The World Cup Finals was held last weekend. Even if you are not a fan of soccer, you would definitely come to know, from heavy media coverage, who won the Cup. Before I continue to rattle on and go off the tangent, this post is unfortunately (or fortunately) not about the World Cup. As you all should know by now, France is the Champion this year! For those of you who have plans to visit France after their superb tournament, you must not miss its capital, Paris, which I had the chance to visit twice.
The most famous landmark of Paris is none other than the Eiffel Tower. Standing magnificently at 1,063 ft tall, it is the tallest structure in Paris. The tower has three levels for visitors and tickets can be purchased from its base. On my first trip to Paris, I visited the Eiffel Tower in the evening when it was lit up in luminous orange.
As I ascended up the tower, I was overwhelmed with anticipation. Despite the chilly evening and photobombing by other enthusiastic tourists alike, the breathtaking view of the city was worth every penny. This is inevitably one of the must-go attractions for couples, especially if you are looking for a love confession or marriage proposal stage.
That said, the Eiffel Tower is beautiful in the day as well. Its magnificent structure standing against the backdrop of clear blue sky provided an entirely refreshing sight.
After the Eiffel Tower, couples can continue to stroll leisurely along the banks of River Seine. This river flows through the heart of Paris and is the most recognized river in France. There are currently 37 bridges spanning the Seine within Paris with Pont des Arts being the most popular one where couples attach a love padlock to the bridge railing. However, a ban on this love-declaring tradition was implemented a few years back after part of the parapet on the bridge collapsed under the combined weight of the padlocks that had been attached to it.
Not surprisingly for art enthusiasts, there are over 70 museums spawning in the city. Your trip to Paris will not be complete without visiting at least one of them, with The Louvre (Musée du Louvre) being the most famous indisputably. It is the world’s largest art museum, housing a vast array of Greek, Roman and Etruscan statues, painting, decorative arts, sculptures etc. For someone who isn’t artistically-inclined like me, I personally spent a good 4–5 hours combing the grounds. Tip: keep a lookout for the most renowned Mona Lisa painted by Leonardo da Vinci when you are here! It’s hard to miss it — afterall, it is the most heavily guarded painting and has the most human traffic in front of it.
If you have a further thirst for museums, I would highly recommend The Musée d’Orsay and The Musée Rodin. The former houses a huge collection of Impressionist art pieces while the latter contains Auguste Rodin’s collection of bronze sculptures.
Tip: Several of the museums across the city have free admission on certain days. Do visit their websites for the most updated information.
Other than the museums, Paris is also a shopping paradise where one can shop to her heart’s content. The Champs-Elysées Avenue, being the world’s most beautiful avenue, is lined with luxury designer brands such as Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Chanel, Dior etc. Besides shopping, restaurants and cafes can be found along this avenue for boyfriends and husbands to people-watch while waiting for the ladies.
If you still have bursting energy at night, indulge in a night full of entertainment at Moulin Rouge which first opened its doors more than a century ago. Located in the Montmartre neighborhood, tourists from all over the world flock in to feast their eyes with a glamorous night of musical, dance and drama over food and sips of champagne.
Lastly, do not forget to satisfy your belly with French cuisine such as ratatouille, mussels in white wine sauce, duck confit, fois gras, escargot, and crème brûlée before leaving the city. These definitely do not pale in comparison to the non-exhaustive list of tourist attractions in this “city of love”.
PS. I would love to hear your travel experience to Paris or anywhere on the globe if you are keen to share your afterthoughts.
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