Paris itinerary in 7 days

Described as the most romantic city in the world, Paris has an unparalleled charm that attracts more than 20 million foreigners from all over the world every year. The French capital offers so many attractions. And let's not forget French cuisine, a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2010.

There are also places so iconic, made famous by films, artists and photographers, that they must be visited at least once in a lifetime: the irreverent Montmartre district, the Lafayettes department store, the Champs Elisèes and a bateau-mouche experience on the Seine. Here's the Paris itinerary in 7 days.

Day 1: Montmartre, Luxembourg Gardens, Latin Quarter, Montparnasse Tower

Start with one of the most characteristic and atmospheric areas of Paris, the Butte (hill) of Monmartre, a favourite haunt of decadent artists that can be reached on foot (222 steps!) or by funicular. Go to the famous Café des 2 Moulins made famous by the film'The Fabulous World of Amelie', where you can choose to have breakfast. Stroll around some iconic sites such as the Moulin Rouge and the Sacré Coeur Basilica.
Before heading down, have lunch at Tentazioni rue Lepic (€30.00).

Take metro 12 (from Abbesses, stop Notre-Dame des Champs, 32') to the Luxembourg Gardens, 224,500 sqm of public gardens with fountains, monuments, merry-go-rounds... created in 1621. In 10 minutes on foot (via Rue Soufflot and Rue Saint-Jacques) you are in the Latin Quarter whose heart is the famous Sorbonne University.
With metro line 4 (from Odeon) in 15 minutes you will reach the Montparnasse Tower (9am-11.30pm, €15.00), a lift that will take you almost 200 metres high in 38 seconds for a spectacular view.

End the day with dinner at Croccante, an Italian restaurant (€25.00).

In summary:

• Distance travelled: 17.2 km

• Places visited: Monmartre(free tour in Italian), Moulin Rouge (free exterior or show with dinner), Sacre Coeur Basilica (free Basilica, dome €6.00, dome + crypt €8.00), Café des 2 Moulins (free), Luxembourg Gardens (free), Latin Quarter (free), Montparnasse Tower (€15.00)

• Daily expense: €100.00

• Where to eat: Lunch at Tentazioni rue Lepic(Get directions), Dinner at Croccante(Get directions)

Day 2: Louvre, Champ Elysèes, Arc de Triomphe

Devote the morning to the Marais district, home to the city's heritage sites such as the Hotel de Ville (City Hall), the Hotel Carnavalet, Place des Vosges and, above all, the Louvre, which will occupy you all morning and early afternoon due to its size and the myriad of works it contains. Lunch at Calife (€30.00).

After lunch, at the Louvre - Rivoli stop, take metro line 1 to the Champs Elysèes, one of the widest avenues in Paris, a good 1,914 metres long with restaurants, souvenir shops but also designer boutiques and offices. To the east is Place de la Concorde with the Egyptian obelisk and the Fontaine des Fleveus.
At the Franklin D. Roosevelt stop, take metro 1 to reach another symbol of the city, theArc de Triomphe, built in 1806 by Napoleon and where you can climb to the 50-metre-high terrace to admire the city from above; a truly impressive sight at night!

Dinner at Sir Winston 's (€20.00).

At a glance:

• Distance travelled: 8.5 km

• Places visited: Marais district (free), Louvre(ticket with scheduled entry €17.00 or entry with guided tour in Italian €65.00), Champ Elysèes (free), Arc de Triomphe(priority entry to the top €13.00)

• Daily expense: €70.00

• Where to eat: Lunch at Calife(Get directions), Dinner at Sir Winston(Get directions)

Day 3: Disneyland Paris

A day to delight the little ones. And even if you don't have children with you, step back in time and enjoy a full day of fun at Disneyland Paris, Europe's most visited theme park.
Take the RER train at Chateau Les Halles, direction Marne La Vallèe - Disneyland and get off at the terminus (about a 40-minute journey), €7.60 each way.

Disneyland consists of 2 parks: Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park, plus a large area with restaurants, shops and cinemas called Disney Village, a golf course and a number of hotels.

Disneyland Park is divided into 5 thematic areas: Main Street U.S.A., a reconstruction of a typical American town in the early 1900s; Frontierland, inspired by the American 1800s; Adventureland, on classic adventure themes such as exploration; Fantasyland, dedicated to the great classics such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Back in town, dine at Champeaux 's (€50.00).

At a glance:

• Distance travelled: 35.4 km

• Places visited: Disneyland Paris (full price from €62.00, reduced price from €40.00)

• Daily expense: €190.00

• Where to eat: Dinner at Champeaux(Get directions)

Day 4: Orsay Museum, Tuileries Gardens, Cruise

Photo by Francesco Falconetti. Morning at the Musée d'Orsay, housed in an old railway station and containing the most famous masterpieces of Impressionism such as Degas' Little Dancer. To avoid wasting too much time in the queue, we suggest the ticket with reserved entry or the guided tour with priority access.
Then treat yourself to a few relaxing hours at the nearby Tuileries Gardens. The oldest garden in Paris is a beautiful, square, geometric French-style garden dating back to the 17th century. Inside are two museums: the Galerie Nationale du Jeu de Paume (contemporary art and photography) and the Musèe de l'Orangerie (impressionism and post-impressionism).
Have lunch in the gardens at La Terrasse de Pomone (€25.00).

After lunch, enjoy a romantic panoramic cruise on the Seine. You will enjoy views of Notre-Dame Cathedral and the arches of the Bastille (boat trip approx. 2½ hours, from €20.00).
You will disembark at La Villette, a park so large that it is considered a small town in itself where there are folies, 26 futuristic buildings and numerous areas dedicated to music: Philarmonie, Cité de la Musique, Zènith, Trabendo and the Grande Halle de la Villette.

Dinner at Paname Brewing Company (€22.00).

At a glance:

• Distance travelled: 11.3 km

• Places visited: Musée d'Orsay (€16.00), Tuileries gardens (free), Seine cruise (€16.00), La Villette park (free entry, you only pay if you attend concerts or events)

• Daily expense: €95.00

• Where to eat: Lunch at La Terrasse de Pomone(Get directions), Dinner at Paname Brewing Company(Get directions)

Day 5: Palace of Versailles, Opera Garnier, Eiffel Tower

Half-day excursion to Versailles.
Take the RER line C to Versailles Chateau Rive Gauche, approximately €4.00 each way or with package including transfer from Paris, skip-the-line ticket and audio guide (approximately €75.00).
The Palace of Versailles, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is 63,154 square metres in size and contains more than 2,300 objects of art and furniture. During the visit, don't miss the Hall of Mirrors, the Grand Trianon annexe, and the Rococo-style Petit Trianon. The visit is completed in the immense gardens occupying an area of 815 hectares.
Lunch at Le Bistrot Du 11 (€40.00).

Return to the city in the afternoon and visit theOpera Garnier, a theatre designed by Charles Garnier in 1861. The décor is in the Second Empire style and the exterior is full of statues and columns.

At this point, take the metro line 8 (from Opéra - 7 stops and get off at École Militaire) to reach the symbol of symbols of Paris, the Eiffel Tower. Visited by an average of 6 million people every year to admire the breathtaking panorama of the Ville Lumière, the city's tallest building is home to the chic 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant (€75.00) where we recommend you treat yourself to a star-studded dinner.

At a glance:

• Distance travelled: 33.3 km

• Places visited: Palace of Versailles(priority tickets from €20.00), Opera Garnier(entrance fee €14.00), Eiffel Tower(priority entrance to the top from €56.00)

• Daily expense: €180.00

• Where to Eat: Lunch at Le Bistrot Du 11(Get directions), Dinner at 58 Tour Eiffel Restaurant(Get directions)

Day 6: Pére-Lachaise, Notre-Dame, Hôtel national des Invalides, Rodin Museum

It may sound macabre, but in Paris you must visit Père Lachaise (8am-6pm), the most visited cemetery in the world where a large number of historical and famous people are buried: Jim Morrison, Maria Callas, Edith Piaf, Chopin, Oscar Wilde, Marcel Proust, Gioacchino Rossino, to name a few(guided tour from €20.00).
Return to the centre (Metro line 3 or 11 from Gambetta) and visit another symbol of Paris, the majestic Notre-Dame cathedral.

Have lunch at Le Petit Châtelet (€40.00) and then take the RER C from Saint-Michel Notre-Dame and get off at Invalides to admire theHôtel national des Invalides, a huge complex of Baroque buildings built in the 17th century to house invalid soldiers. Today it houses the Weapons Museum.
At the back of the Invalides, you'll find the Rodin Museum (10am-6.30pm), dedicated to the sculptor-painter Auguste Rodin and located in a splendid palace with a park-garden.

Dine at Zagara (€23.00).

At a glance:

• Distance travelled: 12.5 km

• Places visited: Pére-Lachaise(€20.00 guided tour), Notre-Dame Cathedral (cannot be visited inside), Hôtel national des Invalides(€14.00 priority entrance), Rodin Museum(€14.00 entrance fee)

• Daily expense: €105.00

• Where to eat: Lunch at Le Petit Châtelet(Get directions), Dinner at Da Zagara(Get directions)

Day 7: Castles of Vaux le Vicomte and Fontainebleau

Devote the last day of your Parisian stay to two castles outside the city.
Start at the Château de Vaux le Vicomte (50 km from the city and reachable by shuttle (Paris - Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte - Château de Fontainebleau), by train (from Paris-Gare de Lyon to Melun and from Melun shuttle to the château) or by a guided tour from Paris of both castles (from €105.00 transfer included).

It is, to date, the largest private estate in France. Fascinated by such opulence and envious of such a masterpiece, the young Sun King sentenced his minister to life imprisonment and was inspired by this castle to build Versailles.
Have lunch at Le Relais de l'Ecu reuil (€25.00).

Continue your day of châteaux and take the shuttle bus to Château Fontainebleau (9.30am-6pm), the residence that has hosted all of France's greatest rulers such as François I, Henri IV and Napoleon who have enlarged and embellished it over the centuries. The castle is set in 30 hectares of gardens, extended by an 80-hectare park.
Return to town on the Transilien train and dine locally in the luxurious Le Train bleu (€70.00).

At a glance:

• Distance travelled: 24.7 km

• Places visited: Vaux le Vicomte Castle (€16.50+€3.00 audio guide), Fontainebleau Castle (€11.50)

• Daily expense: €150.00

• Card, tickets and recommended tours : Castles of Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte: tours from Paris

• Where to eat: Lunch at Le Relais de l'Ecureuil(Get directions), Dinner at Le Train bleu(Get directions)

How much does a week in Paris cost

NB: The prices in the table above are per person.

Paris is certainly a very expensive city, especially for eating and sleeping.
The only consolation is that, with Ryanair and Easyjet, you manage to get good deals on flights, an expense which, therefore, balances the budget.
Entrances to museums and various attractions are also rather expensive, the most convenient and optimal solution is to buy one of the many passes(also bookable online) choosing, if possible, the one that includes public transport. Transport is in fact indispensable in Paris; the city is really immense and it is unthinkable to move around without using it.

Thanks to the very efficient metro, you can decide to sleep and stay even in areas a little off the beaten track to save a little.
For eating, even if you settle for bistros, don't expect to go below an average of €25.00 (a small bottle of water costs around €3.90).

N.B. Under 25s there are free admissions to all attractions and 'skip the line' lanes.

• Cheap flights: from €26.00

• Where to stay: Hotels and B&Bs from €60.00 per room

• Card, tickets and recommended tours: bus tour, cruise and lunch at the Eiffel Tower Louvre Museum: ticket with hourly entry Versailles and Trianon: priority ticket and Audiopen

• Total cost for one week, including flights: from €1,050.00 per person

Before you go: useful tips

• When to visit Paris: generally always, but from mid-May to mid-September the weather tends to be better.

• Getting there: the reference airports are Charles de Gaulle (25 km from the centre, 35 min by train line b+metro, €8.00 or bus Roissybus, €13.70), Orly (15 km, 40 min by shuttle+train line b, €12.00 or bus Orlybus 35 min, €8.00). Some low-cost airlines land at Beauvais Tillé (108 km, 1 hr 15 min by bus, €15.90 per ride) - Private transfer to/from airport from €20.00 per person

• Where to stay: the city is well-connected, but there are neighbourhoods that are really well located: Le Marais, Latino, Opèra/Grands Boulevards, Bastille, Saint-Germain-des-Pres, Montmartre, Passy - Hotels and B&Bs from €60.00 per room.

• Getting around: the most practical and fastest way is the metro, 16 lines running from 5:30am to 1:20am. The price varies according to zone. We recommend buying ticket carnets or, better still, cards.