You can absolutely have an amazing day in Paris for under $20. This is an exemplary Paris 1 day itinerary, and on an incredibly strict budget.
Some disclaimers: This is not a foodie’s one-day tour of Paris — this is an itinerary created by someone (me lol) who loves art and is largely dispassionate about food. It relies very heavily on sandwiches — in fact, if we consider a croissant a sort of very lovely sandwich, it features sandwiches at all three meals. On the plus side, though, you will see some of the world’s best art, and the citys’ best natural sites, all for less than a ticket to a single movie in many American theaters.
Second disclaimer: Paris is a city made for walking, and if you’re accustomed to getting your steps in, this itinerary shouldn’t prove too much of a challenge — I’ve walked it myself. But if you want to take the métro between the Marais and the Bibliothèque Nationale, and then from there to the Champ-de-Mars, add another $5 for two métro tickets.
8:30 a.m, Paris 1 Day Itinerary: Jardin des Plantes
There’s no better way to start your morning in Paris than in the Jardin des Plantes, the city’s beautiful botanical garden. Much like New York City’s Central Park, this is where Paris wakes up. Take a seat on one of the slatted benches and you’ll see ordinary Parisians (and firefighters!!) running laps around ever-changing garden displays.
This is my favorite place in all of Paris.
Jardin des Plantes, opens 8 a.m.
Cost: Free
9:15 a.m, Paris 1 Day Itinerary: Paris’s best market near Bastille
If it’s Thursday or Sunday, make a tiny detour to see one of Paris’s best weekly markets, the fruit ‘n’ vegetable market at Bastille. (Head toward the monument and you’ll see the vendors just north of the traffic circle, sandwiched in the green space between the north- and south-going arteries of the boulevard Richard Lenoir. (If it’s not Thursday or Sunday, and you’d still like to visit one of these markets, check out this well-organized schedule.)
Bastille market, only open Thursday and Sunday, until lunchtime (go early! officially it’s 7 a.m. – 3 p.m., but many wrap up well before then — I go before noon to be sure.)
Cost: Free
10 a.m, Paris 1 Day Itinerary: Croissants in the Lower Marais
Next we’re having croissants at Yann Couvreur, with its sleek interiors and narrow little space — a pain au chocolat is €1.90, while a seat at the very nearby Jardin des Rosiers Joseph Migneret is free — it’s out the door to the right, just a few steps down rue des Rosiers. (If you’re there at lunchtime, it’s often filled with people desperately trying to finish their falafels from l’As du Fallafel before they completely disintegrate.)
Yann Couvreur, 23 bis rue des Rosiers
Cost: $2
11 a.m, Paris 1 Day Itinerary: Gallery Hopping in the Upper Marais
Most of Paris’s museums charge for entry. You’ll find two exceptions below, but it’s inevitable that the Louvre, for example, is never busier than on these no-cost days. It’s impossible to substitute for the Louvre — there’s nothing like it — but you’ll certainly get a better, and equally free, look at contemporary art by visiting the city’s galleries. Some of the best shows I’ve seen in Paris, and certainly the most surprising, have been in these quiet, austere spaces. (If you’re nervous about entering galleries, don’t be — just walk in with confidence!!!!!!)
Galleries are clustered in the 3rd and 6th arrondissements — I prefer those in the 3rd. Maps of each neighborhoods’ galleries are easy to find and use, both online and in print. It’s easy to visit a dozen or more in a single afternoon — just pick a starting point and get going. The famous Perrotin (seen above) is as good a place to begin as any, with dozens of galleries in every direction.
Perrotin Paris, 76 rue de Turenne
Cost: Free
1:30 p.m, Paris 1 Day Itinerary: A Superior Lunch on the Square du Temple
Mmmozza has the best sandwiches in all of Paris, and the best mozzarella cheese between Paris and the Italian border. Their sandwiches, on ciabatta or baguette, start at just under €10 (making their requirement of a €10 spend to use a credit card very annoying).
If you’d like to spend a little less, on a panini instead of a sandwich, and use your credit card for any amount, head a few blocks east to Pastavino, or Delitaly. And if you prefer ham to cheese, head to popular Caractère de Cochon, across from the marché des Enfants Rouges. All of these sandwich shops are within a five-minute walk along rue de Bretagne, and you can eat well at any of them for around $10.
Mmmozza, 57 rue de Bretagne; Pastavino, 19 rue de Bretagne; Delitaly, 12 rue de Bretagne; Caractère de Cochon, 42 rue Charlot
Cost: $10
2:30 p.m: A Little Break to Read
The Bibliothèque Nationale is incredibly beautiful and a functioning library, which means you can walk in, pick up a book, and page through it in one of the most beautiful reading rooms in the world. Books in the splendid Salle Ovale rotate regularly, and cover such varied interests as “les arts graphiques, la musique, les voyages, l’archéologie, Paris, l’architecture,… et comprennent également une importante collection de bandes dessinées.” You’ll also find regular, free exhibitions in the library’s entryways.
There’s a Rose Bakery café here we won’t be stopping at because we’re on a budget, as well as a gorgeous garden during the blooming months.
Bibliothèque Nationale, 5 rue Vivienne
3:30 p.m: The Best Art Museum in the World
It’s the Louvre — a must, even if it’s often much too crowded, and on the free days (the first Fridays of the month) most of all. You have two options, either of which guarantees a better trip than heading in blindly and hoping for the best: Either make a list of, say, some personal picks, or five iconic pieces (maybe the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, The Raft of the Medusa, Liberty Leading the People, The Coronation of Napoleon) — or (my choice) pick a small corner of the museum and spend your entire time there (like the Islamic Art section, or the golden Galérie d’Apollon, or the Cour Marly/Cour Puget.)
If it’s not the first Friday of the month, and you’re wedded to the budget, consider swapping out the Louvre for the Petit Palais, where access to the permanent collection is free, and the building is gorgeous (with a particularly photogenic staircase — honestly it’s so good that stair parts vendors cover it in their blogs.) It’s not the Louvre, but it is a free opportunity to see paintings by Cézanne, Delacroix, Monet, and Rembrandt.
The Louvre, rue de Rivoli
Cost: Free
6:30 p.m: A Brief Dinner
Well, we’re staying on budget, which means a sandwich (again). Frankly, most times I’ve gotten a sandwich at Mmmozza I’ve split it in two and had half for lunch and the other half for dinner — they’re enormous. Alternately, have a “rustic sandwich” at Maison Kayser, a regular fixture on best-boulangerie lists and just a two-minute walk from the museum. Take a seat at a table on the upper level, or pour emporter and pack it up for a picnic at our last destination.
Maison Kayser, 4 rue de l’Échelle (note there’s another location inside the Jardins du Carrousel)
Cost: $6
7:00 p.m: A Photographic Tour
It’s a hike from the Louvre/Maison Kayser to the Champ-de-Mars, but luckily, it is a very beautiful one. Head south to the Seine, then west along the river, and you’ll pass some of the city’s most beautiful sights, including the Tuileries, the Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor (the footbridge to the Musée d’Orsay), the Grand Palais, and the river itself. Exceptional!
Cost: Free
9:30 p.m: Champ-de-Mars
Going up the Eiffel Tower is a serious investment in time (depends on the season) and money (up to about $40). Eating dinner and taking pictures of it from below, though, are free. The Champ-de-Mars transforms into an open-air garden party every summer evening – bring a blanket and a friend if you have one of either available, and settle in to watch the sun go down.
Cost: Free!
Looking for more great things to do in Paris? Don’t miss this list of 101 places to go, things to eat, lovely candles to buy, and more.
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