48-hour destination guide
48 Hours in Paris: A Neighborhood Itinerary
Pick your Paris — the Marais, the Left Bank, Montmartre, the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower — and settle in.
Paris is split by the Seine. The Right Bank holds the Louvre, the Marais, the Opéra, the Champs-Élysées, Canal Saint-Martin and Montmartre on its hill; the Left Bank has Saint-Germain, the Latin Quarter and the Eiffel Tower. Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle sit on Île de la Cité between them, and Versailles is a train ride west. The Métro and RER link it all. Many museums close Monday or Tuesday. Confirm hours before you go; we do not invent them here.
Where to base — pick a neighborhood
Each card opens a full neighborhood guide: gallery, mini 48H plan, named recommendations, and specific places to stay.
Le Marais
Place des Vosges, the Picasso museum and the history of Paris.
Shoppers, art lovers and first-timers.
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Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Left Bank cafés, the old abbey church and the Musée d’Orsay.
Couples, café lovers and art fans.
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Montmartre
Sacré-Cœur, Place du Tertre and the hilltop village.
Romantics, photographers and repeat visitors.
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Latin Quarter & Île de la Cité
The Panthéon, Notre-Dame and the Sorbonne streets.
Students, history fans and budget-minded travellers.
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Louvre & Tuileries
The Louvre, the Tuileries garden and Rue de Rivoli.
First-timers and museum lovers.
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Eiffel Tower & Invalides
The Eiffel Tower, the Champ de Mars and the Rodin museum.
Families and first-timers.
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Canal Saint-Martin
Iron footbridges, locks and canal-side bars.
Younger travellers and repeat visitors.
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Champs-Élysées
The Arc de Triomphe and the avenue.
Luxury travellers and shoppers.
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Opéra & Grands Boulevards
The Palais Garnier and the department stores.
Shoppers and first-timers.
Open neighborhood guide →
Versailles
The château, the Hall of Mirrors and the gardens.
History lovers and garden fans.
Open neighborhood guide →
Day 1: The islands and the Louvre
Cathedral, chapel, museum.
08:00 – Notre-Dame de Paris
Free entry.
10:30 – Sainte-Chapelle
Book ahead.
14:00 – Musée du Louvre
Not Tuesdays.
Day 2: Left Bank to the tower
Orsay, Rodin, tower.
09:30 – Musée d’Orsay
Not Mondays.
13:30 – Musée Rodin
Not Mondays.
17:00 – Eiffel Tower
Book timed tickets.
Optional day trips
Add at most one. Stacking both usually costs you the city day.
Versailles
Full day
The château and Hall of Mirrors, then the gardens and the Trianon estate (opens at noon). Closed Mondays.
How to get there: RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche; check RER schedules.
FAQ
- Where should I stay in Paris for 48 hours?
- First visit: Louvre & Tuileries, the Marais or Saint-Germain. Families: Eiffel Tower. Budget and history: the Latin Quarter. Village feel: Montmartre. Local nights out: Canal Saint-Martin. Luxury: Champs-Élysées or Opéra. Add Versailles as a day trip or an overnight.
- Do I need a car?
- No. The Métro, RER and buses cover the city, and the RER C reaches Versailles.
- Are stay links affiliate links?
- Hotel stays use Roam48’s Expedia Creator tracked links; each neighborhood also has a Vrbo vacation-rental search. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Links use rel=sponsored nofollow.