Paris has so much to offer

Although it isn't a well publicized fact, Paris is the second largest European city; also known as affectionately as the City of Lights. Paris short stays are very popular and for good reason as it makes a superb location for a romantic weekend; for most visitors, this is just enough time to see what it has to offer.

This city is also equally well known for its gothic architecture and markets; plus sights like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and many other places that are havens for tourists, both home grown and international. Traveling around Paris is relatively easy for visitors as well as locals; 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's visible throughout most of the city but the views from the top of this huge steel structure are even more impressive. 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.

If you plan on spending some of your traveler's checks in Paris, then a trip down the Champs Elysees is an essential part of a trip; it's where you will find all the top class hotels, shops and restaurants. This is an ‘up-market' area that attracts thousands of tourists each day; most of the five star hotels are located here but more affordable hotels can be found further out.

This city is also the home to the renowned Louvre Museum; it houses over three hundred thousand exhibits but not all of them are ever on display at the same time. The problem is a Paris short stay will only ever provide a glimpse of what can be seen here; with the likes of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa to view in addition to some of the finest collections of art in the world. Over the years, Paris has been home to many of the world's famous artists; these include Monet and Picasso who very fortunately left some of their work here for all to enjoy.

Of course, Napoleon commissioned the construction of the Arc de Triomphe, another Paris landmark; the names of his generals engraved upon it to honor them and his troops. Although not generally well known, the Arc had an observatory installed after it was constructed to provide views of neighboring areas; in particular those obtained along the lanes that lead from it.

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. It is fair to say that you won't see everything on a Paris short stay of two or even three day break; that would require a longer visit as you probably won't have time to visit the gothic churches and castles in only a few days.