Europe is a dream destination and like me I believe its on the bucket list of most of the people around the globe. While in my thoughts I have visited most of the European countries but when I had to pick my first European destination I must say it was pretty difficult. And why not, European countries are full of vibrant cities famous for their museums, cafes, art, architecture, nightlife along with the beautiful countryside. However, there was always a place I wanted to see when it is all lit up in the night, one from my bucket list and that is the Eiffel Tower. So, as you already know now, the first European destination that I chose to visit was ‘Paris’.

Paris is charming. I visited Paris in Autumn and it looked beautiful with the Fall colors, completely covered in red, orange, yellow and  white during the day and looked stunning with the city lights at night. Paris is especially known for its museums and architectural landmarks. One could easily spend an entire vacation exploring the place, admiring the iconic sights, the beautiful buildings, and enjoying the cuisine. I would like to share some of the places which I feel must be visited once in Paris.

“A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life.” – Thomas Jefferson.                           

Traveling in Paris is pretty easy, one can use the Metro to go around the city. But, I would ask you to walk because most of the tourist attractions are within a mile of one another. And if you map out the places well ahead, you could easily cover the places in two days. However, most importantly I feel that when you walk around you can feel the place, the atmosphere, the people. The walk beside the river Seine, over the graceful bridges, on the cobbled roads, finding some of the most beautiful paintings on the streets, seeing the love all around will leave you speechless.

Now, here are the list of places I admired in Paris.

• Notre Dame Cathedral: One of the most enduring symbols of Paris. It is a Roman Catholic cathedral which is famous for its French Gothic architecture, the amazing sculptures and gargoyles. You should walk around the cathedral, then go inside, you can also walk up to the top of the tower to get the panoramic view of the region. The place has some beautiful stained glasses, specially the rose windows. If you want to witness the amazing architecture of Paris, then this is the place to be. There is also no entry fee to the cathedral. I keep it short for the rest of you to explore.

• Louvre Museum:  This is my favorite museum in Europe and is also one of the most visited and most popular art gallery and museum in the entire world. This is located in the heart of Paris, and is a former royal palace. The museum is divided into eight sections – Egyptian antiquities, Oriental antiquities, Greek, Etruscan and Roman, Islamic Art, Sculptures of the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Modern Times, Objects of Arts, Paintings, Graphic Arts. It is not possible to see everything in the Louvre in a day, it would take months. You must wait in line to go inside the spectacular Louvre Pyramid for security reasons. Then you can buy the tickets inside. The price of the ticket is 15Euros but if you are in a group of eight then it could cost you less. It houses some of the classic works like Leonardo Da Vinci’s Monalisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace, Michelangelo’s Dying Slave.

“An artist has no home in Europe except in Paris.” -Friedrich Nietzsche

• Arc De Triomphe and Champs-Elysees: Arch of Triumph is an amazing structure built in the honour of the imperial army. The pillar carvings and the engraved victory tales on the arc are the elements of beauty here. It commemorates the First World War and holds the flame of the Unknown Soldier. It also overlooks the Avenue des Champs-Elysees, known to be the most beautiful avenue in the world. It connects Arc de Triomphe with the Place de la Concorde and is considered one of the world’s most famous commercial streets which is great for shopping.

• Pont des Arts: It is a Parisian pedestrian bridge linking the Louvre to the south bank of the river which is also known as the bridge of romance. You can find here a large number of love locks hooked onto the bridge’s railings. It has become a tradition here for the loved ones to write their initials in a lock and hook it to the bridge. The place looks beautiful with all the colorful love locks, paintings, drawings and photographs.

• Pont Alexandre III: It is the most ornate and extravagant bridge in Paris and definitely one of the most famous bridges in France. It is a deck arch bridge that spans the Seine in Paris. It connects the Champs-Elysees quarter with those of the Invalides and Eiffel Tower. It has a typical Art Nouveau style, with charming lamps, nymphs and angels along the sides.

• Sainte-Chapelle: It is a beautiful chapelle with another example of Gothic style architecture. It was the former residence of the king of France. It houses several Christian relics like Christ’s thorn, also it has a marvelous decor with colorful stained glass and wood carvings.

•  Eiffel Tower: It is very difficult to imagine Paris without its symbolic Eiffel Tower. Named after engineer Gustave Eiffel, your Paris trip remains incomplete without visiting this place. It is the tallest structure in Paris with three levels open for visitors. The entrance fee varies depending on the floors and the use of lift or stairs. This place is always crowded so whenever you go you have to wait in the queue. The best time to be at the top is before sunset so that you can have the view during the day and also at night when the tower is lit up. The view from the land is also amazing, every one hour there is a light show which is ecstatic. You can find many people selling different souvenirs, especially of the tower and different Eiffel tower key chains. You need to bargain with the cost, sometimes they demand too much. Also, they give you some key chains for free if you buy the Eiffel tower souvenir. The place around the tower is beautiful, you can find the giant wheel, beautiful restaurants on the ships, cafes etc. 

• Cruise on the Seine: The best way to experience the city of lights is to take a boat ride on the river Seine at night. When the sun sets, the monuments are lit up and you can enjoy the beauty of Paris from the boat, you can see the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, Pont Alexandre III and many more. And this is the best way to end your trip to Paris.

Other Notable Attractions:

• Montmartre
• Palace of Versailles
• The Latin Quarter
• Sacre-Coeur
• Disneyland Paris

 Some useful Tips:

• Be careful of the pickpockets, especially on the Metro and the popular tourist attractions.
• Hold on to your Metro ticket until you exit the station, if you are caught empty-handed you could be liable for a fine.
• Try to plan your trip in the first Sunday of the month as the admission fee is free in many places during certain months.
• Check the news before you plan your travel, as there could be protests sometimes which might not be very nice. 

My first trip to Paris is filled with memories. I saw some of the most amazing places, along with the yellow vest protest. It was an eventful trip and the most exciting one.I feel Paris is one of the most charming places in the world.

I have been dreaming countless of time of visiting Paris. And, finally my dream came true. Paris is unforgettable.