From Mumbai to Paris, expect roughly 9–13 hours in the air, depending on whether you have a nonstop flight or a connection. Choose a flight that lands early enough to reach the city and check in before your stroll; from Charles de Gaulle Airport, allow about 1–1.5 hours to central Paris. A taxi is simplest with luggage, while the RER B train is usually quicker in traffic; check for service disruptions on the day.
Once you’ve dropped your bags, take a gentle 45-minute wander through the Jardin des Tuileries to shake off the journey. It’s open daily, with seasonal closing times, and the broad paths, fountains and garden chairs make it an easy first taste of Paris without committing to a packed sightseeing day.
Walk west from the garden to Place de la Concorde—about 10 minutes—for a half-hour pause among its grand avenues and obelisk, with views toward the Eiffel Tower. Then take the Métro or a taxi to Bouillon Chartier in the Grands Boulevards area for a lively, old-school brasserie dinner. Budget around €20–35 per person; it’s popular, so expect a possible queue, and check current opening hours before heading over.
Start at the Eiffel Tower on Champ de Mars while the morning is still relatively calm. Allow about two hours to admire it from the lawns or go up; summit tickets are often around €36 for adults, with lower levels cheaper, and advance booking is wise. March can be chilly and breezy, so bring a warm layer. From there, it’s about a 15-minute walk to Rue Cler.
Take your time browsing Rue Cler—a lovely spot for a pastry, cheese, or other casual snack, with prices varying by shop. Then walk roughly 15 minutes to the Musée Rodin; its galleries and sculpture garden make a peaceful change of pace. Allow about 1½ hours, and check the museum’s current Wednesday hours before you go; admission is typically around €14, with garden-only tickets sometimes available. From the museum, a taxi or a Metro journey via Varenne and Odéon gets you to Le Jardin du Luxembourg in about 20–30 minutes. Enjoy a gentle hour among the paths and fountains; garden access is free, but closing time varies with the season, so check before setting out.
Finish in Saint-Germain-des-Prés with dinner at Le Procope, a historic café-restaurant that suits a honeymoon evening. Book ahead if you can, and budget roughly €35–60 per person. It’s a short walk from the Luxembourg Gardens edge; after dinner, linger over a final stroll through the neighborhood rather than trying to squeeze in another stop.
Make the Musée du Louvre your first stop; on Thursdays it’s generally open 9 a.m.–6 p.m., but check the official calendar and book a timed ticket ahead (around €22 for most non-EU visitors; prices and rules can change). Give yourselves about three hours and pick a few things you’re excited to see rather than trying to conquer the whole museum. Arrive close to opening, and allow extra time for security and finding your way around.
Walk about 10 minutes to Palais-Royal for 45 minutes among its arcades and the striped courtyard. It’s a lovely change of pace after the galleries; the courtyards and gardens are free to visit, though garden access or hours can vary. Grab a light lunch nearby if you’re hungry, then continue east toward Île de la Cité—it’s roughly a 20-minute walk, or a short Metro ride.
At Sainte-Chapelle, set aside about an hour to take in the vivid stained glass. Entry is ticketed (often around €13–€15); book ahead if timed slots are offered, and bring photo ID if required. Security checks can take time, so don’t cut it close. Afterwards, stroll across to Île Saint-Louis for Berthillon—a relaxed 30-minute ice-cream stop at or near its main shop on Rue Saint-Louis-en-l’Île. Expect to pay a few euros for a serving; hours and which flavours are available can vary.
Head to Gare de Lyon for dinner at Le Train Bleu, about 25–30 minutes from Île Saint-Louis by taxi or Metro, depending on connections and traffic. Reserve ahead for the ornate dining room, especially for dinner; allow around 1½ hours and budget roughly €50–€90 per person before drinks, with current menus and prices worth checking when booking.
Once you’ve checked in and reached the historic center, head to Rialto Market in San Polo for about an hour. Since you’ll arrive in the afternoon, the fish and produce stalls may be winding down—the food market is generally liveliest on weekday mornings—but the surrounding lanes and Grand Canal views are lovely for a first wander. From Marco Polo Airport, the Alilaguna water bus is a scenic option but takes longer than a road transfer followed by a water taxi; allow extra time for either.
Board a vaporetto near Rialto and take the ride toward San Marco, giving yourselves roughly 45 minutes to watch palazzi and everyday canal life slide by. A single water-bus ticket is around €9.50 and is usually valid for 75 minutes; check the ACTV fare and route information on the day. Route 1 makes more stops and is a gentler introduction, while Route 2 is generally quicker where it runs.
Spend about an hour at Piazza San Marco, taking in the waterfront setting as the light softens; it can be busy, so enjoy the open space and duck into a quieter side lane if you want a breather. Then walk to Ristorante La Caravella in San Marco for a candlelit Venetian dinner. Reserve ahead, especially for a Friday evening, and budget roughly €60–€100 per person.
Start in Piazza San Marco with timed entry to Doge’s Palace; allow about two hours for its grand council chambers, courtyards and the Bridge of Sighs. It’s usually open daily, but hours and ticket arrangements can vary—check the official site and book ahead. Standard admission is roughly €30, with discounts and combined-ticket options sometimes available. Arrive a little before your slot, and keep bags small to make entry smoother.
Walk straight across the square to Basilica di San Marco for around an hour among its glittering mosaics. Entry rules, visiting hours and any reservation requirements can change, so check before you go; modest dress is expected, and large bags may not be allowed. For lunch, choose a simple cicchetti stop in Castello rather than settling at a square-side terrace, where prices tend to be steep.
Wander east into Castello to Libreria Acqua Alta, a wonderfully crowded bookshop where books are stacked in bathtubs and a gondola. Give it about 45 minutes; it’s free to browse, though it can be busy, so be patient around the narrow aisles. Then take an unhurried 10-minute walk through the lanes to Campo Santa Maria Formosa. Pause in the square for a spritz or coffee and enjoy a quieter slice of neighborhood life before dinner.
Book Osteria alle Testiere well in advance for its intimate, seafood-focused Venetian cooking; plan on about 1½ hours and roughly €60–100 per person, depending on wine and dishes. It’s a small restaurant, so confirm its opening schedule and reservation details directly. From Campo Santa Maria Formosa, it’s an easy stroll through Castello—leave a little extra time to follow the canals and soak up the evening atmosphere.
Take an early high-speed train from Venezia Santa Lucia to Roma Termini—aim for the suggested 7:30–8:00 departure and allow time to reach the station and board. After arriving around midday, leave luggage at your hotel or use a station luggage-storage service, then take the Metro B to Colosseo (about 10 minutes) or a taxi if you’re short on time.
Go straight to the Colosseum for your timed entry; allow about 1½–2 hours. Book ahead through the official ticket site, as entry times and ticket options vary; standard combined tickets are often around €18, with special-access options costing more. You’ll need photo ID, and security queues can add time, so don’t cut the arrival-to-entry connection too close.
The same ticket generally covers the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, immediately beside the Colosseum; give the ruins and viewpoints around two hours, and check the official site for that day’s closing time. Afterwards, walk about 10–15 minutes uphill into Monti for a relaxed wander and aperitivo—Piazza della Madonna dei Monti is a handy place to pause. Finish at La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali for Roman classics; budget roughly €35–60 per person and reserve ahead. One important Sunday caveat: the restaurant may be closed, so confirm its March 7 hours directly before planning dinner around it.
Take a relaxed final loop around Piazza Navona, lingering by Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers and the cafés lining the square; 45 minutes is plenty before the day’s sightseeing. Then walk about 8 minutes to the Pantheon. Allow an hour to see the vast dome and oculus, and check current admission rules and timed-entry requirements before you go; it is generally open daily, but hours can change.
After the Pantheon, pause at Sant’Eustachio Il Caffè nearby for an espresso and a light breakfast—budget roughly €5–15 per person. It’s a popular stop, so expect a short queue at busy times. Continue on foot for about 10 minutes to Campo de’ Fiori to browse the square and pick up an edible souvenir; its market is usually busiest in the morning, and individual stalls may keep different hours.
From the historic center, allow time to retrieve your bags and get to Roma Termini for the Leonardo Express to Fiumicino Airport (about 32 minutes; check the current fare and service before setting out). A taxi is another straightforward option—use an official white taxi from a rank and confirm the fixed airport fare in force. Leave central Rome roughly 3–4 hours before your international flight, or earlier if your airline recommends it, and verify your terminal and check-in guidance. Safe travels back to Mumbai.
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