I will be visiting Paris in July for 4 days. I was thinking of doing a day trip to brugge (pretty much all day) and to the versailles palace. If i were to do that, i only have 2 days in paris. Am i trying to do too much, or realistically can i cover a decent amount of paris in 2 days? thanks

You can cover a few things in Paris in 2 days. IMHO a first visit should be at least 5 days to really get a feel and see quite a few of the major sites. (I have been at least a dozen times and always find more I want to see/do.)

And be sure to leave time to just wander around a cute neighborhood and spend an hour in a cafe with a glass of win watching the world go by. (Otherwise you might as well stay home.)

You're not going to Paris - that's only one of your stops. Quit stressing. You'll get your money's worth no matter what you do.

Yes, IMHO, you are trying to do too much. Now try to "relax" and enjoy your four days in Paris. EJ

I was thinking to go to the Louvre on a wed night during its extended hours. so that gives me some more time to check the other sites during the day. This is my first trip to europe and i have to admit it already feels rushed. but i have the first time traveller syndrome of doing as much as i can and as fast as i can. i guess i am trying to make the most of it.

if going to brugge or versailles has a special meaning for you, i would say go for it.

many years ago i was in paris for 4 days and i made the trip to versailles because i was a european history buff and fascinated by marie antoinette. i am glad i did because my history lessons came to life that day.

for the other days, i would pick the top places to see on my list and focus on those.
if you fall in love with paris like a lot of people do, chances are you will return and get to explore the places you missed this time.

my favouite memories of Paris are just walking down the street, sitting on the banks of the seine with bottle of water, a baguette,and cheese,relaxing on a bench in Luxemburg gardens, and sitting in(actually outside) a small cafe having a glass of wine watching the world go by. Give yourself time to experience Paris.

u guys are right, i am just gonna remember running around in paris and not be able to enjoy it. maybe i will do either versailles or brugge. thanks

Versailles is great but it will be there next year. If you have time and are looking for something to do for part of a day- it's an easy excursion. You can't do Paris in one trip. Get a sense of the city. There are people who love it and those that don't. You won't know which group you're in until you walk down the street.

Versailles - meh! It makes me cringe.

What is the purpose of your trip? To visit Paris or to see as much as you can in 4 days? If the former, just stay in Paris. After 100+ plus trips I still find new things to do and am never bored. And 4 days is NOTHING.

If you want to spend 2 days in Paris and 2 days elsewhere, by all means do, but do realize you will NOT have seen much of Paris in 2 days, even if you, as I do, spend 12-16 hours a day out visiting things.

Whatever you do, enjoy it to the hilt!

As this is your first trip to Europe you may not realise how much time you can waste just travelling - queueing for tickets, waiting for trains etc. With only 4 days, make the most of your time in Paris by relaxing and enjoying what it has to offer. Work out a few things you would really love to see - not too many as it isn't a contest with sights to be ticked off - spend some time in cafes and just wander (flaneur) around the Latin Quarter, St. Germain des Prés and the Marais. Some of the icons of Paris have long queues - if time is too short, save them till next time. (I've spent months in Paris and never been up the Eiffel Tower). Make sure you have a good map and learn to use the Metro and you will surely have the most wonderful time in Paris.

If you ride out to Versailles early in the morning (I think the palace opens at 9h30), you can get a good feel for the place using an audioguide in a few hours. Then grab some portable food and picnic on the way back to Paris in mid-afternoon. That leaves you with maybe 6 hours to do more in town. Buy your entrance tickets at http://billetterie.chateauversailles...7-000000000115

Correction: gates open at 9h00 (closed Monday).

I think the concepts of "too much" or "decent amount" depends on your objectives. What is "too much" for one is "too little" for others.

If Versailles or Brugge carry special meanings, then they are the objectives.

I know a couple who has been to France twice. More precisely Paris and only Paris for a total of 3 weeks. The only museum they visited was Musee d'Orsay. They just went to the same corner restaurant. They did not take any day trip outside Paris. The only church they visited as Notre Dame. Did they do too little? No, because their objective was to do nothing. If they were to evaluate any Paris itinerary posted in this forum, they would say "too much."

During a period of several years I could not travel due a health reason, I thought often about regrets of not having visited more places.

Just took a look at your other three threads. London, Florence, Venice - and those are just the ones we know about from basically 4+ sentences you've posted. My hunch is you did catch "first timer syndrome". Dashing about from place to place usually means you see less - not more.

By the time you leave London, get settled in to your Paris hotel, you won't have a full day left - and unless you leave London very early in the AM, not even half a day. Then you want a full day in Brugge and much of a day at Versailles. You will end up w/ about 1.5 days for all of Paris.

Central Paris is pretty compact - but it isn't Disneyland. You don't get of one ride and walk a minute or two to the next one. You have to travel by metro or bus, often w/ transfers, or walk (the best way to see Paris is walking). To have any chance of seeing a lot of Paris in a few days, you sort of need to divide the city into 5 or 6 areas and cover each in a day.
6th/7th (Eiffel Tower, Musee d'Orsay, etc, Invalides, Rodin),
1st (Louvre, etc),
5th (Lux Gardens, Pantheon, etc etc),
The Islands and the 4th (Notre Dame, Ste Chapelle, Pompidou . . .)
and so on . . .

Can't be done in 1.5 or 2 days or even in 4 for that matter. But 4 is MUCH better than 1.5

(if your Paris plan is Paris/Versailles/Brugge in 4 days - I am curious to know what the rest of the trip looks like)

We went to Paris last year (including our 2 teenage boys) and also only spent 4 days. Whilst our days were busy, we didn't feel like we were over-doing it. Our itinerary was basically:
Day 1 - arrive, familiarise ourselves with the area (we stayed in the 11e), walk around Hotel De Ville, Ile de la Cite, Notre Dame;
Day 2 - Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, Tuilleries Gardens;
Day 3 - Place des Vosges, Louvre, Musee D'Orsay;
Day 4 - Versailles - definitely worth it.

Next time I'd definitely like to visit Montmartre, Galleries Lafayette, the Latin Quarter, and possibly a day trip to Monet's house at Giverny, but what we did see was fantastic and left a wonderful impression of Paris.

A Paris Museum Pass was great value and saved the queues at the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, etc.

Enjoy your holiday!