Trip Overview
Weather
Paris has four distinct seasons. Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–November) offer mild temperatures of 12–20°C, making them ideal for sightseeing. Summers (July–August) can reach 30°C, while winters are cold and grey with temperatures around 3–8°C. Light layers and a compact umbrella are always advisable.
Getting Around
The Paris Métro is the most efficient way to get around, with 16 lines covering the entire city. A single ticket costs €2.15, or a Navigo Easy card loaded with a carnet of 10 tickets saves money. Taxis and Uber are available for evening travel. Walking is highly recommended in central arrondissements.
Best Time to Visit
Late April to early June and September to October are the best times to visit. The weather is pleasant, crowds are smaller than peak summer, and iconic gardens are in bloom. February can also be romantic and less crowded.
Travel Tips
- •Book tickets for the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Palace of Versailles well in advance online to skip long queues.
- •The Paris Museum Pass covers 50+ museums and monuments — a great value for couples planning multiple cultural visits.
- •Many Parisian restaurants close between 14:30 and 19:00; plan lunch and dinner reservations accordingly to avoid disappointment.
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Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1
Icons of Paris — The Eiffel Quarter & Seine at Sunset
Café de Flore
One of Paris's most legendary literary cafés in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Café de Flore has hosted Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Picasso. The classic Parisian breakfast — croissant, tartine, and café crème — is the perfect romantic start to the trip. The red interior and zinc bar create an atmosphere steeped in Parisian history.
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Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel)
The ultimate symbol of Paris and one of the world's most visited monuments, the Eiffel Tower stands 330 metres tall on the Champ de Mars. Couples can ascend to the second floor or the summit for breathtaking panoramic views of the city. Early morning visits are recommended to beat the crowds and experience the iron lattice in golden morning light.
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Le Jules Verne Restaurant
Perched on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, Le Jules Verne is a Michelin-starred restaurant offering contemporary French cuisine with unrivalled views over Paris. Chef Frédéric Anton's tasting menus celebrate seasonal French produce with artistic presentation. Advance booking is essential, and it is considered one of the most romantic dining experiences in the world.
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Champ de Mars
The sweeping green park beneath the Eiffel Tower is a quintessentially romantic Parisian spot for an afternoon stroll or a picnic. The wide lawn offers postcard-perfect views of the tower from ground level and is a favourite gathering place for locals and couples. Grabbing a bottle of wine and some cheese from a nearby shop and reclining on the grass is a classic Parisian experience.
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Seine River Dinner Cruise (Bateaux Parisiens)
A dinner cruise along the Seine River is arguably the most romantic way to spend an evening in Paris. Bateaux Parisiens departs from the Port de la Bourdonnais near the Eiffel Tower, gliding past Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and Musée d'Orsay while couples enjoy a three-course French dinner with live music. The illuminated monuments at night create an unforgettable atmosphere.
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Day 2
Art, History & Montmartre Magic
Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre)
The world's largest art museum and a historic monument, the Louvre houses over 35,000 works including the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory of Samothrace. Booking tickets in advance and arriving at opening time significantly reduces waiting time at the iconic glass pyramid entrance. Couples can wander the Denon Wing for Renaissance masterpieces or share the awe of the Egyptian Antiquities section.
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Café Marly
Café Marly is one of Paris's most stylish lunch spots, located in the Richelieu wing of the Louvre with a stunning terrace overlooking the glass pyramid and the palace's Cour Napoléon. The French brasserie-style menu includes excellent tartares, croque-monsieurs, and seasonal salads. The interior is all gilded Empire-style décor, making it feel like dining inside the museum itself.
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Palais Royal Gardens
Just steps from the Louvre, the Palais Royal Gardens are a serene, elegant escape from the city's bustle — an enclosed colonnaded garden with symmetrical pathways, fragrant roses, and the famous black-and-white striped Colonnes de Buren art installation. The arcaded galleries surrounding the garden house boutique perfumers, antique dealers, and discreet restaurants. It is a beautifully calm and photogenic Parisian spot.
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Montmartre & Sacré-Cœur Basilica
The hilltop village of Montmartre is Paris's most bohemian and visually captivating neighbourhood, crowned by the white-domed Sacré-Cœur Basilica offering panoramic views over the city. The winding cobblestone streets, Place du Tertre with its portrait artists, and ivy-covered buildings give the area a timeless charm. Visiting late afternoon means catching golden-hour light across the Parisian rooftops, a favourite moment for couples.
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Le Relais de la Butte
Tucked into the slopes of Montmartre, Le Relais de la Butte is a charming bistro with a warm, candlelit atmosphere and a menu of classic French dishes — duck confit, escargot, and crème brûlée. The terrace overlooks the romantic streets of the 18th arrondissement, making it a quintessential neighbourhood dinner spot. The extensive French wine list pairs beautifully with the rustic cuisine.
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Day 3
Versailles Day Trip & Chic Marais Evening
Palace of Versailles (Château de Versailles)
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the grandest royal palace in Europe, Versailles is a 45-minute RER C train ride from central Paris. The Hall of Mirrors, King's Grand Apartments, and Marie Antoinette's chambers are unmissable highlights. The vast formal gardens with sculpted hedges, fountains, and the Grand Canal — where couples can rent a rowboat — make for an extraordinary half-day excursion from Paris.
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Ore Restaurant at Versailles
Located inside the Pavillon Dufour at the entrance of the Palace of Versailles, Ore is a Ducasse restaurant offering refined French cuisine in a palatial setting. The menu features seasonal dishes inspired by traditional French cooking with beautiful plating. Dining here means eating within the palace grounds without leaving the grandeur of the royal estate.
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Le Marais District
Back in Paris, the Marais is the city's most fashionable historic neighbourhood, filled with medieval mansions (hôtels particuliers), art galleries, and vibrant street life. Couples can explore the magnificent Place des Vosges — Paris's oldest planned square — stroll through the Jewish Quarter on Rue des Rosiers, and browse independent boutiques and concept stores on Rue de Bretagne. The neighbourhood's blend of history and modernity is endlessly engaging.
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Place des Vosges
Paris's oldest and arguably most beautiful square, Place des Vosges was built in 1612 under Henri IV and is surrounded by 36 identical red-brick pavilions with graceful arcades. The central garden with four formal fountains is an ideal spot for a romantic early-evening pause before dinner. Victor Hugo's house (now a free museum) occupies one corner of the square.
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Septime Restaurant
Consistently ranked among the best restaurants in Paris, Septime in the 11th arrondissement offers a celebrated tasting menu built around hyper-seasonal, locally-sourced produce with a natural wine list. Chef Bertrand Grébaut's cuisine is creative, produce-driven, and deeply satisfying — dishes might include aged beef with fermented vegetables or delicate shellfish with seaweed butter. Reservations open two weeks in advance and book out immediately.
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Day 4
Impressionism, Île de la Cité & Final Romantic Evening
Musée d'Orsay
Housed in a stunning Beaux-Arts railway station on the left bank of the Seine, the Musée d'Orsay holds the world's finest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art. Works by Monet, Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh, and Cézanne fill its grand nave and side galleries. Couples can share the awe of standing before Monet's water lily series and Renoir's Bal du moulin de la Galette in the beautifully lit main hall.
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Île de la Cité & Notre-Dame Cathedral
The birthplace of Paris, Île de la Cité is the historic island at the heart of the city where Notre-Dame Cathedral stands. Following the devastating 2019 fire, the cathedral's exterior has been meticulously restored and it reopened in December 2024 — a remarkable piece of living history. The gardens behind the cathedral (Square Jean XXIII) offer one of the most romantic riverside views in all of Paris, ideal for quiet reflection and photography.
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Berthillon Ice Cream — Île Saint-Louis
A short walk across the Pont Saint-Louis leads to Île Saint-Louis and the legendary Berthillon glacier, renowned for producing some of the finest artisan ice cream and sorbet in France since 1954. Flavours like salted caramel, praline, and blackcurrant are crafted from pure, natural ingredients. Strolling along the quays of this quieter, residential island while sharing a scoop or two is one of Paris's simple but perfect pleasures.
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Luxembourg Gardens (Jardin du Luxembourg)
One of the most beloved parks in Paris, the Luxembourg Gardens in the Latin Quarter are centred around the beautiful 17th-century Palais du Luxembourg and its ornamental pond where children and adults traditionally sail wooden toy boats. The formal French and English garden sections offer quiet tree-lined allées perfect for an afternoon walk. Couples can sit by the grand fountain with a book or simply soak in the quintessential Parisian park atmosphere.
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Pont des Arts (Love Lock Bridge)
The Pont des Arts pedestrian bridge over the Seine is a deeply romantic Parisian landmark — though the original padlocks were removed in 2015 for structural reasons, it remains an iconic gathering spot for couples to walk hand in hand across, watching the Seine flow beneath the golden afternoon light. The views up and down the river towards the Louvre and Île de la Cité are among the most photographed in Paris. It is the perfect spot for a final romantic photograph.
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Le Grand Véfour
Dating back to 1784 and set beneath the arcades of the Palais Royal, Le Grand Véfour is one of the most beautiful and historically significant restaurants in Paris — its original painted glass panels, gilded mirrors, and velvet banquettes are a living museum of French gastronomy. Two-Michelin-starred chef Guy Martin delivers imaginative, technically masterful French cuisine in an incomparably elegant setting. The restaurant has hosted Napoleon, Victor Hugo, and Colette — a fitting finale to a romantic Parisian stay.
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