Parisian pleasures

Paris is quite simply one of the world's most beautiful, fashionable and cultural cities, and billed as the romance capital of the world, it is an ideal place to spend a long weekend.

As a metropolis in every sense of the word, Paris is a hive of activity at all hours of the day and night and there are always things to do and places to see, aside from the usual sampling of fine art at the Louvre and the mandatory climbing of the Eiffel Tower.

The city itself is split into two parts by the River Seine, on the banks of which lies an abundance of shops, hotels, restaurants, museums, monuments and churches, with perhaps the most famous of which - Notre Dame Cathedral - towering on an island in between.

So you have plenty of places to visit. Plus, if you're looking for somewhere magical to take the kids, Disneyland Resort Paris is just a half-hour train ride from the centre of the city.

Museum tip

The Carte Musees et Monuments allows you free entry and queue-jumps to around 70 different museums in and around Paris. You can buy them in the museums themselves or in Metro stations, and they cost from 15€ for a one-day card.