How to spend 48 hours in the City of Lights
Paris is the capital city of France and is renowned for its art, fashion, gastronomy, and culture. Known as the “City of Light,” Paris offers a wealth of iconic landmarks, museums, and charming neighborhoods to explore. Visiting for the first time is quite overwhelming since there is a lot to explore, but although you cannot see everything, here is how I spend 48 hours in this beautiful city.
Visiting Paris for the first time and with only 48 hrs can be overwhelming. If you want to see a lot of Paris in that time frame, you need to start early and spend the day on the go. You will definitely not see it all, but maybe my guide can help you narrow down what you want to see and make the most of your time.
Arriving to paris & where we stayed
We arrived via Charles de Gaulle Int’l Airport. Give yourself extra time as it’s not the easiest airport to navigate and can be confusing.
We stayed in an airbnb in the neighborhood of Levallois-Perret. We chose Edgar Suites which had easy access to public transportation and walking distance to several cafes and boulangerie (bakery).
Getting around paris
Paris has many forms of transportation. The Paris Visite pass allows you to travel in Paris and the Ile-de-France region with complete freedom and unlimited travel for 1, 2, 3, or 5 consecutive days, depending on the package you choose. With the Paris Visite pass, you have access to all public transport: metro, RER, bus, tram, & Montmartre funicular. Paris also has Uber but with all the traffic, it may take way longer that if you did public transport.
where to eat
Parisians take their food seriously and enjoy eating slow and savoring each bite. Paris offers something for every palate, from casual cafés to Michelin star fine dining. Below I attached a few of the places we experienced and would definitely visit again.
La Maillardise (Bakery) 11 Rue Voltaire 92300 Levallois-Perret, France
Fleur (Charcuterie & Wine) 38 Avenue de Suffren 75015 Paris, France.
Pink Mamma (Pizza, Truffle Pasta, & Drinks) 20 bis Rue de Douai 75009 Paris, France
Azur Café (Pancakes) 63 Rue de Ponthieu 75008 Paris, France
Crepes and Waffles were from a random food truck located near the Eiffel Tower
After breakfast we headed to Trocadéro Gardens to view the Eiffel Tower, we didn’t go up the tower as the elevator tickets had been sold out for months. Admiring it from a distance and capturing its beauty was just fine with me. If you want to go up the tower, here is the link for tickets, make sure you order them with plenty of time. Eiffel tickets here cost is cost is €14.50 for the stairs and €23.10 for the lift (elevator). Prepare to be offered numerous souvenirs, picture taking, all while being overly friendly.
After breakfast we headed to Trocadéro Gardens to view the Eiffel Tower, we didn’t go up the tower as the elevator tickets had been sold out for months. Admiring it from a distance and capturing its beauty was just fine with me. If you want to go up the tower, here is the link for tickets, make sure you order them with plenty of time.
day 1-Paris & Montmartre
We headed to Champs-Elysées and admired the decorative high end stores with the view of Arc de Triomphe. ficance of the Arc de Triomphe? The Arc de Triomphe is an iconic symbol of French national identity and took 30 years to build. Today the monument serves as the 4th most popular attraction in Paris and visited by many tourist on a daily basis. The price to visit the monument is €16.00 and you can purchase the tickets here
Montmartre neighborhood
Known as the authentic village in the heart of Paris, Montmartre was my favorite. With its cobbled streets, stunning Basilica, artists, bistros … Montmartre is full of charm! At the top of the hill stands the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur, a stunning white-domed church with the most stunning view of Paris. Montmartre is very walkable and you will stumble across the famous Moulin Rouge, restaurants Le Consulat, and La Maison Rose, the Love wall, add much more.
We later visited the most beautiful Starbucks I have ever seen, headed to Notre Dame, and explore the exterior of the Pantheon before heading towards the Eiffel Tower to experience the sparkling lights.
day 2-Versailles
After having a long day the first day, we decided to venture out to Versailles and explore the Palace of Versailles grounds and surrounding neighborhoods. Tickets for Versailles must be purchased months in advanced and unfortunately we did not. We were however able to visit the grounds and admire the gardens.
We ventured around the local Versailles farmer’s market which is an excellent spot to experience the local French culture. It’s a popular destination for both locals and tourist, offering a great selection of fresh produce, cheeses, meats, and plenty of baked goods. We enjoyed lunch before heading back to Paris.
We ended our day visiting and sitting near the Seine River and admiring the Eiffel Tower yet again. This trip covered many different touristy highlights, but I could definitely return and explore other neighborhoods. Until next time, Au revoir Paris.
