For many tourists city break holidays are associated with endless fun and entertainment that the major European cities can offer. And despite the fact that city breaks' destinations come in and go out of fashion with a fresh crop of must-see places each year, some European cities have established themselves as the internationally recognized favorites, offering a vibrant diversity of opportunities regardless of whether you are a first timer or a frequent visitor to the city. Two of such renowned destinations of city break holidays are London and Paris, two well-favored European capitals that boast an array of cultural and historic sites and attractions.

With over 30,000 shops and boutiques, 8,500 restaurants, 3,700 pubs and 160 theatres, the capital of England has such a stunning array of places to offer to its visitors, that the only difficulty one is likely to encounter is deciding how to manage it all during short break holidays in the city. In the recent years the postcard industry of London has had the task of keeping with the constantly changing skyline of the city, with guidebooks likely to be out of date as soon as they hit the shelves.

Today as ever, much of the city's temptation during city break holidays belongs to such traditional sights as St Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace, the House of Parliament, the Tower of London and the British Museum, while it is the newcomers that make London more exciting and vibrant than it used to be. London's shopping has been long ago transformed into the art form, when entire weekends can be spent in bargain hunting at Portobello Road Market, admiring the boutique windows along the King's Road and navigating your way around Harrods.

For a break from the bustling city, consider London's Royal Parks, notably Regent's Park, St James' and Hyde Park, stretching over 5,000 acres and providing a relaxed atmosphere. Hotel accommodations are diverse as well, ranging from the luxurious and expensive Savoy and Ritz to the mid-priced hotels of Bloomsbury.

Synonymous with fashion, style, romance and sophistication, there exist few places in the world, able to compete with Paris for city break holidays. From the 324 meter high Eiffel Tower to monumental neo classical buildings, gothic churches and broad boulevards, the City of Light has everything you might need during you vacation, which explains why such a great number of tourists keep coming back for their weekend trips.

The majority of architectural gems of the city require a closer look, namely Louis IX outstanding Sainte Chapelle, Quasimodo's former lodgings at Notre-Dame Cathedral and Napoleon's Arch de Triumph among others. Art lovers cannot dream of a more diverse destination than Paris, with the Musee du Louvre housing more than 25,000 works, the Picasso Museum Picasso,  the Orsay Museum and the Pompidou Center just to name a few. One of the most popular places, the renowned palace of Versailles has been established day trips fro many centuries, with the fresh competition coming from Disneyland Paris.

Finding lodging options in the capital of France is unlikely to cause any problems, yet it's better to know what you are looking for. The city has something for everyone, whether you hope to stay in a magnificent palace or some less-than-luxurious hotels!