Start your 48 hours in Paris by grabbing a strong coffee and eggs at Strada Cafe in the Latin Quarter to set you up for the day, before strolling over to the Jardin du Luxembourg on the border of Saint-Germain-des-Pres. The gardens cover 23 hectares and are famous for tree-lined promenades and the Luxembourg Palace. Once you've got all the perfect pictures head for the North exit and be sure to stop at the Medicis Fountain.

Make your way back towards the Seine and the Notre Dame, but before crossing the river it's definitely worth a stop at Shakespeare and Company, probably one of the most famous bookstores in the world. It turned 100 years old last year and was the gathering place for writers such as James Joyce and Ernest Hemmingway.

Once you've treated yourself to a book, cross the river and take a quick picture stop at Notre Dame before heading to the area of Le Marais, one of Paris's oldest and trendiest areas. Head for lunch first before the queues grow. The most famous lunch spot is L'as du Falafel but if you don't fancy waiting and want somewhere to sit down, then my go to would be the Jewish delicatessen and bakery across the road, Florence Kahn. With its huge pastrami sandwiches and creamy cheesecake you can't go wrong. Prepare to have photos taken of you if you're sat outside, as the mosaic facade of the building is a historical monument of Paris.

Le Marais's narow lanes are home to designer boutiques, gourmet shops, galleries and museums such as the Pablo Picasso Museum, and you can very easily find something to suit everyone here. It would take about an hour to walk all of it but I'd recommend taking the rest of the afternoon to dip in and out of the small boutiques and gardens it has to offer.

After a relaxed Paris afternoon amble back over towards the Notre Dame to start the evening stroll along the Seine. There are so many iconic buildings on this route and seeing them all lit as the sun starts to set is beautiful. You pass by Pont Neuf, the Louvre and its large glass pyramids, the Musee d'Orsay, the Place de la Concorde which is at the opposite end of the Arc du Triomphe on the Champs Elysees, before finishing at the glowing Eiffel Tower. The lights come on at sunset, and on the hour for five minutes every hour until 1am you'll see it sparkle. If you don't fancy the walk then you can get the hop-on hop-off Batobus; they offer a 24 hour ticket which gives you unlimited rides for 17 Euros per adult.

When it comes to finding somewhere to eat in this area of Paris there is a lot of choice, but expect to pay if you're looking for a spectacular view. Try and go off into some of the side streets and always look for somewhere with a set menu and plenty of people sat outside, that way you know it's good.

On the second day of your 48 hours in Paris, rise early and hit the museum of your choice! Whether that be the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa, the Musee d'Orsay to take in the vast number of famous paintings by the likes of Monet and Renoir or my personal choice, the Centre Pompidou. This complex building in the Beaubourg area is home to the largest modern art museum in Europe and includes works by Kandinsky, Rothko and Warhol. You'll have to get there early to avoid the queues and if you're lucky enough to be in Paris on the first Sunday of the month you won't have to pay entry. There are a number of museums who participate in this scheme and it's worth checking out what exhibitions are on in each museum before you go.

After a morning of taking in some beautiful works of art, jump on the metro to the Montparnasse area and go grab a crepe from Creperie de Pontivy near Rue du Montparnasse. Once your belly is full, head up the 56 floors of the Montparnasse Tower to see Paris from above. With its panoramic floor and outdoor terrace this is one of the best places to get a view of all of Paris's sights. You could really do this at any point of your trip and I'd always recommend this over the Eiffel Tower, because after all that is the recognizable building in the Parisian skyline.

Once you've taken in Paris' best views, head toward Boulevard Haussmann where you'll find department stores such as Printemps and Galeries Lafayette. Both always have stunning window displays, especially at Christmas time. You don't have to be a fan of shopping to head here, the main attraction is the ornate glass dome celing in the Galeries Lafayette. If busy shops definitely aren't your thing then just around the corner you have the Opera Garnier, one of the most well-known opera houses in the world with it's grand auditorium and halls dripping in gold. You'll often find musicians playing their instruments outside while tourists and locals gather on the steps.

For your final evening head towards the Montmatre area for a wander through its cobbled streets. These are often bustling with artists painting their canvases and you'll see the majority of them working on their next masterpiece on the Place du Tertre. Here it's more like an open air gallery than a market, especially with the Sacre-Coeur Basilica in the backdrop. The Sacre-Coeur itself is a hotspot for the local artists with its architectural beauty and is definitely worth the walk up the 222 steps. Take the time to sit on the steps to watch the sunset and the city of lights begin to illuminate. It does get crowded at this time so make sure you're there with plenty of time before the sun sets.

Once the sun has gone down head to the Pigalle district; one of the coolest areas of Paris. It no longer has the seedy image it once did and now offers some of the best restaurants and bars in the city. Take a quick trip to see the famous red windmill of the Moulin Rouge before devouring some classic French cuisine at Buvette Paris. To finish off the evening head to one of the many stylish cocktail bars Le Pigalle has to offer, the perfect end to a jam packed 48 hours in Paris.