Paris in 1 Day: The Perfect One-Day Itinerary
Only have 24 hours in Paris? With a little planning you can still see the Eiffel Tower, cruise the Seine and stand before the Mona Lisa. Here is how to spend one perfect day in Paris — plus the best-rated tours and skip-the-line tickets to make every minute count.
At a glance
- 1Eiffel Tower summit at opening
- 2Seine sightseeing cruise
- 3Louvre highlights, skip-the-line
- 4Sunset over Trocadéro
Morning: Eiffel Tower at opening
Start early and book the first available summit slot at the Eiffel Tower — queues are shortest at opening and the morning light is best for photos. A skip-the-line or guided ticket saves you up to an hour, leaving more time for the rest of the city.
Midday: a Seine cruise and the Louvre
From the tower, hop on a one-hour Seine sightseeing cruise to glide past Notre-Dame, the Musée d’Orsay and the Louvre. Then head into the Louvre with a timed-entry or guided highlights ticket to see the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory without getting lost.
Evening: Trocadéro at sunset
End your day at the Trocadéro for the classic Eiffel Tower view, and stay for the hourly sparkle after dark. If you still have energy, a dinner cruise or an evening at a cabaret is the perfect finale to one day in Paris.
Book the experiences in this itinerary
Top-rated tours for exactly what this plan recommends in Paris — prices per person.
