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There is so much to see in Paris, so many historical landmarks, so many important museums, so many unforgettable churches, one should spend at least a week exploring the city and its surroundings. Unfortunately I only had three days to see everything I wanted to see and to show it to my friend who had never been to Paris before: a very short time that forced us to pick only a few attractions and leave the other ones for our next trip to the City of Lights.



On the morning of our arrival the weather was very cold but sunny: a strong northern wind was keeping the sky clear and making us shiver as we emerged from the metro station by the Champs de Mars, the beautiful gardens that lead to the Eiffel Tower. Built in 1887 as part of the temporary Universal Exhibition, the tower was never dismantled and became one of the world’s most recognized landmarks. Our plan was to ride the elevator to the highest level from where –on such a beautiful day- one can see the whole city of Paris. Unfortunately, after a 45-minute line, we were told that the elevator going to the third level was experiencing some problems, and that we would only be allowed to reach the second level. As we reached our destination I looked down below me and realized that the second level was high enough to enjoy a beautiful view of the roofs, the river Seine and the Parisian boulevards, while the cold wind made me shiver even more.



When the weather gets too cold or rainy, there’s no reason to be upset: some of the best museums in the world are located in Paris, and are all reachable using the impeccable public transportation system. My personal favorite is the Orsay Museum, a gallery dedicated mostly to Impressionist painters. Built in what used to be a train station, the museum itself is a work of art: the vaulted ceiling and the majestic wall clock constantly remind you that one hundred years ago trains where coming and going right where nowadays you can admire some of the world’s most famous paintings. With masterpieces by Van Gogh, Manet, Monet, Pissarro and many others, the Orsay Museum is a must-see for art buffs and Impressionism fanatics.

After visiting the Orsay Museum we did what any tourist would do in Paris: we took a walk through the Tuileries gardens, heading for the Louvre, and checked out the famous Mona Lisa. For those who don’t know it, this legendary painting by Leonardo Da Vinci is quite small and difficult to admire because of the crowd constantly stationed in front of it. When we got there, a hoard of Japanese tourists were frantically taking pictures of the Mona Lisa, ignoring the “No Cameras” signs posted all over the walls, so we decided to follow suit and shoot a couple of pictures as well. But there’s a lot more to the Louvre than the Gioconda: the museum is so extensive it would take weeks to visit all of its collections of sculptures, paintings and artifacts. If you don’t want to waste your time walking aimlessly from room to room, pick up a free map, choose a few things you absolutely want to see and don’t get distracted by the other works.

On the other hand, if the weather is nice, a great way to see Paris is on board of a Bateu-Bus, a ferry that runs up and down the Seine and stops by the most important landmarks. Your ticket is good for the whole day, and you can hop on and off the ferry as many times as you want. We took it from the Eiffel Tower all the way up to La Ile de la Cite, Paris’ oldest neighborhood, where the Notre Dame cathedral attracts millions of tourists, pigeons and beggars every year. We took a walk across the river from the church, on the left bank, into the narrow streets of the Latin Quarter. Named like this because in the middle ages professors and students of the nearby Sorbonne University spoke Latin, today the Latin Quarter is a lively neighborhood packed with book stores, ethnic restaurants and bars. Given the high number of college students in the area, most restaurants and brasseries offer affordable lunch specials and deals: for 15 Euros each we ate a French onion soup (the real thing!), a abundant steak and potato entrée and home made apple pie with ice cream.

As we drove back towards the airport I wished we could have stayed more: Paris has a way to always enchant me and make me wish I could live there for a few months, even in the middle of a freezing-cold Parisian winter