Your 7-Day Art & History Immersion

If your ideal trip involves diving deep into history, losing yourself in museums, and soaking up centuries of culture, then consider this your essential guide.

This 7-day itinerary is meticulously crafted for the traveler who prioritizes iconic institutions with lesser-known treasures, minimizing travel time, and allowing space to truly experience the artistic soul and layered past of the City of Light.

Why This Itinerary is Your Perfect Paris Plan:

  • Art & History Focused: Prioritizes significant museums, landmarks, and neighborhoods.
  • Intelligently Paced: Groups sights logically to save time and prevent burnout.
  • Balanced Discovery: Mixes world-famous sites with hidden gems and atmospheric wandering.
  • Practical & Actionable: Includes booking tips, transport advice, and cost estimates.

Essential Prep for the Cultured Traveler: Your Pre-Trip Checklist




  • Paris Museum Pass (PMP):
    • Website: www.parismuseumpass.fr/
    • Pros: Covers entry to over 50 sites on this list (Louvre, Orsay, Versailles, Sainte-Chapelle, Cluny, Rodin, Conciergerie, Panthéon, Arc de Triomphe, etc.). Can save money if you visit enough included sites. Lets you skip ticket purchase lines. Available for 2, 4, or 6 consecutive days.
    • Cons: Crucially, you STILL need to book a free timed entry slot online in advance for most popular sites (Louvre, Orsay, Sainte-Chapelle, Versailles) even with the pass! Security lines are generally not skipped. Calculate if the cost (€62/2 days, €77/4 days, €92/6 days as of late 2023 – check current prices) is worth it based on individual entry fees below.
    • Verdict: Highly recommended for this itinerary’s intensity, especially a 4 or 6-day pass. Book those free time slots the moment you buy the pass!

  • Book EVERYTHING Online in Advance: Whether using the PMP or individual tickets, book timed-entry tickets/slots via the official websites listed below WEEKS or even MONTHS ahead, especially for peak season. This is non-negotiable for popular sites.

  • Navigate Like a Parisian: The Metro
    • The Metro is efficient and extensive. Use apps like Citymapper or Google Maps for real-time directions.
    • Tickets:
      • Navigo Découverte Pass: Best value for a full Mon-Sun week. Costs €5 initial purchase (for the physical card, bring a small passport-style photo 25x30mm) + €30.75 (as of late 2023) for a weekly Zone 1-5 pass (includes Versailles & airports). Buy at stations with ticket windows.
      • Navigo Easy Pass: A rechargeable card (€2 initial cost) where you can load single tickets (€2.15 each) or a carnet (book) of 10 tickets (€17.35). Good for shorter stays or less frequent travel.
      • Contactless Bank Card: You can now often tap a contactless card directly at the gates for single journeys.

  • Comfortable Footwear is Non-Negotiable: You’ll walk miles on cobblestones and through vast museum halls. Prioritize comfort!
  • Consider Guided Tours: For deeper context, book a historical walking tour (Le Marais, Latin Quarter, French Revolution themes via companies like Context Travel, Paris Walks, or GetYourGuide) or a specialized museum tour (especially helpful for the vast Louvre).

The Detailed Itinerary

(Note: Prices are approximate adult single entry as of 2024, check official sites for current costs. PMP = Paris Museum Pass accepted, but timed slot booking usually still required).

Day 1: Île de la Cité – Medieval Heart & Revolutionary Echoes

  • Morning (9:00 AM): Sainte-Chapelle
    • Website: www.sainte-chapelle.fr/en/
    • Focus: High Gothic architecture, breathtaking 13th-century stained glass. Aim for a sunny morning if possible.
    • Cost: €13.50 (PMP accepted). Timed entry booking essential.
    • Tip: Allow 45-60 minutes. Don’t rush the upper chapel experience.

  • Transition (10:15 AM): Walk
    • Directions: Sainte-Chapelle is adjacent to the Conciergerie (less than 1 min walk).

  • Late Morning (10:30 AM): Conciergerie
    • Website: www.paris-conciergerie.fr/en/
    • Focus: Medieval palace halls, French Revolution prison history (Marie Antoinette’s cell).
    • Cost: €13.50 (Combined ticket with Sainte-Chapelle available, PMP accepted). Timed entry recommended.
    • Tip: The “Histopad” augmented reality tablet (included) really brings the history to life. Allow 1-1.5 hours.

  • Lunch (12:00 PM): Île de la Cité / Left Bank
    • Options: Brasseries on the island (e.g., near Place Dauphine like Café Carette for pastries/light lunch) or cross Pont Neuf to the Left Bank for more choices.
    • Cost: €15-€25 for a casual lunch. Coffee approx. €2-€5.

  • Afternoon (1:30 PM): Notre Dame Cathedral (Exterior) & Crypte Archéologique
    • Website (Crypte): www.crypte.paris.fr/en
    • Focus: Admire the Gothic exterior resilience post-fire. Understand its historical context. Descend to the Crypt (under the square) to see Roman/medieval foundations.
    • Cost: Exterior viewing is free. Crypt entry €9 (PMP accepted).
    • Tip: Walk the perimeter. Notice the details on the portals and the flying buttresses. Check the official Notre Dame Rebuild website (restauration.notredamedeparis.fr/en/) for updates. Allow 1 hour for exterior + crypt.

  • Evening: Wander across Pont Neuf into the northern edge of the Latin Quarter or Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Soak in the atmosphere.


Day 2: The Louvre & Royal Perspectives

  • Morning (9:00 AM sharp): Louvre Museum
    • Website: www.louvre.fr/en
    • Focus: World-class collection spanning millennia. Don’t try to see it all! Select wings/periods. Must-sees: Winged Victory, Venus de Milo, Mona Lisa. Suggestions: Richelieu Wing (French Sculpture, Napoleon III Apartments), Sully Wing (Egyptian Antiquities, Medieval Louvre).
    • Cost: €22 (PMP accepted). TIMED ENTRY BOOKING ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL (even with PMP). Book far in advance.
    • Tip: Use the Carrousel du Louvre or Porte des Lions entrances if less crowded than the Pyramid (check current status). Allocate a minimum of 3-4 focused hours. Download the Louvre app or get a map.

  • Transition (1:00 PM): Walk
    • Directions: The Jardin des Tuileries is directly outside the Louvre (1 min walk).

  • Lunch (1:00 PM): Near the Louvre
    • Options: Café Marly (iconic view, pricey), cafes inside Carrousel du Louvre, bistros on Rue de Rivoli or Palais Royal arcades.
    • Cost: €20-€40+ depending on choice.

  • Afternoon (2:30 PM): Jardin des Tuileries & Place de la Concorde
    • Focus: Stroll through the formal gardens designed by Le Nôtre. Walk towards Place de la Concorde, noting the Luxor Obelisk and its revolutionary history (guillotine site).
    • Cost: Free.
    • Tip: Grab an ice cream from a kiosk on a sunny day. Enjoy the sculptures dotted throughout the garden.

  • Optional Late Afternoon (4:00 PM): Musée de l’Orangerie
    • Website: www.musee-orangerie.fr/en
    • Focus: Monet’s breathtaking, immersive Water Lilies (Nymphéas) murals, plus works by Renoir, Cézanne, Modigliani.
    • Cost: €12.50 (PMP accepted). Timed entry booking highly recommended.
    • Location: At the western end of the Tuileries Garden. Allow 1-1.5 hours.


Day 3: Impressionism, Rodin’s Passion & Left Bank Charm

  • Morning (9:30 AM): Musée d’Orsay
    • Website: www.musee-orsay.fr/en
    • Focus: World’s best Impressionist/Post-Impressionist collection in a stunning former train station. Top floor is key (Monet, Renoir, Degas). Don’t miss Van Gogh, Gauguin downstairs.
    • Cost: €16 (PMP accepted). Timed entry booking essential.
    • Tip: The building itself is a masterpiece. Check out the view through the giant clock face on the top floor. Allow 3 hours.

  • Transition (12:30 PM): Walk / Short Metro
    • Directions: Explore Saint-Germain-des-Prés directly around the museum, or walk towards Musée Rodin (approx. 15-20 min pleasant walk), or take Metro Line 12 from Solférino one stop to Rue du Bac and walk 5 min.

  • Lunch (12:30 PM): Saint-Germain-des-Prés
    • Options: Iconic (but busy/pricey) Les Deux Magots or Café de Flore, or countless charming bistros on side streets.
    • Cost: €18-€30 for lunch.

  • Afternoon (2:30 PM): Explore Saint-Germain-des-Prés
    • Focus: Wander the streets, browse bookshops (Shakespeare & Company nearby on the edge), art galleries. Soak in the literary history. See Saint-Germain-des-Prés Church (one of Paris’s oldest).
    • Cost: Free (unless you shop!).

  • Late Afternoon (4:00 PM): Musée Rodin
    • Website: www.musee-rodin.fr/en
    • Focus: Sculptures by Auguste Rodin in an elegant mansion and beautiful garden (“The Thinker,” “The Kiss,” “Gates of Hell”).
    • Cost: €14 (PMP accepted). Booking recommended.
    • Tip: The garden is wonderful on a nice day; allow time to wander both inside and out. Allow 1.5-2 hours.


Day 4: Le Marais – Aristocratic Splendor & Parisian History

  • Morning (10:00 AM): Place des Vosges & Maison de Victor Hugo
    • Website (Hugo): www.maisonsvictorhugo.paris.fr/en
    • Focus: Paris’s oldest planned square, stunning 17th-century architecture. Visit Hugo’s former apartment.
    • Cost: Place des Vosges is free. Maison de Victor Hugo permanent collection is free (temporary exhibitions may have a fee). Booking free timed entry online is wise.
    • Tip: Relax on a bench under the arcades. Allow 1 hour (including Hugo house quick visit).

  • Transition (11:00 AM): Walk
    • Directions: Musée Carnavalet is a pleasant 5-10 minute walk from Place des Vosges through the Marais streets.

  • Late Morning (11:15 AM): Musée Carnavalet – History of Paris
    • Website: www.carnavalet.paris.fr/en
    • Focus: History of Paris from prehistory to today, housed in two magnificent historic mansions. Highlights: French Revolution rooms, Belle Époque interiors, archaeological finds.
    • Cost: Permanent collection is free. Booking a free timed entry slot online is essential.
    • Tip: It’s vast! Maybe focus on periods of interest. Allow 2-2.5 hours. The gardens are lovely for a pause.

  • Lunch (1:45 PM): Le Marais
    • Options: Famous falafel on Rue des Rosiers (L’As du Fallafel – expect queues), traditional bistros, Jewish bakeries, chic cafes.
    • Cost: €10 (falafel) to €25+ (bistro).

  • Afternoon (2:45 PM): Wander Le Marais
    • Focus: Explore! Look for hôtels particuliers (private mansions), hidden courtyards (enter Hôtel de Sully from Place des Vosges for a shortcut & gorgeous courtyard), medieval remnants (Philippe Auguste wall near St Paul station), historical plaques. Visit Place du Marché Sainte-Catherine for a charming square.
    • Cost: Free.

  • Optional: Musée National Picasso-Paris (www.museepicassoparis.fr/en/), housed in Hôtel Salé. Cost: €14 (PMP accepted). Book ahead.


Day 5: Day Trip to Versailles – Royal Grandeur & Revolution’s Seed

  • Full Day (Start Early!): Palace and Gardens of Versailles
    • Website: en.chateauversailles.fr/
    • Getting There: Take RER Line C train from central Paris (e.g., St-Michel Notre-Dame, Musée d’Orsay, Invalides stations) towards Versailles Château – Rive Gauche. Journey takes approx. 40-60 mins. Cost: €4.15 each way (approx.) – included in Navigo Découverte Zone 1-5, not standard T+ tickets.
    • Focus: Hall of Mirrors, State Apartments (King’s/Queen’s), vast Gardens by Le Nôtre, Grand Canal, Petit Trianon, Queen’s Hamlet.
    • Cost: Palace ticket approx. €21; Passport ticket (Palace, Trianon Estate, Gardens incl. Musical Fountains/Gardens shows if running) approx. €28.50-€32 depending on day/shows (PMP covers basic Palace & Trianon access, may require supplement for show days – check site). TIMED ENTRY BOOKING FOR PALACE IS ESSENTIAL, EVEN WITH PMP. Book train tickets/check pass validity.
    • Tips: Allow the entire day. Wear very comfortable shoes. Consider renting a golf cart (€36+/hour approx.) or bikes in the gardens to cover more ground. Bring water/snacks or buy there (pricier). The Hamlet offers a fascinating contrast to the main Palace. Arrive before opening to minimize initial queues.

  • Lunch: Options inside Palace/Gardens (La Flottille on Grand Canal, Angelina café), or restaurants in Versailles town just outside the gates. Cost: €20-€40+.

  • Evening: Return to Paris via RER C. Simple dinner near your accommodation.


Day 6: Montmartre – Bohemian Soul & Sacred Heights




  • Morning (10:00 AM): Sacré-Cœur Basilica & Montmartre Exploration
    • Website (Basilica): www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/english/
    • Getting There: Metro Line 12 to Abbesses (note Art Nouveau entrance) or Line 2 to Anvers. Walk uphill or take the Funicular (uses one Metro ticket/pass).
    • Focus: Admire the Romano-Byzantine architecture, stunning panoramic Paris views from the parvis (steps). Explore inside the Basilica (free entry, respect silence).
    • Cost: Basilica entry free. Dome climb has a fee (approx. €8). Funicular cost = 1 Metro ticket.
    • Tip: Go relatively early to avoid the biggest crowds on the steps.

  • Late Morning (11:00 AM): Place du Tertre & Artistic Haunts
    • Focus: Wander the artists’ square (touristy but iconic). Explore quieter side streets (Rue de l’Abreuvoir, Rue Cortot) where artists lived. Look for the Lapin Agile cabaret, Moulin de la Galette (immortalized by Renoir).
    • Cost: Free (unless you buy art!).

  • Midday (12:30 PM): Musée de Montmartre
    • Website: museedemontmartre.fr/en/
    • Focus: History of Montmartre’s bohemian and artistic past in a historic building. Renoir Gardens offer lovely views and respite.
    • Cost: €15 (PMP not accepted). Booking advised.
    • Tip: A charming museum providing context to the neighborhood. Allow 1-1.5 hours.

  • Lunch (2:00 PM): Montmartre Bistro
    • Options: Find a traditional spot on Rue Lepic, Rue des Abbesses, or quieter side streets away from Place du Tertre.
    • Cost: €18-€30.

  • Afternoon: Descend the hill, perhaps past the Moulin Rouge (Pigalle area) for a photo op. Consider exploring the nearby covered passages (Galerie Vivienne, Passage des Panoramas near Grands Boulevards) for a different historical shopping vibe if time permits (Metro Line 8 or 9 to Grands Boulevards).


Day 7: Latin Quarter Deep Dive & Au Revoir Paris

  • Morning (10:00 AM): Musée de Cluny – National Museum of the Middle Ages
    • Website: www.musee-moyenage.fr/en/
    • Getting There: Metro Line 10 to Cluny-La Sorbonne or Line 4/RER B/C to Saint-Michel Notre-Dame.
    • Focus: Medieval art and history in a stunning Gothic townhouse built over Roman baths. Key highlight: “The Lady and the Unicorn” tapestries.
    • Cost: €12 (PMP accepted). Timed entry booking recommended.
    • Tip: Don’t miss the Roman bath ruins (frigidarium). Allow 1.5-2 hours.

  • Transition (12:00 PM): Walk
    • Directions: A short, pleasant uphill walk (approx. 10 mins) from Musée de Cluny to the Panthéon.

  • Late Morning (12:15 PM): Panthéon
    • Website: www.paris-pantheon.fr/en/
    • Focus: Imposing Neoclassical architecture, Foucault’s Pendulum, crypt holding tombs of French luminaries (Voltaire, Rousseau, Hugo, Curie, Dumas).
    • Cost: €13 (PMP accepted). Booking advised.
    • Tip: Stand under the central dome and contemplate the history. Check pendulum demonstration times if interested. Allow 1 hour.

  • Lunch (1:15 PM): Latin Quarter
    • Options: Cafes near the Sorbonne, bistros around Rue Mouffetard (market street), or near Luxembourg Gardens.
    • Cost: €15-€25.

  • Afternoon (2:30 PM): Final Parisian Moments
    • Options (depending on departure schedule):
      • Relax in the beautiful Jardin du Luxembourg (free).
      • Browse the iconic Shakespeare and Company bookstore (shakespeareandcompany.com/).
      • Visit/Climb the Arc de Triomphe (www.paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr/en/) for final views (Metro Lines 1, 2, 6 or RER A to Charles de Gaulle–Étoile). Cost: €16 (PMP accepted). Book climb slot.
      • Revisit a favorite spot or do last-minute souvenir shopping.


Tailoring Your Trip Further:

  • Monet Devotee? Swap a site for Musée Marmottan Monet (www.marmottan.fr/en/) in the 16th arr. (Metro Line 9 to La Muette). Holds world’s largest Monet collection. Cost: €14.
  • Decorative Arts Fan? Visit Musée des Arts Décoratifs (madparis.fr/en) adjacent to the Louvre. Cost: €15 (PMP accepted).

This itinerary is a detailed map, but the best discoveries often happen when you wander off-piste.

Allow yourself to be captivated by a hidden courtyard, linger over that café crème, or simply sit by the Seine and watch the bateaux mouches drift by. 
Paris richly rewards those who look closely and savor its unique blend of grandeur and intimacy.

Bon voyage et profitez bien de votre séjour artistique et historique! (Have a great trip and enjoy your artistic and historical stay!)