Ah, Paris. Home of romance, fine fashion, sophistication and wonderful food. Paris is one of those cities that you could visit again and again. As the French themselves might say, it has that certain je ne sais quoi. If you’ve never been, then you really must visit – and to help you along, here’s our guide to a wonderful weekend in Paris. Pack a smart black dress and prepare to be delighted…

There are plenty of wonderful places to stay in Paris. The city is split up into 20 neighbourhoods called ‘arrondissements’, with the first one being in the centre (and also the home of the famous Louvre museum). The 5th and 6th arrondissements are lively places to stay and are conveniently located for tourist.

If you’ve decided to make it a weekend trip (and Paris is ideal for that) arrive on a Friday evening, put on your party dress and head for one of the many cafes for ‘une petite verre’ or two – it’s happy hour, after all! Le Petit Café on Rue Descartes in the 5th arrondissement has a classically Parisian feel that should get you in the mood for the rest of the weekend.

Rise on Saturday morning for some wonderful food courtesy of one of the gorgeous cafes near the Marche St Germain. Enjoy a croissant and petit crème as you sit on a pavement table and people watch – with all the hustle and bustle of the market around you, there’ll be plenty to enjoy.

There are plenty of famous museums to explore, but we like the lesser-known Musee de l’Orangerie, near the Louvre. Admire the Impressionist works on display before heading to Montmartre, making sure that you’ve got your sensible shoes on – there’s a steep hill to climb! The view at the top is worth it though.

You can recover with an aperitif in one of the fashionable cafes in the trendy Marais district – there’s sure to be lots of ladies fashion to admire amongst your fellow drinkers. Then treat yourself to a wonderful oriental dinner at Kong, which has amazing views of the River Seine. Magnifique!

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Well, we’re only one month into the year, and most of us already need a break from the old routine! Who’d have thought that going to work or looking after the kids in this freezing weather would be so exhausting?

There’s no need to wait until the summer to get yourself some time away. In fact, a city break provides the perfect way to get a little holiday without spending too much money or indeed taking up too much of your annual leave. In fact, with some destinations such as Paris and Bruges so close to the UK, you might not need to take any time off of work at all: simply hop on the Eurostar after work on a Friday night and come home on Sunday night ready for the week ahead!

When thinking about which city to visit, first of all consider who you’re taking with you. If it’s a family trip, then you’ll want to visit a city with activities for kids of all ages. Copenhagen, in Denmark, has beer and castles for the grown-ups whist the oldest Legoland (just outside the city) in the world will amuse the children.

If you’re planning a romantic break, then of course Paris springs to mind – especially in springtime. It’s the city for lovers and the scene of many a tear-strewn proposal, especially at the top of the Eiffel Tower.

For a fun trip with friends or family, why not check out Barcelona? There are bars and fine restaurants aplenty as well as lots of gorgeous Gaudi architecture.