May 7th, 2008
Ideas For Paris vacation
Owing to its location, Paris has a temperate, oceanic climate; it sits on the banks of the river Seine and is also known as the City of Lights. Almost everyone taking a European vacation will decide on a short stay in Paris; you will however, discover that more time is required to fully appreciate what it has to offer.
A city famous for its fabulous architecture, good food, wine, street markets and galleries; it is the home of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and many other famous tourist attractions. Traveling through the city of Paris can be very enjoyable; the underground train system or Metro can take you to anywhere within the city and is simple to use.
At almost 1,000 feet high, the Eiffel Tower is an impressive sight; it provides stunning views from the top and is visible throughout most of the city. You can be assured of an even more beautiful sight if you visit in the evening when it is illuminated; taking a tour at the same time will teach you much more about this remarkable structure.
On your Paris trip ensure you add the famous Champs Elysees to your list of places to visit; you can see beautiful shops, sit and drink coffee from the many cafes or have a meal in a first class restaurant. This is an ‘up-market’ area that attracts thousands of tourists each day; top class hotels are found here, although if you want to stay at a more reasonably priced hotel, they are available outside of the city center.
If you are an art lover you will enjoy the Louvre, a truly amazing museum; it contains almost a third of a million exhibits and is in fact one of the biggest art museums in the world. Even on a short stay in Paris, this is a an art lovers paradise; approximately 8 million visitors a year come to see the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa, both of which are on display. Many well known artists spent years of their lives in Paris; 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; engraved with the names of generals that commanded his troops, it has become a popular photo spot for tourists visiting Paris. Many people do not know that an observatory was included in the design which affords great views of the surrounding area; it stands in the place where the city’s main avenues begin including the Champs Elysees.
This city has a huge variety of places to visit, many of these have not even mentioned here; 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. On your short say in Paris you will only see a small sample of what is available for a visitor; anything that’s missed will have to take a rain check.
