What to see at the Louvre in two hours (yes, it can be done!)

The Louvre Pyramid

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Short on time? You can still breeze through the Louvre in only 2 hours

I’ve said it all over my blog: I don’t really care for museums. I don’t have any particular passion for Etruscan pottery, stuffed birds from centuries ago, or Impressionist art. It’s just not my thing.

Because of that, museums rarely make up much of my travel itinerary. If I’m going to check out a museum, it really has to be quirky, eccentric, or interactive like the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam or the Hospital in the Rock in Budapest. But a regular ‘ole art or natural history museum? Pass.

(Are you curious what your travel style is? Take the quiz here!)

I’ve visited Paris twice and opted to avoid the Louvre on my first visit. The idea of standing in line for potentially hours only to walk around the biggest museum in the world smushed amongst hordes of tourists to see art that I know nothing about sounded dreadful.

On my second visit to Paris, however, I decided to visit the Louvre to see if it’s something that even I could enjoy.

My verdict? The Louvre is absolutely worth visiting, even if you aren’t a museum person. However, you need to be strategic.

For me, I only wanted to spend two or three hours at the Louvre. Anything more than that and I knew I would be bored. If you’re wondering what to see at the Louvre in two hours and tips for visiting the Louvre, this guide is for you!

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Tips for visiting the Louvre in two hours and making the best use of your time

Pre-book your time

I read so many blogs that said it’s a waste of time to pre-book your ticket because if you do this strategy or that strategy, you’ll be sure to avoid the lines.

False. Absolutely false. I visited in January (low season) and went on a Wednesday evening (their extended hours and supposedly a slow time) and stood in line FOR OVER AN HOUR.

Y’all. It was raining.

Just pre-book a time here. I recommend you visit in the morning because crowds should be a bit lower. I know, some people are rolling their eyes and say they want to have flexibility in their trip. Yes, fine, but just plan this one thing. This museum gets 10 million visitors PER YEAR. That averages out to just about 30,000 people per day. Book a timeslot and save yourself a headache.

Look at a map before you go & pre-plan your route

It’s hard to fathom how large the Louvre is until you get inside. It’s overwhelmingly large. When I visited, I walked pretty briskly for hours and didn’t see everything.

My recommendation?

  1. Check out a map of the Louvre before you visit. It’ll help you feel more comfortable with the floorplan before you go in and get crushed by the hordes of tourists. Figure out where the Mona Lisa is, since that’s the most famous piece of art, for some reason.
  2. Be sure to get a map when you get in. It’s ok if you now have two maps. I forgot a map and didn’t have my own map and getting lost in the Louvre is the stuff of nightmares.

Wear comfortable shoes

This probably goes without saying, but even if you visit the Louvre in just two hours, you’re going to on your feet the entire time.

Wear comfortable shoes. Those heels you claim are comfortable? Nope. They aren’t, not when standing in crowds.

LEAVE when you get tired or overwhelmed

It’s ok if you just explored one floor of one wing. It’s ok if you’re overwhelmed. Hit whatever interests you and move on! I know some people struggle with FOMO but it would be literally impossible to see everything the Louvre has to offer in even just a couple days. So if you’re done, move on – this is your trip, do it the way you want to.

I explored the Denon Wing and then meandered around and through the Napoleon Apartments. All in, I invested about 3 hours actually inside the Louvre and that was enough for me. I didn’t see much of the Louvre, frankly, but I saw what I wanted to and I left satisfied.

What to see at the Louvre in two hours

Head in the direction of the Mona Lisa

If you’ve landed on this page, I’m going to assume you are either (1) not a museum person and what to see the Louvre somewhat quickly, or (2) your time in Paris is limited and you don’t have an entire day to dedicate to one landmark.

This tells me you want to hit the high points and avoid spending much more than 3 hours in the Louvre.

(Short on time in Paris? Check out my 3-day guide here! Spending a little longer in the City of Lights? I have a 5-day guide, as well.)

I’m assuming you’re entering through the main entrance under the pyramid. With these directions, you can hit the high points on the way to the Mona Lisa.

Meander through Greek Antiquities

Once you go down the stairs, head towards your right. We’re going to the 1st floor of the Sully Wing towards Greek Antiquities.

You can pretty well just breeze through here and admire any pieces that stand out to you. I discovered from this visit that I actually do enjoy sculptures, especially up close.

What to See in the Louvre: Greek Antiquities

Admire Italian (and some French) Masterpieces

When you’ve gotten your fill of Greek Antiquities, head upstairs to the 1st floor of the Denon wing. The 1st floor of the Denon wing is almost entirely Italian masterpieces with some rooms dedicated to Spanish and French art, as well.

Da Vinci was Italian, so now you’re getting close to the famed Mona Lisa.

There will be a lovely sculpture in the middle of the room you pop out on. This is famed Venus de Milo, which is, probably, the only ancient Greek sculpture you’ve ever heard of. She’s beautiful, so take a moment to appreciate her.

Continuing on, feel free to stroll through the European works at whatever pace you need. Some rooms were less exciting to me so I just breezed through them. I definitely recommend you take some time in the room filled with large-format 18th-century French art. It was PHENOMENAL. I recognized some of the pieces from AP European History but textbooks don’t show the scale of these pieces.

The Mona Lisa lies in a passage in the center of the Denon Wing. There may be signs pointing towards her but I found them a bit confusing.

You can basically complete the loop around the Mona Lisa and quickly move on from the rest of the Denon Wing or you can explore the Denon Wing and check out the Mona Lisa on the way out.

Visiting the famed (but overhyped) Mona Lisa

Now is the time to see the world-famous Mona Lisa. You approach her room anxiously and see…

The smallest painting that you’ve seen so far, hidden behind glass, with a snaking line in front of her.

What to See in the Louvre: The Mona Lisa

That’s right! If you want to get anywhere near the Mona Lisa, get in line.

I opted not to do that because everything I read was that it was overhyped. I walked along the right edge of the above photo and got a glance at her from the side.

Pro tip! Turn around and face the wall opposite of the Mona Lisa. There is a splendid fresco that is, frankly, much more magnificent but often missed.

Disappointed in the Mona Lisa? Go to the Galerie d’Apollon

If you’re anything like me, you’ll leave the Mona Lisa feeling disappointed. I came to the Louvre for THAT?!

Never fear. If Greek sculptures and massive French Revolution frescoes don’t awe you, continue on to the Galerie d’Apollon.

At the end of the Denon Wing on floor 1 lies this MASSIVE hall with intricate, gilded adornments and the French Crown Jewels.

It was stunning. Art has never left me awe-struck but this wing did.

This is exactly what I imagined a French palace would feel like. I spent probably half an hour in this room and probably could have spent longer. Frankly, for me, seeing the Gallerie d’Apollon was worth both the cost of admission and the time in the line.

The highlight of the Louvre – for me, at least – was the Galerie d’Apollon. If you’re having a hard time prioritizing what to see at the Louvre in your short two hour visit, make this one hall a priority.

Things to do near the Louvre after your quick visit

Savor some decadent hot chocolate

Exit the Louvre and walk through the Tuileries Gardens. Just off the Tuileries on Rue Rivoli is Angelina, a cafe serving up world-famous hot chocolate.

Is it summertime? That’s ok! Angelina offers frozen chocolate, as well.

The hot chocolate is decadent & thick. Don’t order a big lunch or you won’t be able to really enjoy the experience.

If the line is too long and you’re sick of lines, there are so many other equally splendid hot chocolate options in Paris that I fully recommend. You can’t visit Paris without trying at least some famous Parisian chocolat chaud.

Enjoy the Tuileries

Crowds exhaust me and I usually feel like I need some time to unwind and decompress after spending much time in a very crowded place. If you can relate to that, I would recommend finding a bench in the Tuileries and relaxing for a bit.

I typically pack a Kindle so I like to read on a park bench to unwind. If you get your hot chocolate from above to-go, you can enjoy that in the gardens and unwind that way!

Walk the Champs-Élysées or towards the Place de la Madeleine

Once you’re up for more walking (and more crowds!) you can venture from the Tuileries to either the Champs-Élysées or towards the Place de la Madeleine.

Both are luxe shopping districts so you really can’t go wrong.

At the end of the Champs-Élysées is the Arc de Triomphe, which is absolutely worth visiting. However, the stroll is quite long – if your feet are tired, I recommend just taking the Metro instead.

If you want something a bit more relaxed, I would stroll the Place de la Madeleine. You’ll pass near the Opera and can head to the largest shopping center I’ve ever seen, the Galeries Lafayette.

No matter what you choose, I would recommend stopping by a Ladurée on the way and enjoy some delicious macarons!


Wondering what to see at the Louvre in two hours? With this guide, you can see this Paris icon – but quickly

You may feel like this guide only scratches the surface on what the Louvre has to offer, and you’re not wrong. The Louvre is so massive so this is, in my opinion, what to see at the Louvre if you only have a few hours to dedicate to your excursion.

Have you been to the Louvre? Are there any wings that you particularly enjoyed? Comment below!


If you’re looking for more Paris city guides, check out my itinerary for 3-day and 5-day trips! And be sure to read about the app you absolutely need before visiting Paris! If you’re curious what unique excursion to check out in Paris, be sure to take this quiz, too.

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