Paris is a big and diverse city offering everything from medieval buildings with narrow streets, to big modern boulevards. Most of us have heard of the Left Bank, the Marais and St Germain, and the Champs-Elysées, but it takes a while to figure out where are those located in relation to the center and which is the best area to stay in. Looking at a map is a good starting place, but it’s much more useful to know something about the character of each district and what sorts of things there are to do there.

The first thing to know is that Paris has 20 districts called arrondissements. These each have a number from 1 to 20 and the numbers wind out in a spiral from the center of Paris, to the outskirts of the city. This means that the lower the number, the closer the district is to the city center. And in the case of Paris, the city center is where the largest number of attractions can be found.

The second most important fact about the layout of Paris is that the River Seine runs through the center of the city and divides it in half. Looking downriver, the neighborhoods to the left (the South) are called the Left Bank. Across the river is the Right Bank.

The most popular tourist areas are found on the Left Bank (the Latin Quarter and Saint Germain) as well as on the Right Bank (the Marais and Montmartre). These are probably the only areas you’ll ever consider during a first visit to Paris, so let’s take a quick look at them.

The Latin Quarter – 5th arrondissement: This is one of the oldest areas of Paris. The Sorbonne, the rue Montmartre, the Museum of the Middle Ages are all located here.

Saint Germain – 6th arrondissement: Formerly the favorite neighborhood of intellectuals and philosophers, lots of cafes, restaurants and upscale boutiques are located here. This is one of the most expensive areas in Paris.

The Marais – 4th arrondissement: This is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Paris and it’s home to many ancient buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries. The old Jewish neighborhood is located here (centered on the rue des Rosiers) and today it’s also known as the center of Gay nightlife.

Montmartre – 18th arrondissement: Located on a hill in the Northern part of Paris, Montmartre primary claims to fame are the Sacré Coeur basilica, it’s quiet, slower paced, small village atmosphere and the Moulin Rouge (actually located in the 9th arrondissement, it is adjacent to Montmartre).

Where you actually choose to stay will depend on a variety of factors, including your budget and what you plan to do. And of course, each of the 16 other neighborhoods also have something special to offer as well.