It is a city that is an ideal destination for all travel lovers. It is also called the City of Lights, because in 1828 the main streets were equipped with gas lamps! In this city you will become children again, you will wander the beautiful streets, you will shop, you will have fun, you will become richer in experiences on multiple levels. In every corner it exudes romance and art! Ιt’ s the city in which you can experience everything.
Currency: Euro
Calling Code: +33
Nearest airports from city center: Paris Orly Airport (14km) and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (23km).
TOP – 10 SIGHTSEEING
*** EIFFEL TOWER (Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris)
At the view of the Eiffel Tower you will feel an awe. It began construction in 1887 and opened on March 31, 1889. It is the landmark of the city. Enter the lifts and visit the north, west and east pillars to the three levels, while you can even reach the top with another lift on the second level! On the first and second level you can enjoy your coffee or a cocktail at the top of the tower.
*** MUSEE DU LOUVRE (99 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris)
At the beginning of the 12th century, the impressive Palais du Louvre was built and had the character of a fortress. In the 16th century it was rebuilt to be the royal residence. 1973 is now a National Museum and there you can enjoy paintings, sculptures and works of art from all over Europe with collections of Assyrian, Greek, Coptic, Egyptian and Islamic works. Important references are made to ancient civilizations around the world. You will have the opportunity to see over 35 thousand exhibits during your visit. Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” adorns the Museum. Near the Museum is the PALAIS ROYAL, which you should definitely visit. It was also called “The Palace of the Cardinals”, it is a palace that housed kings and prominent personalities. It was built in 1633.
*** ΝΟΤRE-DAME DE PARIS (6 Parvis Notre-Dame – Pl. Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris).
Its construction began in 1160 and was completed around the middle of the 13th century. The Metropolitan Roman Catholic Cathedral is essentially the heart of Paris and is one of the most magnificent architectural monuments of the Gothic style. It was the center of catholic Paris for seven centuries. In 1804 Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned emperor in the temple.
*** L’ ARC DE TRIOMPHE ( Pl. Charles de Gaulle, 75008 Paris)
The legendary Arc de Triomphe is located in the center of the Place de l’ Étoile, at the junction of the 12 major boulevards, which include the idyllic pedestrian mall and the much-sung Champs-Élysées.
*** PALACE OF VERSAILLES (Place d’Armes, 78000 Versailles)
It is 38 km away from the center of Paris. From 1682 to 1789 Versailles was the capital of France and is now one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is a royal castle and is now available as a museum. It consists of a total of 2,300 rooms, 67 stairwells and covers a total area of 67,000 m2!
*** MONTMARTE
It is considered one of the most romantic, if not the most romantic neighborhood in Paris. It is located in the 18th district and at an altitude of about 130 meters. Wander the alleys where artists of the past such as Pablo Picasso, Renoir, Pizarro and many others flourished. Even now you will see many artists setting up their easels to paint your portrait. Of course it is necessary to visit the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre built between 1875 and 1914 by the architect Paul Abadi during the Roman-Byzantine period
*** MUSEE D’ ORSAY (1 Rue de la Légion d’Honneur, 75007 Paris)
Enjoy sculptures and paintings housed in a large train station of 1900. It is one of the most popular museums and includes works by leading artists such as Monet, Van Gogh, Degas, Rodin, Renoir and many more.
*** PANTHEON (Place du Panthéon, 75005 Paris)
It was originally built as a church dedicated to the miraculous Saint Genoveva of Paris in 1790. It is now a mausoleum containing the remains of distinguished French citizens. Among the prominent personalities lying in the silent chambers of the Pantheon are Voltaire, Alexandre Dumas and the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
*** PALAIS DU LUXEMBOURG (15 Rue de Vaugirard, 75291 Paris)
It occupies an area of 25 hectares and you will find statues and small volumes of water in the oasis of grass and gravel. You will also see an apple and pear orchard and the popular Teatre des Marionnettes which you should definitely visit. The palace was built for the mother of King Louis XIII of France and Gaston, Duke of Orleans, Marie de Médicis and is now the seat of the President of the French Senate.
*** DISNEYLAND (Bd de Parc, 77700 Coupvray)
The time you all were waiting for has come: To become children again! It is located 32 km east of the center of Paris and is the most popular theme park in all of Europe. The resort covers a total area of 4,800 acres.
ΤΗINGS TO DO
*** If you want other museums and palaces, be sure to visit Les Invalides which is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris and has invaluable exhibits from the military point of view of French history.
*** You should definitely visit from the Musée National Picasso (5 rue de Thorigny, 75003 Paris). It is considered the building itself, one of the most important models of french architecture and includes over 3,000 different works by Picasso.
*** Walk to Le Marais. It is a modern district and at the same time the closest you can find to medieval Paris.
*** If you have time visit the Center Georges Pompidou which has over 50,000 works of art
*** The Musee Rodin (77 Rue de Varenne, 75007, Paris) has exhibits by the famous French sculptor François Auguste Rene Rodin.
*** It would also be worth a visit to two more Museums. The Petit Palais (Avenue Winston Churchill, 75008 Paris) which houses exhibits on Art History and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (107 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris) which includes exhibits of decorative arts and design from the history of fashion, of advertising and graphic art.
*** Walk to the Quartier Latin and you will feel like a student for a while. There is the University of the Sorbonne and dozens of cafes where you will see young people enjoying their coffee. There you will also find many bookstores, such as the famous Shakespeare & Company.
*** It could easily be in the Top-10. The Musée de l’Orangerie (Jardin Tuileries, 75001 Paris) is a gallery where you can enjoy masterpieces such as Claude Monet.
FOOD AND DRINK
If you want to live and eat like a Parisian, then you should try Croissants, Escargots, Macarons, Jambon-beurre which is considered as street food, Steak tartare, traditional cheeses and definitely Onion soup. Otherwise you can find everything from very expensive restaurants with Michelin stars to the much cheaper ones for all budgets. Cuisines from all over the world are found in Paris.
WHERE TO STAY
We would recommend staying close to the center depending of course on your budget. If you can not stay close to the center, make sure the hotels or apartments have a metro stop nearby.
FUN AND SHOPPING
*** Visit Moulin Rouge. Take a photo in front of its virtual red mill and if you have time, it would be good to go in and live this experience! It has been operating for over 120 years and is the forerunner of all subsequent cabaret. It’s very close to the historic hill of Montmartre.
*** Opera Garnier (8 Rue Scribe, 75009 Paris)! Opera Garnier (8 Rue Scribe, 75009 Paris). It is the “home” of the famous Phantom of the Opera and opened its gates in 1875!
*** Paris has plenty of parks and gardens to relax on, including Trocadéro Gardens, Boulogne Woods, Vincennes Woods, Tuileries Garden and Buttes Chaumont Park.
*** For shopping visit La Vallee Village. It is Luxury outlet shopping at 120 designer brands. It is about 37 kilometers away from Paris.
*** The Main Shopping Street is Champs D’Élysées and is aimed primarily at people who are determined to meet high-priced clothing.
*** There are other shopping streets such as Avenue Montaigne and Rue Du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
*** It is also worth visiting the Gallerie Vivienne which has, among other things, incredible architecture.
*** Galerie Lafayettes is aimed at tourists and citizens with a very high salary.
HOW TO GET AROUND
The most beautiful way to get around the city is by bike, on foot, by bus, or by metro.
CITIES NEAR PARIS
Major cities close to Paris are Orleans (132km), Reims (140km), Havre (192km), Le Mans (209km), Caen (237km), Brussels (260km), Ghent (265km), Antwerp (300km), Rennes (305km), Nantes (338km) and London (344km).
