Ten of the best: a guide to Paris, the City of Lights

One of the great things about London is its accessibility. Five international airports and a direct rail-link to Europe make the UK capital a hotspot for tourists the world over.

London's excellent international transport links also mean that those who live in the city are well positioned to take advantage of the plethora of top city destinations on its doorstop, and one of those is Paris.

The French capital is home to some two million people and it's a city rivalled by few others on Earth. Like any major international city, there's plenty to do in what has become affectionately known as 'The City of Lights'.

An open-top double-decker bus tour is a great introduction to any city and Paris is no different. A one or two day pass will help you get your feel for the city and also help you find your bearings - Paris is a big city to get to grips with.

Perhaps one of the most famous structures on the planet, the Eiffel Tower is as iconic as tourist attractions come and should not be missed - if you don't want to wait in long queues for the lift, the stairs are recommended and the walk to the top will be worth every step.

Everyone loves a good sunset. A cruise down the River Seine is a fantastic way to spend an evening, and watching the sun go down as the City of Lights 'lights-up' is a sight to behold.

Furthermore, the Notre Dame Cathedral is a spectacle not to be missed. Dating back almost 700 years, the iconic church's Gothic architecture is an awesome sight.

A stroll down the city's famous Champs Elysees thoroughfare should also be near the top of any tourist 'to do' list. If you want to walk all the way, you'll end up at the Arc de Triomphe, a colossal arch that was planned by none other than Napoleon himself. If you climb to the top of the structure, you'll get a grand view of the city and the one structure you can't see from the top of the Eiffel Tower - the Eiffel Tower!

Anyone who's read Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code' will know all about the Louvre. For those who haven't read it, it's where the world famous 'Mona Lisa' painting is housed - not to mention countless other works of art. If art's your thing, then you won't want to miss Musee d'Orsay, which exists in a former railway station and has an extensive collection of art from the likes of Van Gogh, Renoir and Monet.

For yet more fantastic views of the city, why not head up Montmartre, a 130 metre tall hill in the north of Paris? And when you're there, you could do a lot worse than head to the famous Sacré-Couer Basilica, a giant church featuring both Romanesque and Byzantine architecture.

A little over two hours centre-to-centre is all the train takes between the UK and French capitals, making a Paris weekend break a fantastic option for those wanting to savour the flavours of a classic European city, without the headache of waiting at airports: although you might find it's not quite long enough. Bon voyage!

Janine Barclay writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.