Are you finalizing your travel plans for your trip to Paris France? If so, a visit to the Eiffel Tower may be on your to-do list. Although the Eiffel Tower has flexible hours for tourists, you should take some planning steps. These planning steps will allow you to get the most out of your visit to this world wonder.
As stated above, the Eiffel Tower has hours that accommodate to tourists, such as yourself. It is open all year round, even on holidays. The hours do vary depending on the date. For example, hours are extended slightly in the summertime, when you can generally gain admittance into the tower until midnight.
Each night, the Eiffel Tower is lit with over three hundred spotlights. Even if you opt to visit the Eiffel Tower during the day, try to be in the proximity of the tower in the evening. The tower is lit at sunset every night. Depending on the date, the lights are turned off between one and two in the morning. If you thought the tower looked beautiful in the day, wait until you see it shining at night!
Admission fees for the Eiffel Tower vary. Fees are charged on an individual, group, and disabled access basis. Fees are also based on how you intend to travel, by stairs or elevator. In addition to these classifications, fees are also based on floors. Don’t want to go to the top? Then you don’t have to pay the full fee. This is great if you are only interested in entering the second floor for dinner.
Speaking of dinner, you do not have to stay and eat at the Eiffel Tower, although you are provided with a number of options. On the ground level and first floor, you will find a snack bar. These establishments, both known as the Les Buffets De La Tour Eiffel, sell convenient snacks and meals that are easy to eat on the go. For a more formal dining experience, there is the Altitude 95 and Le Jules Verne.
Returning back to journeying up the Eiffel Tower, you have the option of using the stairs or elevator. There are elevators located on the north, west, and east sides of the tower. These elevators travel to the second floor, as do the stairs. If you wish to travel to the top, a separate elevator must be taken. The official website for the Eiffel Tower states that you should arrive early and plan during peak travel seasons. During the summer months, a wait for an elevator ride to the top is common.
Visitors who are wheelchair bound can still enjoy the Eiffel Tower; however, a ride to the top is unavailable. This is due in part to safety concerns. Throughout the years, many improvements were made to make the Eiffel Tower wheelchair accessible. Elevators were expanded and handicapped entrances were created for all restaurants and shops.
Speaking of which, did you know that there is more to do than just look at a panoramic view of Paris from the Eiffel Tower? There is. The tower is home to multiple restaurants, souvenir shops, boutiques, small museums, and so much more! In fact, that is one of the reasons why you are encouraged to plan for your trip. You could easily spend an entire day inside.
Many tourists prefer visiting the Eiffel Tower independently and at their own pace. This is fine, but know you do have the option of a guided tour. Guided tours of the Eiffel Tower come highly rated and recommended. Not only do you get to explore the tower on the way up to the top, but you also get a knowledgeable tour guide. That tour guide can educate you on the history of the tower and how it slightly modernized with time.
As a recap, there is more to the Eiffel Tower than just arriving at the top and seeing Paris from an elevated level. With a small amount of planning and preparation, you could easily enjoy a day full of fun, excitement, romance, and education.
