Hailed as the most romantic city in Europe, Paris, but more specifically the image of the skyline at sunset with the iconic silhouetted Eiffel Tower, has almost become a lovers’ cliché. A favoured destination for honeymooners and culture vultures alike, France’s atmospheric capital is also one of the most popular hotspots for marriage proposals. Paris has three airports, all owned and managed by Aéroports de Paris. The largest of these is Charles de Gaulle (or Roissy) airport, which handled almost 58 million passengers in 2009.
Located on the River Seine in northern France, Paris has a thriving population and is a popular business destination, as well as being the city widely associated with love and leisure. It is, in fact, one of the most densely populated cities in the world, and the underground Metro and overground tramway trains are constantly packed full of travelers. It also has a bike-sharing system to encourage natives and tourists alike to take in the sights and sounds of the city without adding to the pollution. Paris is steeped in history and offers a wealth of attractions, such as the shopper’s paradise Champs-Elysées, the medieval Notre Dame cathedral, city hall Hotel de Ville, classical museum the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe – and of course the towering steel girders of its famed Eiffel Tower. For visitors hungry for a taste of the arts, the nightlife and cultural buzz of Paris is world-renowned. It has numerous opulent opera houses, including Opera Garnier and Opera Bastille.
Paris is also home to some spectacular performance productions (think the decadent Moulin Rouge), and at night the streets are alive with sound and activity from the bright, bustling music, theatre and concert halls. There are hundreds of café bars and restaurants, so whatever your preferred dining experience and culinary tastes, Paris has something to suit your palate and your pocket. Although it is certainly possible to enjoy Paris on a shoestring budget, there is a lot to be said to splashing the cash. From cheap and cheerful lodges and rented apartments on the city outskirts to grandiose hotel rooms with the best of Paris right outside your penthouse window, there is accommodation for everyone. But at the end of a busy day of sight-seeing, dig deep for a fistful of Euros because it is worth forking out for an overnight stay in one of Paris’s most luxurious hotels. These include the Meurice and the achingly hip Amour – the only place to be if you are an artist, rock star or thespian wanting to show your lover just how much you care.