Itinerary
Paris · France
Paris 4 Day Itinerary: The Core Plus Versailles
The four-day Paris: the classic core, then Versailles as a full, unhurried day — the trip that does both well.
6 min read · 4 days · Updated September 8, 2026
- paris
- itinerary
- 4 days
- versailles
- Destination
- Paris, France
- Duration
- 4 days
- Best time
- Apr-Jun
- Style
- Culture · Museums · History
- Daily budget
- 150 EUR
The fourth Paris day has one honest use: Versailles, all day, done properly. The palace is two hours; the gardens and the Trianon estate are the other five. Trying to bolt Versailles onto a three-day trip is how travelers see neither well.
Budget at roughly €150 a day — about €600 for four days excluding flights, plus the ~€32 Versailles passport ticket. The RER C from central Paris takes forty minutes; the first train is the whole strategy.
What this guide covers
The 4-Day Shape
Classic core (1–3), Versailles all day (4).
Day 1
Islands & the Louvre
Louvre's 9am slot, Sainte-Chapelle, Latin Quarter, Saint-Germain dinner.
Day 2
Montmartre & the Marais
Sacré-Cœur early, the butte's lanes, Place des Vosges, Marais bistro.
Day 3
The Grand Axis
Tuileries to Trocadéro, Eiffel at golden hour from Champ de Mars.
Day 4
Versailles, All Day
First RER out, palace at opening, gardens and Trianon until the feet quit.
Days 1–3: The Classic Core
The islands-and-Louvre day, the Montmartre-and-Marais day, and the grand-axis day to the Eiffel Tower — our 3-day itinerary's arc, unchanged and proven.
Day 4: Versailles Without the Misery
First RER C train out, the palace at opening with a passport ticket (all three estates), the Hall of Mirrors before the funnel fills, then the day belongs to the gardens: the Trianon's quiet rooms, the Grand Canal's rowboats, and a picnic bought at the morning market. Return footsore and satisfied.
What to know before you go
Versailles logistics
- Passport ticket online, days or weeks ahead — same-day queues are real.
- Gardens cost extra on fountain-show days; check the calendar.
- Closed Mondays — plan around it.
Budget
- About €600 for four days at planning figures, excluding flights.
- The Versailles ticket (~€32) is the only new line item.
Turn this guide into a trip
The trip planner opens pre-filled with Paris — adjust the dates and interests to fit your trip.
Plan around this destination
Related destinations
More guides
- Paris 3 Day Itinerary: Classics, Neighborhoods, and One Long LunchThree days of Paris arranged by arrondissement, not by checklist — museum mornings, neighborhood afternoons, and the specific order that beats the queues.Paris · 9 min read
- Paris 5 Day Itinerary: The Classic Core Plus Versailles and DepthThe five-day Paris plan: our 3-day core, one full day at Versailles, and a slower fifth day in the museums and villages tourists skip.Paris · 10 min read
- Paris Travel Budget: The Day-by-Day Numbers for 2026What a Paris day really costs at three tiers — and the formule lunch, Métro carnet and picnic logic that keeps mid-range honest.Paris · 8 min read
- Best Time to Visit Paris: Seasons, Crowds and the August QuestionParis season by season: the sweet-spot windows, the December lights argument, and the truth about August — half the city closes, half the visitors don't notice.Paris · 6 min read
- Best Areas to Stay in Paris: Six Neighborhoods for Every Kind of TripThe six Paris neighborhoods worth sleeping in — matched to first visits, budgets, romance, and the métro lines that make each work.Paris · 7 min read
- Best Neighborhoods in Paris: The Village MapThe village map: six neighborhoods, one day each, the arrondissement logic decoded.Paris · 5 min read
Ready-made trips
Frequently asked questions
Is Versailles worth a full day?
Yes — the palace is two hours, the gardens and Trianon are the other five. The rushed half-day version is the classic regret.
4 days in Paris or 3 plus another city?
Both work. Four days suits a deeper Paris; three days plus London or Amsterdam suits first-time-Europe trips.
How much does 4 days in Paris cost?
About €600 excluding flights at our €150/day planning estimate, plus the Versailles ticket.