Pont des Arts: The Bridge of the Arts over the Seine

Walk from the Pont Neuf toward the Louvre and the first iron bridge you reach is the Pont des Arts. It links the Louvre, then known as the Palais des Arts, with the Institut de France, hence the name "Bridge of the Arts." Cars can't cross it, only pedestrians and cyclists, so you can take in the Seine at a leisurely pace, which has made it a favorite spot for river views. Look one way and you'll see the Pont Neuf and the Île de la Cité, the other way the Eiffel Tower, with the Institut de France and the Louvre at either end of the bridge.

It was once famous as the place where couples attached "love locks." But when the weight of thousands of padlocks began to threaten the bridge's structure, the locks were removed, and transparent panels now keep anyone from adding more. The locks may be gone, but this is still considered the best sunset spot in Paris, and plenty of couples still come here to whisper sweet nothings.