PARIS, FRANCE - Most people who come to Paris have a dream, an image of what the city will be. This image is derived from films, books, other travelers, even perfume ads. The unusual thing about Paris is that almost everyone finds his or her dream to be true. The City of Light, the City of Love is everything you imagined and more. Overcrowded, overpriced, overvisited, yes, - but - also the most magical city in France, and, for many people, in the world. The city's wide and elegant boulevards, lined with centuries-old chestnut trees; the broad plazas with fountains and art; the many parks and gardens; and the temples of self-importance all reflect a purposefulness and pomposity that is uniquely French. Paris, known as the "City of Lights", is also commonly thought of as the original city of love. Stroll the streets and stop for lunch in one of the many sidewalk cafes. Take a dinner cruise on the Seine River and enjoy this glowing city after dark. The view of the city from Montmartre is stunning after dark. Many tourists come to Paris looking for the bohemian artistic scene of Picasso and Gertrude Stein, and believe they have found it when they visit Montmartre. Built on a steep hill, the neighborhood is known for its quaint cobblestone streets and painters' garrets; artists hawk their works on the streets or offer to sketch impromptu portraits. Old houses stand along narrow streets and lovely squares, of which place du Tertre is one of the most picturesque. See one of Paris's most photogenic churches, Sacré-Coeur. Next to the Eiffel Tower, Sacré-Coeur is the highest point in all of Paris. It dominates the city's skyline and at dusk its white turrets stand out like ivory chess pieces against the darkening horizon. Rising still higher is the thin spire of the Eiffel Tower, which looks across the Seine to the collection of museums and concert halls at the Trocadéro. Two islands are located in the Seine between the Left and the Right banks. The larger, Île de la Cité, still contains some of the city's oldest and most famous sites. Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle are masterworks of Gothic architecture. The Right Bank is also known for its luxury-shopping district, which spreads from either side of the Champs-Elysées. You must, of course, go to the very top of the Eiffel Tower for that awesome view you'll never forget. From the third level, which you can reach only by double-decker elevator (there's often a wait), you can-rarely-see up to 65 kilometers (40 miles) in every direction. However, you can choose to stop at the first and second stages, each one with a different perspective of the city. To top off the wonders of the Tower, dine elegantly as well as spectacularly at the Jules Verne restaurant. Paris once defined the word "nightclub" with Le Moulin Rouge, the Folies-Bergère, and the Crazy Horse Saloon. Many of these clubs are still in business and their Las Vegas-style shows still attract crowds. Up at Montmartre, the renowned Moulin Rouge, sketched by Toulouse-Lautrec and later infamous for its cancan, is similar to the Lido in spirit. The Crazy Horse is one of those famous turn-of-the-century bars that helped elevate Paris's reputation as a capital of the risqué. Some things don't change: What you still get here is high-class strip acts in a cabaret format.