Paris, France - You may never want to leave London, but I assure you, please leave and go to Paris, the City of Love. Hop on the Eurostar, enjoy more British countryside and add some French countryside to your itinerary after you travel underneath the British channel. Don’t let the enormity of Paris dissuade you to explore. Hop on a bus-tour around the city and get your bearings, but the best way to explore Paris is to bike it. Rent a public bike from one of the many public bike racks (the first 30 minutes are free) and just go. I suggest the route from the Arc de Triomphe to the Eiffel Tower, which includes crossing the Seine on one of the beautiful Parisian bridges. From the Eiffel tower, hop on your bike towards Notre Dame. On the way, you will be able to visit the Louvre and many other museums that may fancy your interest.
Arriving at Notre Dame, take a step inside but don’t take too long, because right across the Seine is a place that I highly recommend if you are in any way a lover of books and coffee. Visit Shakespeare and Company, a beautiful bookstore with a reading room on the second floor containing a window that has an immaculate view of Notre Dame. Head downstairs to grab a great cup of coffee, and then explore the surrounding streets for crepes that are to die for–chocolate is the best in my opinion. As dinner arrives, eat at one of the local restaurants around Notre Dame for a great French meal, and then head to the docks and grab a boat-tour of the Seine at night. From the boat you will get a grand view of all the major landmarks, and will be able to have one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower around.
In order to appreciate French history, you must make a trip to Versailles. Yes, the same Versailles where the famous Treaty of Versailles was signed in World War II, but more famous to the French wherein King Henry the XVI and Marie Antoinette resided in utter opulence. By visiting the palace and the gardens surrounding it, you will gain a distinct understanding at why the French Revolution happened.
If you are interested at all in understanding the fastest growing religion in France, head to the Grand Mosque in Paris and take a tour. The Grand Mosque is filled with incredible Muslim architecture and art, and is also one of the biggest mosques in Europe. You will be able to chat with some of the leadership in the mosque and learn about Islam from them. After you finish the tour, head to the back of the mosque and sit down and sip away at some traditional Moroccan mint tea in an Arabic-style tea-house.
The best end to your time in Paris will be visiting the Church of the Sacred Heart, better known as Sacré-Coeur, on Mont Marte. This small artist-village is the town where Picasso and some of the most well-known artists have studios. You will be able to enjoy some of the most incredible tile-art that you have ever seen in Sacré-Coeur, and if you want, you can even have your portrait done by one of the French Painters that line the busy streets. Nestled on top of a mountain overlooking Paris, it is an amazing place to take in the sights of Paris that you have been to on your tour there, and a perfect place to watch the sun go down on the City of Lights, revealing why it is thus named.
Start saving, find a travel-companion, and go. The only person that can get you there is the only person that can keep you from going, yourself.