3 Day Paris Itinerary

Is the Mona Lisa fast pass really a fast pass?

You are asking this in what context? To my knowledge there is no such thing as a fast pass at any location other than Disney.

If you are looking at a way to beat the line at the Louvre, don't think it's called a fast pass. I bought tickets years ago on line for the Louvre, and it did allow me to skip a big line. Also, the Mona Lisa is not very exciting, especially now behind bullet proof glass. The magnificent Sandro Botacelli paintings though were incredible!

If you are asking for help with your itinerary? You would get better results if you provided more information. Do you have a guidebook? Rick's Paris Guide is excellent for first timers and has itineraries that you can adapt according to your interests. It also has lots of practical information about passes and getting around. After you have done some research, come back with a rough itinerary and folks on this forum will be happy to provide suggestions.

Even if you buy a Paris Museum Pass which will allow you to eliminate the ticket line everyone goes thru the security line.

Are you arriving from the US on Day 1? Or is this in conjunction with your Italy trip so you'll be over jet lag?

I'd pick 2 big sites per day and maybe a 3rd smaller site. You also need to be mindful on closure days for the big museums and work out whether a Paris Museum Pass will be a good expenditure (time and money) for you.

• If you want to see the Louvre and the Mona Lisa, do that one morning, then walk thru the Tuileries Gardens and do the Orangerie after lunch if you would enjoy seeing Monet's water lilies

• If you want to see the fabulous stained glass at Sainte-Chapelle, so that one AM, then go to nearby Notre Dame, then see theDeportation Memorial on the back side of Notre Dame, then finish up in the Marais for the afternoon.

• Eiffel Tower, Army Museum,

• Cluny Museum (some of it is closed) and Rodin Museum

• d'Orsay Museum (Impressionsts and others - time frame is after the Louvre) in the AM,

Maybe work in a Paris Walks walk one day instead of another activity. www.paris-walks.com

There are dozens (maybe hundreds!) of combinations so as indicated above a lot will depend on what you, personally, are interested in. Just because someone feels a sight is important doesn't mean you need to see it unless it is something that piques your interest.

Here are our host's suggestions for a Paris itinerary in "one to three busy days." But your interests and energy may be different. The link connects you to listings of Paris sights and lots of other good advice. Review a guidebook to see what interests you most and make a list. Group sights geographically so each day you're in a different part of the city.

The Museum Pass is a good idea if you want to see enough of the sights it covers to make the price worthwhile. It will save you time buying tickets for individual sights, but you'll still have to go through security lines which can be long at major places like the Louvre and Orsay.