A visit to Europe is not complete without a visit to Paris which is one of my favorite cities in the world. Unfortunately when I visited I was alone but Paris is noted for its romantic appeal.
Although it isn't a well publicized fact, Paris is the second largest West European city; with over 30 million foreign visitors annually it is a very popular destination. Renowned for its modern art and breathtaking scenery a short stay in Paris is the ideal location for a romantic weekend break; the desire to stay longer is strong as there is so much to see and do.
Visitors flock to see its many wonderful buildings; these include the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, markets and a history only matched by a few other European cities. Like most European cities, Paris is easy to get around; there is a superb underground rail system called the Metro which is efficient and easy to understand. I can vouch for this having used the Metro myself on a past visit to Paris.
Something you must decide to do when you visit this city is take a trip to the top of the famous and interesting steel structure known as the Eiffel Tower. The tower can be seen from many points within the city and you will marvel at the awesome views that you will enjoy from one of the Eiffel Tower's viewing platforms. In the evening the tower looks impressive and the illumination means it can be seen for many miles around Paris. Guided tours add to the thrill as you get to peek into history and learn about when and how it was constructed.
If you plan on spending some of your traveler's checks in Paris, then a trip down the Champs Elysees is an essential part of a Paris vacation; it's where you will find all the top class hotels, shops and restaurants. This avenue may be select but it attracts large numbers of visitors daily; the average tourist may find the accommodation expensive but more modest hotels can be found further away from this area. On my visit to Paris I found a reasonably priced Paris hotel just near the Notre Dame Cathedral.
No trip to Paris would not be complete unless you make a visit to the Louvre museum. You will find that it contains almost a third of a million exhibits and is in fact one of the biggest art museums in the world. For anyone on a Paris short stay vacation it would be quite easy to spend all their time exploring the Louvre. Some of the world's most important art collections including the infamous Mona Lisa are on display. Paris has always been a city of inspiration for artists; many of whom left large collections of their paintings here like Monet and Picasso.
Built by Napoleon in 1806 The Arc de Triomphe is another famous Paris landmark. Napoleon built it to honor his generals (and his troops) he had their names inscribed upon it. The Arc is the largest such celebration arc in the world and is a focal point of the city. You are able to climb to the top to enjoy the view from an observatory. The arc stands in the place where the city's main avenues begin including the fabulous Champs Elysees.
In this article I have only given you a small sample of what to see in Paris; these are however, the most popular with regular tours arranged, many of which are either free or at a subsidized cost. It is quite reasonable to say that you won't get to see everything on a Paris short stay of two or even three day break. To truly experience Paris you would probably need a week to view the main galleries, visit medieval castles, enjoy the Parisian food and explore fabulous Gothic churches.
Something you must decide to do when you visit this city is take a trip to the top of the famous and interesting steel structure known as the Eiffel Tower. The tower can be seen from many points within the city and you will marvel at the awesome views that you will enjoy from one of the Eiffel Tower's viewing platforms. In the evening the tower looks impressive and the illumination means it can be seen for many miles around Paris. Guided tours add to the thrill as you get to peek into history and learn about when and how it was constructed.
