I will start with an obvious spot: the sidewalk cafe terrace. There are thousands of such in Paris, and lovebirds are a common sight there. The cafe terrace is an enjoyable spot in more than one way. First, they offer a nice resting spot. Second, they make an ideal observatory. The streets become an aquarium, passer-bys are the fish, and you two become the observers. Third, sit down at a terrace where other couples are smooching, and you are part of a community setting a good example to the rest of the world. For all we need is love!

One of my favorite cafes is ‘Les Chevaux de Marly’, inside the Louvre Museum, facing the wing where the Da Vinci Code movie was filmed. Les Chevaux de Marly isn’t your typical sidewalk cafes; the place reeks history, and even when you sit outside you are well protected against the elements thanks to the stone parapet.

Now if you are a die-hard fan of the Latin Quarter, and the St Germain des Pres area, you will certainly want to sit at the terrace of ‘Les Deux Magots’ (A Pair of Old Bachelors). French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre and his wife, writer Simone de Beauvoir, used to hole up there in the 50s. Rather large and well protected by a long awning, the terrace is a great spot to observe the foot traffic moving along the busy Boulevard St Germain. The atmosphere inside the cafe has kept some of its mid-20th century flavor. A tad on the expensive side, but history and a great view have a price, haven’t they?

I always advise my friends who take the trip to Paris to discover the city on foot. Walking is the absolute best way to enjoy sightseeing in Paris. And ‘look up’ must be your operative word. Don’t just look at eye level: raise your eyes, and observe what’s above. The ‘upper floor’ scenery is worth it.

For romancing the love of your life, certain places have these very special qualities which will set them apart in your memories of togetherness. I will tell you about three for now, and there will be more to come.

Atop my list, ‘Place Furstemberg’. From the plaza of the St Germain Church, walk toward the Seine and Rue Bonaparte. Turn right into Rue de l’Abbaye. Follow the street to the first short alley on your left. Turn and you end up on ‘Place Furstemberg’. French painter Eugene Delacroix had his studio there, and this makes an interesting spot to visit during daytime. But ‘Place Furstemberg’ takes a whole other atmosphere at night. It is quiet, isolated, and sort of private. The nearby abbey lends it a historical feel. Sitting under the trees, the wooden benches welcome eternal lovers.

My second pick would be the steep flights of stairs leading up to the top of the Montmartre Hill, and the quaint streets below ‘Place du Tertre’. Here again, you would be well inspired to discover the hill during the day, and come back to it in the evening. Montmartre is one of the last areas in Paris to have retained their ‘olden days’ feel. Strolling around the hill at night gives you a whiff of what Paris was like in the late 1800s. Most definitely one of the very best spots to roam hand in hand, stealing a kiss here and there under the quiet glow of the street lights.

By: Phil Chavanne

With well over 67 hundred thousand tourists in the year 2006, Eiffel Tower is a must visit for anyone going to Paris. The tower has three stories, with the first two accessible by stairs and lifts while the top floor is only accessible by lifts. With the popularity of the monument, you can expect to face queues but the end view from the top of the tower is a worthwhile experience.

The Eiffel Tower was built in 1887 as the entrance arch to the Exposition Universelle, the World’s Fair. The engineer, Gustave Eiffel, prepared its unique design to enable it to take the high wind velocity at the height of 324 meters even if it allows for a sway of 2-3 inches in high wind. The ‘eyesore’ for the Parisians at the time of its construction is now a monument linked to many historical events and structure that represents France, and more particularly Paris, all over the world.

The view is not all the Eiffel Tower offers though, there is a skating rink on the first floor during winters and the facility is free to use. Apart from the rink, there is the Altitude 95 on the first floor, a restaurant able to cater to up to 200 people. The second floor has a reservations only restaurant, with a private lift, for people looking for the perfect candle lit dinner. In addition, a post office, a photo studio and souvenir shops are all scattered over the first two floors of the tower. The view from the top, as expected, is phenomenal but the one from the grounds around the tower is no less intimidating, yet splendid. The highlights of the display are the lights that sparkle to mark the Eiffel Tower in the skyline for a few minutes every hour during the night.

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The first traces of a city-state on Crete date back to the Neolithic Period, beginning in 6000 B.C. Minoan and Mycenaean Kingdoms were followed by the Dorian invasions and the Dark Ages. From 500 to 146 B.C., Greece enjoyed its most prosperous and well-known Classical and Hellenistic Periods during which Plato, Socrates and Democracy thrived and the Parthenon and Acropolis were built in Athens. Roman annexation followed and can be seen in the transitional art and architecture, along with the blending of mythologies. Greece was overrun by Byzantines and Turks throughout the modern era and a cultural revival and War of Independence in 1821 sparked the reunification and appreciation of Greek culture that is still miraculously thriving today.

Greece by Sea…
There are nearly 1400 Greek islands to explore. Much of Grecian history is based upon the maritime and merchant centers of the seven island clusters. Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey venture through beaches and ports you can visit today. Crete and Santorini, with its volcanic caldera, are by far the most popular destinations. Make a stop on the notorious party island of Mykonos, part of the Cyclades Greek Islands, to party, dance and drink in a fashion that would make Dionysus proud. Relax in the lush greenery and white sand of the Ionian Islands, which emanate a more European feel. Every island region has something unique and intriguing to offer, so don’t be afraid to leave this part of your itinerary open for exploration!

Greece by Land…
Aside from major attractions like the Parthenon, Greece provides a plethora of other sites and activities unique to the nation’s cultural heritage. For a spiritual experience, visit the town of Meteora in the northern Thessaly region. These spectacular cliff-top monasteries were originally reached by curiously placed ladders and ropes. Today people can reach the sky-high pinnacles by climbing the etched stone stairs or by the growing popular sport of rock climbing. You can also get close to the gods, as the Greeks put it, by visiting the archeological wonder at Delphi, considered to be the center of the known world by Ancient Greeks. Nafplio, the former capital of Greece, is also a wondrous and enlightening adventure. Centuries of history decorate and surround the city. Close by is the ancient Mycenae civilization and the famous theater at Epidaurus.

Greece is bursting at the seams with history, culture, food and wine. Every corner of this ancient nation is abundant with once-in-a-lifetime escapades.
By: Frank Johnson