The Louvre Museum, Basilique du Sacre-Coeur, The Palace of Versailles, Triumphal Arch and Place de la Concorde and Luxor obelisk are a few of the many fascinating sites to see in Paris.

The Louvre Museum is one of the world's largest and most visited museums in the world with over eight and a half million visitors a year. It houses over 35,000 objects in 60,600 square meters dating back to Prehistoric times to the 19th century. Built by Phillip II in the 12th century, this magnificent museum was meant to be a fortress. Many historical sculptures, paintings and artifacts can be found here. The most popular piece is Leonardo da Vinci's "The Mona Lisa."

The Basilique du Sacre-Coeur is a Roman Catholic Church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Completed in 1914, this 83 meter tall church is another popular landmark in Paris. It is located at the base of the butte Montmartre. Visitors have a heavenly view from the top of the Basilique du Sacre-Coeur Church and have the opportunity of seeing Paris' skyline.

Versailles is best known for the Palace of Versailles. This wealthy suburb of Paris was the location where the famous Treaty of Versailles, the end of World War I, was signed. With a population of around 88,000 people, this city was home to many kings in the past. The Mirror Gallery and a lovely garden called the Petit Trianon are interesting sites to visit in this suburb.

The Place de la Concorde is one of the largest public squares in Paris at 86,400 square meters. It was designed in 1755 as an octagon and named Place Louis XV after the king. There are many other historical buildings surrounding the Place. However, one of the most eye-opening things at the center of the Place de la Concorde is the Luxor obelisk. This 23 meter tall Egyptian obelisk once stood at the entrance of the Luxor Temple in Egypt. Marked with hieroglyphics, this obelisk arrived in Paris on December 21, 1833, but wasn't placed in the center of the Concorde until three years later.

The triumphal arch is a popular Roman architectural structure that can be found in many places in Paris. The Arc de Triomphe is the most popular because it stands in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle. This Neoclassical piece of art inaugurated in 1836, is a beautiful site to see at night. It stands 50 meters in height and has four main sculptures carved into the arch.

Things to know when visiting Paris.

Flights to Europe don't need to be expensive. There are cheap airfares that allow you to travel fairly discounted. My flight from Brisbane cost me around $1000.

Food prices in Paris depend on where you eat, but there are places where you don't need to spend fortune. I noticed that east Asian places are a bit overpriced, but their food is good so I didn't mind spending few more dollars for a good food.

When you visit attractions and monuments it is more comfortable if you are with a tourist guide, since groups often have separated (faster) lines. But travelling with agencies don't allow you to spend much time on your own. If you have a skilled and experienced tourist guide, you will not have problems since he/she knows when and where to take you. This is important for main attractions like Versailles. It's literally a matter of minutes if you are going to spend hours in lines or not. If you come early enough you will avoid long lines, but if you are a bit late, you can spend a long time waiting to enter. So, if you have skilled tourist guide, go with him, but if not, wake up early and go yourself.