Paris

The Eiffel Tower in Paris is France's most famous tourist attraction. Art, culture, architecture, food, and fashion all converge in Paris. It is also France's capital and one of the country's most charming tourist destinations. Paris, one of Europe's most beautiful cities, boasts a magnificent cityscape with old world charm, intersected by expansive boulevards and the Seine River flowing by its side. The incredible historic monuments, museums, bustling riverbank, and vibrant people draw tourists from all over the world, making Paris one of France's most well-known cities.

Paris is lovely, but it's incredibly congested. And, come summer, it'll be swelteringly hot. That means stately inner-city parks quickly fill up, swimming pools quickly fill up, and even finding a canal-side patch of concrete can be difficult. So, thank you for the wonderful, peaceful, and relaxing day trip.

You can get pretty much anywhere in northern France in a couple of hours from Paris, and there are plenty of great escapes closer to home as well. From the suburbs of Paris to the Normandy coast. It's all surprisingly close and straightforward to reach. You can get around by taking the metro or the train. Bring an extra bag in case you come across any treats.

• Key attractions: Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Notre Dam Cathedral, Palace of Versailles, Arc de Triomphe, and Montmartre