We had been talking about it forever and it finally happened: Ryan and I went to Europe! We’ve obviously traveled a lot domestically, but we finally pulled the trigger on a Paris adventure. We knew we wanted to go in the spring, it came highly recommend by friends who had been there, but beyond that we had nothing planned. Here’s how we created our itinerary.
Day 1 – Tuesday
We landed in Paris around lunchtime and went straight to our hotel. After a lot of research and consulting with friends, we decided on the Latin Quarter for our home base. We were looking for a location with great nightlife and lots of bars and restaurants that we could walk to. We really loved this area and would absolutely stay in the Latin Quarter again.
We intentionally did not book any tours or activities on the first day in case of travel slowdowns, so we got lunch and spent the day wandering around our neighborhood. We made a dinner reservation at Les Papilles, which was highly recommended to us by friends. This place was so cute with a prix fixe menu and the ability to pick your bottle of wine off an incredible wall of wine.
Day 2 – Wednesday
We woke up early and rode the Hop On/Hop Off bus around the city to see all of the sights. If you’ve never been to Paris before, I’d highly recommend this early in your trip to get a lay of the land and view all the major spots of Paris. That afternoon, we booked a wine and cheese tasting at the Musée du fromage (Museum of Cheese). This was such a great way to spend the afternoon and learn about the area’s wine and cheese. Our host was phenomenal, and it was just a fun way to spend a couple of hours. At night, we made reservations at Chez Fernand Christine’s. I could not recommend this restaurant more, with classic French dishes, wonderful staff and the cutest ambiance. Reservations are encouraged.
Day 3 – Thursday
We booked a day trip to Reims to sip champagne and see the countryside through Blue Fox Travel. We really loved this tour as it was intimate (only six of us) and our guide was knowledgeable and helpful with suggestions around the area. On this tour, we went to two champagne houses, Michel Fagot and Mercier. We were able to tour the property and purchase champagne to bring home. You leave Paris early in the morning and return in late afternoon (lunch included). When we returned to Paris, we walked to a small Italian restaurant near our hotel called Osteria Brutto. This was such a hidden gem and if you can find this spot on your next Paris trip, I’d highly recommend it.
Day 4 – Friday
Day four started with one of our favorite vacation activities: a food tour! I’ve said this time and time again, but a food tour is such a great way to explore a city. You not only get to try local food but usually learn the interesting history of the area and our guides have always been helpful with making additional suggestions on restaurants, sights, and more. This three-and-a-half-hour tour went around the Le Marais neighborhood and made eight stops. Our guide was knowledgeable, helpful and hilarious. On Friday night, we wanted to try a Michelin-rated restaurant and made reservations for Hestia. The space is stunning, and the food was incredible. It was an amazing experience.
Day 5 – Saturday
To balance out our day trip sipping champagne, Ryan chose a day trip to visit Normandy. I would highly recommend this trip for anyone interested in a day trip outside of Paris and wanting in seeing most of the historical sights around Normandy. This was a large tour with approximately 35 of us on a coach bus (lunch included). We left very early morning and didn’t return until early evening. Plan for a full day if you go on this trip and bring rain jackets!
Day 6 – Sunday
Sunday was our final full day in Paris, and we started our day walking around The Louvre. If you’re interested in art, I’d recommend spending a full day or two in The Louvre. For lunch, we booked a boat cruise on the Seine River. This was a fun way to view the city, and the lunch included three courses and a bottle of wine. They also offer a dinner cruise option. We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the city, checking out a few last-minute sights. We didn’t have dinner plans for Sunday, but Ryan stumbled upon the most incredible tapas restaurant, Les Baux de Paris. This was such a hidden gem find with the most spectacular owner, who served us all evening. This was such a memorable end to our Paris adventure.
Who we flew: Air France, MSP – CDG
Where we stayed: Hotel des Arenes, Latin Quarter
Length of trip: April 28-May 5
Car? We didn’t rent one. We walked a lot and on longer trips we hailed a cab.
Things to keep in mind
- It was extremely hot while we were there, and air conditioning is sparse. Stay hydrated!
- Check the weather before you leave. Initially, it was supposed to be cool and rainy during our trip and the day before we left it changed to sunny and hot.
- We didn’t need a lot of cash. We did tip our guides on the tours, but other than that there was no reason to get Euros.
- One of our favorite activities was just sitting at a café and drinking a bottle of wine and people watching. We did this nearly every day.
- We had a great mix of reserved and unplanned dinners. I’d recommend reserving if interested in higher end spots.
- Make sure to check if there are bank holidays during your trip. May 1 was a bank holiday, and many restaurants and shops were closed.
- You will walk A LOT in Paris, so bring a great pair of tennis shoes.
- We booked all our tours and day trips ahead of time to guarantee our spots.
If you’re interested in seeing more, I have our whole trip saved on a highlight on Instagram called Paris ’25.
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