Paris France, the city of lights, is home to one of Europe’s most recognized monuments, perhaps the world’s most renowned museum, and a cultural smorgasbord of food, drink, nightlife, and sights. There’s plenty to see and do in Paris, and a walking, biking, or bus tour is a great way to see the city, as there are many options for Paris tours all over town. You can also conduct your own tour, and this guide to Paris will highlight the best architecture, museums, and sights.

Good Paris tours include plenty of monuments, famous museums, and world renowned dinning. The iconic Eiffel Tower tops out at over 1,000 feet, and contains 2 restaurants, a souvenir shop, a post office (for that one of a kind postmark), snack bar, and a viewing area, all within its iron structure. The Panthéon is a monument dedicated to historical personages of France, housing a crypt containing over 70 people, including Votaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Marie Curie, and Alexandre Dumas. A popular stop on many Paris tours is Notre Dame cathedral, with its awe inspiring exterior and ornate interior. Pay homage to French author Victor Hugo, and ascend the bell tower for a look at the gargoyles from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The Arc de Triomphe is a great stop on Paris vacations. Located on the famed avenue Champs Élysées and centered in the world largest traffic roundabout, the Arc is a simple, yet daunting monument commissioned by Napoleon. The gothic Saint Chapelle, built in the 13th century, has 15 impressive stained glass windows depicting an entire biblical history.

Of course Paris France museums are not to be missed. Many Paris vacations start at the world famous Louvre, home to the Mona Lisa, and 35,000 other pieces of art. Connoisseurs could spend several days covering the Louvre. Paris France has an extinsive modern art collection at the Pompidou National Center of Art & Culture. The building was designed with the pipes and duct work on the outside, and the glass escalator running up exterior of the building is an exciting ride. The Musée d’Orsay, in a former railway station, displays French art nouveau, impressionist, and postimpressionist works. The Musée de Cluny, contains works from the middle ages, and a former Roman bath house, dating back to around 200 AD. Those are only a sprinkling of the quality museums visited during Paris vacations.

Other Paris tourist attractions worth checking out are Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise and le Catacombes. The cemetery includes the remains of Chopin, Moliere, Gertrude Stein, Jim Morrison, and the much kissed tomb of Oscar Wilde. For a darker side of Paris, some Paris tours descend Le Catacombes, an underground corridor made up of the stacked bones of millions of Parisians exhumed from their graves to solve a hygiene problem in Paris France in the late 18th century.

For tours in Paris, try a walking tour, focusing on the history, monuments, and museums of Paris. Some are self guided, while others provide guides. The obvious advantage to self guided tours in Paris is that you can move at your own pace. There are several companies that offer this service including Paris Walking Tours, Classic Walks, and French Adventures. There’s also biking tours in Paris which peddle past famous monuments and icons of the city. One could book a tour through a travel agency, before leaving. With enough to see and do for weeks, the heart of France has delights for young and old.