It is the symbol of Paris and should be on everyone’s itinerary. It was built by Gustave Eiffel in 1889 to commemorate the French Revolution for the International Exhibition of Paris. You should go to the top of the Tower, where you will get magnificent views over Paris. There are three levels. You can walk up to the first two levels or take the lift (walking is cheaper and you avoid the queues for the lift). The topmost platform can only be reached by lift, for which there is a further queue. The Tower stays open until 11 pm (even midnight during the summer) so a great way to beat the queues is to go after 6 pm.

It is wonderful to see the Tower at night. During the first 10 minutes of every hour, the tower twinkles with thousands of flashing bright lights.

Another great way to see the Tower is from one of the tourist boats along the Seine (Bateau Mouche is great) eating a delicious meal.

By the early 1900s the Eiffel Tower was considered ugly and unwanted and it was in danger of being scrapped. It was saved only by the invention of radio, and its perceived value as a radio mast. Now it has become the symbol of Paris. How times have change!