What Shines in the City of Light, from Kathy Petrino

In trying to decide all the reasons to visit Paris, France, there are undoubtedly too many to name. And there are few reasons not to visit this historic and stunning City of Light. But in narrowing some of the things that sparkle brightest within the city -- especially for a first-time visitor or one with little time to take in her beauty -- frequent traveler, travel writer and avid adventurer Kathy Petrino shares what shines most in good ole’ Paris.

This European city has her Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame and the Louvre -- all can’t-miss sites for nearly all tourists, as Kathy Petrino would attest. But this travel blogger suggests some other notable jewels among Paris’ streets. The Luxembourg Gardens are 61 acres of green space that not only provide an escape from the hustle and bustle of Paris, but share various activities for guests of all ages -- kids included -- as well as vast beauty, including 106 sculptures, a Grand Basin and formal gardens of blooms. Best yet -- it’s free! The Paris Catacombs showcase skull-and-boned lined tunnels 65-feet beneath the city, stretching miles and honoring the dead of the 18th century. Also, the Musee Rodin, a lesser known museum in the city, but this former residence of a famed 19th-century sculptor now houses much of his own work as well as his personal collection of pieces, including paintings from Van Gogh. Paris has much to see, attests Petrino, and hidden gems everywhere.