subject: The Three Best Attractions In Paris [print this page] Although a Paris boutique hotel may be equipped with the latest in technology and the best facilities to make your stay as relaxing and carefree as possible, you should not spend all your time holed up in your room. Adventure beckons, and if you must prioritise, here are the three best places to check out first while youre in Paris.
Go Up the Eiffel Tower
Alright, we hear you: nothings more clichd than the Eiffel Tower, right? But think about this: would you rather go home without visiting [and scaling] the Eiffel Tower? What would your family or friends say? If theres anything that should be number one on your list, its the world-famous tower, which will most likely be visible from your very own Paris boutique hotel window wherever you may be in the city.
Meant originally to be merely temporary, the Eiffel Tower has since become Paris most enduring symbol, much like the Statue of Liberty in New York. Visiting it is not a boring chore, either: the first and second levels of the tower are home to souvenir shops, an exhibition area, even a cafe, while the viewing platform on the third level can give you the best possible city-wide sights. If you get famished from scaling the tower and taking photographs, you can enjoy fine dining at the famous Jules Verne restaurant (now owned by Alain Ducasse) on the second level. Not a bad deal.
The Louvre
Youve read about the Eiffel Tower, surely the Louvre cant be far behind! Probably within a stones throw of your Paris boutique hotel, the Louvre is the worlds largest museum. That honour is not only in terms of its sheer size (it is often described as a city within a city due to its multiple levels of seemingly endless galleries and passageways) but also in terms of importance: the museum houses the very pinnacle of the worlds culture and art. Failing to visit it can only be what the internet refers to as an epic fail. IM Peis glass pyramid is awesome, but there are other entrances to the museum too which lead to thousands upon thousands art works to appreciate in the various galleries. A rough estimate pegs that there are about 35000 art pieces and artifacts on exhibit consisting of original, centuries-old pieces, each totally priceless. It is mind-boggling both on paper and in person.
Go Back in Time in Les Passages Couverts
Les Passages Couverts, which literally translates to covered passages, somewhat served as the shopping malls of 18th and 19th century Paris: they are shopping galleries roofed with glass where people shopped, dined and generally did everything else. There are several covered passages you can find in the city, and there may well be one near your own Paris boutique hotel. The best are Galerie Vivienne, Passage de Panoramas, and Passage Jouffroy and Passage Verdeau. And yes, these covered passages are stll home to shops and bazaars selling all sorts of treasures, from precious stones to jewelry and bric-a-brac, while others are now art museums. A visit to any of these covered passages can take you back to a time when the city was still lit with gas lamps.
