How to Spend 3 Days in Paris, Our Itinerary

Planning a trip to Paris? Here’s our itinerary to help you make the most of your visit! We spent three days in Paris during the Olympics, soaking up the Olympic buzz and Parisian culture. While a significant portion of our time was dedicated to enjoying the Olympic games, you can easily adapt this itinerary by replacing those activities with other attractions. It was a beautiful short vacation, and I’m already eager to return! Here’s what we did.

Itinerary

Day 1

• 6:00 AM: Arrived at London St Pancras station. We had time for last-minute currency exchanges and even filmed a quick reel! (People stared, but it was worth it!)
• 7:00 AM: Boarded the Eurostar from London St Pancras Int’l to Paris Gare du Nord. After careful consideration, we chose the Eurostar for our journey from the UK to Paris. The ride was comfortable and took less than 2.5 hours. Exhausted from the early start, I slept for most of the trip.
• 10:30 AM: Dropped our luggage at our Airbnb. We were fortunate with our Airbnb—it was stunning. Located in the 20th arrondissement of western Paris (about a 20-minute drive from Gare du Nord), it’s perfect for experiencing Paris like a local. The area was quiet, away from the central tourist hustle. Our apartment was in a block of classic Parisian-style buildings, with balconies adorned with roses. Though the old building lacked an elevator and air conditioning, our hosts provided large electric fans—a necessity in the August heat. The apartment boasted a beautiful modern boho-chic style, with rustic, neutral colours and a lovely pink terracotta that added warmth to the space. Our host was friendly and accommodating—truly a great Airbnb find!
• 12:30 PM: Lunch at La Confidente. Our first Parisian meal was at La Confidente. The decor reminded me of a blend between The Ivy and Bill’s (for those familiar with UK restaurants), with a quirky yet homey ambiance. I ordered a beef burger with fries, cooked to perfection and surprisingly affordable.
• 3:30 PM: Eiffel Tower. We took the metro to the Eiffel Tower, enjoying the local scenery along the way: parks, restaurants, and mouth-watering patisseries. The local architecture was stunning—Paris truly is a beautiful city.
• 6:30 PM: Dinner at Bambini. This stylish Italian restaurant offered delicious food and a great atmosphere.

HOT TIP: Opt for the outdoor seating area at Bambini for an incredible, close-up view of the Eiffel Tower — the ultimate dinner setting!

Day 2

• 9:00 AM: Olympic Games. We spent the morning at the Olympic stadium watching athletics events.
• 2:00 PM: Champs-Élysées. When in Paris, shopping is a must! We spent the afternoon exploring the Champs-Élysées and browsing its shops. This was the most crowded area we visited during our trip, but it was well worth it.
• 5:30 PM: Dinner at La Pâte à Nouilles. Craving Asian cuisine, we found this local restaurant in the area. It hit the spot—I’d definitely recommend it!

Day 3

• 9:00 AM: Olympic Games. We enjoyed more athletics events.
• 2:00 PM: Lunch at L’Alsace. This was hands-down the best meal I had in Paris! I ordered the sea bass with vegetables for my main course, which was delicious. We shared a crème brûlée for dessert—it was divine, truly the best I’ve ever had.
• 6:00 PM: Olympic Games. We attended the women’s basketball quarter-final: Nigeria vs. USA. As a Nigerian and a fan of USA basketball, this was a night to remember!

HOT TIP: Even though the L'Alsace was fully booked online, they accommodated us when we showed up in person. It's worth trying even without a reservation.

Best time to visit? Our trip was in August, with hot weather ranging from 24-26 degrees Celsius daily.

Best way to travel? We either walked, used the Metro, or took Ubers. The Metro was very affordable and easy to navigate as tourists. Surprisingly, our stay wasn’t very crowded, and we encountered no problems.

Safety? Thankfully, we had no issues. It was an enjoyable trip.

We visited Paris primarily for the Olympic Games, which occupied most of our time. If we had more time in the city, here are some attractions we wish we’d seen:

• Louvre Museum
• Arc de Triomphe
• Montmartre
• City guided tour

Have you been to Paris? Share your recommended places to visit in the comments below!