The main historical part of Paris does not occupy a large area and its shape resembles a slightly flattened circle. The diameter of this historic circle is only 11 kilometres.
The island of Île de la Cité The island of Île de la Cité is one of two natural islets on the Seine within historic Paris, and this is where the city began. Today we can find here public administration buildings and a small park, although of course the island is visited primarily because of the famous Notre Dame cathedral.
Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe and Louvre
Despite the fact that the Arc de Triomphe is nearly four kilometres from the Louvre, it is one of the most interesting walking routes in Paris itself. Walking in a straight line from the Arc de Triomphe, we will pass the famous Champs Elysees, Concorde Square (Place de la Concorde), the “Jardin des Tuileries” garden, until we reach the pyramid of the Louvre itself.
Jardin des Tuileries and Louvre
The Jardin des Tuileries garden is one of the most interesting city parks, it is definitely worth taking a walk around it, especially on a warm day. If we have more time, we can leave it on Rue de Castiglione and walk to the atmospheric Vendome square (Place Vendôme). In the centre of the square, Napoleon ordered the erection of a column with a monument in honour of the Battle of Austerlitz, modelled on the Roman column of Trajan. The square itself was built in 1702 as a monument to the glory of Louis XIV. The facades of the buildings surrounding the square are one of the best examples of Parisian architecture.
Champ de Mars and the Eiffel Tower
One of the symbols of Paris is the 307 meters high Eiffel Tower. Despite its fame, many Parisians find it rather disfiguring to their city. The tower was designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World Exhibition. It is one of the most visited monuments in Europe.
Latin Quarter
The Latin Quarter is one of the most beautiful areas in Paris. Atmospheric streets, the Sorbonne University, the beautiful St. Michael and the Pantheon. In addition, the streets are always bustling with life around the clock. Marie Curie-Skłodowska was the first woman in history to be buried in the basement of the Pantheon. In the shadow of the Pantheon, stands the Church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, on the steps of which the protagonist of the film “At Midnight in Paris” a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight.
Montmartre
Montmartre, considered by many to be the most Parisian of all the districts of the French capital. However, not everyone is aware that the Montmartre area of Paris was not included until 1860! Montmartre is distinguished by the topography itself. Unlike the rest of the city, Montmartre is located on a hill – on top of which the famous Sacre Coeur Basilica was built. We can either go up the high stairs or use a special cable car. Once, when Montmartre was merely a small town, its trademark was the mills. To this day, only two Moulin Blute-Fin and Moulin Radet have survived, and they very often appear as a motif in the art of artists staying in Paris. They were painted by, among others Renoir and Vincent Van Gogh. In pop culture, however, the most famous is another of the mills, built on the facade as a decoration red mill on the Moulin Rouge building.
City of culture and art
Paris has always been famous as a city-friendly to artists. Great works of art were created here in almost every era. Writers, painters and musicians worked here. For this reason, the capital of France is a unique place for anyone who would like to immerse themselves in art from different eras. Of course, the most important of Parisian museums is the famous Louvre, where you can spend the whole day. Before entering, to avoid getting lost, it is worth getting ready and choosing the works that interest one the most, in the interests of time. We can find here works created before 1848.
The second most important museum is the Musée d’Orsay, in which we see works from the years 1848-1914 (Realism, Impressionism), including artists such as Delacroix, Monet and Van Gogh. The museum itself is housed in a building that used to be a train station, and the facade of the building is distinguished by the clocks placed on it. We can see Modern Art from the era after 1914 at the Pompidou Center. Even if we are not interested in going inside, one should stop a while here and see this original building from the outside. Pipes, bright colours, escalators externalized to the outside make this a place not to be missed. Right next to the centre, you will find the original fountain, Fontaine Stravinsky, decorated with various metal sculptures. There are also many pubs around, but the prices are high and the service is definitely tourist-focused. Once in Paris, it would be a shame not to see the famous Garnier Opera, if only from the outside. We can visit the opera without a guide, which is an unforgettable experience. Inside, one can see halls, impressive ceilings and a beautiful Grand Staircase. Right next to the Opera Garnier is the famous Lafayette Gallery, a shopping mall with expensive brands that looks like a magnificent royal palace inside. The Arabic Institute (Institut du monde Arabe) is located in an interesting building with a metal facade. Inside, one can experience many exhibits depicting Arab history in Europe and France at the turn of the century.
Theme parks
Almost everyone has heard of the famous amusement park – Disneyland. This is the dream of every child and many adults since their childhood. Today Disneyland consists of two parks – the older, typically fairy-tale-like, and the newer one that puts more emphasis on movies and modern animations by Pixar. There is one more amusement park outside Paris – Park Asterix. The third-place that can be considered an amusement park is the Aquaboulevard de Paris water park.
Versailles
The palace itself in the middle impresses all spectators with its splendour, golden decorations and works of art. In addition to the main palace, and adjacent, there is a smaller building, the Marie Antoinette Palace – Petit Trianon, also open to the public. We should plan up to two hours for sightseeing. In addition to these palaces, we can find many beautiful works of art in the palace gardens.