Paris, known around the world as the City of Light, offers countless ways to have the holiday of a lifetime. This iconic city offers art, culture and history, as well as countless opportunities to relax and enjoy yourself. Here are five reasons why you should make Paris your next holiday destination.
Art
Paris is home to some of the most famous museums and galleries in the world that contain lavish collections of artistic treasures. The Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay, the Musee Rodin, and the Musee de l’Orangerie are just a few places where you can get your culture-fix. In these museums, you can see the work of some of the world’s most famous artists, such as da Vinci, Monet, Rodin, Manet and Renoir.
Literature
In the past as well as the present, Paris was host to a large wave of intellectual expatriates, who would gather in the city’s many cafes and debate the pressing issues of the age. One of the most famous is Les Deux Magots, which hosted the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Jean Paul Sartre, Oscar Wilde and Simone de Beauvoir. This café can be found in St. Germain des Pres, which was known as the artists’ neighborhood. Today, the neighborhood is more affluent, but many of the old cafes and gathering places are still there. Some other great choices include La Palette, Le Rosebud and Café de Flore.
Paris also has many well-known bookstores. One example, Shakespeare and Company, is just across the street from Notre Dame. Originally owned by Sylvia Beach, the shop has become an iconic landmark and also offers literary prizes and hold writers’ conferences each year. Also, the American Library, near the Eiffel Tower, is home to the largest collection of English books available for lending in Europe.
History
Many of the world’s most well known historic landmarks are in Paris. There’s the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Opera Garnier and the Sorbonne. For examples of important churches, check out Sacre Coeur and Notre Dame, both of which are imposing structures that dominate the Paris landscape.
For a short trip outside the city, you can also visit the palace of Versailles, where Marie Antoinette supposedly said, “Let them eat cake!”
Cuisine
No trip to Paris would be complete without sampling the haute cuisine, that trademark French style of crafting the perfect meal out of a few, high quality ingredients. The French place such esteem upon food that even the humble baguette can reach heavenly heights of flavour and texture. You can stroll through the city and choose any bistro, brasserie, restaurant or café and find delicious, fresh, creative meals at any of them. You can even spend a day on a specialty food tasting tour, where you can walk with a guide and try all of the flavours that the city’s eateries have to offer.
Nightlife
As the sun goes down, a completely different Paris comes to life. Join the party over at such iconic hotspots as the Moulin Rouge, Place Vendome, Au Chat Noir, and Les Pirates. Great neighbourhoods for nightlife include Pigalle, Oberkampf, and Bastille.
Getting There
Trips to Paris can be easily arranged from London, either via plane or train. Additionally, many European cities also offer train service to Paris.
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