Perhaps the most obvious starting point is the cathedral of Notre Dame, which was built over the ruins of a Roman temple in the 14th century. A treasure house of the nation's art and history, it is also the geographical heart of France.

In Montmartre, the enormous white-domed basilica of Sacr?Coeur is one of the most photogenic sights in the city, while its terrace provides panoramic views at sunset. And, despite being 30 years old, the Pompidou Centre remains a startling example of modern architecture, home to the national Museum of Modern Art, a cinema, shops, library and performance space.

Parisian shops are sights in themselves and, even if visitors aren't in need of retail therapy, popping in to admire the displays and interior decor is entertaining. Au Printemps is one of the most renowned department stores, opened in 1864 and nowadays featuring the latest fashions and an amazing range of perfume.

A snack or a meal at the brasserie beneath the store's heroic stained glass dome is an unforgettable experience. Rivalling Au Printemps, Galeries Lafayette features an especially tempting food hall and numerous other department stores catering to every possible need. A welcome desk in each store is staffed by multilingual (including Cantonese and Putonghua) personnel, who give directions and advise on reclaiming sales tax. Equally alluring are the city's markets: the flower market on Ile de la Cit? sells everything from orchids to orange trees, while on Sundays its place is taken by a bird market.

As a respite from sightseeing and shopping, Parisian cafes and bars provide somewhere to relax and a place to watch the world go by from their pavement tables. There are plenty of famous watering holes within the city boundaries. Both Cafe de Flore and Les Deux Magots were renowned hang-outs for such luminaries as Salvador Dali, Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir and Andr?Breton in the first half of the 20th century; while the prices here are slightly higher, the sense of history is electric. Just about every street hosts at least one cafe, open day-long, endlessly welcoming, and very much a part of Parisian life.

While the majority of cafes serve food in one form or another, as any proud Parisian will claim, this city is the world capital of gastronomy. The famous names attached to the capital's top restaurants are alive and flourishing. Witness Alain Ducasse's stylish restaurant whose tables are booked weeks ahead, the truffle menu is one of the triumphs at Guy Savoy, while the wine list and the views of the River Seine and Notre Dame are exceptional at La Tour d'Argent. Proof positive that good food does not have to be expensive is on show day after day at Le Scheffer, a straightforward bistro serving classic French food at its finest.

If Paris does food well, then - perhaps surprisingly - it performs equally well in the realm of jazz. There are dozens of clubs, such as Au Duc des Lombards, which bring in many overseas artists to play alongside local talent. Le Petit Journal Montparnasse is another legend, featuring big bands and on occasions salsa, blues or rock, while dancing is encouraged at Le Slow Club.

For visitors with children in tow, there's a range of options, not least the Disneyland Resort on the outskirts of Paris. Scores of exotic animals roam in landscaped compounds at the Parc Zoologique, while at the Cirque de Paris youngsters mingle with the clowns, acrobats and other performers in the morning to learn some of the tricks of the trade, and then watch the show in the afternoon.

And of course the Eiffel Tower is popular with seven-year-olds and all ages. Built at the end of the 19th century, as part of the Universal Exhibition, it has been visited by more than 200 million people. Ironically, many critics loathed it to start off with, but were soon won over by its graceful symmetry and, today, it remains the most enduring symbol of Paris.