Romantic Long Weekend in Paris - 4 Day Itinerary

Practical information

Getting there: There are three international airports in Paris. There are several daily flights from Budapest to Paris. If you want to bring a suitcase and buy a seat, you will often get a better deal if you choose Air France, not least because the flight experience is more pleasant.

Transportation: Paris has an extensive metro network, but getting around is not easy.It is difficult to find the exits, there are often several lines from the same station and it is very difficult to see which direction they are going and which line you are on. Most sights are within walking distance.

How long to go for?: Minimumstay 3 days, but if you want to see Versailles and Disneyland, 5-6 days.

When to visit: The best time to visit is early April when everything is in bloom and green. The parks are full of beautiful, colourful tulips, daffodils, topiary trees and shrubs. And in the Trocadéro, in front of the Eiffel Tower, the pink cherry trees create a truly romantic atmosphere. The downside of this time of year is that there are so many tourists. If you don't want the crowds, go in the summer when everyone's off to the beach and the city empties out.

How expensive?: Paris, like all major western cities, is quite expensive. Expect to pay at least €30 per person in restaurants. A good alternative to restaurants is to buy lunch at Monoprix or Pret, where you can get pre-made sandwiches/bowls. Alternatively, pastries are also delicious in Paris, so don't miss the cafes, which are also a slightly cheaper option.

Accomodation: Although public transport in Paris is very good, it is worth staying in the centre. The best way to see the city is always on foot, which is the best way to soak up the atmosphere. We stayed at the Hôtel Gaillon Opera, next to the Opera. The location was great, close to the metro station, cafes and Lourve.

4-day itinerary

• Day 1: Arrival, check-in, walk along the Seine - Louvre, Tuileries Garden, Place de la Concorde, Alexander III Bridge, House of the Invalides, Eiffel Tower

• Day 2: Morning walk from the Opera to Notre-Dame, visiting the Palais-Royal and the Church of Saint-Eustache. After lunch, Louvre Museum, late afternoon, Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élysées

• Day 3: departure in the morning for Versailles, Trianon Palace, in the afternoon exploration of the Latin Quarter (Panthéon, Luxembourg Gardens), then Montmartre and the Basilica of Sacré Coeur. After dinner, an evening walk to the illuminated Eiffel Tower

• Day 4. A final walk along the Seine and a stroll in the Tuileries gardens, before departing for the airport and home in the late afternoon.

Itinerary by day

Day 1: Arrival in Paris

Our flight from Budapest did not leave until midday. We flew with Air France as it was cheaper than taking a budget airline because of the extra cost of luggage and seat tickets. The flight was pleasant, only two hours, there were not many people on the plane and we were given a sandwich and a soft drink. Our flight landed at Charles de Gaulle, from where you can take the RER (a mix of train and metro) into the city centre. We arrived at our accommodation around 4pm, unpacked quickly and then headed out into the city.

Our accommodation was close to the opera house, so each day's sightseeing started from there. The afternoon of the first day was very nice and sunny, but windy. First we visited the Louvre, with its glass pyramids, and from there we walked over to the adjacent Tuileries Gardens, which may be familiar from many films. Sherlock Holmes' The Shadow Game, The Bourne Supremacy and Midnight in Paris were filmed here. The parks in Paris are very well maintained. There are beautiful flower beds, manicured hedges and charming lakes everywhere. There are lots of people walking around or sitting in the iconic green chairs reading and sunbathing. Unfortunately, in many places you can't walk on the grass, but where you can, it's full of tired tourists and local youngsters.

From here we walked towards the Eiffel Tower. On the way, we passed the Obelisk and the Petit Palais in the Place de la Concorde, and then crossed the Pont Alexandre III to visit the House of the Invalides. Before arriving at the Eiffel Tower, we stopped at a bakery and bought an éclair doughnut, which we ate while sitting on the Mars Field admiring the Eiffel Tower. What a wonderful way to end the day.

After all the walking and travelling, we were very tired in the evening, so we took the metro back to the hotel. There was a Monoprix (which is a combination of a clothes shop and a supermarket and a great place to buy pre-packed food at a reasonable price) near the hotel where we stopped for dinner, which we ate in our room.

Day 2: Notre-Dame, Louvre,Champs-Élysées

Unfortunately, we woke up to rain on the second day, but that didn't stop us from sightseeing. We started the morning in true French style, going to a nearby café, the Cédric Grolet Opéra, where we had coffee and a delicious almond croissant, and then made our way to Notre-Dame. On foot again, of course, so that we could see the Palais-Royal, a 17th century arcaded palace and gardens, on the way. Best known for its striped columns, it is also the setting for a scene from Mission: Impossible - Aftermath. And the Gothic church of Saint-Eustache, where entry is free and we were lucky enough to be in the middle of an organ rehearsal, so we sat here for a while while we dried off.

We then crossed the Pont Neuf, built in 1607, to the island where Notre-Dame stands. Restoration work is still underway after the fire of 2019, so we could only see it from the outside. Also on the island is the Sainte-Chapelle, which was also closed, but supposedly the sun shining through the stained glass makes it a very pretty sight. By this time we were so wet that water was dripping down our shoes, so we took the bus back to the hostel to dry off.

3. nap: Versailles, Latin negyed és Montmartre

We got up early in the morning, we had to be in Versailles by 10 am. You also have to get there on time and buy your ticket in advance. It was about 1 hour from the hotel to the palace by metro and then by train. The palace was the residence of Louis XIV, the Sun King, so everything was gilded, ornate and grandiose. In front of the palace is a huge park with fountains and a lake for boats. We also went to the Trianon Palace, which was a big disappointment. A small, one-storey palace with not much to see and not a single sign to remind us of the peace treaty that was signed here.

We spent much less time in Versailles than we had expected due to the cold. We were back in the city in the early afternoon. The sun had come out in the afternoon, so we continued our sightseeing, visiting Notre-Dame again in the sunshine and walking through the Latin Quarter to the Panthéon and the Luxembourg Gardens. From there we took the metro to the former artists' village, the Montmartre district. As we walked up the steep, winding streets to the Sacré-Coeur Basilica, we had a Nutella crepe, which is actually the same as our pancake, but if you're in Paris, you should definitely try it. It was worth the climb, as the steps in front of the Sacré-Coeur offer a beautiful view of the city.

In the evening we went out for dinner to an Italian restaurant, not very French I know, but we prefer pizza to snails. We looked at the illuminated buildings and the Eiffel Tower, which sparkles every hour, and then went up. If I had to pick one programme from the trip it would definitely be this one. I think it's much more atmospheric to go up the Eiffel Tower after dark than during the day. The city lights are stunning, the queue is shorter and there is simply no better word for it than amazing.

Day 4: Trocadéro square, eating macarons, going home

We started the last morning with delicious pastries and coffee, this time at Pret a Manger, a personal favourite of mine. Then we packed up and hit the road. We left our suitcases at the hotel as our flight home wasn't until the evening. So we had time to admire the city once more.

This time we chose the Trocadéro square, opposite the Eiffel Tower on the other side of the Seine, which is particularly popular in spring. With its pink cherry blossom trees, it's romantic enough for a film. Many people come here to take Instagram-worthy photos. With plenty of time to get to the airport, we walked slowly back to the Louvre, bought a box of macarons from Ladurée and then, as is the local custom, enjoyed the sunshine in green-painted chairs in the Tuileries garden. In the late afternoon, we took the RER to the airport and had another chance to admire the lights of Paris and the Eiffel Tower from the plane.

Paris is a city that never disappoints. I've been here twice now and both times I was amazed. Beautiful manicured parks, charming streets and romantic promenades along the Seine. If you can, do go, it's worth it. If you want to see more of my travels, follow my Instagram and Tiktok pages.

Safe travels!

Heni

Accomodation

We stayed at Hôtel Gaillon Opera, which is within walking distance of several attractions . I always use booking.com when booking. You can find more accommodation at the link below.

Programmes

If you would like to pre-book your tickets for Paris attractions or are looking for organised activities, here are the options: