Paris attractions

With the exception of Rome and the Colosseum, no building is as interwoven with the idea of a city as Paris and the Eiffel Tower. But that wasn't always the case: Gustave Eiffel's tower project was widely hated before, during and after its construction. In fact, hundreds of Parisian artists and intellectuals signed a protest letter in which they railed "against the construction, in the very heart of our capital, of the useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower." But by then, Paris had already decided that the tower would serve as a monumental archway during the 1889 World's Fair. And on 15 March 1889 it was completed. With 18,000 metallic parts and 2.5 million rivets, it was a true feat of engineering - the perfect centerpiece. It was scheduled to be dismantled in 20 years, but partially due to its use as a radio transmitter it endured. And now, it's synonymous with the city itself - and a must-do in Paris.

Paris is blessed with some truly outstanding museums. The star is of course the Louvre, which houses history’s most famous painting (we don’t really have to name it, do we?). What you might not have known is that the building - and the collection - originally belonged to the royal family, and only opened to the public during the French Revolution. Today, the museum holds over 65,000 objects that date from pre-history to the 20th century. The Musée d’Orsay is another world-class museum. Housed in a beaux-arts building on the left bank of the Seine, it’s best known for its collection of French art (including sculpture, photos and furniture) from 1848–1915. It boasts the world’s largest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces. If contemporary art is more your thing, visit the Centre Pompidou, which turned the art world upside-down in the 1970s, with its 'inside-out' construction.

Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Dior… The names of world famous Parisian designers trip off the tongue, and the city has long been a mecca for fashionistas. Whether you desire haute-couture or prêt-á-porter, you really are spoiled for choice in Paris. To narrow it down, consider heading straight away to Galeries Lafayette, the upmarket department store, which hosts a free fashion show every Friday afternoon. Le Printemps, also in the Hausmann-Opera district, is another elegant old department store in the Bloomingdales tradition. If neither of those excite your credit card, head to The Golden Triangle – the area between Avenue Marceau, the Champs Elysees and Avenue Montaigne, which is home to boutiques from your favorite high-end labels.

In his will Napoleon Bonaparte asked to be buried on the banks of the Seine. His request wasn't granted, but it's easy to understand why he was so taken with this waterway; there's a special pleasure in taking a lazy cruise along this famous river. Most of the one-hour tours are narrated in several languages and are a great way to learn about Paris’s history while admiring the many iconic UNESCO World Heritage sites in the City of Light. There's something about seeing the monuments from Paris's heavily-traversed central river that gives both a literal and figurative 'fresh perspective'. Our suggestions are to let yourself drift along with the current on one of the famous Bateaux Parisiens. Or, if you're feeling indulgent, sip a glass of Champagne on the Vedettes de Paris.