The Only Itinerary You Need to Spend Two Days in Paris

I’ve been to Paris on two different occasions now. Our first time in Paris was with a toddler and a baby and our second time in Paris was a quick, 2-day romantic getaway with just my husband. Obviously, those two trips were a bit different from each other, but both trips really were great!

Anyway, back to our romantic getaway in Paris… I’m pretty convinced I created the BEST itinerary to spend two days in Paris and I’m sooo excited to share it with you.

Our 2-day Paris itinerary was centered around an amazing *affordable* hotel with a cozy rooftop with (get this) Eiffel Tower views. I spent hours and hours searching for the perfect hotel to center our Paris itinerary around and trust me, it definitely paid off. You’ll read all about it below.

And not only does this itinerary have an amazing place to stay (with Eiffel Tower views) but it also includes many of the top sites you’ll want to see in Paris along with great places to eat and treats to try.

If this is your first time in Paris, be sure to check out my post: Everything You Need to Know Before Visiting Paris for the First Time.

Also, if you want specifics about traveling to Paris as a family, check out my guide to visiting Paris with young kids. I cover everything you need to know and all of the best things to do with kids in Paris.

*There may be affiliate links in this post. Read my privacy/disclosure policy to learn more.

Are 2 Days in Paris ENough?

Yes and no. If you only have two days that you can allocate to Paris then you can definitely make two days be enough. However, you could easily spend a week or more exploring the city. After all, it is one of the biggest cities in Europe.

But if you follow this itinerary of things to see in Paris in 2 days then you will be able to see a lot of great sites, eat some great food, and even experience some Parisian hidden gems.

Best time of year to Spend a Weekend in Paris

If you are planning a quick weekend trip to Paris or will be adding on a couple of days to a greater French/European itinerary you’ll want to make sure you choose the time of year wisely.

Dare I say that any two days in Paris are better than no two days in Paris, however, you may have a better time if you plan well.

Spring and Fall are the best times of year to visit Paris to avoid the crowds. Trust me, we’ve visited twice now and one of those visits was in August and it was CROWDED. The standby line for the Eiffel Tower was 3+ hours long and the Montmartre area was shoulder-to-shoulder people.

We’ve also visited Paris not much later in the year (but in September) and it was MUCH less crowded. So if you want it a bit less crowded avoid peak summer travel.

The days of the week you visit may also matter! Many museums, boulangeries, and some shops are closed on Mondays and/or Tuesdays. For this reason, I’d recommend your 2 days in Paris be during a Wednesday-Sunday.

For example, the Musee d’Orsay is closed on Mondays and the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays. Just be sure to check the opening times of the places you want to visit before you decide on the days you’ll be in Paris.

Where to Stay When in Paris for 2 Days

Okay, so I’m pretty convinced that I found the ultimate hidden gem of a hotel in Paris. I searched for hours on end for it and our stay totally exceeded expectations.

Since we were going to have limited time in the city, I wanted to make sure that our accommodations were more than just a place to sleep- I wanted them to be part of our experience.

I wanted a beautiful hotel with Eiffel Tower views that WOULDN’T break the bank (that last filter made the search difficult). But then I stumbled upon Rayz Eiffel Hotel… and let me tell you, we loved it.

Rayz Eiffel Hotel is a small, boutique hotel with dark wallpaper and cool light fixtures. Some of the rooms at Rayz Eiffel even have Eiffel Tower views. We didn’t spring for a room with Eiffel Tower views because the hotel also has a cozy, intimate rooftop with Eiffel Tower views (and it’s open to anyone staying at the hotel)!

The rooftop has a couple of tables and a couch and we almost always had it to ourselves (or with only a couple of other people). But most importantly it has an amazing, clear view of the Eiffel Tower and in the other direction, you have a clear view of Sacré-Cœur.

Our 2-day Paris itinerary centered around us staying at Rayz Eiffel Hotel– and trust me, you’ll want to stay there too.

As I mentioned, Rayz Eiffel is such a small, boutique hotel that they don’t have a communal area large enough to host breakfast. However, you can pay for a continental, French breakfast to be delivered to your room (or you could take it up to the roof if you’d like).

The breakfast includes a warm drink (tea, coffee or chocolate), fresh fruit juice, a pastry, half a baguette, ham and/or cheese, yogurt, and fruit.

We didn’t want to pay extra for the breakfast so instead, we walked next door (like literally next door) to an amazing, cozy cafe called Kozy Bosquet. We ate on the sidewalk looking out at the street and just loved our experience.

You could also get breakfast to-go from Kozy Bosquet and take it back to the roof of the hotel.

But the ultimate BEST part of staying at Rayz Eiffel, was coming back to the hotel after watching the sunset from the Arc de Triomphe and heading up to the roof to hang out while watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle.

You CANNOT find that kind of intimate and romantic experience in Paris for the affordable price tag you’ll find at Rayz Eiffel (trust me, I’ve looked).

Map of Things to See in 48 Hours in Paris

*Use this interactive map to see each stop on this 2-day Paris itinerary. Day one is in red and day two is in blue. Click on the full-screen icon in the top right corner to have this map open in your own Google Maps app or click on the arrow in the top left corner to see a pullout list of all points on the map*

Two Days in Paris Itinerary at a Glance

DAY ONE ITINERARY IN Paris:

• Morning:
  • Relax and/or rent toy sailboats at Luxembourg Gardens
  • Stroll by the Panthéon
  • Try cream puffs @ Odette
  • Take in the views of Notre Dame
• Afternoon:
  • Shop at the bouquinistes (book, magazine & art kiosks) along the Seine
  • See paintings by Monet & Van Gogh (plus many others) at Musée d’Orsay
• Dinner:
  • Order food to your hotel (Rayz Eiffel Hotel) to eat on the rooftop with Eiffel Tower views
• Evening
  • Watch the sunset from the top of the Arc de Triomphe
  • See the Eiffel Tower sparkle from the roof of Rayz Eiffel Hotel with pastries from Boulangerie Bretteau

DAY TWO ITINERARY FOR Paris:

• Breakfast:
  • Eat breakfast next to the hotel at Kozy Bosquet (so delicious)
• Morning
  • Stroll down Rue Cler Market Street
  • Climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower or see the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadero
  • Optional: Seine River Cruise
• Lunch:
  • Galettes and crepes from Rosa Bonheur la Crêperie
• Afternoon:
  • Stroll through Jardin des Tuileries
  • Snap a pic with the Louvre Pyramid (if you have time you can visit the Louvre or Musée de l’Orangerie)
  • Snap a pic at Colonnes de Buren/Les Deux Plateaux
• Evening:
  • Take in the views of Paris from Montmartre
  • Watch the artists paint at Place du Tertre
• Dinner:
  • Try traditional French cuisine at one of the restaurants at Place du Tertre

Itinerary for Paris: 2 Days

This is the tried and true itinerary we used when we were in Paris for 2 days. If you are pretty able-bodied, you’ll be able to walk to many of the destinations on this itinerary but you will also want to catch a bus or metro ride a couple of times.

This is quite a full itinerary, but it’s definitely doable. It fits in a lot of places to visit in Paris in 2 days, which I’m sure is your goal with such a limited time in the city.

At the bottom of this post, I will go over a few tips for visiting Paris in 2 days including transportation tips.

Paris Itinerary: Day 1

1. Relax in Luxembourg Gardens and/or rent toy sailboats

The Jardin du Luxembourg (or Luxembourg Garden) is a beautiful 60-acre garden located just about 20 minutes south of Notre Dame.

Luxembourg Palace and the subsequent gardens were built in the early 1600s. In front of Luxembourg Palace is the Grand Bassin which is known for model toy sailboats you can rent during the warmer months. The model sailboats are so whimsical and super popular.

You can rent a boat for 6 euros for 30 minutes and it looks like a lot of fun. There were only a couple of boats left when we visited so we decided to watch instead of take a boat away from one of the hopeful families with kids.

Luxembourg Gardens is also known for its many statues, tree-lined pathways and fountains. Plus many activities and facilities like bee-keeping, greenhouses, playgrounds, and puppet shows.

We picked up some goodies from a boulangerie on the way to Luxembourg Gardens and snacked while we relaxed and enjoyed the views of the palace and sailboats.

2. Stroll by the Panthéon

Right along the walking route from Luxembourg Garden to Notre Dame is the Panthéon. The Panthéon is a distinct monument in Paris completed in the 1700s. It was originally built as a church but is now a civic building holding prominent French citizens’ remains.

If you’re looking for a good vantage point to see Paris, you can climb the 206 steps up to the dome of the Panthéon to see 360-degree views of the city (including the Eiffel Tower).

We only admired the Panthéon as we walked by on our way to Notre Dame, but climbing to the dome definitely sounds worth it.

You can check out opening hours and prices for entrance here.

3. Try the Delicious cream puffs @ Odette

Right in view of Notre Dame, you’ll find the cutest little cream puff shop called Odette. It’s located in a building from the 1600s on a charming street with views of Notre Dame. They have 15+ flavors of locally made cream puffs you can try and I had to refrain from trying them all.

We asked the woman working which one was her favorite and she wisely directed us toward the pistachio cream puff. We also tried a couple of flavors and they were all super tasty.

Not only were the cream puffs SO delicious but the vibe couldn’t have been better. What can beat eating cream puffs on the streets of Paris with views of Notre Dame?

If the few tables out front are occupied, there is additional seating inside upstairs. And don’t worry if it looks crowded because the tables turn over quickly (or you can always take your cream puffs to-go).

I absolutely loved our little stop at Odette. It’s a perfect pick-me-up while feeling the charm of Paris.

Odette is located right around the corner from the popular, independent bookshop called Shakespeare & Co. The line to enter the bookshop was seriously so long when we passed by so we skipped it, but it may be something you want to add to this itinerary if you like a good bookshop.

4. Take in the views of Notre Dame

Notre Dame goes hand-in-hand with Paris just like the Eiffel Tower goes hand-in-hand with Paris. Notre Dame (meaning ‘Our Lady’) was first constructed in the 1100s and is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture.

It’s one of the first buildings in the world to use flying buttresses (think back to your high school humanities class) and it has beautiful rose windows, huge bells and three organs.

Notre Dame is expected to re-open for visitors at the end of 2024. However, before then you can still visit the outside which has some large posters up about Notre Dame’s history and renovation and there is a small stand of bleachers to get a better view over some of the construction.

5. Shop at the book stalls (bouquinistes) along the Seine

It felt a bit like out of a movie- strolling along the Seine and coming upon the old book stalls (or bouquinistes). The history of the Parisian bouquinistes reaches back as far as the 1600s.

However, the book stalls as we know them today date back more to the 1800s. And on top of that, the bouquinistes along the Seine were actually declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992!

Many of these stalls still sell books, but some also sell art prints, magazines, trading cards, postcards and a few touristy knick knacks (but not like overkill).

In general, you can expect them to open by around 11 am and close around sunset (and that may be a bit weather-dependent). You’ll find the bouquinistes in a few-kilometer stretch along both the northern and southern sides of the Seine.

But to make things easier, I’ve added a pin to the map at the beginning of this post for an easy spot to find the book stalls if you are walking from Notre Dame to Musée d’Orsay.

6. Admire paintings by Monet & Van Gogh at Musée d’Orsay

We had multiple people tell us that they enjoyed Musée d’Orsay more than the Louvre and recommended that we go there instead. We took them up on their advice and we didn’t regret it. We chose to not visit the Louvre because we’ve heard it’s so large that it’s easy to get lost and difficult to find the art that you even want to see.

Plus, people are known to spend days at the Louvre and that’s not how we were hoping to spend our time in Paris. So, instead, we swung by Musée d’Orsay (which is basically on the opposite side of the River Seine from the Louvre) and we had a lovely time.

We only spent about 1.5 hours or so at the museum, but were able to enjoy the many paintings by Monet and Van Gogh that call Musée d’Orsay home. Plus, we enjoyed a few other paint and sculpture exhibits of artists we were less familiar with.

Another unique thing you can do is stand behind the giant clock that is hung at the top of the museum! The view from the clock looks out upon Paris across the river (when do you ever get the chance to stand behind a huge clock face)?

Keep in mind that Musée d’Orsay is CLOSED on Mondays and to avoid a long queue, you’ll want to purchase tickets in advance online. We lucked out and were able to get tickets the morning-of for later the same day during peak travel time in August. However, I’d recommend booking tickets a couple of weeks in advance or more if possible.

You can also book a guided tour of the impressionist paintings focusing on the most iconic works in the museum. It’s a 1hr and 45 min Musee d’Orsay guided tour that teaches you so much background about the Van Gogh, Monet and Manet paintings along with some of the other iconic art in the museum.

The tour actually sounds quite lovely and I kind of wish we had had the foresight to book it. I find that I appreciate art SO much more when I know more of the story behind it (and this tour length would fit perfectly into this itinerary).

If you’re looking for a bit more exclusivity, then this PRIVATE guided tour of Musee d’Orsay is for you! On this private tour of the museum, you’ll spend 2-2.5 hours learning about the art, the artists and the architecture of the museum itself.

7. Order dinner to the Rooftop of the Rayz Eiffel Hotel with Eiffel Tower Views

By this point in the itinerary, you’re probably ready to rest your feet and there isn’t a better place to do that than the cozy rooftop of Rayz Eiffel Hotel. The rooftop is only open for guests of the hotel (this is the main reason we booked our stay at Rayz Eiffel and it was so worth it).

The hotel doesn’t have a restaurant, but you are welcome to bring food up to the rooftop. So we took a load off in our room while we looked up some food on Uber Eats and had it delivered to our hotel. We took it up to the roof and enjoyed a cozy, relaxing meal with AMAZING Eiffel Tower views.

There are a few small tables and a couch with a coffee table available on the roof. It’s small- but it’s cozy and the views are stunning.

Not only can you see the Eiffel Tower perfectly, but you get to look out over the white and black buildings of Paris with orange pipes jutting out here and there. AND you can see Sacré-Cœur in the distance on the hill. It’s just a beautiful spot (but I love a good view so I may be biased).

After our takeaway dinner on the roof, we mustered up some energy to go out one last time for the night to the Arc de Triomphe (just a short bus ride from the hotel).

8. Watch the Sunset from the top of the Arc de Triomphe

the last stop on this Paris 2-day itinerary is to watch the sunset from the top of the Arc de Triomphe. I’m a sucker for a good view, and the views from the top of the Arc de Triomphe can’t be beaten! You have sweeping 360-degree views of all of Paris, including a stunning view of the Eiffel Tower.

The Arc de Triomphe is over 200 years old and is the second-largest triumphal arch in the world. And not only that, but it took 30 years to build!

In my opinion, by far the best way to experience it is by climbing the 284 steps to the top to take in the view of Paris. Ideally (if possible) around sunset to see the lights of the city slowly change.

If you can’t climb stairs, no problem. There is an elevator reserved for people who need it (including families with young children).

As with most attractions in Paris, you’ll want to reserve your admission tickets ahead of time. However, no worries if you totally spaced it or if they are sold out online. Tickets were sold out online the day we went so we waited in the standby line and it wasn’t all that bad.

The whole experience including the line for tickets, climbing the stairs, and hanging out at the top took just about an hour. However, I do recommend purchasing tickets in advance to make the process smoother. You can purchase tickets here.

Keep in mind that the arch is located in the center of a huge, bustling roundabout full of traffic with no crosswalks. You do NOT access the arch by crossing the road but rather by an underground tunnel that takes you to/past the ticketing office and then pops you up on the other side underneath the arch.

We saw some people trying to leapfrog their way across traffic and it looked incredibly dangerous.

9. See the Eiffel Tower SParkle from the Rooftop of the Rayz Eiffel Hotel (While eating Pastries)

Again, here is another push from me telling you to stay at the Rayz Eiffel Hotel. Because after we watched the sunset from the Arc de Triomphe, we took the short bus ride back to our hotel and headed directly up to the rooftop to relax.

At dusk, the lights on the Eiffel Tower turn on (they are just basic lights that light it up a bit). However, once on hour on the hour from dusk until 1 am, the Eiffel Tower lights sparkle for 5 minutes.

The sparkling lights on the Eiffel Tower are what you really want to see. And we watched the lights sparkle from the quiet, secluded rooftop of our hotel. It was amazing.

We had picked up some delicious cakes and pastries from the boulangerie around the corner from the hotel and saved them to eat while watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle. I definitely recommend it!

You’ll just want to make sure you’re paying attention to the time, because like I said it only happens for 5 minutes every hour! An example that the Eiffel Tower website gives is that if the sunset is at 7:40 pm then the lights first sparkle will be at 8 pm.

Paris Itinerary: Day 2

1. Try the Deliciously Unique all-Day Brunch At Kozy Bosquet

One of the best things about staying at Rayz Eiffel Hotel was the super cute brunch spot located next door. Kozy Bosquet serves a unique, all-day brunch and if you don’t decide to stay at Rayz Eiffel, there are two other locations in Paris that you may be close to.

How romantic is it to wake up and head over to a Parisian cafe for brunch on the sidewalk?? We ordered their raspberry, pistachio pancakes with pomegranate avocado toast and a smoothie and it was *chef’s kiss*.

We went over around 8:30 am for breakfast and didn’t find a queue. However, we’ve heard that around 10:00/11:00 am it is known for a line to start forming, but it can move pretty quickly (plus it’s worth the wait).

There are around six tables on the sidewalk in front of Kozy Bosquet, but there is also inside seating available.

2. Stroll Down Rue Cler Market Street

Rue Cler Market Street is right on the way to the Eiffel Tower from Rayz Eiffel Hotel which makes it an easy street to walk down as you continue on with your Paris itinerary.

Rue Cler is a popular pedestrian street known for shops, produce, and restaurants and it’s just a 15-minute walk to the Eiffel Tower. Keep in mind many of the stores are closed on Mondays. We ended up walking through Rue Cler on a Monday so there wasn’t a whole lot open.

However, if you aren’t walking through on a Monday and you’re looking for some good produce, flowers, chocolate or a place to eat Rue Cler may be the place for you.

3. Climb to the Top of the Eiffel Tower or See the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadero

After walking through Rue Cler, you can either head right to the base of the Eiffel Tower if you have tickets to climb the tower or you can head over to the Trocadero for some good close-up views of the Eiffel Tower.

If you DO plan to climb the Eiffel Tower you’ll definitely want to get your tickets in advance. We tried to visit the Eiffel Tower at the last minute in August and when we arrived the standby line was 3+ hours long. Um, no thank you.

That was in peak summer travel, so it may not be as bad at other times of the year. So if you really want to climb the tower and don’t have tickets yet you can always go try. But otherwise, you should just get tickets in advance here.

The area right around the base of the Eiffel Tower is probably my least favorite place in Paris. There are people illegally hawking trinkets all over the place and people performing scammy street games. Plus, the grassy area right in front of the Eiffel Tower called the Champ-de-Mars is pretty worn down and mostly dirt in a lot of areas.

Let’s just say it wasn’t the picture-perfect place to have a picnic like you hear about all the time. So if it was me, I’d only go right to the base of the Eiffel Tower if I had tickets to climb it. Otherwise, I’d admire the tower from a bit more of a distance.

The Trocadero stairs are a great place to get near the Eiffel Tower without getting right into the craziness you’ll find at the base.

4. Optional: Take in the Views on a Seine River Cruise

One great way to get off your feet and see some iconic Paris sites is on a Seine River Cruise. We have taken this 1-hour Seine River Cruise that leaves from right near the base of the Eiffel Tower which makes it a perfect cruise for this 48-hour Paris itinerary.

On these Seine River Cruises, you’ll pass iconic Parisian sites like Notre Dame, the Louvre, and Musee d’Orsay plus a variety of iconic bridges.

The river cruise we have taken is a no-frills basic river cruise with an audio guide explaining things you are passing. However, if you are interested in a bit of a nicer experience, there are loads of unique Seine River Cruises to choose from.

If you are traveling with a small group, you may want to consider booking a private boat ride on the Seine. This private 1.5-hour boat tour of the Seine can accommodate groups of up to 5 people and is guaranteed to be a MUCH more intimate experience than the larger Seine River cruises.

Or there are other cruises to choose from like a dinner cruise with live music, a Seine River Cruise with a champagne tasting, or even a private tour of Paris in a vintage car with a Seine River Cruise included!

I don’t think a river cruise is a necessity when in Paris, however, if you love a good boat ride then you may want to fit one into your itinerary right here.

5. Stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries

 Jardin des Tuileries is a public garden between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde with tree-lined walkways, benches, eateries, a carousel, and a pretty sweet playground (which FYI if you are traveling with kids, be sure to check out my guide to playgrounds in Paris).

It’s a nice area to walk through to get away from some of the noise that comes with visiting a large city like Paris.

We picked up some galettes and crepes from Rosa Bonheur la Crêperie in Jardin des Tuileries and we felt like it was a perfect little stop. For some reason, the reviews on Google aren’t great, but my goat cheese and veggie galette was SO good.

One ride on the carousel costs €2.50, which I feel like is a fair price for a nice little Parisian carousel ride.

You will also find the Musée de l’Orangerie on the edge of Jardin des Tuileries. This museum is home to one of my favorite exhibits of Monet’s ‘Water Lilies’. The exhibit features two, large circular white rooms with Monet’s ‘Water Lilies’ stretched around the entire room with some benches in the middle.

There are additional exhibits in the museum as well, but if you want to just see Monet’s Water Lilies you can make this a very quick stop. We were able to purchase tickets at the door easily.

6. Admire the Louvre Pyramid (or book a quick tour)

I’m not crazy enough to suggest that you have enough time to fit a proper visit to the Louvre into this itinerary to see Paris in 48 hours. However, you definitely will have time to walk past the Louvre and snap a pic or two with the iconic Louvre pyramid.

If you’re feeling up to it and seeing the inside of the Louvre is important to you- then have at it! But be sure to do your research to know how and where you want to spend your time.

I’d actually recommend booking this 1.5-hour guided tour of the Louvre (private and group options available) that will whisk you through the museum to see some of the most popular art pieces (think ‘Mona Lisa’, ‘Raft of the Medusa’ and ‘Venus de Milo’) along with other hidden gems along the way.

Or if you want to spend a bit longer there, you can book this 3-hour private tour of the Louvre. If you’re traveling as a family, you may consider this private Louvre tour for kids and families– I’m sure it’s a much better way to help your kids enjoy their experience at the Louvre. There are even multiple tour length options for the family tour that you can check out here.

7. Snap a pic at Colonnes de Buren/Les Deux Plateaux

One of my favorite quick stops in Paris is to snap a pic at the Colonnes de Buren also known as Les Deux Plateaux. This is an awesome open-air art installation comprised of striped black and white columns of varying heights across a large open courtyard.

The columns are located within a former French royal palace from the 1600s, however, the columns are a public, modern art piece constructed in 1985/86.

This art installation is located just a 5-minute walk from the Louvre, but it’s a bit hidden making it easy to miss. If you’re traveling with kids, they’ll love playing on the columns- which is welcome!

8. Take in the Views of Paris from Sacré-Coeur in Montmartre

As I’ve mentioned multiple times by now- I love a good view and the view from Sacré-Coeur is pretty great. You can also access the church for free if you want to explore the inside.

Sacré-Coeur is a beautifully unique basilica from the 1800s and from the front of the building you have a massive view of Paris. If you want to see the Eiffel Tower, you’ll need to climb the 300 steps to the dome of Sacré-Coeur. We haven’t done that, but I’m sure it’s great.

You can also get a sneak peek of the Eiffel Tower near Sacré-Coeur if you head over to a nearby street and peek through a fence.

If you are approaching Sacré-Coeur from the front, you will either need to climb 200+ steps or take an easy and fast ride on the funicular. The funicular takes the same tickets as the busses and metro in Paris and if needed, you can purchase tickets at the ticket office right there.

One downside to the Sacré-Coeur area is that there are a lot of people illegally hawking trinkets which I really don’t like- but if you just avoid them, you’ll have a good time. Just something to keep in mind to have proper expectations.

9. Watch the artists paint at Place du Tertre

Place du Tertre is a small square, picturesque square just a few minutes walk from Sacré-Coeur in Montmartre. In the 1800s, the area of Montmarte had very affordable rent which made it a safe haven for many struggling artists.

Some of the famous artists who lived in Montmartre include Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent van Gogh.

Nowadays, you can experience watching amazing artists at their stalls in Place du Tertre. There are artists offering up their services to draw or paint your portrait and there are artists selling art they have painted from around Paris or artists who are currently painting that you can watch.

If you want to catch the artists in Place du Tertre, you can expect them to be out from about 10 am-dusk. They begin to pack up as it gets dark so make sure you get there in time!

It’s a really fun atmosphere and I would have loved to have taken home an original painting but alas, maybe next time. Many (if not all) of the artists have cardboard tubes you can purchase to safely transport your art home.

Be sure to stop by Biscuiterie de Montmartre for some amazing macarons, madeleines, and other cookies. Place du Tertre is also lined with cute French restaurants and cafes which I”ll talk about more below.

10. Try traditional French cuisine for Dinner at one of the restaurants at Place du Tertre

By this time you’ll be needing some food and there are loads of traditional French restaurants to choose from in/near Place du Tertre. Honestly, many of the restaurants seemed to have very similar menus, but I’m sure some are unique.

We ate at one of the restaurants in the middle of the square with open-air seating. We sat next to the edge where we could easily watch an artist draw a young woman’s portrait. It was so interesting to sit there long enough to watch the entire process and see the portrait come together beautifully.

If you are looking for a quick bite rather than a sit-down restaurant then I recommend Carette. We picked up some quiche, galettes, and crepes from Carette in Place du Tertre when we visited Paris with kids and it was a perfect way to get a quick bite to eat.

Top Tips for Visiting Paris in Two Days

For an in-depth article about the top things to know before visiting Paris, you can check out my post: 27 Essential Paris Travel Tips: Things to Know Before Traveling to Paris. But here I will give you a quick roundup of that post.

• Purchase a transit pass to make using buses and the metro super easy. We used the Navigo Easy Travel Card but the Paris Visite Travel Pass is also a good option.
• Consider taking the bus instead of the metro- this way you’ll be able to see the city even while on public transit. I love taking the bus in Paris.
• Be polite and greet everyone with ‘bonjour’. Trust me, it’s a delight and it will help you have the best experience possible in Paris.
• Be aware of scammers in high-touristy areas. Especially around the base of the Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Cœur, and near the Louvre. The first time I encountered scammers I could feel it really putting a damper on my experience in Paris. So just know they will be there, recognize and avoid, and move on with a good attitude.
• Spring and Fall are the best time to visit Paris to avoid extra-large crowds. You can expect peak crowds in July, August, and December.
• If you’re a big Disney fan, Disneyland Paris is only about a 45-minute train ride from central Paris. Check out my guide to Disneyland Paris to see if a day trip will work for you. I even have a guide to planning a day trip to Disneyland Paris that has all of the information you need.

Check out these other posts, I know you’ll love them:

• 27 Essential Paris Travel Tips: Things to Know Before Traveling to Paris
• How to Plan a Day Trip to Disneyland Paris + 2 Example Itineraries
• The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Paris with a Toddler: Things to Do + Top Tips
• 15 Essential Tips for Disneyland Paris Planning
• 10 Fun Playgrounds in Paris Near Top Paris Attractions

And those are my recommendations for things to see in Paris in 2 days. We loved our 2-day Paris itinerary and I think you will too. Let me know in the questions below if you have any questions about things to do in Paris in 2 days! I’m happy to help if I can.

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