Paris

Paris, the capital of France, is known as the city of light and the city of love and deemed one of the most romantic destinations in the world. The river Seine runs through the middle of the city, with bridges crossing to either side. Paris first started as a settlement around the start of the first century and has grown into a metropole counting more than 10 million inhabitants in the entire municipality. Paris became a European cultural center early on. The building of the Notre Dame Cathedral in the 10th century marked its beginning as a significant religious center for Christianity as well. The centralized political system prevalent in France during both monarchist and republic times has left Paris as the seat of political power.

The cultural heritage of Paris is clear from a large number of museums, with the Louvre, Musée d'Orsay and Centre Pompidou as the most popular and famous. Amongst many other beautiful churches one unmissable sight is Notre-Dame. A quick trip to the Eiffel tower, built for the World Exposition in 1889, is usually on every visitor's top list of sights. It is now Paris’ most recognizable landmark that gets exceptionally lovely lit up every night. If you want to see the grandeur of the French monarchy you can take a day trip to the incredibly lavish Palais de Versailles.

Paris may be known for its romantic atmosphere, but does not mean it is only for couples. In fact, friends, families and solo travelers will enjoy the city just as much, and there is plenty do for every type of traveler. Getting around Paris is easy enough as the city has an excellent subway system and most major sights lie in walking distance from each other. Most nightclubs in Paris have a strict door policy and charge entrance fees. Young Parisians favor the streets east and north-east of Place de la Bastille. You can always find people drinking wine and taking in the views on the steps of the Montmartre in the evening.