Copyright 2005 Fionnuala DownhillAs the second largest city of Western Europe, Paris is
known as the City of Lights for its well-lit displays in
the late hours, which calls to visiting tourists from
around the world. It is the home of the Eiffel Tower, the
Louvre and many more vacationer attractions.
What can you see in a weekend in Paris? If you're visiting
Paris for only a short while, try these suggestions on the
top hot spots. You can't miss these!
Visiting Popular Attractions In Paris
Rising up over 300 meters tall, this steel structure, the
Eiffel Tower, can be seen throughout most locations around
the city. Elevators lift visiting tourists to the top to
get a bird's eye view of Paris. As it is lit up in the
evening, it is one of the most beautiful sights in the
entire city. Guided tours add to the thrill as you get to
peek into history on how it was made and what it means to
the French today.
The opera building, Opera de Paris Garnier started its
history back in 1862 when its construction began. It took
over ten years to complete, because an underground lake was
discovered under the location and was completed in 1875.
Tours and shows continue to operate through this attraction
for those visiting Paris, though now mainly used for ballet
performances since the construction of Opera de Paris
Bastille, another distinctive entertainment tourist spot.
Visiting Museums In Paris
One of the largest and most famous museums is the Louvre of
Paris, and visiting it is none other than an opportunity of
a lifetime. With over 300,000 wonderful artistic works, you
simply cannot see all of it in one day. An entire weekend
could be spent simply gazing at the thousands of painting,
including Leonardo da Vinci's world famous Mona Lisa.
For something more exciting for children and families, try
the Centre Pompidou. It not only contains a museum of
modern art, but a bookstore and a library among other
things. The museum, featuring the works of artists like
Matisse and Picasso, holds one of the largest collections
of cubist, surrealist and abstract art.
Photo Opportunities for People Visiting Paris
You don't need to be Catholic to appreciate the majestic
architecture of Notre-Dame. Its construction was made to
fit a monumental scale, and plans were made to enlarge it
even before the cathedral was completed. While not the
biggest, it is the most famous and one of the grandest
cathedrals in the entire world.
Commissioned by Napoleon in 1806, the Arc de Triomphe, it
is engraved with the names of the generals that commanded
his troupes. It now stands as a monument to the era and a
popular photo spot for tourists visiting Paris. The Arc
also features an observatory to take in surrounding views.
If you're still looking for something that will arouse the
attention of the entire family, try the Jardin du
Luxembourg, a 224,500 square meter park. An octagon pond
called the Grand Bassin is located in the center of the
park. It is here that children can rent toy motorboats for
a fun afternoon. You can also check out the puppet shows,
chess games, it's many statues and it's two famous
fountains, the Fontaine de Medicis and the Fontaine de
l'Observatoire, at the north and south ends of the park.
Obviously, these are not the only tourist spots, but upon
visiting Paris, these are the most popular and are
certainly not to be missed. Most of these locations offer
regular guided tours, some at little to no cost. Call your
travel agent and make arrangements to visit these locations.
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Fionn Downhill is President of Four Corners Hotels offering
discount hotels around the world.
http://www.fourcornershotels.com
