Paris

The best place to start is at the most famous landmark, the Eiffel Tower. Try to get there by 9a to avoid waiting in line. You might feel energetic enough to climb the 360 steps to the 1st level but, of course, the most spectacular panorama up at 274m. After viewing from on high, you can get a closer look at some monuments by taking a relaxing boat trip along the Seine. At the foot of the Eiffel Tower, cross the main road towards the Pont de l'Alma bridge and go down a flight of steps on your right, following signs to the Bateaux Parisiens. The one-hour ride starts and finishes here; they leave twice an hour during peak periods and a guide provides an interesting multi-lingual commentary. Back at the Pont de l'Alma, cross the bridge and walk up through the Trocadéro gardens to the Esplanade.

Once on the Champs, you can head for the Arc de Triomphe via the underpass, and even go up to the top. Whether you choose to do this or not, you should definitely walk down the world's most beautiful avenue. It is about one mile long but you can hop on a bus going downhill to see it all if walking is not an option for you. At the bottom of the Champs Elysées you will hit the Place de la Concorde with its Egyptian Obelisk. A leisurely stroll through the Tuileries gardens will then take you to the Louvre and its famous pyramid entrance. You can either have a look inside, visit an exhibition or have a snack in one of the many cafés in the Carrousel.

Another 15-minute stroll along and across the Seine, or a metro ride from the Louvre to Hotel de Ville ( line 1 ), will take you to Notre-Dame Cathedral to view the exquisite Gothic architecture. It is worth spending a good part of a day in this one area alone to give you time to explore all the narrow, winding 19th-century streets and alleyways Be sure to visit the magnificent Byzantine-style Sacré-Coeur Basilica and enjoy the views. Start at métro Anvers ( line 2 ) and turn right up Rue Steinkerque. This road is full of cheap clothing shops so you might want to bargain hunt before sightseeing.

At the top of Rue Steinkerque, either climb up the steps or, for the price of a metro ticket, take the funicular on your left. From the summit, the panorama spans a 50-km radius, so spend some time on the terrace or sit on the steps to spot monuments. Wander around inside Sacré-Coeur and then, if you like stairs and great views, there are 200 more to climb to reach the dome (access from outside the church on left). Back on the ground, go left from Sacré-Coeur, and you'll reach the famous Place du Tertre where café tables, waiters, artists, souvenir vendors and visitors jostle for pavement space.

This is where you'll find most of the restaurants, so ignore the high prices, sit down and enjoy the general atmosphere. From here, wherever you go, you'll walk along picturesque, cobbled streets lined with beautiful old houses and buildings. Armed with a good street map, walk in a wide circle to the left of the Basilica starting in Rue du Chevalier de la Barre. Don't miss the ancient Moulin de la Galette in Rue Lepic or the vineyard on Rue Saint Vincent, which produces several bottles of wine a year. Finish this tour at Place des Abbesses and walk along Rue des Abbesses. Full of grocery shops, cafés and wine bars, this is a fun and trendy place to spend the evening, unless of course, you have tickets for that oh-so-Parisian landmark, the Moulin-Rouge cabaret in Place Blanche.