As the second largest city in Western...

As the second largest city in Western Europe, Paris is a great place to visit; with over 30 million foreign visitors annually it is a very popular destination. For most people visiting Paris, a short stay is often the way they first see the city; most people promise to return as so much they wanted to see will have been missed.


Visitors flock to see its many wonderful buildings; including famous sights like the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe to name just two internationally famous landmarks. Fortunately for tourists, Paris has a first rate transportation system; there is an excellent underground system called the Metro which runs regular trains into the city center and is very 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; it provides stunning views from the top and is visible throughout most of the city. At night, it comes alive with lights that have to be seen to be believed; if you are really enthusiastic you can take a tour where the guide will tell you how this beautiful tower was built.


The famous Paris Avenue ‘the Champs Elysees' must also receive a visit; it will present you with many famous designer shops and good 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 away from this area.


The world famous Louvre museum is in this city; with over 300,000 wonderful artistic works, you simply cannot see all of it in one day. It would be easy for anyone on a Paris short stay vacation to spend all their time here; with so many visitors (around eight million), sometimes it can be difficult seeing some of the famous works. What makes Paris special is the number of artists that have been attracted to this great capital; these include Monet and Picasso who very fortunately left some of their work here for all to enjoy.


The famous 19th century edifice built on Napoleons instructions, the Arc de Triomphe, is also in Paris; the names of his generals are engraved on its surface and another of those ‘must have' photo land marks. A little known fact is that there's a viewing observatory built into the building allowing the whole area to be viewed; including all the avenues of which it is a focal point.


You will not be at a loss for places to visit whilst in the city; these are however, the most popular with regular tours arranged, many of which are either free or at a subsidized cost. On your short say in Paris you will only see a small sample of what is available for a visitor; the churches, cathedrals and other museums will just have to wait for another time.