Travel Tips - Architecture

THE art museum of the world and well worth a visit when spending any amount of time in Paris. If you're in a hurry, be sure to choose the artworks you most want to see carefully, usually the Mona Lisa, the Venus De Milo and Winged Victory to ensure you don't miss out as time can quickly fly by wandering through the wings.

Ticket prices for the permanent exhibit are 9 euros before 6 pm and 6 euros after. I'd really recommend entering the museum from the metro entrance or from the Denon wing along the Seine as the line by the Glass Pyramid can become very long. You can also purchase a Museum combined card to avoid the queues and save money on the entrance charges are a number of other museums in Paris.

Connecting the Louvre with the Place de la Concorde, the enchanting Tuileries Garden (Jardin des Tuileries) occupies an area of 25 hectares and offers countless photo opportunities and areas to relax on the lawns or while taking a seat next to one of the many beautiful basins or statues.

The nearest metro station is Tuileries on line 1 and I’d really recommend taking a walk through the gardens or even stopping for a coffee to watch the world go by. The whole area is absolutely beautiful, and the gardens make a nice change from pounding the city streets or exploring the city's many museums.

But be warned, many of the cafes in the area which cater to tourists can charge around 4-5 Euro for a coffee, so choose carefully.

The Eiffel tower is another essential sight when visiting Paris, and despite the queues at the foot of the tower and the subsequent queues to get on and off the lifts at each level, the 360 degree views alone at well worth if.

By far the best time to visit is last afternoon or in the evening as the crowds are much shorter. If you opt for the evening you can enjoy a different perspective on the city by seeing the city lights as well as enjoying two admissions for the price of one. Sunset is beautiful, but expect to queue.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit the top of the tower around three times now, on various trips to Paris, and on the first occasion I opted to descend the middle floor via the stairs rather than taking the lift, which, although tiring, was quite rewarding. I’d also recommend everyone visits the very top of the tower, if only for the slightly nervous feeling you get when ascending in the last lift!

Rome’s Coliseum, aside from being the largest building constructed during the Roman period, was also internationally voted one of the New 7 Wonders of the World in 2007. The sordid entertainment that it provided Roman society, gladiator and animal battles, is no doubt another morbid reason for the modern world’s fascination with the arena.

The Coliseum seated 60,000 spectators and is made up of 80 arches on the ground floor through which ancient Romans could gain access to the grounds. However, nowadays, only a single entrance is used, contributing to massive lines, where tourists can spend hours waiting to purchase admission tickets. To skip the wait, visit the neighboring Palatine Hill first. The line to access the Palatine Hill is significantly shorter, and once there, you can buy a dual Coliseum/Palatine Hill ticket. The halls of the Coliseum also play host to temporary art exhibits that shouldn’t be ignored.