If you are feeling tired and despondent, and are looking for a good way to recharge your batteries, look no more. Stay in London for the weekend. Gauging from all the words that have been spoken and written about great cities of the world, London remains one of the most vibrant and vivacious among the lot. It is definitely THE place to go for the weekend to rejuvenate your worn-out and weary soul! Great Attractions If you are like millions of conventional London guests who go for the regular sights that make the city what it is, then Madame Tussauds, Leicester Square, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, and Downing Street are there for you to visit. When you are done, head for the Big Ben and Parliament, the Eye of London, Covent Garden, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the Tower Bridge – to name a few. If you still have some more time in the weekend, and want to continue along the same lines, carry on to Shakespeare’s Globe, Westminster Abbey, and of course, Buckingham Palace. See Them All If you fear that there is not enough time in the weekend to cover all these places, fear not. Just board one of the many hop-on hop-off buses or river cruises. By taking these, you do not have to worry about overlooking any of the attractions on offer. However, you might find it difficult to choose which place you want to spend more time on, given the fact that you have limited time to spend in the city. Peace and Calm But your stay in London for the weekend does not have to comprise these regular diet of attractions alone. If you fancy some peace and calm, head to a couple of London’s secret gardens. Chelsea Physic Garden, located in the stylish Sloane Square, should be your first destination. Sometimes called ‘the secret walled garden’, it is the oldest botanic garden that has an amazing collection of medicinal botany that hail from around the globe. If you are into alternative medicine, this place is a treasure trove you do not want to miss during your weekend in London. Another garden paradise worth visiting is Kyoto Garden at Holland Park. As its name implies, Kyoto Garden is Japanese in looks, housing a delightful cascading waterfall that leads into a pond. The sound of water and the sight of carp fish in the pond give a soothing, precious feeling. Immerse in the surrounding, and you will slowly see your spirits soar in response to the tranquil surroundings. Your stay in London for the weekend will definitely be worth your while if you know where to go and what to do. A little bit of planning will go a long way in ensuring that your weekend in London is a good and memorable one.

What can you do in Paris? The French capital has many famous sights to visit, but also lesser-known delights to explore. You can travel around easily by underground trains – le Métro – or bus, and it is also a pleasure to walk through the streets of the centre of the city, or further out on a former railway line which has been transformed into a green walkway. Rain or shine, there is always plenty to see and do in Paris. What can you do in Paris to get an overview of the city? The most iconic sight in Paris is the Eiffel Tower, which at 324 metres high was the tallest structure in the world when it was built in 1889. From the top you have a panoramic view of the city, with the River Seine snaking through it. Other places worth a visit for a bird’s-eye view are the Tour Montparnasse and the Institut du Monde Arabe. The latter is one of the “Grand Projets”, the big architectural projects undertaken by President Mitterand in the 1980s. These also include the glass pyramid in the courtyard of the Louvre museum and the Grande Arche de la Défence, which is a contemporary version of the Arc de Triomphe – there is a splendid view from one to the other. What can you do in Paris in bad weather? On a rainy day you can take the opportunity to see the interiors of the great buildings of Paris, such as Notre Dame cathedral, the white basilica of Sacré Coeur and the great museums. See the paintings of the French impressionists in the Musée d’Orsay. Both the building and the paintings will show you something of how Paris looked in the 19th century. For something less well-known, visit La Pagode, a genuine Japanese pagoda imported in 1895 and subsequently turned into a cinema, where you can watch films in a sumptuous interior and, if the rain has stopped, take tea in the oriental-style garden. Otherwise, sit on a covered terrace outside one of Paris’ many cafés and watch the elegant Parisians walking by. What can you do in Paris on foot? You can spend an fascinating morning window-shopping in Paris – looking at the latest fashions in the rue de Rivoli, fabulously-arrayed gourmet delicacies in Fauchon and mouth-watering cakes in almost any patisserie. For a rather different walk, take the Promenade Plantée from the Place de la Bastille in a south-easterly direction. The first one and a half kilometre section is elevated, and planted with trees, roses and other flowering plants. You feel as if you are in the country. You can continue to walk until you reach the Bois de Vincennes and return by Métro.