Sprawling decadently on the banks of the River Seine, and one of largest cities in Europe, Paris certainly needs little introduction. It remains one of the most visited cities in the world for good reason, boasting something for everyone, and is instantly recognisable from its famous skyline, pierced by the dominant, but romantic, spire of the Eiffel Tower. Over time, Paris has become world renowned as a cultural hub for the arts and media, and is an inexorable magnet for art lovers, fashionistas, foodies, and movie stars who sustain France’s vibrant film, fashion and art industries, making them the envy of the world. It isn’t just the arts, however, that make the city famous, but the food. Rich, beautifully indulgent and exciting, French and Parisian cuisine is famous, and no trip to the city would be complete without dining out in one of the many thousands of first-class restaurants and bistros.

What to see ???

1. The Eiffel Tower  - Visiting the iconic symbol of Paris usually ranks as the number one thing to do for most tourists. Towering more than 1,000 feet (300 meters) high in the Champ de Mars park, this iron structure was constructed for the 1889 World Exposition. One of the world’s most photographed tourist attractions, the Eiffel Tower presents an excellent photography opportunity for both day and night times. Visitors can ride the elevator to see incredible views of the city or dine in one of the two fine restaurants that are situated within the tower.

2. Louvre - Topping the list of the world’s most visited museums, the Louvre Museum is located in the Louvre Palace with its signature glass pyramid marking its entrance. Housing a collection of more than 1 million objects, the Louvre boasts some of the world’s most famous art works such as Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” Michelangelo’s “Dying Slave” and the Greek statue, “Venus of Milo.” Other popular exhibits include the extravagant apartments of Napoleon III, the ancient Code of Hammurabi, Egyptian antiquities and paintings by masters like Rembrandt and Rubens.

3. Arc de Triomphe - One of the most popular tourist attractions in Paris, the Arc de Triomphe was constructed in 1806 to memorialize the triumphal battles of Napoleon Bonaparte. Standing 164 feet high and 148 feet (50 by 45 meters) wide, the arch features intricate reliefs depicting victorious battles and engraved names of many who died fighting for the emperor. Beneath the arch is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from the first world war.

4.  Notre Dame de Paris  - No trip to Paris could be complete without a visit to the world famous Notre Dame cathedral. Standing more than 400 feet (120 meters) high with two lofty towers and a spire, this marvelous church is considered a supreme example of French Gothic architecture. A tour of this 13th century masterpiece allows visitors to admire the awe-inspiring rose windows, Gothic carvings, beautiful sculptures and a collection of relics.

5. Sacre-Coeur  - One of the most noticeable landmarks in Paris is the striking white-domed basilica of the Sacre-Coeur. Situated at the city’s highest point on Montmartre hill, this stunning basilica draws many tourists every year to see its marble architecture and gorgeous interior. A tour awards visitors with views of gold mosaics, stained-glass windows and one of the world’s largest clocks.

6.  Jardin de Luxembourg - Known in English as the Luxembourg Gardens, this public park is the second largest in Paris. Visitors here can picnic or stroll leisurely among beautiful lawns, formal gardens and fruit orchards that feature many artistic statues and fountains. For fun and sport, there are jogging paths, tennis courts and fitness equipment. Children can play in the huge playground, ride ponies, watch a puppet show and sail model boats in a pond.

7. Musee d'Orsay - A must-do for art lovers, the Musee d’Orsay is known for housing the world’s premier collection of impressionist paintings. Located in a former railway station, this grand museum showcases thousands of art works and objects that cover a period between the mid-1800s and the early 1900s. Visitors can walk through several rooms to view amazing art works by many famous artists such as Monet, Van Gogh, Cezane, Degas, Pissarro, Renoir and Jean-Francois Millet.

8. Centre Pompidou  - Designed in the style of high-tech architecture, Centre Pompidou is a cultural institution in the Beaubourg area of the 4th arrondissement. It houses a vast public library, the Musée National d’Art Moderne which is the largest museum for modern art in Europe, a bookshop, a movie theater and a panoramic terrace. The library occupies the first three floors of the building, while the museum’s permanent collection is located on floors 4 and 5. The first and top floor are used for large expositions. The Centre is named after Georges Pompidou, the President of France from 1969 to 1974 who commissioned the building.

9.  Sainte-Chapelle - Begun sometime after 1239, the Sainte-Chapelle is considered among the highest achievements of Gothic architecture. Its construction was commissioned by King Louis IX of France to house his collection of Passion Relics, including Christ’s Crown of Thorns, one of the most important relics in medieval Christendom. Although damaged during the French revolution, and restored in the 19th century, it retains one of the most extensive in-situ collections of 13th-century stained glass anywhere in the world.

10.  Place de la Concorde - At the east end of the Champs-Elysées is Place de la Concorde, the largest square in Paris with fantastic vistas in every direction. It was in this square that the French King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette and many others were guillotined during the French revolution. The large 3200 years old Egyptian obelisk in the center of the Place de la Concorde was brought from the Temple of Luxor in the 19th century.

11. Palais Garnier  - This nineteenth century Opera House is one of the most opulent buildings in Paris and one of the most recognised opera houses in the world. Commissioned by Napoleon III, it was created by Charles Garnier in the popular Beaux Arts style of the time with heavy glass chandeliers, sweeping marble staircases and gilt decorations. Now home to the Paris Ballet, it has a 2,000 seat theatre and is as resplendent as it used to be and a must-see on any trip to Paris. So take a step back in time and admire the decadence and excess of the late 1800s.

Where to stay ???

Everyone wants something different on their trip to Paris, but I think most people like being in a quintessential Paris neighborhood — a place where you can buy fresh baguettes and marvel at the wrought-iron balconies. Paris is divided into 20 arrondissements (neighborhoods) and they are numbered in a spiral, the center being Ile de la Cité, the island in the Seine home to Notre-Dame. Neighborhoods with lower numbers are closer to the center; the 12th-20th arrondissements are the outer edge. Parisians refer to the neighborhoods by their number. The Marais was historically home to marginalized communities in Paris, including the LGBT community and the Jewish community, and as a result it’s got a nice cultural mix to this day.

St. Germain (6th) - If you’re looking for Left Bank Paris, the neighborhood of Hemingway and Camus and Sartre, St. Germain is a nice option and my other favorite neighborhood in which to stay. While it definitely has its share of tourists, you’ll find wonderful (and longtime famous) cafes, interesting little shops, and streets full of life. The Jardin du Luxembourg is nearby, and it’s close to Notre Dame and the Musée d’Orsay as well.

Montmartre (18th) - Why does Montmartre have an asterisk? It can be wonderful, but you need to do a little extra research to make sure you’re in the good part. While much of Montmartre is the village-like urban neighborhood depicted in Amélie, some parts are seedy, especially around the Pigalle area. Rue Lepic (pictured above) and its side streets are lovely; Boulevard Clichy near Pigalle and further east is full of sex shops. The best way to know if you’re in a good part of Montmartre? Google Streetview. Take a look at the neighborhood before you book accommodation.

9th - The 9th arrondissement won’t be on a lot of lists — it isn’t big on attractions, and while it’s very Parisian, it’s not as famously charming as other neighborhoods. I didn’t give it a second thought until I stayed at my friend Marie-Claire’s apartment in the 9th and saw what a great base it made for exploring Paris. The 9th is a residential zone with the Opera and the Galeries-Lafayette department store on one end and the edge of Montmartre on the other end. As a result, there aren’t a lot of tourists here (a rarity in central Paris!). There are lots of restaurants, bars and cafes, and there’s lots of life without a single establishment pandering to tourists.

Belleville (19th/20th) - Looking for hipster Paris, the Williamsburg of Paris, the Paris of tomorrow? Head to Belleville. Belleville is a historically working class neighborhood home to many different ethnic communities. Like many big cities in the world, Paris is gentrifying rapidly, and Belleville has become the zone for artists and entrepreneurs to set up shop. Here you’ll find slightly lower prices, lots of interesting small businesses, and a fabulous selection of ethnic food.

Service & facts

Don't leave Paris without trying...

1. Baguette - It is safe to say that Paris is the place on Earth with the highest density of top-quality, artisanal baguettes. Each year a competition is held to elect the 'Meilleure Baguette de Paris', and the list of best-baguette awardees is a good resource to select your provider. Don’t forget to tear off the crusty, still-warm tip and nibble on it as you walk away, as any self-respecting Parisian does.

2. Steak-frites - The epitome of the bistro dish, this simple pairing of a grilled steak with various optional sauces and chips is elevated to serious heights when the meat is well selected and carefully matured, and the potatoes are fresh, hand-cut and double-fried.

3. Croque-monsieur - Most brasseries and cafés in Paris offer non-stop service, and a staple of their menu is the croque-monsieur, an oozy and crisp grilled ham and cheese sandwich usually moistened by a touch of Béchamel sauce. If you’re extra hungry, get the croque-madame, which adds a fried egg on top.

4. Duck confit - Originally devised to preserve fresh duck meat for future consumption, the confit method consists of cooking duck thighs in their own fat, until the meat is spectacularly moist and fork-tender. Few Parisian bistros make their own, but they pride themselves in selecting the best producer, typically from the Southwest of France, and serve them seared until the skin turns golden and crisp. The classic side is pommes sarladaises, heavenly garlicky potatoes sautéed in duck fat. (And duck fat is good for you, right?)

5. Jambon-beurre - Like all city dwellers, Parisians often need to eat on the go, and the jambon-beurre is the most Parisian of sandwiches. You can buy it from corner bakeries or order it from the counter at most cafés; in both cases it will come as a fresh half-baguette, its insides smeared with cool butter and garnished with 'jambon de Paris', a pink-hued cooked ham, with optional cornichons.

6. Croissant - Walk past any bakery in the wee hours of the morning and you’ll be instantly spellbound by the warm buttery smell of fresh croissants escaping from the air vents at pavement level. This is your cue to step in and get your golden prize, which you can tuck into and savour on your morning walk as the city awakens. Sadly, fewer and fewer French bakeries make their croissants from scratch – they buy them frozen instead – so it’s worth asking to make sure your boulanger still engages in that noble, delicious craft.

7.  Macarons - The delicate pastry, consisting of two almond meringue shells glued together with buttercream or ganache, has taken the world by storm but its birthplace is resolutely Paris. Available in all sorts of flavours and just as many colours, macarons are two-bite delights, but it is worth seeking them out from reputable pastry shops that actually make their own – many just hop on the bandwagon and sell factory-made ones that aren’t worth your time or dime – and go easy on the rainbow-style food colourings.

8. Street-stand crêpes - Walking around Paris, you’ll see street stands selling crêpes everywhere. One of the few truly native street foods, the crêpe is indeed a lovely treat to indulge in when it’s time for an afternoon snack. Be sure to pick a stand that cooks crêpes to order (rather than reheat them from a pile cooked earlier), makes them thin (nothing worse than a gummy, undercooked crêpe) and is kept spotlessly clean. Though you may be tempted to try all kinds of stuffings, serious aficionados stick to the beurre-sucre (butter and sugar) for the true, unadulterated crêpe experience.

Transport in Paris

Paris boasts one of the world's safest and most efficient public transportation systems. Trains usually arrive on time; buses are well-appointed and clean, and commuter express ("RER") trains service the city's most important stops in record time.

The Metro - The Paris metro is one of the oldest and one of the best systems in the world, right up there with London and New York. There are around 300 stations connected by nearly 300kilometers of track. You can get within a couple blocks of anywhere you want to go. The metro runs from 5am to 12:30am and for the price of a ticket you can ride around all day long if you like. (as long as you don't leave the system). Tickets can be bought at the ticket booth in the station one at a time, by ten or by 1-day, 2-day, 3-day, 5-day, Le Paris Viste tickets for tourists. There are also weekly and monthly tickets called the Carte Orange. It's a travel pass good for unlimited travel on the paris metro and bus network. You need a passport photo to buy this, but if you use the metro a lot it's worth it. (more that 6-8 times a day). When you use your tickets stick it in the turnstyle slot and then take it when it is returned to you and keep it with you during your trip. Occasionally the check and getting caught without one can be embarrassing as well as expensive. You can get metro maps at the stations and they are posted all over the system. You can also find them in most of the guidebooks though some are so small you will need a magnifying glass.

The RER Train - This is a sort of suburban line that goes further outside the city though it has several stops in central Paris and in some cases may be more convenient. You can use your metro ticket on these too, but only in the central part of the city. If you are taking them out of the city you need a separate RER ticket. There are four lines and of these you will probably be most likely to use Line C to go to Orly Airport, Line B to go to Charles De Gaulle or Line A to go to Disneyland.

Buses - The bus system is also exceptional and unlike the metro which is fast but sort of redundant (since after awhile all tunnels look the same), traveling above ground is not only more entertaining but a good way to familiarize yourself with the city. Metro tickets can be used on the buses and can be bought on the bus as well as in the metro stations. There is a machine on the bus that stamps your tickets and then hang on tothem since there are guys who come and check them every once in awhile. To transfer you need another ticket. Le Paris Viste and Carte Orange tickets need to be shown to the driver. There are bus maps available at the metro stations and posted in the bus shelters. Most buses run from 6:30am to 8:30 pm but there are a few buses which run until 12:30am.

Taxis - There are almost 15,000 Taxis in Paris and finding one is usually not a problem. There are taxi stands all over the city and you van also hail them in the street if the taxi light is bright. If it is dim that means it is occupied. Taxis are relatively inexpensive and the easiest way to get home after a day or night of walking around. You can usually have your hotel concierge call a taxi if you don't want to try your luckon the streets. Taxi driver are generally friendly and like New York come in a large variety of nationalities.

GOOD TO KNOW

Climate - The best time to visit Paris is from June to August, when the weather is just about parfait (perfect). Average highs are in the mid 70s and there are long days of sunshine. Unfortunately, summer is also the most crowded time — and the most expensive. For a significant drop in tourism, plan a trip in the fall or spring. To save some money on your flight and hotel, pack your most stylish heavy jacket (this is Paris, after all) and visit in the winter.

Language -  The languages of France include the French language and some regional languages. The French language is the only official language of France according to the second article of the French Constitution, and is by far the most widely spoken. No, you don’t have to take a bunch of French classes before you go, but learning a few key phrases, even if it is only “parlez-vous anglais?” (do you speak English?) is probably a good idea. The French tend to admire those who at least give an effort to speak a few words of French, before assuming everyone speaks English. Sure, you may have a bad accent and butcher it, but most Parisians will probably appreciate the effort and then switch into English. Although the French have a notoriously bad reputation as English speakers, more and more French are speaking better and better English. In fact, some Americans who actually DO speak some French get frustrated at not being able to practice when they find many people automatically revert to English to converse once they detect an accent.

Currency – currency exchange - The unit of currency in France is the euro, as in the other countries of the European Union. Your credit card will enable you to withdraw cash in euros 24 hours a day at the hundreds of automatic cashpoints in the city. They often give you the choice of instructions in French, English or other languages. The majority of international cards are accepted by cash dispensers at the principal French and foreign banks. However, not all banks provide a currency exchange service. There is a multitude of banks in Paris, both French and foreign. They are generally open from 9am to 5pm, or 6pm, from Monday to Friday, sometimes from Tuesday to Saturday. Certain branches may close at lunchtime, between 12.30pm and 2pm. Banks and exchange bureaux, such as the CCF, fix their rates according to the market which fluctuates from day to day. All rates should be displayed outside the agency. The exchange rate is correct if the difference between buying and selling rates is approximately 5%. Commission is usually charged on an exchange transaction. The amount will vary from place to place and also sometimes according to the form of payment, whether it be in cash, traveller’s cheques or credit card. It is advisable to check this prior to the transaction to avoid any unpleasant surprises. As a general rule it is not a good idea to exchange small sums, as the commission will be proportionally higher.