48 hours in Paris

Paris at its heart is a city of art, full of diversity and creativity this vibrant, colourful city is one to explore. From museums to coffee shops this unique city has something for everyone.

Let's start at the top... of 'La Tour de Eiffel' – the most famous landmark in France. We first saw the view of the Eiffel Tower as we walked around the corner, and weren’t expecting to see it so soon. The 324m-tall tower has not only made history, but has also made Paris what it is today. The tower consists of three floors. The first floor featuring a champagne bar, with cafes and gift shops on the second floor. Walking down the tower by the stairs is breath-taking as you view see the scenery around and below you as you walk down. We spent hours here taking typical 'tourist' photos and appreciating the view around us.

The next landmark we visited was the Arc de Triomphe, in the centre of Place Charles de Gaulle. This famous landmark, built in 1806, was ordered by Napoleon. Napoleon wanted to honour the French army, which had conquered most of Europe at the time. The large arc is accessible to enter as you can climb the spiral stairs to the very top, including up to the terrace, where you have a view of the 12 radiating avenues. We visited here at night, which was beautiful as we could view the city lit up.

On our second day in Paris we visited the Louvre museum – the most visited museum in the world, with an average of 9.3 million visitors annually. The Louvre holds the worlds most known painting the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da vinchi as well as other treasures which you can explore and admire. The Louvre was one of my favourite parts of our trip. Entry is free for EU residents under 26 (as was the Arc de Triomphe), so why not take a look?

The Latin Quarter is full of book shops and cafes. The bookshops include books of different languages and are perfect to visit after having a cup of coffee at one of the many cafes in this district. Parallel to this street is the famous Notre Dam Cathedral.

We spent the last night in a traditional French restaurant a couple of doors down from where we were staying. It was great to experience some French cuisine during our stay (but no, we didn't try any snails!)

There is so much to do in Paris and it is a beautiful city to visit if you're looking for a cultural mix of history and art.