Paris

Not so long ago I had the pleasure of getting to go to Paris for a second time. It was only 4 short days, (as part of a longer trip) but I soaked up everything that I could. As I have made it known I love Toronto, but if I were to live anywhere overseas it would be Paris. I can't get enough of the beauty of Paris. I have heard people speak ill of the City of Lights and I am always flabbergasted. How could you not love this?

A picture of the Eiffel Tower definitely does not do it justice. I'm going to give my favourite things to do in Paris, (in no particular order, just must do's).

1) The Musee D'Orsay is a must in my opinion it's way better than the Louvre, (get a Paris Museum Card, it'll pay for itself in no time). It houses Whistler's Mother, Renoir's Le Bal au Moulin de la Galette, countless Monet's and other wonderful paintings and sculptures.

2) L'Orangerie, it's in the Jardin des Tuileries and has the largest of Monet's Water Lilies paintings and a fair impressionists collection.

3) Pay the extra Euros and go to the very top of the Eiffel Tower, it's worth it. Don't forget to stop on levels 1 & 2 for some gifts or a coffee.

4) Shop and on the Champs-Élysées. Bring some extra money and treat yourself to something special along this famous street. Or just window shop and stop for a bite in one of the many cafes and people watch as you sip your coffee.

5) Take a cruise along the Seine at dusk and watch Paris light up. Don't take any pictures, just watch the beauty of city.

6) If it's reasonably warm outside take a picnic to Luxembourg Garden. With Luxembourg Palace as a backdrop and children playing with boats in the large fountain you'll have a fun and relaxing time. If you take a walk around you will find a replica Statue of Liberty.

7) The Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame and the Arc De Triomphe are both a must of course. The stairs at the Arc and the Notre-Dame are definitely a good workout but the view of the city is definitely worth it from all of these points.

8) Walk, walk, walk. There is no better way to discover Paris then by foot. We took the Metro (another must) to the furthest point we had to go and then wandered throughout the city and discovered great little restaurants and shops and the neighbourhoods are just mesmerizing.

I'm sure there are many out there with different ideas about their favourites, but these are definitely mine for the time being. I'm sure that the next time I go they will all change. I am already planning on going for a longer period. I'm counting down the days.