blossoms in spring
Other travel guides you might like:
Paris, France – 3 Days in Paris: Experience Paris City Life
Paris, France – 5 Days in Paris: Explore All the Iconic Paris Sights
London, England – The Ultimate 5 Day London Itinerary
Rome, Tuscany, Naples & Sicily, Italy – 2 Weeks in Italy: Rome, Tuscany, Naples & Sicily
Oia, Santorini, Greece – Guide to Oia: Where to Stay in Santorini
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