France

The Louvre is a “super museum” that stands among the British Museum in London and the Met in New York as one of the three greatest art museums in the world. The Louvre has an enormous collection of more than 400,000 pieces and exhibits that span a period of more than 1,500 years. There are collections of works from the ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian civilizations, including da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa”, Antioch’s “Venus de Milo”, and “Winged Victory of Samothrace”, dubbed the “three treasures” of the museum. The famous films “Phantom of the Louvre” and “The Da Vinci Code” were also filmed here.

The Eiffel Tower is one of Paris’ most quintessential landmarks. If the Notre Dame is a symbol of ancient Paris, then the Eiffel Tower is the symbol of modern Paris. The tower was originally built as the entrance to the 1889 World’s Fair and commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, making it an important cultural symbol of France. From atop the wrought iron tower lookout, visitors get an astounding panoramic view of the Paris cityscape.

[Editor's Note: On 15 April, 2019, a fire destroyed large portions of Notre-Dame. The much of the historic wooden roof and the cathedral spire were lost. As of this edit, the extent of the damage was still being assessed. The cathedral will be forced to close for the foreseeable future.] Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, known simply as Notre-Dame, is often described as the very heart of Paris. Construction work began in 1160 and was largely completed in 1260, through renovations and modifications occurred often over the following centuries. It is a stunning example of French Gothic architecture and particularly well-known for its many gargoyles and flying buttresses. The cathedral’s stained glasses windows date from the 13th century, making them essentially priceless. Notre-Dame has played an important role throughout French history. In 1802, Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of France here. Located on the Ile de la Cite in the Sine River, Notre-Dame is a true masterpiece.

The Arc de Triomphe de l’Etoile is one of Paris's four most iconic structures and one of the most famous European Neoclassical structures. The Arc de Triomphe is built entirely out of stone and engraved with battle scenes from France’s long history. With the Arc de Triomphe as the center, twelve great boulevards of Paris radiate outwards, of which one is the famous Champs Elysées. Climb atop the Arc de Triomphe to enjoy Paris's spectacular urban landscape.