Travellers guide’Getting there: Venice’s Marco Polo airport is on the mainland, eight miles north of the island. The cheapest flights are often on Go (0845 60 54321, ) from Stansted. Ryanair (08701 569 569, ) also flies from Stansted, but serves the more distant airport of Treviso. For flights going out next Friday, 19 April, returning on 22 April, we were quoted a fare of £88 return on Go and £91 return on Ryanair.

The other non-stop option to Marco Polo is from Gatwick on British Airways (0845 77 333 777, ).The Alilaguna water taxi takes you across the bay from Marco Polo airport to the city – tickets can be bought from the ticket office inside the arrivals hall or on board, and cost around £6.Accommodation: The Cipriani, Giudecca 10 (00 39 041 520 77 44, ), is the most glamorous and expensive hotel in the city. It stands on Giudecca island, which overlooks St Mark’s and the Grand Canal Doubles start from £457 per night including breakfast. A cheaper option is the Albergo Doni, Calle del Vin (00 39 041 522 4267), two minutes walk from Piazza San Marco Doubles cost from £50.. Why go now?Apr?Mars, le d?ge of tourists – and with good reason.

“He who has not lived during the years around 1789 cannot know what is meant by the pleasure of life,” said Talleyrand. Two centuries on from the Revolution, Paris reveals layer upon layer of political intrigue, its streets littered with monuments to social upheaval. As the presidential election campaign hots up, so does the French capital – a city that thrives on politics. Vote libert?egalit?fraternit?nd fun in the city of light.
Beam downThose who are more equal than others will insist on travelling first class aboard Eurostar from London Waterloo or Ashford. Through Eurostar Holidays Direct (0870 167 6767; co.uk/ehd), you can book a package – including three nights in the four-star Grand H? Littr?ndash; for £295 per person. If you arrange your own accommodation, the cheapest standard-class return on Eurostar will cost £70, booked at least two weeks in advance; travel before 21 June. From other parts of Britain, the cost of the add-on ticket to London is usually around £30 return.

As the train passes Lille, doff your cap to the city’s most famous son, Charles de Gaulle. The late president’s name is given to the nation’s main airport,north of Paris – served from the UK by airlines including British Airways (0845 77 333 77, ) and BMI (0870 60 70 555; ). The no-frills airlines are Buzz (0870 240 7070; buzzaway ) from Stansted, and easyJet (0870 6000 000; ) from Liverpool (starting 2 May), and Luton (from 12 June). From the airport, the RER suburban railway takes you to Ch?let-Les Halles , St-Michel-Notre-Dame , or Luxembourg for the S?t in 30-40 minutes.Get your bearingsThe Grand Axe is the triumphal thoroughfare that slices through the city from the Grand’ Arche de La D?nse – one of the monuments created by Fran?s Mitterrand – to the Louvre. There is no concentrated political core to compare to Westminster; the Assembl?Nationale , the S?t, the Prime Minister’s office and many of the ministries are on the Left Bank, while the Elys?Palace , the Interior Ministry and the Finance Ministry are on the Right – geographically speaking at least.