It was barely 9am, but the busy Charles de Gaulle Etoile station at the heart of  Ile de France, was already pulsing with life and energy. At both ends of the station, Parisians clad in the latest fashionable winter/spring clothes, marched hurriedly along a silent but frantic beat.

This is Paris, the most visited city in the world and if you are to judge with the throngs of people shuttling back and forth the metro, you will see that this day is not an exception. It seemed like tourists and travelers alike from virtually all points of the planet have come to adore and explore the city of lights.

What makes Paris, the destination of choice the world over, I never really understood until I set foot in the city, barely 24 hours ago.

With only my heavy backpack as my companion, and after spending an exorbitant amount of money, 23 euros to be exact, for a 24-hour whole-day transport pass that gives me access to all of Paris’ transport systems, I arrived in central Paris near midnight.

I wanted to explore the city at nighttime but my body simply shut down after a few nights of running after buses, trains and airplanes.

Today, After a good night’s sleep however, I am fully ready to discover Paris and all her beauty.

My first stop? The Eiffel of course.

All my life, I’ve been staring at postcards and wallpapers of Paris and its most recognizable landmark.

In the silence of my childhood room, I imagined myself dancing under Eiffel’s shadows on a cold autumn day, while dressed in the latest Parisian garb. I would bow in front of the mirror, as if addressing high-born monsieurs and mademoiselles.

It took me three decades before I managed to do it. When I got my schengen Visa, I made a hasty decision to come to Paris, throwing a wrench to my already set European journey. I just had to come and visit the city and come face to face with the Eiffel.

Now I was about to realize one of my lifelong wishes and I’m beginning to unravel.

I took a few tentative steps outside the Bir Hakeim Metro station (Line 6) metro towards the Champs de Mars. All the while, my hands were sweaty and my heartbeat was racing.

As soon as I got out of the metro’s tunnels, the Eiffel materialized, standing mightily over the Parisian skyline.

Standing 324 metres, it is literally the latest structure in all of Paris. Erected in 1889 for the World Fair, the Eiffel tower has become the most visited paid monument in the world. In 2010, it welcomed its 250 millionth visitor.

It has been a global icon, and with a good reason.

Looking at the lattice steel tower, one cannot begin to imagine how such a structure can stand. Tons of steel, held together by mere nuts and bolts, and it defies the law of gravity. It is freakin' amazing.

It has three levels with dining establishments in the first and second. At the third and upprmost level, you can get the most breathtaking view of Paris. Both stairs and elevators are available to ascend the tower.

There are a lot of good vantage points in Paris to view the Eiffel, with a majority of people judging that is the Trocadero across the river Seine which has the best view. But to be honest, for me, any view is just as spectacular.

The Eiffel is just larger than life and I just stood there frozen, with mouth agape, as I admire its beauty and grandeur. I looked around and I was comforted to know that there are hundreds of other people from all over the world, also standing completely still as they gaze up the tower. Admiration and wonder reflected in their eyes.

Truth be told, I teared up a bit, in honor of this moment.

I knew since childhood that I wanted to come visit Paris and see the Eiffel. But for someone who hails from a middle-class family, it was a bit difficult and unrealistic to prioritize travels over education costs, groceries and other more pressing needs.

There were a lot of challenges and hurdles along the way but I endured and pressed on with my dream.

Now, after traveling 20,000 kilometers across oceans and continents, here I am, standing at Eiffel’s feet and the feeling is just indescribable.

It’s like Christmas morning. It’s like seeing the dear friend for the very first time after years of being apart. It’s like breathing after struggling with the current deep under a dark perilous ocean.

And I wanna feel it over, and over and over again.

Still admiring its beauty, I made a silent promise, a vow really, that I will come back again someday.

Paris is without a doubt, one of the most visually striking cities in the world. Any visitor who reaches its shore attests to its sheer beauty and splendor. No surprise, it is the most visited city in the whole world.

The Eiffel and the Louvre are certified crowd favorites and they are definite must-sees. You can’t leave the city without paying a visit to the grand Notre Dame and the Arc de Triomphe.

But if there is one district in the French capital that you should visit to feel the collective rhythm and heartbeat of the city and its people, it is definitely Montmartre.

Located in the northern region of Paris, in the 18th arrondissement, Montmartre is a large hill, largely knowned for the white domes of the Basilica de Sacre Couer. The name Montmartre however, refers to the greater community that surrounds the church.

Sure, Montmarte has lost some of its luster and fame over the past decades. It has also lost its reputation as the preferred haunt of aspiring artists, since the district has become too noisy, and too crowded, no thanks to the millions of tourists who climb this hill.

In many ways, however, Montmartre has retained its schizoprenic identity that captivated some of the most renowned artists in the world like Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Van Gogh and Claude Monet among others.

On the surface, Montmarte is known for the Romanesque revival styled Sacre Couer, built in the late 19th century as a way to appease the public following France’s defeat to the Prussian army. It was completed in 1912 and has since become the single most recognizable structure in Montmarte.

The best way to reach the Sacre Couer is through the many steps up the hill, but visitors who have weaker knees and stamina can always take the funicular up the church complex. But honestly, where is the the fun in that?

A breathtaking view of Montmarte awaits you when you finally reach the foot of the basilica. If you want an ever higher vista, you can go up the dome, for 5 euros, and see the city from one of the city’s highest points.

Montmartre is also famous as the humble address of aspiring artists who flock to Paris to find their muse and own artistic identity. But as I’ve said earlier, the number of artists who stay permanently declines each passing year as the district continues to shed its artsy image, and embraces commercial establishments to welcome more tourists.

If you dig deeper, however, you will realize that Montmarte is so much more.

Boulevard de Clichy is the area situated at the foot of the Montmarte hill. Here, you will find a smorgasbord of bars, souvenir shops, kebab shops, sex shops and peep shows that gives the district a more playful, and accessible ambiance.

The famed Moulin Rouge, established at the fin de siecle 1900s, and is considered by many as the birthplace of the can-can dance style of performance, is one of the most recognizable and visited structures in Boulevard de Clichy with its familiar windmill design. Up until now, moulin rouge continues to provide can can revues, and it also offers dancing classes for tourists.

Montmartre can be reached by foot from the Blanche and Anvers metro stations.

If you choose to pass by Anvers, you will see the seedier section of Montmartre with the sex shops and neon lights. Choose to walk via Blanche and you will experience the more sanitized section with the quiet cobbled streets.

A word of caution. While Montmarte is indeed a tourist friendly district, there are pockets that are not friendly and not very safe, especially at night, such as the Barbes Rochechouart. I was told that the ethnic immigrants of Paris frequent this area.

Rue de Steinkerque is another interesting strip in Montmarte. her eyou can get great bargains for shirts sporting Paris signs, along with keychains, ref magnets, and other Parisian memorabilia. You can also get French brands such as Esprit, Naf Naf etc here at way lower prices. This is indeed a true heaven for bargain hunters.

Montmartre is definitely not the prettiest part of Paris but it gets my vote as the most complex and interesting.

No matter if you are after spiritual enlightenment or more earthly pursuits, there is something for you in Montmartre.

Montmartre has been called many things: a pigstyle, a hell hole, a stunning hill, depending on the preference and orientation of the person who pays a visit.

On the other hand, a person who’s more open minded and accepting of things outside of the ordinary, like me, will find it a fun, quirky but charming place.

One thing though is for sure, Montmarte is never boring and this fact alone, is enough reason to consider an afternoon, or a day in its warm embrace.