Just when you think you've seen Paris from every angle, something comes along to make you fall in love with it all over again. The city is crisscrossed by miles of picturesque canals, and a summertime boat tour reveals perspectives that are impossible to get anywhere else. Operators such as Canauxrama and Paris Canal offer small-boat tours of the most romantic canals of Paris, such as the breathtaking Canal Saint-Martin (pictured). Lined with ancient trees and spanned by elegant footbridges, it snakes its way through central Paris on a 4.5 kilometer journey from the Canal de l'Ourcq to the river Seine, passing by parks, green spaces, and blocks of trendy shops, bars, and restaurants along the way. Among its highlights is actually a section with no natural light of its own. The boats pass under the mysterious vault of the Place de la Bastille, where the art show Sounds of Light by Japanese artist Keiichi Tahara provides a 21st century counterpoint to the famous 14th century prison. The cruise also goes through four double-locks, rising and falling with the water level as barge captains have been doing since 1815. Starwood has hotels throughout the City of Light, including the Westin Paris.

[image via Bonjour La France]