Paris

This iron tower is the very symbol of Paris itself, and it attracts nearly seven million visitors each year. The tower was built by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World Exposition to celebrate the centennial of the French Revolution. It towers over the city at 324 metres and weighs over 10,000 tons, making it both an imposing monument and an engineering marvel.

The 689-foot tall Montparnasse Tower, also called the “Tour Maine-Montparnasse”, is Paris' only skyscraper, standing at 59 storeys tall (plus 6 underground levels). The fastest lift connects the ground floor to the 56th floor, at an altitude of 643 feet in just 38 seconds (or 19 feet per second). The top floors and the terrace are only accessible by stairs and provide breathtaking panoramic views of the city.

The Louvre is one of the largest museums in the world, famous for its many masterpieces: the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, art by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Caravaggio and many more. The main entrance is covered by the 21-meter-high glass Pyramide de Louvre. The French government has collected the 35,000 paintings, sculptures and artifacts that inhabit its endless halls over the past five centuries, and the collection boasts Assyrian, Etruscan, Greek, Coptic and Islamic art, as well as antiquities dating from prehistory to the 19th century.

The Sacré-Cœur Roman Catholic basilica sits atop the Montmartre hill, the highest point of the city, offering an wonderful panoramic view of Paris as it extends southward. The church was inaugurated in 1914 and is named after, and dedicated to, the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It contains more than 500 statues and its iconic status makes it a regular sight on film.

The Arc de Triomphe was erected by the Emperor Napoleon in 1806, and standing tall at 50 metres (164 feet), it is one of the most famous landmarks in Paris. Located at the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle at the western end of Champs-Élysées, the arch honours those who fought and died in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

The town of Versailles is a wealthy Parisian suburb and municipality, located 20 kilometres outside the city. In the 11th century Versailles was merely a country village enveloping a castle and the church of Saint-Julien. Today it is mostly known for the lavish Chateau de Versailles, which served as home to King Louis XIV and summer palace to Napoleon. It also saw the historic signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 in the now legendary Hall of Mirrors.

Boat cruises on the Seine embark at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and take you through the heart of the city where you can admire the prestigious monuments and landmarks of the city and the stunning architecture from bridge to bridge and bank to bank. To learn history along the way, plug in your audio guide and choose your language (there are 13 languages available). Come back at night for another tour, and it will be a different Paris before your eyes, yet just as magical.

With its 10 million yearly visitors, Notre-Dame is the most visited site in Paris. This place has always been the religious centre of the city: the Celts considered the grounds sacred, the Romans built a temple here, the Christians, a basilica, and the last religious structure before the Notre-Dame cathedral was erected was a Romanesque church. The Gothic cathedral of Notre-Dame, finished in 1345, is a tectonic masterpiece. The massive structure is 128 meters long (420 feet) and has two 69-meter-tall towers (226 feet).

Hôtel du Nord welcomes diners in a warm red velvet setting with suffused lighting. It is a bistro offering a variety of traditional dishes such as pan-seared foie gras with mango chutney and French toast or lightly cooked scallops with aubergine caviar.

One of the best places for contemporary French Nouvelle cuisine, located in a 17th century building near the Tuilerie Park and Eiffel Tower. The chef, Alain Dutournier, is considered to be one of the most ground-breaking chefs in his category.

Hailed as one of the best restaurants in Paris, Epicure offers an unique dining experience. Head Chef Eric Frechon concocts masterpiece French dishes using unusual combinations of exquisite ingredients, producing such meals as smoked oysters with a duck and green tea bullion.

The past few years have turned Le Kong into somewhat of a legend in Paris. Underneath its glass ceiling you can have a lovely dinner, grab a drink and later on dance the night away, all the while enjoying one of the most romantic views over the river Seine.

Alcazar is a trendy restaurant located in St Germain-des-Prés, where you can taste traditional English and French dishes prepared by skilled chefs. On the second floor, you can enjoy a drink in Alcazar's huge chill-out area.

Pierre Gagnaire is located near the Champs-Elysées and is one of the city’s most solid and appealing restaurants, ranked among the world’s top 50. Expect to pay up for the lunch and dinner menu and make sure you make a reservation well in advance.

There are still local neighbourhood restaurants that serve excellent food all over Paris. One of them is Allard, in the 6th Arrondissement, over on the left bank of the Seine. It is a traditional 1930’s bistro, with many regulars from the same era. Try the foie gras, frog legs and other typical French dishes that put this place on the culinary map.

Goumard is the right place for seafood lovers. This reputable restaurant has been in business since 1872 and its motto is simply “Everything that comes from the sea.” In fact, the owner buys everything straight from the dock’s local fishermen. Specialties include grilled Breton lobster and scallop carpaccio with oysters.

La Vallée Village is 35 minutes east of Paris city centre and just five minutes from the Disney Parks. Discover superb price reductions on a selection of the leading French and international luxury fashion and lifestyle brands in 115 outlet boutiques.

This is one of the city's most popular shopping areas, home to prestigious department stores such as Printemps and Galeries Lafayette. They are remarkable as much for the wide range of items sold as for their Art Nouveau architecture. You will find a world of ready-to-wear, with appealing boutiques and affordable brands. A good place to start is with a walk from the beautiful Opéra Palais Garnier down to the stores on Boulevard Hausmann.

Located in the city centre, right between the Louvre and Notre Dame, the shopping mall Forum des Halles features a heap of good shopping spots in a fascinating and crowded underground complex. This is a good source for affordable clothing. Not far away, Le Marais carries many handicraft and antique shops and is always a safe bet to find some unique artifacts.

One of the most charming shopping activities in Paris consists of walking along the rows of bookstalls perched against the parapet of the Seine River. Here, if you have time and good bargaining skills, you may find some ancient and valuable tomes or collections of old stamps.

This world-renowned flea market in the North part of Paris attracts over 70,000 Parisians every weekend. Here you can find terrific bargains on everything from vintage clothing to antique furniture.

Paris' most spectacular department store is famous for its unique stained-glass dome. It hosts the most prestigious designer and cosmetics labels, as well as the largest European space entirely devoted to men’s fashion. It is also home to huge toy, jewellery, house ware and delicatessen departments.

This tourist strip is lined with fast food chains, banks, airline offices, cinemas and malls, such as the futuristic Drugstore Publicis near l'Arc de Triomphe, or Gallerie Marchande des Champs-Elysées near Georges V. The Guerlain Parfumerie, with its turn-of-the century elegance and curved staircase, as well as the neo-classical Virgin Megastore, a huge retail haven for recorded music and books, are highlights.

This is a place for music lovers. This record store keeps up with all the new releases, but also has a vast and eclectic collection of older gems, from jazz to metal and everything in between, perfect for allowing yourself to get lost in discovery for an afternoon.

France can be visited visa-free for up to 90 days by citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Israel, UAE and most countries in America. If you are unsure whether or not you need to apply for a visa, we recommend contacting the embassy or consulate in your country. International (non-Schengen) travelers need a passport that is valid for at least 3 months after the end of their intended trip in order to enter the Schengen zone. Citizens of Schengen countries can travel without a passport, but must have a valid ID with them during their stay.

Paris is served by two major airports. Most international flights arrive at Roissy Charles de Gaulle (CDG), 30 kilometres from the city centre. Orly is 18 kilometres from the city centre. A third airport, Paris Beauvais, is mainly served by low cost airlines. Roissybus offers a direct bus from the airport terminals every 15 minutes and arrives at the city centre (Opéra) after a 45-60 minute journey. One of the cheapest and fastest options (30 minutes) is the underground RER B to Gare du Nord running every 10-15 minutes, from where you can connect to Paris’ metro network. Air France buses go to Porte Maillot and Etoile every 15 minutes, and taxis can be found near the terminals’ baggage collection area exits. A taxi from the airport to the city centre takes around 30-40 minutes and should cost €45-50.

Paris Orly Airport is located 18 kilometres from the city centre. From Orly, the automatic metro Orlyval takes you to RER B Antony station from 6am to 11pm. The journey takes about half an hour. The other cheaper option are the airport shuttle buses going to RER C Pont de Rungis station. As for buses, the Orly bus takes you straight to Opéra station. The bus takes 20 to 30 minutes.

Paris Beauvais, is mainly served by low cost airlines. A shuttle service is organized between the terminals and Paris-Porte Maillot. The journey takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

As one of the most visited cities in the world, it is safe to say that there is never really a bad time to go. The weather is best in summer, but crowds are by far the biggest. Autumn is also highly recommended for its still pleasant weather, smaller crowds and stunning foliage.

The city’s local transport system is cheap and efficient. The bus, underground (metro) and commuter train system (RER) are divided into five zones. Tickets are valid on both buses and trains, and can be purchased from the stations and in kiosks. Travel cards, ranging from one to five days, are also available at the airport, at underground stations and from tourist information offices.

Batobus is a boat service through the heart of Paris, with stops at eight key locations along the river Seine. It functions as a hop-on-hop-off service, and tickets are sold for one day, two days or one year.

Taxis can be hailed at stands or on the street, but they can be hard to find, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings. Beware of fake cabs at the airports. Taxis Bleus +33 1 49 36 10 10 www.taxis-bleus.com Alpha Taxis +33 1 45 85 85 85 www.alphataxis.com