Avoid the temptation to book into the Paris Hilton, Travel Inn or Best Western and go for something small or independent that offers all the style of Paris without the price tag. Hotel Duo is a super chic boutique hotel in the centre of the Marais district of Paris. As well as being brilliantly located, it is also an absolute steal at just E100 ($140 or £85) a night for a double room.
Visit the Eiffel Tower and the Trocadero Gardens
Standing over 300 metres in height, the Eiffel Tower is the perfect place to get a fantastic view of the city. Walk the 1652 steps to the top, or take the express elevator that will have you at the top of Paris in seconds. On a windy day, the top of the tower can sway by as much as 12 inches. Look over the Seine (the river that runs through the centre of Paris) and you will see the breathtaking Trocadero Gardens with the Musee de la Marine (also a great place to take pictures of the Eiffel Tower).
Visit Le Centre Pompidou or La Louvre?
Wind down and enjoy a little culture with a visit to the Centre National d’Art et de Culture Georges Pompidou (opened in 1977). An amazing exhibition and performance space, the Pompidou (named after French President Georges Pompidou) houses a truly amazing collection of 20th century art from fauves to cubists to conceptual art and much more. A celebration of modernity, the building itself can be compared to a grey cage, criss-crossed with a network of brightly coloured air, water, electricity and heating tubes. For the more conservative art lover, La Louvre, built on the foundations of a medieval castle designed to house four centuries of French kings, has such treasures as the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa. The entrance is through an infamous glass pyramid, designed by architect I. M. Pei, and contains a wealth of French 16th to 19th Century, Italian Renaissance, 19th Century Flemish works as well as Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities.
The Who’s Who of Cemeteries at Pere Lachaise
No visit to Paris is complete without a selective wander around the 108 acres of Pere Lachaise. The cemetery, found in the east of the city, has such famous residents as entertainers Edith Piaf, Jim Morrison, Sarah Bernhardt and Isadora Duncan; writers including Oscar Wilde, Balzac, Marcel Proust and Moliere; composers such as Georges Bizet, Frederic Chopin and Stephane Grappelli; and artists including Amedeo Modigliani and Eugene Delacroix. The 20th arondisement isn’t the most beautiful part of Paris, but it is a great place to pick up a budget meal at one of the many exotic eateries nearby.
Watching the Sun go Down in Paris
After an intensive day of shopping and sightseeing in Paris, it is tempting to head straight back to the hotel. However, it’s worth fighting the jet-lag and the call of cool plump pillows to see some of Paris’ lively nightlife. From the colourful can-can dancing of the Moulin Rouge to clubs catering from everything from jazz to pop, there is something for everyone in this romantic capital. Travellers are reminded to book the all important alarm call before they head to bed!
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