Do you know why Paris is called „the City of Lights“?  

• It has nothing to do with the power used to illuminate the Eiffel Tower or the streetlights of the city. Lights in this case, means intellectuals, referring to the high-concentration of writers, artists and academics that have always been drawn to the city.

• Paris has almost 11 million inhabitants and is considered as one of Europe’s largest metropolitan areas. Due to its openness to culture and creativity, Paris was considered as the cultural capital of the West.  Hence, it attracted a lot of writers who moved there in order to be part of the intellectual life (Writers such as Hemingway, James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, John Dos Passos, Lawrence Durrell, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry Miller, among many others went on self exile in order to enjoy the artistic freedom that Paris had to offer).

• Also artists like Picasso, Gaugin, Monet, Rodin and countless others also recognized the city for its tremendous aestheticism and cultural magnetism.

Transport in Paris

• Paris is not a place to visit by car. Parking can be an expensive nightmare, and the city has a great public transport network, with a fast underground network that stretches well into the suburbs. The public transport system includes buses, the underground and overground Paris Métro, the RER (express transit metro), and plenty of taxis.

• Divided into a total of 20 numbered quarters (arrondissements), Paris spirals around the River Seine and comprises almost 400 different metro stations, meaning that finding your away around really is a breeze. The most familiar arrondissements comprise the areas named Bastille, Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, Champs-Elysées – Clémenceau, Île de la Cité, Louvre, Marais, Montmartre, Montparnasse, Opéra and Latin Quarter.

Parisian´s Quarters & Streets

• The Left Bank of the Seine - is known for it's somewhat bohemian lifestyle; a mode that flows along the wonderful streets of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Saint- Michel, rue de Renne, and Blvd. the Montparnasse.  The Left Bank is a way of life; as much the heart of the people of Paris, as the Sorbonne is the heart of Parisian university life.  And, since classes, at the Sorbonne, were originally taught in Latin, the area has become known as the Latin Quarter.  There is also the Eiffel Tower that was built, in spite of near revolutionary protests, for the World's Fair of  l898.  Parisians were up-in-arms believing that it would be an eyesore.  Instead, it became the highlight of the fair and the toast of Paris.

• The Right Bank of Seine - is best known for its elegant and sophisticated lifestyle.  Its most famous landmark is the  Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile which Napoleon ordered to be built in 1799. It was to be a replication of ancient Roman architecture to immortalize his many military victories. The most famous street in Paris is the Champs-Élysées.  This boulevard caters to the world’s elite.  Paris may be the fashion capital of the world, but the Champs-Elysees is the fashion center of Paris by virtue of its exclusive and chic stores and hotels.

Gastronomy in Paris

• French cuisine is known as one of the bests in the world. Indulge yourself in culinary ecstasy. From light and flaky croissants in the morning to a rich slab of foie gras in the evening. Parisians love food. From the neighbourhood bistro to the Michelin-starred restaurant, dining out in Paris is a joy. For the genuine foodie, Paris is the holy city.  To help you decide where to eat, we have selected the famous restaurants we know well and enjoy (See the page „Restaurants“).

Architecture & museums in Paris

• Paris is the city with some of the most extraordinary and diverse architecture in the world: it includes castles (Versailles which was built by Louis XIV, and one of the three most visited sites in France), churches (Notre Dame a fine example of Gothic architecture) and an array of charming buildings.

• Paris is also known for its numerous monuments and, of course, for the most famous art museum in the world -  Musée du Louvre (formerly the fortified castle and home of Philippe Auguste).  Many of the more famous museums of the world are here in Paris: the Musée d'Orsay, L'Orangerie Museum (containing Monet’s great masterworks of the pond at Giverny), the Musée Rodin, the medieval Musée de Cluny...; all in all a total of 43 world class museums, with a total number of museums, in the Parisian area, exceeding 100.

Parisian Nightlife

• When it comes to nightlife, Paris has every kind of diversion for every kind of taste. From opera to hard rock, clubs with the best DJs to cabaret shows (the legendary Moulin Rouge in Montmartre is still one of the most famous cabarets), intimate bars to throbbing nightclubs and every type of a tourist kitsch, it’s impossible to be bored by the City of Lights after dark.  There is something for everyone.
• To make your decision easier we prepared for you a selection of the most interesting places (See the page „Nightlife“).

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