For a three-day tour, you’ll have even more liberty to wander a bit and take your time, and we’ve come up with a plan on how to spend three days in Paris.

And once you book your Paris hotel, you can focus on the fun.

More Paris tips
• When is the best time to visit Paris?
• Paris: 50 Ways to save time and money on your trip
• 10 Costly mistakes that tourists make when they visit Paris

The glowing Pyramids of the Louvre. Boris Doesborg

How to spend three days in Paris

You could spend a whole lifetime in Paris and not see it all, but three days is a good amount of time to cover a lot of ground. Here’s our suggested schedule to help you get the most out of your 72 hours in the City of Light.

Day 1: Right Bank

Get your walking shoes on, because day one is all about strolling around to see the major sights on the central Right Bank such as the Louvre, Notre Dame and Marais.

The big ones: the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Pompidou & Notre Dame

Spend the first morning in the Louvre or the Musée d’Orsay. After your visit, head north up rue du Louvre through the Les Halles quarter toward St-Eustache church. Enjoy lunch on rue Montorgueil, either stopping in a café or grabbing a sandwich and pastry to go.

Afterwards, walk down rue Montorgueil and turn left at the bottom, past the underground mall called Les Halles, and meander towards the Pompidou Center. Turn right on rue Renard (or rue Beaubourg depending on where you reach it). Head towards City Hall (Hotel de Ville), and cross the river towards Notre Dame.

Free culture, vintage shopping and tasty falafel in the Marais

After a quick visit to the church, head back to the Right Bank and wander the Marais. The old Jewish neighborhood also houses some of the city’s best free museums like the Victor Hugo House and the Cognac-Jay Museum. Be sure to check out the stellar Musée Carnavalet (currently under renovation) and the stunningly beautiful Place des Vosges, designed to be the royal palace under Henry IV.

The Marais is also the place to try your hand at vintage shopping, so don’t be afraid to rummage through some of the piles of scarves to find the one that matches your taste. Once you’ve had enough of exploring, grab a falafel at night on rue des Rosiers followed by ice cream for dessert at Amorino or Pozetto.

Evening options

During the evening, either head to the Eiffel Tower or take a boat cruise starting at Pont Neuf. Depending on the evening, the Louvre or the Musée d’Orsay are also options.

Bustling rue Mouffetard in the Latin Quarter lined with cafes, crepe stands and food shops. Photo: Wally Gobetz

Day 2: Left Bank

On the second day, you’ll spend most of your time on the Left Bank, taking more time to explore than in the 2-day itinerary.

Sights and crepes in the Latin Quarter

Start at St-Michel and the fountain of the archangel slaying Lucifer. Walk south to Luxembourg Gardens via Boulevard St-Michel. After a stroll through the gardens, head up rue Soufflot towards the domed Panthéon. The jewel-box church, St-Etienne du Mont, just behind Panthéon, is worth a quick visit.

Then head over to rue Mouffetard for several lunch options. Consider a takeaway crepe with ham and cheese (a classic!). Be sure to check out the old Roman ruins at the Arènes de Lutèce, and maybe grab a quick €2 mint tea at the Mosque just down the street.

Boutique shops, macarons and historic churches in St-Germain

Afterwards, digest on a stroll west along Boulevard St-Germain or along the cobblestone banks of the Seine (or a Metro ride to be quick—line 10). Back towards St-Michel, take rue Saint-André des Arts and explore the boutiques and shops in this well-traveled part of St-Germain. Head up rue de Seine towards the St-Sulpice church—also worth a quick visit for some beautiful Delacroix paintings—and splurge on macarons on rue Bonaparte (Pierre Hermé or farther north at Ladurée). Regardless of which macarons you try, visit the St-Germain church, one of the city’s oldest.

Napoléon’s tomb and ancient military artifacts

If you’re not too tired, head down the street to Les Invalides and check out the old 17^th-century military hospital that today houses Napoléon’s tomb and a great collection of wartime artifacts from the Middle Ages to World War II. The big draw is that even non-history buffs can appreciate the museum because everything’s translated into English (€8 entry, free to walk through the main courtyard).

Evening options

Head back to St-Germain for dinner or take this time to head up the Eiffel Tower while everyone else is enjoying their steak-frites. Back-ups for the evening are the boat cruises along the Seine, the Louvre (Wed, Fri) or the Musée d’Orsay (Thurs).

An iconic view of Sacre Couer from the Eiffel Tower. Photo: Steve Wilde

Day 3: Montmartre and Grands Boulevards

Your final day can be used for any shopping or dining spots you haven’t touched upon yet, or museums you still wanted to fit in. If you’ve planned nothing, take a leisurely stroll around Montmartre and the iconic boulevards.

Opera with a view

Start around the Opéra area and, if you have some spare cash, take a visit of the gorgeous interior (€9). Afterwards, just around the back of the Opéra, take the escalator to the top of Galeries Lafayette for a panoramic (and free) view of the city.

Explore and shop amid beautiful passages and arcades

Resist shopping and walk east along Boulevard Haussmann to the regal covered passages to explore before or after lunch. Walk south through Passage des Panoramas to get a sense of what these 19^th-century shopping malls looked like.

Once you arrive at the other end, exit, turn right and then take the first left onto rue Vivienne. Walk a few blocks and turn left into the Galerie Vivienne (near restaurant le Grand Colbert). Soak it up and browse some of the old books and be sure to look up and down at the gorgeous ceilings and the mosaic floors. Continue south from the exit of the galleries through the Jardin du Palais Royal and its designer-filled arcades.

Related: Shopping Tips for Paris: How to save on a fun shopping spree

Grab an affordable Japanese lunch

Once hunger hits, explore rue Saint-Anne for lunch. The neighborhood is known for its cheap Japanese food (just in case you were sick of duck and cheese). After a quick bite, take nearby Metro line 14 at Pyramides to Madeline, switch to line 12, and head up to the stop called Abbesses to explore Montmartre.

Say goodbye with fondue and a stunning vista from Sacre Couer

Explore some of the best bakeries in Paris on rue des Abbesses while following in Van Gogh’s footsteps towards his residence at number 54 rue Lépic. Wander the picturesque streets up towards the Sacre Coeur Basilica for a visit to one of Paris’ newer, but iconic churches.

Finish the evening with a glass of wine at a café and/or dinner at nearby Relais de Gascogne or fondue at Refuge des Fondus

Depending on the time, watch the lights of the city come alive as the sun sets over the city while seated on the stairs in front of the Sacre Coeur. It’s the perfect way to say “au revoir” to the City of Light.

Your Paris tips

How would you spend three days in Paris? Share your tips in the comments below!

The post How to spend three days in Paris appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

But where should you stay in Paris to travel in style but without breaking the budget? Don’t worry, EuroCheapo has got you covered.

Related: Our review of the new Generator Hostel Paris

Paris hip hostels guide

Smack dab in the middle of a charming neighborhood, Village Hostel is an affordable and cozy find. Photo: EuroCheapo

Monmartre

Village Hostel

20 rue d’Orsel
Shared room rates from €30
Read Full Review

Village Hostel is friendly backpacker’s haunt in the heart of the much coveted Montmartre neighborhood. With a relaxed vibe and plenty of common spaces, this is a great spot to meet other travelers or cozy up with book and a café au lait. Charming and modern, Village Hostel reflects the bohemian roots of its surroundings, and includes nice touches like a book corner, impressionist-style fresco paintings and a pub that showcases artwork. Selling points include a terrace with views of the Sacré Coeur, and the attached “Bazaar Pub” that has reasonable prices and a pretty decent happy hour.

Hip spots nearby:
•  Soul Kitchen: A cozy and chic restaurant in the heart of Monmartre. Try the delicious baked goods in the afternoon or the confit de canard!
•  Le Bleu Club: The newest spot to go out in Paris—a night club in Barbès to see and be seen.
•  Glass: A hip new cocktail bar from the owners of Candelaria.

Guests will enjoy bright (and never boring) rooms with ensuite bathrooms at The Loft Hostel. Photo: Courtesy of hotel

Belleville

The Loft Hostel Paris

70 rue Julien Lacroix
Shared room rates from €35
Website

The Loft Hostel Paris is definitely a hip spot. With colorful walls, fresh, geometric patterns, floor-length windows and high ceilings, you might feel more like you’re staying in an artist’s loft than a budget hostel. Outside of the well-decorated bedrooms, the Loft Hostel also boasts a friendly lounge bar and an outdoor patio so you can unwind in style. While you could spend all day chilling out here, don’t forget that you’re in the heart of one of Paris’s trendiest neighborhoods: Belleville. Wander around and explore the charming cafés and funky bars, or take a short walk to what is surely Paris’s hippest park—le Parc des Buttes Chaumont.

Hip spots nearby:
•  Le Rosa Bonheur: One of Paris’s best kept secrets, this chic bar is located inside le Parc des Buttes Chaumont.
•  Cafe Cherie: A classic cafe that is perfect for a break. Take a seat in one of the red chairs on the terrace and enjoy an espresso while watching the world go by.
•  Le Perchoir: A new bar in the 11th that has a stunning rooftop patio. Have an aperitif here with friends before a fun night out.

The stylish and always social communal area of Oops! Hostel offers free Wi-Fi access. Photo: Dan Cunningham

Left Bank

Oops! Hostel

50 Avenue des Gobelins
Shared room rates from €34
Website

Oops! Hostel is a quirky, quiet hostel near the Latin Quarter with funky interiors and all the perks (free WiFi, breakfast, linens… the works). As you enter Oops! from the busy streets of Place d’Italie, you’ll find a modern oasis with bold colored wallpaper and chic furniture. With no more than five beds per room and attached bathrooms, you’ll have more privacy here than at most Paris hostels. If you manage to score a room on the top floor, you’ll be able to enjoy one of the elegant balconies, which have tables and chairs looking over the Latin Quarter—perfect for that evening bottle of rosé to make you feel like a true Parisian. Lots to see and do in Paris? Oops! Hostel is probably the best value for its central location, with direct metro lines nearby to the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Marais, Arc de Triomphe, Monmartre and the Champs Elysées.

Hip spots nearby:
•  Shakespeare and Co. : Paris’s famous independent, English-language bookstore. Grab a book and read on the Seine.
•  Le Piano Vache: A cozy little pub with great jazz music and all sorts of vintage photographs and posters on the walls.
•  Sugarplum Cake Shop: Your spot for delicious coffee and patisserie. Bonus points: super-friendly, English-speaking staff!

The view of Canal St-Martin from a top bunk at Peace and Love Hostel. Photo: Chrissy Hunt

Le Canal St-Martin

Peace and Love Hostel

245 rue la Fayette
Shared room rates from €27
Website

If all you need for your stay in Paris is a bed, a bar and a great location, then Peace and Love Hostel is the perfect spot for you. Located in the heart of Canal St-Martin, this hostel is situated away from the iconic tourist spots of Paris, and in the thick of the local nightlife. But don’t worry, you’ll still be just a five minute’s walk from two of Paris’s biggest train stations: Gare de l’Est and Gare du Nord, as well as major metro stations. Peace and Love Hostel is the ideal place to meet young travelers. Grab a pint at the ground floor pub, and you’ll be sure to find some companions for a great night out. Don’t expect too much space though—although recently renovated, this hostel focuses more on the social aspect of traveling than the comfort!

Hip spots nearby:
•  Ten Belles: A super-hip cafe  just off the Canal with amazing coffee and two freshly-made sandwich options each day.
•  Jules et Shim: The best bi-bim-bap you’ll find in Paris, with a cute interior to boot. Grab a meal to-go and have a picnic on the Canal!
•  Le Comptoir General: An eclectic and eccentric bar and venue that has it all—couches for lounging, a dance floor to get down, a tiki bar for tropical drinks (fresh-squeezed ginger juice, anyone?), a snack bar and even a thrift store upstairs.

The post The hippest hostels in Paris: Affordable lodging with style appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.