Visiting Paris
Paris is the capital of France and the second largest city of Western Europe; it has the ability to please everyone and is often referred to as The City of Lights. No visit to Europe would be complete without a short stay in Paris; with a great deal to see and do that to really a week is needed.
It is known for its wonderful buildings, style, excellent food and wine; the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre must not go unmentioned. 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.
It wouldn’t be possible to visit this city without a trip to the top of the famous steel structure known as the Eiffel Tower; there are only a few places in the city where it isn’t visible. Illuminated at night it dominates the city’s skyline; guided tours are available where the patriotic tour guides give you an in depth history and an insight to what it is to be French.
A walk along the Champs Elysees is essential when you visit Paris; 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; it is also where most of the five star hotels are situated but thankfully hotels tend to be cheaper once you move away from the city center.
If you are an art lover you will enjoy the Louvre, a truly amazing museum; with over 300,000 wonderful artistic works, you simply cannot see all of it in one day. If you are in Paris on a short stay you must plan your time well; unfortunately it has so many visitors each year that some people are unable to see their favorite works. Paris has always been a magnetic destination for artists; the likes of Monet, Picasso and many others lived in the city for years and some of their work can still be seen today.
Of course, Napoleon commissioned the construction of the Arc de Triomphe, another Paris landmark; it provides visitors with a wonderful photo experience because it contains the names of every one of his generals. A little known fact is that there’s a viewing observatory built into the building allowing the whole area to be viewed; it is located in Place Charles de Gaulle where twelve of the city’s main avenues start, including Avenue de Champs Elysees.
Obviously, these are not the only places to visit; although no trip would be complete without seeing these, they are probably best viewed as part of a guided tour, some of which are actually free. Most people find their Paris short stay vacations exciting but only see a glimpse of what’s on offer; you would probably need a week to view the main galleries, visit medieval castles and explore fabulous Gothic churches.