Paris, je t’aime. Where do I even begin? The first time I visited Paris, I was 15. Young, naive, and way less “cultured” than I am now. Since then, I’ve learned French, traveled on my own, and developed an appreciation obsession with all things French style and food. I’ve been dying to go back to Paris for years, so when I happened to be in London this summer, the opportunity to take the Eurostar to the City of Love was simply too good to pass up.
I’ll be honest, I was a little nervous because I heard so many stereotypes about this city. It’s polarizing — some people love it, others think it’s overrated. But of course, being the skeptic I am, I was hesitant to believe them and wanted to explore the city for myself. And I’m so glad I did, because Paris proved me wrong in every single way possible. The food? Delicious. The shopping? Incredible — especially with the Euro going down compared to dollar. The people? So, so friendly. Even the metro was easy to navigate! I found myself dreading my train back to London because I kept wishing I could stay longer — and I love London!
I don’t think any amount of time will be enough for Paris, but if you only have 48 hours, keep reading for the ultimate itinerary to make the most of your stay!
General Tips
- Location is everything! To maximize your trip, it’s so important that you stay in a central location so that you don’t waste time commuting. Things are farther than you think, and picking a hotel in an arrondissement that’s easily accessible will save you a lot of trouble (and make your time in Paris more memorable). Time is precious, and the last thing you want is wasting unnecessary minutes finding your way somewhere when you could’ve spent that time exploring.
- Look up exact addresses of where you’re going and map it out ahead of time in case you lose WiFi or cell service. I didn’t have an international data plan so relied mostly on preloading Google Maps at the hotel prior to heading out for the day. Planning out my day in advance allowed me to hit up all the spots on my list in the most time-efficient manner.
- Public transportation will be your best friend. The Paris metro system is incredibly easy to navigate and in most cases, the cheapest and fastest way to get to your destination. I found Ubers to be inconsistent, and taxis were hit or miss depending on your location. Popular spots usually have a bunch of taxis waiting outside but with traffic, taking the metro will oftentimes be quicker.
- Learn some basic French. Greeting people in their native language is a sign of respect and a great way to connect with the local culture. Even saying bonjour and merci can go a long way.
- Book restaurants in advance. With travel opening back up, places are crowded! Reservations fill up super fast so if there’s a place you really want to try, be sure to look at least a month ahead for popular restaurants and check back often to see if a spot opens up.
- Get to crowded places early and take advantage of the late sunset. Popular photo spots are packed as early as 8am, but with sunset at 10pm in the summer, you have an entire day to squeeze in activities.
Itinerary
When traveling to a new city, I like to arrive in the evening so that I can relax and settle in with a nice meal before hitting the ground running the next day. I ended up taking a train from London that got in around 8pm, and was super excited that my blogger bestie Brittney was joining me on this girls trip. Our first choice restaurant Girafe was booked solid for months, so we snagged a late dinner reservation at Le Ciel de Paris, located inside the Montparnasse Tower — one of the best vantage points of the city. The Eiffel Tower also sparkles for five minutes at the beginning of each hour once it gets dark, and since sunset wasn’t until 10pm, we timed our reservation so that we were able to catch the entire thing from high up in the sky. Truly one of the most magical pinch-me moments of my life!
The next morning, we got up bright and early and headed over to Rue de l’Université to get the iconic shot of the Eiffel Tower. And by early… I mean early. This place is packed starting at 7:30am and only gets busier from there. Luckily, our hotel was only a quick 10 minute walk away (like I said, location is key!) so we showed up at 7am and had the entire street to ourselves. The street is long, but you want to be at the very end close to Champ de Mars. Other spots to see the Eiffel Tower are Avenue de Camoens and Trocadero.
From there, head over to the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood and explore the charming streets and boutiques. Grab a bite to eat at Cafe de Flore or Les Deux Magots, two historic and popular cafes. And of course, since you’re in Paris, you must stop by Pierre Hermé and get some macarons! The ispahan is officially my favorite dessert ever — a pink macaron sandwich with rose and lychee cream and fresh raspberries… my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
We got our pastries to-go and enjoyed them at Jardin du Luxembourg, a peaceful park just a short walk away. This park is so tranquil and the perfect place to have a picnic or curl up with a book. It’s easy to lose track of time and spend the entire morning here!
Paris is full of delicious local bistros so you can’t really go wrong with any of them for lunch. Be sure to try french onion soup and fuel up on food for an afternoon at the museum! You can easily spend days in Paris exploring museums alone, but with such a short amount of time, I recommend sticking to just one. The Louvre is a must-see for first timers, but if you have some flexibility, Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie are fantastic as well. I’d been to the Louvre before but not the other two, and while I would’ve loved to see the exhibits, sadly I couldn’t make it work this time around. But you bet I’ll be back again!
For an afternoon pick-me-up, Cafe Marly is located right across from the Louvre and is a great place for people watching. Palais-Royal is also super close by and such a fun backdrop for photos!
In the evening, make your way over to the whimsical neighborhood of Montmartre. I really wish I had more time to explore this area because it’s just so darn cute. Sacré Coeur is a beautiful church located on top of a hill — definitely worth getting a ticket and going inside if you haven’t been before!
For dinner, stop by the one and only Pink Mamma. I’d heard raving reviews about this restaurant and trust me, it did not disappoint. We ordered some drinks, the octopus carpaccio, and the truffle pasta (their most famous dish!) and I still dream about them to this day.
The next day (your last morning in Paris, sad!), take a stroll along the Seine, perhaps stopping by Pont Alexandre III or the bouquinistes by the quais. Bambini is a great place to grab brunch, and if you have time, visit the Notre Dame to wrap up your stay.
As the saying goes, Paris is always a good idea. There’s always something new and exciting to explore just around the corner, and I for one know I’ll be counting down the days until I can visit again.
Au revoir Paris, à bientôt ❤️
