Paris is the most romantic city on Earth. Every corner of this beautiful city has a historic tale to tell. There are over ten such tourist destinations that should never be missed by a first time visitor to this city.

Arc de Triomphe:A walk down the prestigious Champs-Elysées Avenue will lead you to Arc de Triomphe. It is the symbol of Parisian glory and richness to the world. The construction of the arc was ordered by the Emperor Napoleon in the year 1806 to commemorate France’s soldiers. Unfortunately, the construction was completed only in 1836, after Napoleon’s death.

The base of this arc is richly carved with four sets of allegorical sculptors. The most famous is Francois Rude's "La Marseillaise", which depicts an iconic French lady ‘Marianne’, urging her fellowmen to battle. The inside walls bear the names of the French soldiers who fought the Napoleonic wars.

The best time to visit the arc is at dusk, after 6:30 pm, when the Flame of the Unknown Soldier is lit and the entire Champs-Elysées street is bathed in dim street lights.

One can climb up the 284 steps or take an elevator to reach the top of the arc. At the top, the beautiful Eiffel and Sacred Heart Church are visible.

It is the most recognized symbol of Paris and the world’s most known monument. It is located on Champs de Mars. It was constructed for the World’s Fair Paris in 1889 by the French engineer Gustave Eiffel. It was originally planned to be destroyed after the fair but was used as a radio transmitter and hence luckily escaped destruction. It still continues to charm millions of tourists around the globe.

You can take the elevator to the first or the second level of the tower, you can also try the stairs but they are tiring though inexpensive. There are restaurants on both the levels. This ‘Iron Lady’ gives a beautiful and spectacular view of Paris from the top.

At night you can witness the tower sparkling in coloured lights. This is done with the help of projectors focusing light beams from the sodium lamps onto the tower. This light display continues till 2 am in the summer.

It was originally a dark 12^th century fortress on the banks of river Seine, converted to a palatial dwelling by Philipe Auguste. After the French Revolution in the late 18^th century, the palace was converted to a public museum.

It is a vast museum, housing thousands of paintings, sculptors and historic objects from different parts of the world. The most sought after painting is the Mona Lisa by Vinci. The collections are breath taking and amazing. One floor is completely for Egyptian antiquities, bronzes, vases, and mummies. The collections grew at the time of Napoleon. Renovation of the building was done after the World War 2. The glass pyramid built by I. M. Pei was inaugurated on March 30, 1989. The Louvre is a symbol of excellence of French art and also the blend of classic meets modern design.

The most popular monument in Paris after the Eiffel Tower is the Notre Dame Cathedral, overlooking the Seine River, thanks to Victor Hugo’s famous book ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame’. It was damaged during the French revolution but later restored.

The Cathedral was conceived during the 12^th century and completed during the 14^th century. On its foundation, once stood a Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter. It is admired for its dramatic towers, shires and stained glass. There are 386 stairs leading to the bell tower. To climb these, one has to pay and also stand in the queue. Once at the top, one can admire the statues of the demons and the Notre Dame’s magnificent shire.

Sacre Coeur: This Basilica sits at the highest point of Paris on the Montmartre knoll, or butte. It is known for its gold mosaic interiors and white dome. It was built in 1909 at Montmartre, which is a small village at the outskirts of the city. To reach the Basilica, one has to climb steep hills and steps and then on reaching one would be stunned to see the amazing view of the Paris city on a clear, fine day.

Boat tour of the Seine River: It is an unforgettable experience to drift down the Seine River in a boat. The beautiful site of the Paris city passing by really captivates your mind. It is a one hour tour for almost 10 Euros. You can hop in near Eiffel or Notre Dame. At dusk, the river is illuminated and it can turn out to be your most romantic boat trip. You can sit back and relax, enjoying the prolific city view and the chilly wind, or enjoy a dinner in the boat. There is no other river than the Seine which is beautifully and passionately described by the poets.

It is the most prestigious and famous avenues in the world. It is lined with restaurants, cafes, luxury shops. It is the highly fashionable and expensive venue of real estate in Europe. Usually public gatherings and celebrations are held here such as the New Year celebrations and when France won the FIFA World Cup in 1998. It is also called La plus belle avenue du monde in France, which means the most beautiful avenue in the world.

The avenue streches about 2kms, beginning from Place de la Concorde in the East, with its obelisk,to Place Charles de la Gaulle in the West,which is the location of Arc de Triomphe. It houses many famous buildings such as Théâtre Marigny and the Grand Palais

  It is a famous square at the eastern end of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Its construction started in 1754 and ended in 1763 by Louis XV, in the shape of an octagon. It witnessed the bloody French revolution.

In this square stands a huge Egyptian obelisk of Luxor, gifted to the French by the then Egyptian viceroy. An obelisk is a giant monolithic stone that has paintings and inscriptions on its four sides and tapers gently at the top to form a pyramid. The pedestal images depict the task of transportation from Egypt. The obelisk weighs 230 tons and is 70 m high. It is flanked by two fountains on both sides. 

This beautiful international city, always buzzing with life, has a history of more than 200 years. Its history and historic monuments proudly speaks out the city’s excellence in art, culture and literature. It still continues to charm millions of tourists flocking to witness these. 

Bon Voyage!