If it is your first visit to Paris, it could get overwhelming. Every bit of the city seems to ooze history, every bit of it looks like it must be explored. To give you a little heads up, here are the top five sights and attractions you must visit in Paris:
1. The Louvre – one of the most magnificent museums, it is a must visit when in Paris. It is home to one of the most diverse and largest collections of paintings, Objects d’Arts and sculptures. The Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo and the works of scores of other masters such as Rembrandt, Vermeer and Caravaggio are all housed at the Louvre.
2. Notre Dame Cathedral – this is Gothic architecture at its best. The Notre Dame Cathedral is the most beautiful cathedrals in Europe with its spire, spectacular towers and stained glass that are absolutely breath taking. Climb the North tower of the cathedral to steal a glance of Paris from Quasimodo, the hunchback’s viewpoint.
3. Musée d’Orsay – a short walk across the bridge from the Louvre is the Musée d’Orsay. Here you can look at the world’s most extensive and prized collection of impressionist as well as post-impressionist paintings that include works by Van Gogh, Delacroix and Manet.
4. The Sorbonne and the Latin Quarter – founded in the 13th century for a handful of students of theology, Sorbonne is one of the oldest universities in Europe. René Descartes, Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir are some of the famous people to have walked the corridors at here.
5. Eiffel Tower – probably the most famous landmark in the country, the Eiffel Tower, when it was revealed to the public in 1889 by Gustave Eiffel was unpopular at the time. Since then however, the tower has brought in over 220 million visitors.