Four Days in Paris: an Unhurried Itinerary from Three Neighbourhoods

Four days is enough to get to know Paris, but not enough to see all of it. So this itinerary does not try to cover everything; instead, it gives each day a centre, a walk, a good meal and a place to come back to. The itinerary is built around three neighbourhoods in the heart of Paris.

Day one: the 2nd, the passages and the Opéra

Begin the morning at the Galerie Vivienne. With its mosaic floor and glass roof, this nineteenth-century passage is at its quietest early in the day. Not far away, the Bibliothèque nationale, Richelieu site, has reopened after its restoration, and the oval reading room is remarkably serene under its glass roof.

At noon, cross the gardens of the Palais-Royal, take in the striped columns of Buren, then go on to the Louvre. There is no need to see the Louvre all at once: choose one or two departments.

In the early evening, the Opéra Garnier is only a few steps from the 2nd. After the performance, walk slowly home through the night.

Highlights of the day: Galerie Vivienne, Palais-Royal, the Louvre, the Opéra.

Day two: boulevard Haussmann and the department stores

Keep the second day for shopping. From the 2nd, you are soon on boulevard Haussmann at the Galeries Lafayette and Printemps. Do not forget to look up at the painted glass dome of the Galeries Lafayette. Afterwards, go on to place Vendôme and rue Saint-Honoré for the windows of the great jewellery and fashion houses.

When the shopping bags multiply, there is no need to carry them all day: go back to the apartment, set them down, rest a little, then head out again for dinner.

Highlights of the day: the department stores of boulevard Haussmann, place Vendôme, rue Saint-Honoré.

Day three: the Left Bank, Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Cross the Seine to the Left Bank. Have a coffee on the terrace of the Café de Flore and watch the passers-by on the boulevard. Then visit the church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the church of Saint-Sulpice, and wander through bookshops, galleries and designers' boutiques.

In the afternoon, go to the Luxembourg garden and sit for a while on one of the green metal chairs. For something sweet, there is Pierre Hermé on rue Bonaparte. If you have time, the Musée d'Orsay, along the Seine, is also well worth a visit.

Highlights of the day: Café de Flore, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the Luxembourg garden.

Day four: the Upper Marais, an easy finish

Slow the pace on the last day. The Upper Marais, in the 3rd, is the neighbourhood where seventeenth-century aristocratic mansions have become museums: the Musée Picasso, and the Musée Carnavalet, which tells the history of Paris. For lunch, go to the Marché des Enfants Rouges, the oldest covered market in Paris, where stalls of cuisines from many countries stand side by side.

In the afternoon, wander into galleries and concept stores as you please, without a map and without hurrying.

Highlights of the day: Musée Picasso, Musée Carnavalet, Marché des Enfants Rouges.

Why stay in an apartment

On a four-day trip, what tires you most is often not the sights but returning each night to a cramped hotel room. Our apartments have two to four bedrooms, all with air conditioning and fully equipped kitchens, and spacious living rooms suited to families or friends staying together. Our concierge service runs seven days a week and the team can be reached at any time: restaurant bookings, airport transfers and last-minute requests can all be arranged.

Everyday becomes theatre. To browse the apartments by neighbourhood, see the neighbourhood pages, or view the whole collection. For a day devoted to shopping and photography, see our shopping and photography guide.

The ACT 3 Team