The Eiffel Tower

As I've already told the Eiffel Tower is one hell of a construction. Placed at one side of the Seine overlooking Paris and "La Défence". Once arrived you can choose which entrance you'd like to take. Every leg has it's own entrance, but only one has an elevator. Climbing the Eiffel Tower isn't free, you have to pay a fee before you can enter the historical site.

If you are afraid of heights, then I'll wish you the best of luck. It's one scary adventure you are going to discover. Walking the stairs you can see right through them and that's terrifying. But once at "the top" you'll be able to enjoy the incredible view that Paris has to offer. If you want to go to the heighest point of the site, you have to pay an extra fee. Be warned that it's immens popular to get to the top of the Tower. You may be standing in queue for more than one hour.

The Eiffel Tower is just like the Notre Dame guarded by military forces.

Source

It was my first week in Paris. The night was lovely warm, but with a nice breeze there to tell you that Autumn is about to come.

I went out for a walk, and I realized my apartment was just 15 minutes walk from the Eiffel Tower. I got there, and I saw the Tour in all its beauty: lights were shining in my eyes. I felt so small looking at it from the bottom, but I felt so peaceful too. I walked up to the Trocadero, and there people were slow dancing on a romantic French music.

They were there, led by the music, holding each other tightly. Some of them were great dancers: they were slightly touching the floor. Other were just improvising, but they were so natural and deeply involved that they looked so right, in that moment, in that place. It was like a perfect painting, it was Paris.

I think that now that the cold weather is arrived, we won't see any more dancers, but believe me when I say it was amazing.

If you got the chance to go there, you will still feel that magic in the air, the vibrations of the dancers.

You will hear that music. It would make you feel part of one of those movies with an happy ending, when the boy and the girl finally kiss.

It is said that Paris is the city of love. Well, I think it's true.

And you don't need to be in love with someone to feel it. Love is there for everyone, you just need to let it in. Take a deep breath, sit down on the steps of Trocadero, and imagine the dancers, the soft notes of a waltz. Let yourself go. And fall in love with Paris.

The first time I came to Paris, I had the main idea behind: to see Eiffel Tower. When I was landing, sitting near the window in my plane, I was trying to see Eiffel Tower from the top. I was trying so hard that even nearly squashed my face with the window.

During my first day I took the Paris walking tour but still couldn't listen to the guide properly since I was trying to find this small Tower. It wasn't so difficult: Eiffel Tower can be seen from many places in Paris. By the time I saw it I was totally satisfied: it looks like in the pictures and photos. After taking 10 photos of "it looks like Eiffel Tower", I became calm and could listen to the rest of the excursion.

So why? Why is Eiffel Tower so popular? What is the history behind it?

Eiffel Tower wasn't supposed to stand forever in Paris. It was built for temporary exhibition in Paris by the person named Eiffel (surname) and should have been removed after the exhibition finished. However, people liked it so much that they asked to leave it and open for the public use. Since then, Eiffel Tower became the symbol of not only Paris, but also France. Millions of tourists visit it every year. Despite symbols in other cities, Eiffel Tower brings people back. What is more, it is located in the centre of Paris.

It is popular because it is considered to be the tallest construction in Paris. Therefore you can see the city from the top perfectly. It is also considered to be one of the most romantic places in Paris.

What is the location?

Many people confuse that Eiffel Tower stays on the Champ Elysees. This is not true. Champ Elysees actually is quite far from the Eiffel Tower. However, all the subway lines lead to Eiffel Tower and have a stop nearby. You need to walk around 7 minutes form the closest subway stop.

My impressions

Well, you have to stand a lot in the lines... The first line starts on the ground: you wait to be got in. The security system is very careful: you can't take any sharp things or big bags. After you got in, you wait to be lifted to the first or second floor.

First floor is the renovated part, opened again in 2014. It is not so high from the ground but they made a glass floor. It might look a bit terrifying for those who are afraid of highs. What to see and do on the first floor? Well, there is a restaurant and some souvenir shops there. The restaurant, by the way, is considered to be one of the most fancy and expensive restaurants in Paris. It is very unlikely that you will find a place there during the evening - some people say that table booking starts 2 weeks before the needed day. I don't know if it is true or not but there were indeed a lot of people taking a glass of wine and enjoying the view of night Paris.

After enjoying the view on the first floor, take a lift to the second. This is the middle part of the Tower and actually one of the most crowded since the basic ticket leads everyone to this floor (to get on the third floor you need to pay extra). Therefore, second floor is the centre of photoshoots, tourists and crowds. Take a round walk and enjoy each and every view on all sides. You can see all the main attractions of Paris and even try to find your place of stay. My personal opinion that you need to come to Eiffel Tower when the sunset starts - believe me, you will be amazed by the view (check my photos below). However, make sure to come couple of hours in advance since the lining part takes a lot of time. There are also some souvenir shops and cafes there where the prices are surprisingly not so crazy as it could be...

After you enjoyed second floor, go to the cashier to buy a new ticket to the very top and stand in a new line.. To be honest, I didn't take this chance as the line was quite long and boring. I decided for myself that this will be something I will do the next time I will come to Paris.

Take a lift down and enjoy the view on Eiffel Tower from below. When it becomes dark, Eiffel Tower sparkles every hour for only 5 minutes, don't miss it! It actually looks like a huge Christmas tree.

There are also black people selling small figures of Eiffel Tower. I heard that the prices are the cheapest in the city for them, who knows if it is true...

Anyways, I would suggest to come to see Eiffel Tower when it is still light and to meet sunset there. After that go down and enjoy the night view on the Tower.

When mentioning France, the Eiffel Tower is the first thing that comes to mind. Paris is really impressive, it is a very cosmopolitan capital where people from all around the world mix freely. The city is also a fascinating mix of old and new. Do not wait any longer, buy a train ticket and enjoy your time there too!

For photo sharing please give me credit through my snapchat app.

Source

It happens one time in life for most. Being in love with a worthwhile person while standing on the top of the world up at Eiffel's. Seal the love with a kiss. Seal the bond with love. Live forever in each other. Make it eternal in this indifferent ephemeral universe. Paris! The city of light!

Source

Visiting the Eiffel Tower was one of my dreams that I had for as long as I can remember myself when I was little. I've always admired Paris and wanted to come in France. And here I am... Standing in front of this iconic tower. Waiting in line with so many people from all over the world! And soon my dream came true. Not only I've seen the Eiffel Tower in person, but I've touched it, climbed it and admired it in awe.

We did walk up almost 700 stairs, while having a slight heart attack in the process, BUT it was all worth the struggle. It was such a huge experience for me and I had a great time. When you go up to the tower, not at the top, not even at the second floor, just the first floor is enough to see the magic. The view is extraordinary! I felt so small watching the people, the buildings and Paris from above, yet I was so satisfied and full that I was like a giant.

The Eiffel tower became such an iconic mark of Paris that it represents the first thing that comes to most people's minds when someone mentions France. The ultimate symbol of what is known as the most romantic city in the world: with street lights, Notre-Dame, Champs Elysees, the Seine river only to mention a handful of inviting sights. The monument, which holds so many anecdotes and private stories never told to public, offers you a unique view of the city. Going around the center, this magnificent tower will appear and disappear from your sight based on your location.

Magical Paris - Source

The Tower's Design

Just to give you the basic information about one of the most visited monuments in the world: its height, 324m, makes it the tallest structure in the city; it is made of iron with blank spaces between particular rungs, so the amount of material is smaller and its stability is greater; and it has three height levels with a different price based on the second and the third terrace (but I can assure you it is worth paying more to get to the top). Gustave Eiffel is the engineer who built the tower, it was made for the World's Fair in 1889. Originally planned as a temporary structure, got to live till today because the people liked it so much.

The tower - Source

Going Up to The Tower

I remember walking down one of the streets that led to the tower and then, all at sudden, the grand monument appeared in front of my eyes. Even though I saw so many pictures of it before, I was amazed of just how large it was. But the first time I decided not to go up because there were so many people waiting at the entrance and I wanted to see so many other things in that day. Then, I almost ended up not going up as the weather next day was a bit cloudy but I changed my mind thinking: how could I not go? ''Come on, Ana, you have to go, it is the famous Eiffel Tower! '' So I went.

In that day, there were two entrance lines and I went waiting in the one that seemed smaller. I did not think they were that large, considering the tower's fame. There were bands for directing people in the waiting lines. I think there can be up to 4 entrances open, based on the crowds. I went there on September afternoon. While waiting to purchase my ticket, I started talking to a girl from Mexico that was a solo traveler as well. We decided to go around the Tower together and later we also went to Montmartre - it was good that we were two, as it is not a place you want to see alone at night.

We bought our tickets and my friend was taken away her keylock for bike as those are not allowed to be taken on the tower because they could kill a man downstairs if they fell on his head. We took a lift to the second floor from which we already had a nice view. But we also bought our tickets being able to get to the top, so we stepped into another line and got to the third terrace. That one was closed so we could not get as nice photos as we could lower. But the view was nicer because we saw the city from a higher level.

After that we stepped out on the first terrace (some just went directly downstairs) which was large and had some restaurants. There were not many other people at the same level at the time of our stop there. What we liked most were the transparent floor at one part from where we could watch the people downstairs. We panicked a bit for the way down as nobody else was waiting to go into the elevators. But after we calmed down, we waited at one of the elevator entrances and the lift stopped and picked us up on its way down.

The entrance - Source

Champ de Mars

Champ de Mars is the garden in front of the Tower. Its shape is geometrical with lawns, trees and hedges frequently cut and looked after. Besides the famous 12 streets in all directions leading from Arc de Triomphe, this park is also easily recognisable view from the terraces. In that park you will be able to see many students and tourists, as well as people trying to sell you souvenirs. The most typical I get every time one of my friends is visiting Paris is the Eiffel Tower keychain. They are also selling plenty of selfie sticks. When I was walking towards the tower entrance, one seller approached me and started knitting a bracelet for me before I was able to stop him. Beware: the place so touristic also attracts many pickpockets, so keep your belongings close and your bags closed.

View on Champ de Mars - Source

you can get a discount on tickets if you are a student, just show them your valid student card at the cashier. Till the second floor you can climb using the stairs (over 600 of them!) and then use the elevator to go to the top. The view from the top is breathtaking! Go for it!!

On the second floor you have restaurants, souvenir shops, but for me as a student it was pretty much expensive to eat anything there.