For most people going to “the city of lights” is a dream to chase. For me, fortunately, it is not since I live only 3 hours (by car) away from Paris. Having been to the city a dozen times, I think it is safe to say that I can give a pointer or two on what to see, eat and do.
Whether Paris is a stop along the way, or a destination. I’ll give you a walking tour on how to be able to visit the city in 24 hours, seeing the most important parts.
8.30 – 10 AM ♡ Laduree for breakfast
Time to have breakfast. Located on the Champs-Elysées, in the cutest setting, you’ll find Laduree. Not only is it one of the most iconic places for macaroons, it also serves great breakfast. On one side, you’ll find a shop where you have the possibility to buy all sorts of souvernirs, macaroons and other instant-happy things. On the other side, you will discover the tea room that offers a wide variety of licious things, both for breakfast or high tea.
10 AM – 1 PM ♡ a little balade
Or “a little walk” in proper English. There is no better way to discover Paris than on foot.
I will give you a little map to follow, so you’ll be able to see the most in a minimum of time.
During this 2 hour walk, I’ll introduce you to the most important must-sees on the upper and left side of Les Tuileries.
Starting on the Champs-Elysées after breakfast. Enjoy the luxury, elegance and class of this marvellous and iconic street.
See the Arc de Triomphe – the Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile is one of the most famous monuments in Paris standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées formerly named Place de l’Étoile – after the étoile or “star” of the juncture formed by its twelve radiating avenues. The Arc honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
Pass by Galeries Lafayette. Not only is it one of the biggest shopping malls in Paris, it is also a magnificent building with beautiful decorations and a lovely rooftop bar.
Walk all the way up to the Sacré-Coeur to enjoy the view on the city and see Montmartre. (Caution! The climb up involves a lot of stairs and is not for pussies). If the weather allows it, it is heavenly to just have a drink on the steps in front of the Sacré-Coeur. There are always salesmen present, selling beer as well as water and other drinks. On the walk back, pass by the Moulin Rouge. Even though you can not go in unless you are watching the show, you should definitely see the facade of this famous theatre.
Walk to the banks of The Seine (near Musée D’Orsay) , past the beautiful Tuileries.
1 – 2 PM ♡ lunch near the Seine
In my opinion, Paris is too beautiful during the day to eat inside. Assuming that you have followed my walk, you should be near les Tuileries or The Seine. In that case, I would either try having a picknick in Les Tuileries or have a light -easy to digest- lunch near the Seine in one of the little booths near the water.
2 – 6 PM ♡ explore
After lunch, we’ll continue our walk on the other side of Les Tuileries.
A very Insta-worthy spot is Galerie Vivienne. It is a small gallery with lots of authentic parisian stores. If you’re looking for the perfect old-fashioned Insta-spot, look no further.
Continue your walk past the Palais Royal. It is right across the street from the Louvre and has some very fun sights to see.
While you’re at it, pass by Boot cafe. It is one of those spots you’ll see on every influencer account out there. It’s a pretty blue cafe that’ll take you right into my absolute favorite Parisian neightborhood: Le Marais.
Le Marais is the closest you will get to the feel of medieval Paris and has more pre-revolutionary buildings and streets left intact than any other area in Paris. You can’t go to Paris and skip the Marais. It’s very similar to the West Village in Manhattan, with a different architecture of course, but the small crooked medieval lanes are alive with bars, restaurants, hotels, high and low fashion boutiques, trendy shops, hip designers, old fashioned bread shops, jewelry, wine shops, fashionable art galleries and museums all crammed into one small area.
If you don’t have a lot of time, simply take a walk through the neightborhood, if you do, you’ll easily spend the day there. In any case, you should walk over to the Rue Crémieux, which is full with the cutest little colorful houses. Excellent for picture-taking.
Similar to Les Tuileries, you’ll find Jardin du Luxembourg on the other side of The Seine. Perfect to have a drink, picnic, chill a little or just to enjoy some nature.
To finish the tour, go see the Notre Dame. I didn’t visit it personally because I have seen it a couple times in the past and it would simply break my heart to see it after the damage of the fire. However, if you have never seen it, it’s a must see!
7 PM ♡ apero and dinner
Golden hour is the perfect time to go watch the Eiffel Tower from a distance, the way the light hits the tower is magical. Have a glass of wine and enjoy the view.
If you want to have a view on the tower all night long, you can have dinner at Monsieur Bleu. Exquisite view, excellent food and happy, funky vibes. The only negative note on this restaurant is that it is pretty pricy. But no worries, there are a lot of nice restaurants in the neighborhood that are cheaper.
10 PM – … ♡ bright lights, big city
The options for nightlife are infinite in Paris, from “cheap” bars to the most exclusive clubs, Paris has it all!
You’ll find my recommendations below, based on budget.
a. Low budget – bars
The Dirty Dick
A really nice bar in Pigalle that has a friendly (and handsome!) staff and
the best cocktails in town.
Little Red Door
In the 3rd arrondissement you’ll find Little Red Door. It is literally a tiny
red door that gives you entrance to a really cosy cocktailbar with a very
intimate athmosphere.
Le Syndicat
By now you know it – I’m a sucker for cocktails. Sweet, sour, spicy, deep
pink, … I’d drink’m all! But the “Modern Thyme” in Le Syndicat is really
one of my all time favorites!
b. ça dépend un peu: clubs
If you’re a party animal like myself, visit some clubs in Paris. They vary
from underground to luxurious and have something to offer for
everyone. My 3 favorite clubs in Paris are: VIP Room, Buddha Bar and
Nuits Fauves.
c. Hey big spender: Le Moulin Rouge
Are you in for a night of fun with the show of a lifetime? Go to the
Moulin Rouge and enjoy the famous spectacle. The Show has some of the
best dancers and artists in the world and is filled with the most beautiful
people. I’d go back in the blink of an eye. And even though I have put the
Moulin under “hey big spender” I think the pricing is actually okay since
it includes a show of more than one hour.
What else?
Not everyone has a mere 24 hours in Paris… in case you have more time, go visit the places below. They’ll give you another great feel of the Parisian athmosphere. Somewhat different to the big touristic magnets, but beautiful places in their own way.
- Luxembourg
- Popincourt
- Gobelins
I hope I gave you some useful tips and tricks on how to discover Paris in 24 hours. I truly hope you’ll have a lot of fun in the city! I know I did.
Want to see all my Parisian pics?
Go to my Instagram.
To travel is to Liv 
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