Holidays In Paris

Owing to its location, Paris has a temperate, oceanic climate; it's location straddling the banks of the river Seine make it a beautiful city to visit. 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.

It is renowned for its wonderful Gothic inspired buildings and street markets; plus sights like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and many other places that are havens for tourists, both home grown and international. Traveling through the city of Paris can be very enjoyable; there is an excellent underground system called the Metro which runs regular trains into the city center and is very easy to understand.

No visit would be complete without a trip to the top of the almost 1,000 feet tall Eiffel tower; it can be seen throughout most locations around the city. You can be assured of an even more beautiful sight if you visit in the evening when it is illuminated; it is possible to take organized tours which tell the story of the Tower and the history of France.

The famous Paris Avenue 'the Champs Elysees' must also receive a 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; 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.

The city's famous museum, the Louvre is huge and worth a visit if you have the time; it contains almost a third of a million exhibits and is in fact one of the biggest art museums in the world. The problem is a Paris short stay will only ever provide a glimpse of what can be seen here; some of the most important art collections in the world are here including Leonardo da Vinci's world famous Mona Lisa. What makes Paris special is the number of artists that have been attracted to this great capital; painters like Monet and Picasso spent many years here and a large number of their art works can be seen in Paris today.

The famous 19th century edifice built on Napoleons instructions, the Arc de Triomphe, is also in Paris; to honor his generals (and his troops) he had their names inscribed upon it. Many people do not know that an observatory was included in the design which affords great views of the surrounding area; in particular those obtained along the lanes that lead from it.

You will not be at a loss for places to visit whilst in the city; there are plenty of others to keep you occupied but to make the most of your time, use one of the guided tours. It's an unfortunate fact that a Paris short stay vacation will only include some of the attractions; anything else on your 'to see' list can wait for your next trip.