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Eiffel Tower - City Wonders

• Europe    
• France    
• Ile-de-France    
• Paris    
• Paris - Things to Do    
• City Wonders

Eiffel Tower

Carmell was great!! Very knowledgeable and fun. Definitely helped us understand what we were looking at.

Carmell was an excellent guide. She was very informative and also fun! You can tell she enjoys her work. I loved learning all about the Eiffel Tower history!

Yusra very good guide. Very interesting and informative. Beautiful view 🤩. The guide was so nice and helpful!

Francesca A. Was wonderful. She is a real Venetian and shared her life and experiences with us. She was authentic. It was a great way to see bith islands with enough time. I have done the tour with Torcello and it is too much. This tour was perfect.

Our guide expertly informed us of the history of the Eiffel Tower, what an incredible feat of engineering and beauty. City Wonders seemed to be the most organised operators at the site and made our experience very enjoyable, I would highly recommend them.

Overall the trip was fine. First there was no guide at the pickup point with a "sign". We were on the wrong side and he walked by with a group never thinking we might be waiting for him. And then it was hard to get his attention so we could check if he was our guide. He knew people were missing and really didn't make an effort to look for anyone nearby who might be in the wrong place. Fortunately we managed to chase him down. I think the cider excursion could be cut in favor or more time at the Utah museum and elsewhere. That was pretty rushed. And he allowed us to drive by Normandy since we had time but I think the tour should include a stop there. Finally the lunch was awful. A slice of ham with brown gravy and French fries? Ugh. The pizza were huge and many people didn't eat all if it. I think the fish was fine although small, and again with fries. That's it? And the dessert was minuscule and very dry. No offer of soft drink or any other options than water or hard cider. The service was fast, however. Our guide was nice enough and provided a lot of information. He did ask everyone where they were from - I think something to break the ice is nice as most tours don't do any introductions. So I appreciate that.

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Tour of Eiffel Tower with Kritika Goel - City Wonders

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Tour of Eiffel Tower with Kritika Goel

Kritika Goel was very accommodating and knowledgeable on the Eiffel Tour Story. Would definitely recommend her as tour guide. Thumbs up.

Kritika was amazing, provided us with history of the Eiffel Tower and it made us appreciate the experience better.

Kritika was fantastic, knowledgeable and humorous! Thank you so much for a wonderful experience . We learned a lot, laughed a lot and felt fitter

Kritika was an amazing tour guide and the views are fabulous! Such a great time and would definitely recommend to anyone.

The guides were very knowledgeable. We gained a deeper understanding of WWII and D Day The cider tasting was fun and interesting. It was a great day

This was my first time to the Louvre Museum. This tour was like speed dating your way from one masterpiece to the next. Adi was our guide. Not only was she knowledgeable, but she was also entertaining. She helped us understand not only what we were looking at, but why it was important. I would happily spend up to a week with Adi at the Louvre, soaking in all this rich history. The most disappointing part of the visit had nothing to do with this tour. Trying to get close enough to get a decent photo of the Mona Lisa was next to impossible. I know it's post-pandemic, but it's a bit ridiculous how the museum expects folks to pack it in right in front of this painting.

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• About this activity

Eiffel Tower Guided Tour with Optional Access to the Summit

• Free cancellation available
• Mobile voucher
• Skip the line
• Instant confirmation
• Get reserved access to the Eiffel Tower elevators
• Views from the Eiffel Tower's second-level observation deck
• Spend as much time as you want admiring 360 degrees views
• Upgrade to Summit access for unparalleled views of Paris
• Enjoy the valuable insights of your English-speaking guide

Activity location

• 5 Avenue Anatole France
• 75007, Paris, Île-de-France, France

Meeting/Redemption Point

• 1 Avenue Elisée Reclus

Multiple meeting/redemption points available, see location information for full list

• Mon, Apr 15 -
• Tue, Apr 16 $60
• Wed, Apr 17 $107
• Thu, Apr 18 -
• Fri, Apr 19 $60
• Sat, Apr 20 $60
• Sun, Apr 21 $60
• Mon, Apr 22 $60
• Tue, Apr 23 $60
• Wed, Apr 24 $60
• Thu, Apr 25 $60
• Fri, Apr 26 -
• Sat, Apr 27 $60
• Sun, Apr 28 $60
• Mon, Apr 29 $60

Eiffel Tower Guided Tour with Access to the 2nd Floor

• Activity duration is 1 hour 1h 1h

Access to the 1st and 2nd-floor observation deck of the Eiffel.

What's included, what's not

• What's included What's included Expert, English-speaking tour guide
• What's included What's included Entrance tickets to 1st and 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower
• What's included What's included Entrance tickets to Summit of the Eiffel Tower (IF OPTION IS SELECTED)
• What's included What's included Small groups of 20 people or fewer
• What's excluded What's excluded Hotel pick-up/drop-off
• What's excluded What's excluded Gratuities

Know before you book

• Children 3 years old and younger are complimentary.
• This activity is not wheelchair accessible.
• This activity is unable to accommodate strollers or baby carriers.
• To prepare for your visit, please make sure to check the Eiffel Tower's rules and guidelines on www.toureiffel.paris.
• Check-in is 15 minutes prior to the booked tour start time.

What you can expect

Take some time to get acquainted with Paris’s most famous lady on our in-depth Special Access Eiffel Tower Tour. Meet your guide near the base of the Eiffel Tower, listening all the while to the fascinating history of the original “Dame de Fer” (Iron Lady). The Eiffel Tower was born a rebel. She’s the most photographed woman in the world but if the critics had their way, she would never have made her debut. Big, brash, and strong, she was like nothing anyone had ever seen before. Artists around the country worked tirelessly to stop her construction and then to bring her down but she would defy them all. She’s a survivor; outlasting all of her critics, reinventing herself generation after generation and working her way from outcast to perhaps the world’s greatest icon. It should have come as no surprise - the man behind her made a career of bucking the establishment, and Gustave Eiffel’s great Tower would eventually be his crowning achievement.

Your expert English-speaking guide will reveal the stories behind her creation, near demise, and glorious rise to the top. You’ll have a chance to enjoy her every curve from every angle and to understand the beautiful science that keeps her standing. Most of her admirers have to wait hours to get the closest of views, but you will avoid the ticket office lines, gaining faster access to her privileged vantage point overlooking the City of Light. Your guide will accompany you to the dedicated observation deck on the second level, from where they’ll point out the marvels that lay at your feet. From here, take in iconic sights such as the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs Elysees, and Notre Dame while enjoying your guide's insightful and entertaining commentary. Join us as we explore the beauty and history of the Eiffel Tower. Love her or hate her, there’s no doubt that even at over 120 years old, she still knows how to put on a show.

Choose to upgrade by selecting the Summit tickets option, and gain access to the elevator, bringing you straight to the Summit. At this height, the panoramic views over Paris are unforgettable.

• Département de Paris
• 75015, Paris, Île-de-France, France

City Wonders

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

CITY WONDERS: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

City Wonders

• See all photos

Skip-the-Line: Louvre Museum Masterpieces Fully Guided Tour

Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches Day Trip with Cider Tasting & Lunch from Paris

Guided Eiffel Tower Climbing Experience & Optional Summit Upgrade

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

CITY WONDERS (Paris) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

City Wonders

Review Highlights

“ Normandy full day tour As it turned out, I had Daniel as my guide for 3 of the 4 tours (Claudia was the Louvre guide). ” in 3 reviews

“ Our trip to the Loire Valley castles of Chambord and Chenonceaux, with lunch and wine tasting was a great all-day experience. ” in 2 reviews

“ The tour itself consisted of 2 Castles, a rest area on the way there/and back, as well as a lunch break (with a vast variety of restaurants to choose from). ” in 2 reviews

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

22 rue Lalande

75014 Paris

Denfert-Rochereau, 14ème

Recommended Reviews

• 1 star rating Not good
• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

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Overall rating

booked the tour thru Expedia and was a great experience. Florence was very professional and very informative. would definitely recommend

There was nothing wrong with the tour, BUT: After we stayed on the second floor after the end of the official tour and then wanted to queue at the elevator around noon in order to get to the top of the tower individually as planned (part of the ticket price), it was closed, as was the waiting area for queuing. A number of tourists had the same problem and were looking for access to the lift. When we finally found an employee of the tower, he simply said, "It's closed until at least 3:30 p.m.," without giving any reason. We then noticed that a number of employees had put on vests and gone on strike (including banners and slogans). Another employee confirmed to us that this was the reason for the interruption of the trips. I called City Wonders straight away and explained this and asked for the promised partial refund in such a case, which I was assured of over the phone. Since then, however, they have been trying to avoid a refund and claim that there never was a closure as described. A long discussion and further attempts to explain the situation brought nothing. You have no chance to get heared and the company simply cheats you out of expensive money. Instead of going to the Eiffel Tower Summit, we went one hour later to the viewing platform of the Tour Montparnasse. From there we discovered that not a single person was visible on the summit of the Eiffel Tower (see photo). And City Wonders still claims that there was never such a temporary closure of the summit and that all the groups were all able to go up. If I had discovered all the other bad reviews on the various portals earlier, I would never have booked with City Wonders.This company is a scam. Never again City Wonders!

Not a single person can be seen at the summit of the Eiffel Tower on April 3, 2024, 2:24 PM. Reason: the summit is temporarily closed. usual

Eiffel Tower Summit on 02. April 2024, picture taken from Arc de Triomphe. Crowded with people.

We did the tour of the Loire Valley Castles (full day)! It was great!! Our tour guide, Ami (which means friend), was amazing! He had great energy and was providing insightful information about all the places we visited. He also was great about expressing to the group the importance of time, which made everyone be back at the bus on time and ready to go. He gave us great tips and things to look for which kept the group engaged with both him and each other. He provided food recommendations at all places we stopped at, and was open to all questions that even didn't pertain to the tour. The tour itself consisted of 2 Castles, a rest area on the way there/and back, as well as a lunch break (with a vast variety of restaurants to choose from). There was also an opportunity to visit a 3rd castle if you wanted to forego lunch, which we did not choose to do. I highly encourage this tour specifically as we got to see a good amount of castles and Ami made it fun and exciting!

I wish that there was a rating lower than one star. We reserved a guided group tour of the Louvre for July 2 in April. At 14:30 on July 1, I received a text message and an email to contact City Wonders urgently. Our tour was cancelled because the guide cancelled last minute. The person we spoke to offered us a tour on July 15. We were leaving on July 8. I explained this and asked to speak to a manager. I was given an email address to write to. I sent an email and got an automated reply that it would take up to 48 hours to get a response and was given a phone number to call. I called and was connected to the same person who couldn't help me. On July 2 we went to the Louvre but the lines were ridiculous. At 13:00 someone called from City Wonders and said that the tour had been cancelled because of protests after a recent police shooting. We called bullshit on that and told him that we had walked by the Louvre and all was well. Someone else emailed us later that day and said that the tour was cancelled due to unavailability of the guide and offered us a tour on July 12, four days after we were scheduled to leave Paris. I don't think our problem was ever escalated to management. Amazing incompetence with no contingency plan and a total failure to to make things right aside from multiple people saying that they were sorry. I wouldn't let this company give me a tour of a men's restroom

I can't recommend this tour because of the tour group that runs this -- Wonder City Tours. I have booked through Viator before and have not had any issues. This time, after checking and re-checking how to get to the meeting point and getting there well ahead of time, I was told my booking was for one person instead of two. I had booked it a month in advance and my voucher from Viator clearly stated two adults, paid and confirmed. The Wonder City Tours representative was rude and aggressively informed me that my booking was for one, despite what she clearly could read herself on my booking confirmation. She told me I needed to call Viator because they had made a mistake and paid only for one person and we couldn't go on the tour. At this point I got very upset. This trip to Paris had been planned for nearly 2 years. I was travelling with my 84 year old mother, whose dream it was to see and experience the Eiffel Tower. It was her first trip to France. I explained this to the representative and her response was that it wasn't her problem, Viator had made a mistake. And she told me patronisingly to calm down. I pointed to the $212AUD I had paid, getting increasingly agitated. Finally she took a screenshot of my confirmed 2 adult booking and sent it on as I tried to get hold of Viator on WhatsApp. She came back a few minutes later and said that her company was not going to charge me anymore money and instead were going to "let" me come on the tour for free because Viator had only paid them for one person. That see? I needed to calm down because they were not going to charge me more money, even though they had not been paid for two people. I call this a lie. Which was later confirmed by Viator on WhatsApp, who texted me that indeed I had a paid booking for 2 adults. I will never make a booking with Wonder City Tours again. The representative was unprofessional, rude and had no ability in customer service. Instead of reading the situation and calmly working through the problem, the first thing she tried to do was bully me into accepting only one of us would be able to go on the tour. The incident left me nearly in tears. The tour itself was fine. The guide was enthusiastic and waited for the whole group to catch up. I did not learn too much more than I already knew about the Eiffel Tower and Paris, but that's ok. My mother and I ended our Eiffel Tower trip by having lunch in the restaurant on the first floor. It was a lovely experience and at that point I was truly able to enjoy the tower after its awful start. The wait staff were wonderful and the food was good. But I don't recommend booking with Wonder City Tours. They really need some help in training their staff in courteous customer service.

My Viator voucher that the Wonder City Tours operator refused to acknowledge.

Please save your $170 and run from this horrible company! I had booked this combo tour, the first part was ok - Giverny, our tour guide Sam was good, and mostly gave us information on the bus. When we got to Giverny, he showed us the map, but then we explored on our own for about 2.5 hours. We got back on, went to Versailles, and he handed us over to another company. This is where the problems started. Our tour guide for Versailles (name was Cistern) was horrible!! First we waited outside at least 30-40 mins in hot sun, many groups ahead of us, and even groups that were late went in front of us. She didnt stop them or speak up, and we just kept standing there. After we got in, she talked 30 mins just at entrance, again many groups were passing, and we had this happen repeatedly so much at every stop, many groups passed us again. We didn't technically finish Versailles because she talked too much. We had to stop as we had one hour left to see the Gardens and get back to the bus. No time to really see the Gardens, just a quick walk around, no time for boutique or restaurants either. I regretted booking the tour. This tour was about 5 times more than if I had bought a ticket directly. I would not recommend anyone take the Versailles portion. Also, it was so overcrowded and instead of helping to keep the flow going, I had so many push and hit my back to pass us. It wasn't enjoyable. I wrote to the company and they said all of this inconvenience was worth 10% or $17 as a refunded. This alone shows me they don't care nor understand the customers experience.

Had a tour of the Palace of Versailles with CityWonders. Do not book a tour with this company. I had a very rude tour guide and she made the entire experience unpleasant.

On Oct 29, 2023, on a Versailles tour, due to incorrect directions by Versaille staff, we had difficulty in finding the way out of Versailles and were five minutes late for our bus only to see it driving off with items we left on the bus while on tour. Getting back to Paris was not our concern. We wanted our items back. We called City Wonders before the bus returned to Paris who told us to the return to the tour meeting spot the next morning to meet a guide to retrieve our items. We received an email confirming that. The next morning we waited for 1.5 hrs but nobody showed up. When we contacted City Wonders customer service again they said there were no items found. Why were City Wonders unable to tell Elite Coach Services, the bus operator, to secure our items? Why did City Wonders tell us to return to the tour meeting point the next morning if they then said no items were retrieved? "Customer Care at Every Step" is on the website but this is clearly not the case.

Do NOT do the city wonders tour for the eiffel Tower. we bought tickets as a way to have tickets online and get to the top. However, they're so over priced it's ridiculous and we didn't even bypass the line. I saw her purchase the tickets as we got to the front. Also, we took the stairs which only costs about $6 for kids and yet they charged us $55 per KID! Just buy your tickets when you get there and save the $$. Sure you learn stuff about the Eiffel Tower but nothing you can't read on google.

Don't book with them! All they want is your money. The bus left us at Versailles while we were with the company's agent on the phone. In their email they said 3 hours in the site, but actually it was two. We paid extra 15 euro each to see the fountain show but there was no time left for this activity. The representative on the phone couldn't contact the guide so we were just left there and had to pay for a taxi back to Paris. Seriously Don't do that to yourselves.

7 other reviews that are not currently recommended

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For operational reasons, the opening of the Eiffel Tower will be delayed on April 16. Please check this website before coming to the Tower. For visitors with e-tickets, please check your email. We apologize for the inconvenience.

History, key figures, lights, paintings, explore all the secrets of the world's most iconic monument

The Eiffel Tower at a glance

An object of discord, desire and fascination, the Eiffel Tower never fails to impress. Enriched by a history full of new developments, here you can discover all of its key information.

Origins and Construction of the Eiffel Tower

It was for the 1889 Exposition Universelle , the date that marked the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, that a great competition was launched in 1886.

Gustave Eiffel

The Eiffel Tower during the 1889 Exposition Universelle

Art and the Eiffel Tower

From the beginning the Tower was an attraction, but in the 1920s it became a symbol of modernity and the avant-garde. Little by little, its image was associated with Paris, until it even became its worldwide symbol.

The Eiffel Tower Laboratory

The Eiffel Tower was supposed to be destroyed only 20 years after its construction. To remedy the situation, Gustave Eiffel had the ingenious idea of crediting it with a scientific purpose – the Tower was saved!

The Eiffel Tower’s Lifts

Painting the Eiffel Tower

History of the restaurants

For the Universal Exhibition of 1889, four majestic wooden pavilions designed by Stephen Sauvestre decked the platform on the first floor. Each restaurant could seat 500 people.

The Eiffel Tower in the world

The Eiffel Tower’s Illuminations

Every evening, the Eiffel Tower is adorned with its golden covering and sparkles for 5 minutes every hour on the hour, while its beacon shines over Paris.

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Wonders of the World - Winners and Finalists

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• Doctor of Arts, University of Albany, SUNY
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Christ the Redeemer, One of the New 7 Wonders

You may know about the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. Only one - the Great Pyramid at Giza - still stands. So, Swiss film producer and aviator Bernard Weber launched a global voting campaign to let you, and millions of other people, create a NEW list. Unlike the list of Ancient Wonders, the New Seven Wonders list includes both ancient and modern structures from every part of the world.

From the hundreds of recommendations, architects Zaha Hadid , Tadao Ando, Cesar Pelli , and other expert judges selected 21 finalists. Then, millions of voters around the world picked the top seven New Wonders of the World.

The New Seven Wonders of the World were announced in Lisbon, Portugal on Saturday, July 7, 2007. This photo gallery displays the winners and the finalists.

Christ the Redeemer Statue:

Completed in 1931, the Christ Redeemer statue that overlooks the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is a monument to the architecture of its day— Art Deco.   As an art deco icon, Jesus became sleek in form, a near two-dimensional flag with robes of strong lines. Also called Cristo Redentor, the statue towers atop the Corcovado mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. From the 21 finalists, the Christ Redeemer statue was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. It is an iconic statue.

Chichen Itza in Yucatan, Mexico

Ancient Mayan and Toltec civilizations built great temples, palaces, and monuments at Chichen Itza on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.

One of the New 7 Wonders

Chichen Itza, or Chichén Itzá, offers a rare glimpse into Mayan and Toltec civilization in Mexico. Located about 90 miles from the coast in the northern Yucatan peninsula, the archaeological site has temples, palaces, and other important buildings.

There are actually two parts to Chichen: the old city that thrived between 300 and 900 AD, and the new city that became the center of Mayan civilization between 750 and 1200 AD. Chichen Itza is a UNESCO World Heritage site and voted to be a new wonder of the world.

Colosseum in Rome, Italy

At least 50,000 spectators could sit in the Colosseum of ancient Rome. Today, the amphitheater reminds us of early modern sports arenas. In 2007, the Colosseum was named one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.

The Flavian emperors Vespasian and Titus built the Colosseum, or Coliseum , in central Rome between 70 and 82 AD. The Colosseum is sometimes called the Amphitheatrum Flavium (Flavian Amphitheater) after the emperors who constructed it.

The powerful architecture has influenced sports venues around the world, including the 1923 Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles. The mighty stadium in California, modeled after ancient Rome's, was site of the first Super Bowl game in 1967 .

Much of Rome's Colosseum has deteriorated, but major restoration efforts are preserving the structure. The ancient amphitheater is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in Rome, and one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions.

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Stretching for thousands of miles, the Great Wall of China protected ancient China from invaders. The Great Wall of China is a UNESCO World Heritage site. In 2007, it was named one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.

No one is sure exactly how long the Great Wall of China is. Many say that the Great Wall extends some 3,700 miles (6,000 kilometers). But the Great Wall is not actually a single wall but a series of disconnected walls.

Snaking along the hills in the southern part of the Mongolian plain, the Great Wall (or Walls) were built over centuries, beginning as early as 500 BC. During the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), many walls were joined and re-enforced for greater strength. In places, the massive walls are as tall as 29.5 feet (9 meters).

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Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas, nestles in a remote ridge among the Peruvian mountains. On July 24, 1911, the American explorer Hiram Bingham was led by natives to a nearly inaccessible deserted Incan city on a Peruvian mountaintop. On this day, Machu Picchu became known to the Western world.

In the fifteenth century, the Inca constructed the small city of Machu Picchu in a ridge between two mountain peaks. Beautiful and remote, the buildings were constructed of finely cut white granite blocks. No mortar was used. Because Machu Picchu is so difficult to reach, this legendary city of the Inca was almost lost to explorers until the early 1900s. The historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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Carved from rose-red limestone, Petra, Jordan was lost to the Western World from about the 14th century until the early 19th century. Today, the ancient city is one of the world's largest and most important archaeological sites. It has been an inscribed property of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre since 1985.

Inhabited for thousands of years, the strikingly beautiful desert city of Petra, Jordan was once home to a civilization long since vanished. Petra's location between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea made it an important center for commerce, where Arabian incense, Chinese silks, and Indian spices were traded. The buildings reflect a welcoming of cultures, combining native Eastern traditions with Western Classical (850 BC-476 AD) architecture from Hellenistic Greece . Noted by UNESCO as "half-built, half-carved into the rock," this capital city also had a sophisticated system of dams and channels for collecting, diverting, and providing water to the arid region.

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The Taj Mahal in Agra, India

Built in 1648, the Taj Mahal in Agra, India is a masterpiece of Muslim architecture. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Some 20,000 workers spent twenty-two years constructing the glistening white Taj Mahal. Made entirely of marble, the structure was designed as a mausoleum for a favorite wife of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Mughal architecture is characterized by harmony, balance, and geometry. Beautifully symmetrical, each element of the Taj Mahal is independent, yet perfectly integrated with the structure as a whole. The master architect was Ustad Isa.

Facts and Stats:

• Top Dome - 213 feet high
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The Taj Mahal is one of many famous monuments on the World Monuments Fund's Watch List, which documents endangered landmarks. Pollution and environmental changes have jeopardized the wooden foundation of the Taj Mahal. Professor Ram Nath, an expert on the building, has claimed that unless the foundation is repaired, the Taj Mahal will collapse.

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The Athens Acropolis is home to many important archaeological sites. The most famous is the Parthenon, a temple dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena. Much of the original Acropolis was destroyed in 480 BC when Persians invaded Athens. Many temples, including the Parthenon, were rebuilt during the Golden Age of Athens (460–430 BC) when Pericles was the ruler.

Phidias, a great Athenian sculptor, and two famous architects, Ictinus and Callicrates, played key roles in the reconstruction of the Acropolis. Construction on the new Parthenon began in 447 BC and was mostly completed in 438 BC.

Today, the Parthenon is an international symbol of Greek civilization and the temples of the Acropolis have become some of the world's most famous architectural landmarks. The Athens Acropolis is a UNESCO World Heritage site. In 2007, the Athens Acropolis was designated a preeminent monument on the European Cultural Heritage list. The Greek government is working to restore and preserve the ancient structures on the Acropolis.

• Classical Architecture
• Archaeology and the Acropolis

Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain

Alhambra Palace, or the Red Castle , in Granada, Spain contains some of the world's finest examples of Moorish architecture. For many centuries, this Alhambra was neglected. Scholars and archaeologists began restorations in the nineteenth century, and today the Palace is a major tourist attraction.

Along with the Generalife summer palace in Granada, Alhambra Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Angkor, Cambodia

The world's largest complex of sacred temples, Angkor is a 154 square mile archaeological site (400 square kilometers) in the northern Cambodian province of Siem Reap. The area contains the remains of the Khmer Empire, a sophisticated civilization that prospered between the 9th and 14th centuries in Southeast Asia.

Khmer architectural ideas are thought to have originated in India, but these designs were soon mixed with Asian and local art that evolved to create what UNESCO has called "a new artistic horizon." Beautiful and ornate temples extend throughout the agricultural community that continues to live in Siem Reap. Ranging from simple brick towers to complicated stone structures, temple architecture has identified a distinct social order within the Khmer community.

Not only is Angkor one of the largest sacred temple complexes in the world, but the landscape is testament to the ancient civilization's urban planning. Water collection and distribution systems as well as routes of communication have been unearthed.

The most famous temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park are Angkor Wat—a large, symmetrical, well-restored complex surrounded by geometric canals—and the Bayon Temple, with its giant stone faces.

• Facts About the Angkor Civilization
• Facts About Angkor Wat

Source: Angkor , UNESCO World Heritage Centre [accessed January 26, 2014]

Easter Island Statues: 3 Lessons from Moai

Mysterious giant stone monoliths called Moai dot the coastline of Easter Island. The giant faces that dot the island of Rapa Nui were not chosen in the campaign to select the New 7 Wonders of the World. They are still a world wonder, however—when choosing up sides, you're not always in the top seven picked. What can we learn from these ancient statues when we compare them to other structures around the world? First, a little background:

Location : Isolated volcanic island, now owned by Chili, located in the Pacific Ocean, about 2,000 miles (3,200 km) from Chile and Tahiti Other Names : Rapa Nui; Isla de Pascua (Easter Island is the European name used to describe the inhabited island discovered on Easter Sunday in 1722 by Jacob Roggeveen) Settled : Polynesians, around 300 AD Architectural Significance : Between the 10th and 16th centuries, ceremonial shrines ( ahu ) were built and hundreds of statues ( Moai ) were erected, carved from porous, volcanic rock (scoria). Generally they face inward, toward the island, with their backs to the sea.

The Moai range in height from 2 meters to 20 meters (6.6 to 65.6 feet) and weigh many tons. They resemble enormous heads, but the Moai actually do have bodies beneath the ground. Some Moai faces were decorated with coral eyes. Archaeologists speculate that the Moai represented a god, a mythical creature, or revered ancestors that protect the island.

3 Lessons from Moai:

Yes, they are mysterious, and we may never know the real story of their existence. Scientists deduce what happened based on today's observations, because there is no written history. If only one person on the island had kept a journal, we would know a lot more about what went on. The statues of Easter Island have made us think about ourselves and others, however. What else can we learn from the Moai?

• Ownership : Who owns what architects call the built environment ? In the 1800s, several Moai were removed from the island and today are displayed in museums in London, Paris, and Washington, DC. Should the statues have stayed on Easter Island, and should they be returned? When you build something for someone else, have you given up your ownership of that idea? Architect Frank Lloyd Wright was famous for revisiting houses he had designed and getting angry at modifications made to his design. Sometimes he even hit buildings with his cane! What would the carvers of the Moai think if they saw one of their statues at the Smithsonian Museum?
• Primitive does not mean Stupid or Juvenile : One of the characters in the movie Night at the Museum is the unnamed "Easter Island Head." Instead of intelligent or spiritual dialog from the Moai, the movie's writers chose the head to utter lines such as "Hey! Dum-dum! You give me gum-gum!" Very funny? A culture with a low level of technology is disadvantaged when compared with other societies, but that doesn't make them ignorant. The people who live on what English-speakers call Easter Island have always been isolated. They inhabit the most remote land in the entire world. Their ways may be unsophisticated compared with other parts of the world, but mocking the primitive seems petty and childish.
• Progress happens step-by-step : The statues are thought to have been carved from the island's volcanic soil. Although they may look primitive, they are not very old—perhaps built between 1100 and 1680 AD, which is just 100 years before the American Revolution. During this same time period, great Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals were being built throughout Europe. The Classical forms of ancient Greece and Rome reinvented a Renaissance in architecture. Why were Europeans able to build more complex and grand buildings than the inhabitants of Easter Island? Progress happens in steps and advancement occurs when people share ideas and methods. When people traveled from Egypt to Jerusalem and from Istanbul to Rome, ideas traveled with them. Being isolated on an island makes for a slow evolution of ideas. If only they had had the Internet back then....
• Easter Island History from Archaeology
• Making the Moai of Easter Island from Archaeology
• Easter Island, Navel of the World from South American Travel
• Easter Island Geography from Geography
• Easter Island Statue Project (official site)
• History's Greatest Mysteries: Easter Island by Charles River Editors ( Buy on Amazon )
• Mystery of Easter Island , NOVA (DVD) ( Buy on Amazon )
• Tiki architecture —Almost unbelievably, the statues have been marketed to consumers as a Tiki artifact—as garden statues, light switch plates, t-shirts, and Nanoblock children's toys ( Buy on Amazon ).

Sources: Rapa Nui National Park , UNESCO World Heritage Centre, United Nations [accessed August 19, 2013]; Explore Our Collections , Smithsonian Institution [accessed June 14, 2014]

Eiffel Tower in Paris, France

The Eiffel Tower in France pioneered new uses for metal construction. Today, a trip to Paris is not complete without a visit to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower was originally built for the 1889 World Fair to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. During construction, the Eiffel was considered an eyesore by the French, but the criticism died down once the tower was completed.

The Industrial Revolution in Europe brought about a new trend: the use of metallurgy in construction. Because of this, the engineer's role became increasingly important, in some cases rivaling that of the architect. The work of engineer, architect, and designer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel is perhaps the most famous example of this new use for metal. Eiffel's famous tower in Paris is made of puddled iron .

Learn more about Cast Iron, Wrought Iron, and Cast-Iron Architecture

Engineering the Eiffel Tower:

Rising 324 feet (1,063 meters), the Eiffel Tower is the tallest structure in Paris. For 40 years, it measured the tallest in the world. The metal lattice-work, formed with very pure structural iron, makes the tower both extremely light and able to withstand tremendous wind forces. The Eiffel Tower open to the wind, so when you stand near the top you may have the sensation that you are outside. The open structure also allows visitors to look "through" the tower - to stand in one part of the tower and look through the latticed wall or floor to another part.

• Gustave Eiffel and the Eiffel Tower
• Official Website of the Eiffel Tower
• Architecture in France

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey (Ayasofya)

Today's grand Hagia Sophia is the third structure built on this ancient site.

• 360 AD Megale Ekklesia (Big Church) ordered by Emperor Konstantios; wooden roof burned and building destroyed during the public riots of 404 AD
• 415 AD Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) ordered by Emperor Theodosios II; wooden roof burned and building destroyed during the public riots of 532 AD
• 537 AD ordered by Emperor Justinianos ( Flavius Justinianus ); architects Anthemios of Tralles and Isidoros of Miletus each employed 100 architects, each with 100 workers

About Justinian's Hagia Sophia, New 7 Wonders Finalist

Historic Period : Byzantine Length : 100 meters Width : 69.5 meters Height : Dome from the ground level is 55.60 meters; 31.87 meters radius North to South; 30.86 meters radius East to West Materials : white marble from Marmara Island; green porphyry from Eğriboz Island; pink marble from Afyon; yellow marble from North Africa Columns : 104 (40 in the lower and 64 in the upper); nave columns are from the Temple of Artemis in Ephessus; eight dome columns are from Egypt Structural Engineering : Pendentives Mosaics : stone, glass, terra cotta, and precious metals (gold and silver) Calligraphy Panels : 7.5 - 8 meters in diameter, said to be the largest in the Islamic world

Source: History, Hagia Sophia Museum at www.ayasofyamuzesi.gov.tr/en/tarihce.html [accessed April 1, 2013]

Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, Japan

Architecture blends with nature at Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, Japan. The words Kiyomizu , Kiyomizu-dera or Kiyomizudera can refer to several Buddhist temples, but the most famous is the Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto. In Japanese, kiyoi mizu means pure water .

Kyoto's Kiyomizu Temple was constructed in 1633 on the foundations of a much earlier temple. A waterfall from adjacent hills tumbles into the temple complex. Leading into the temple is a wide veranda with hundreds of pillars.

Kremlin and St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, Russia

The Kremlin in Moscow is the symbolic and governmental center of Russia. Just outside the Kremlin Gates is St. Basil's Cathedral , also called the Cathedral of the Protection of the Mother of God. St. Basil's Cathedral is a carnival of painted onion domes in the most expressive of Russo-Byzantine traditions. St. Basil's was built between 1554 and 1560 and reflects the renewed interest in traditional Russian styles during the reign of Ivan IV (the Terrible).

Ivan IV built St. Basil's Cathedral to honor Russia's victory over the Tatars at Kazan. It is said that Ivan the Terrible had the architects blinded so that they could never again design a building so beautiful.

Cathedral Square in Moscow has some of Russia's most important architecture, including the Cathedral of the Dormition, The Archangel's Cathedral, Grand Kremlin Palace, and Terem Palace.

Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

The most famous pyramids in Egypt are the Pyramids of Giza, built more than 2,000 years B.C. to shelter and safeguard the souls of Egyptian pharaohs. In 2007, the Pyramids were named honorary candidates in a campaign to name the New 7 Wonders of the World.

In the valley of Giza, Egypt are three large pyramids: the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Kafhre, and the Pyramid of Menkaura. Each Pyramid is a tomb constructed for an Egyptian king.

Original 7 Wonders

The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the largest, oldest, and the best preserved of the three Pyramids. Its enormous base covers approximately nine acres (392,040 square feet). Constructed in about 2560 BC, the Great Pyramid of Khufu is the only surviving monument from the original 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. The other Wonders of the Ancient World were:

• The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
• The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
• The Temple of Artemus at Ephesus
• The Colossus of Rhodes
• The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
• The Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria

Statue of Liberty, New York City

Sculpted by a French artist, the Statue of Liberty is an enduring symbol of the United States. Towering over Liberty Island in New York, the Statue of Liberty is recognized around the world as a symbol of the United States. French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi designed the Statue of Liberty, which was a gift from France to the United States.

New 7 Wonders Finalist, The Statue of Liberty:

• Construction began in France in 1875.
• Ten years later in 1885, a French transport ship carried the statue to New York in 214 crates holding 350 separate pieces.
• Height: 151 feet 1 inch; Total height on pedestal: 305 feet 1 inch.
• Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel used an internal skeleton , a flexible engineering approach that allows the statue to sway several inches in strong winds.
• Weight of statue: 156 tons (31 tons of copper attached to 125 tons of framework).
• Liberty's Crown has 25 windows and 7 rays.
• Liberty's head is 10 feet wide; each eye is 2 1/2 feet wide; her nose is 4 1/2 feet long; her mouth is 3 feet wide.

The Statue of Liberty was assembled on a pedestal designed by American architect Richard Morris Hunt . The statue and pedestal were officially completed and dedicated by President Grover Cleveland on October 28, 1886.

Stonehenge in Amesbury, UK

One of the world's most famous archaeological sites, Stonehenge reveals the science and skill of a Neolithic civilization. Before recorded history, Neolithic people erected 150 huge rocks in a circular pattern on the Salisbury Plain in southern England. Most of Stonehenge was built about two thousand years before the Common Era (2000 BC). No one knows for certain why the structure was built or how a primitive society was able to raise the enormous rocks. Massive stones recently discovered in nearby Durrington Walls suggest that Stonehenge was part of a vast Neolithic landscape, much larger than previously imaged.

New 7 Wonders Finalist, Stonehenge

Location : Wiltshire, England Completed : 3100 to 1100 BC Architects : a Neolithic civilization in Britain Construction Materials : Wiltshire Sarsen sandstone and Pembroke (Wales) Bluestone

Why is Stonehenge Important?

Stonehenge is also on the UNESCO World Heritage list. UNESCO calls Stonehenge "the most architecturally sophisticated prehistoric stone circle in the world," citing these reasons:

• size of the prehistoric stones, the the largest weighs over 40 tons (80,000 pounds)
• sophisticated placement of the large stones in a concentric architectural design
• artistic shaping of the stones
• constructed with different kinds of stone
• precision of engineering, stone lintels locked horizontally in place by carved joints

Source: Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites , UNESCO World Heritage Centre, United Nations [accessed August 19, 2013].

Sydney Opera House, Australia

Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon , the startling shell-shaped Sydney Opera House in Australia inspires delight and controversy. Utzon began work on the Sydney Opera House in 1957, but controversy surrounded the construction. The modern expressionist building wasn't completed until 1973, under the direction of Peter Hall.

During recent years, updates and renovations to the shell-shaped theater have remained a subject of heated debate. Despite the many controversies, the Sydney Opera House is widely praised as one of the world's great landmarks. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2007.

Timbuktu in Mali, West Africa

Founded by Nomads, the city of Timbuktu became legendary for its wealth. The name Timbuktu has taken on mythic meaning, suggesting a place that is very far away. The real Timbuktu lies in Mali, in West Africa. Scholars surmise that the area became an Islamic outpost at the time of the Hijra. Legend has it that an old woman named Buktu guarded the camp. The Place of Buktu or Tim-Buktu became a safe haven for the many merchants and traders supplying the architects of Gothic cathedrals with gold from West Africa. Timbuktu became a center for wealth, culture, art, and higher learning. The famous University of Sankore, founded in the fourteenth century, drew scholars from far away. Three major Islamic mosques, Djingareyber, Sankore and Sidi Yahia, made Timbuktu a great spiritual center in the region.

The splendor of Timbuktu is reflected today in Timbuktu's fascinating Islamic architecture. The mosques were important in the spread of Islam into Africa, and the threat of their "desertification" prompted UNESCO to name Timbuktu a World Heritage Site in 1988. The future held much more severe threats.

21st Century Unrest:

In 2012, Islamic radicals took control of Timbuktu and began destroying parts of its iconic architecture, reminiscent of the Taliban's destruction of Afghanistan's ancient shrines in 2001. Ansar al-Dine (AAD), an Al-Qaeda-linked group, used picks and axes to tear down the door and wall area of the famous Sidi Yahia mosque. Ancient religious belief warned that opening the door would bring calamity and devastation. Ironically, AAD devastated the mosque to prove that the world would not end if the door opened.

The region remains unstable for the casual visitor. The U.s. Department of State has designated AAD a Foreign Terrorist Organization and as of 2014 travel warnings remain in place for the region. The historic preservation of the ancient architecture seems to be controlled by whoever is in power.

• Fleeing Islamists leave legacy of destruction in Timbuktu by Pascal Fletcher and Giles Elgood, Reuters , January 29, 2013
• The Legend of Timbuktu
• Splendor in Medieval Africa

Sources: UNESCO/CLT/WHC ; Islamists destroy 15th-century Timbuktu mosque , The Telegraph , July 3, 2012; Mali Travel Warning , U.S. Dept. of State, March 21, 2014 [accessed July 1, 2014]

• New Seven Wonders of the World Printables
• The New Wonders of the World
• Architecture for our Spirit and Soul - Sacred Buildings
• Top 10 Domes From Around the World
• Middle East Gems of the Ancient and Modern World
• Geography of Easter Island
• Free Printable History Worksheets
• 10 Buildings that Changed the World
• Architecture Timeline - Western Influences on Building Design
• Mayan Architecture
• The Taj Mahal?
• Architecture in France: A Guide For Travelers
• See the Best Architecture in Spain
• Russian History in Architecture
• A Guide to the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World

WONDER MEETs & TOURs

Wonderful experiences always, discover our tours, eiffel tower access to 2nd floor and summit option with guide, paris tour: eiffel tower lunch, boat cruise, and louvre tour, guided boat cruise on paris seine, optional eiffel tower dinner, the ultimate louvre experience (payable options: breakfast and boat cruise), paris: graves of the famous private guided walking tour, eiffel tower access to 2nd floor with summit and cruise options, half day paris cruise & walking tours: eiffel, louvre, notre-dame, experience the louvre and more (entry tickets to the louvre is included), guided tour inside the louvre, vip dinner on the eiffel tower (optional seine river cruise), vip lunch on the eiffel tower (optional seine river cruise), climb the eiffel tower, unique views of paris and optional summit, climb up the eiffel tower and see paris differently (guided tour), paris seine bicycle tour, optional louvre entry tickets, the best of the louvre tour, vip dinner on the eiffel tower paris, tour & parisian lunch on the eiffel tower, paris olympic venue highlight: car tour, the ultimate musee d'orsay walking tour, arc de triomphe walking tour: paris views and a taste of macarons, reviews from tripadvisor, general faqs, for faqs about a specific booked tour, visit here, what are your business hours.

Our official business hours are from 9am to 5pm. Any call made outside the business hours will be attended to during  the next business opening hour.

Do I get a refund if I missed a tour?

We do not issue refunds for missed tours. The refund policy covers all possible scenarios in which guests are eligible for refunds. Kindly consult our refund policy for all categories of refunds HERE

How can I beat the waiting time?

Booking prepaid tickets for your visit allows you  to skip the line

Do you provide the tickets in advance?

We offer a prepaid ticket (subject to your availability) which allows you skip the line. If you booked a prepaid ticket tour with us, we will send you your ticket within 24 hours to your tour time.

Do I need to present my booking ref at the meeting point to the tour guide before getting my tickets?

You are required to present your voucher containing your booking reference to the coordinator at the meeting point in order to be checked in for the tour

Can I cancel a ticket from a booking?

Cancellation cannot be made to just one ticket from a booking. However, you can make amendments to your previous booking. To make amendments, you need to contact the travel agency where you booked with us.

How soon is my refund processed? Do I get a refund when I cancel a booking?

First, you need to check our refunds policy for the product you booked to be sure you qualify for a refund. If you qualify, then note that refunds are issued by the Online Travel Agency (OTA) platform where you made your booking in the first place. All refunds issues or questions must be addressed to the OTA platform

Can I move my tour time to a different time?

In general, the answer is NO because we make preparations for your visit ahead, and such preparations may involve prior reservations and pre-bookings with other entities. However, in very few cases, we are able to make an exception. Please direct enquiries pertaining to change of time to i [email protected]

Do I need to redeem my tickets before the tour starts?

Yes. We send prepaid tickets by the morning of the tour day. If you have not received your prepaid tickets within 12 hours to the tour, call us or email us in order to rectify the situation

Are refunds processed to the same card with which payment was made?

Refunds are issued by the Online Travel Agency platform where you made your booking in the first place. All refunds issues or questions must be addressed to the OTA platform. If you booked with us via our website, then you will receive your refund to the same card with which payment was made

How do I confirm that a refund has been made?

Once a refund is made, a confirmation mail will be sent to you by the online platform where your booking was made in the first place. If you booked with us directly, through our website, we will send you a confirmation email upon processing your refund.

Will my USD get converted when I make a purchase?

All our transactions are made in Euros. You may need to check with your bank or the OTA how your payment is processed.

Do you send the tickets electronically?

We send tickets electronically. Also, Guests who wish to meet up at the meeting point can make a special request by email or by telephone call, to pick up their tickets at the meeting point.

How do I access the boat cruise?

We normally send you directions to our partner boat companies together with the boat cruise tickets. Kindly refer to the directions to the boat station that has been sent to your email. If you did not receive the directions by the morning of the tour day, call us or email us in order to rectify the situation.

What happens if I am late to meet up for the Eiffel Tower tour?

You want to check with customer care if a reschedule is possible; bearing in mind that a rescheduling fee applies to rescheduled visits. Some products that involve our partner companies, such as Lunch or Dinner bookings cannot be rescheduled. Missing such reservations is the same thing as forfeiting the benefit you could derive from the booking. Note that refund policy covers all aspects of refund, kindly consult the document HERE 

Where do I meet the guide?

You can refer to the meeting point page for your tour HERE

When do I arrive at the meeting point?

Guests are expected to be at the meeting point 30 minutes before the tour start time

Example; If your tour start time is 2:30pm, you are expected to be at the meeting point by 2pm 

If we go to the cruise immediately after the tower visit, what time does the cruise finish?

The boat cruises normally take one hour. For cruises with multiple stops, the duration may be longer. If the duration is a major concern for you, please ask your tour coordinator or reach out to us via any of our communication channels.

What do I do if I miss the guide and the rest of the group?

Guests can contact the Customer Care by email or by telephone for rescheduling options and payment

Do I get refund if I cancel a booking?

The refund policy covers all aspects of refund, kindly consult our refund policy for all categories of refund HERE

Is the time a British or French time?

The time stated are Central European Time (C.E.T)

Are the rest of the guests delayed when a person is late?

If anyone is late and unable to meet the rest of the group, they’ll have to do the tour on their own. The tour starts at the exact tour time, and that is also when the tour guide leaves. If you follow our instructions and arrive at the meeting point 30 minutes before the tour time, you should have no issues making the tour.

What forms of payment do you accept?

If you're booking with us directly, i.e. via our website, we only accept card payments. But if you're booking through the OTAs, then the payment options available to you depends on the variety of options they provide.

Do you offer reduced rates for children?

Yes, there is a reduced price rate for children. However, guests are advised to look at the particular details of their tour to see what discount applies

Do you offer discounts for travel agencies?

We advise travel agencies to discuss with us by sending an enquiry email in order to discuss the discounts possible for their travel agency

Can I add another person to my booking?

Guests who would like to modify the number of persons on the booking are advised to address such enquiry to [email protected] stating the name on booking, booking reference, tour date, tour time and modification requested. Our Customer Care will reach out to the guest upon receipt of this email to advise the best option in the circumstance

Is an advanced booking necessary or can I just show up at the meeting point?

We strongly advise against arriving at the meeting point without a booking as we cannot guarantee that there will be space left on the tour. Our guides are unable to accept payment for tours so any bookings made on the spot will still need to be processed over the phone with payment by credit card.

How far in advance should I book my tour?

Our tours are very popular amongst visitors to Paris, so we suggest booking your place on them at your earliest convenience. If you are not ready to book yet and have some questions, we would be happy to help over the phone, via email and Live Chat. It is our mission to ensure that you get the most out of your visit

I am unable to book online as there is no longer availability. What can I do?

Our website, and as well as our offerings on the OTA platforms provide real time data on the availability of our tours. If there is no availability for the particular tour you are interested in for the particular day of interest, consider checking your schedule for the possibility of doing the tour on another day when we have availability. 

Do you accept last-minute bookings?

We are happy to accommodate all last-minute bookings - availability permitting. You can check our website for availability, or get in touch with our Customer Care Team directly. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, the tour may be sold out. Perhaps we can recommend another time, or offer you a suitable alternative, so please do get in touch!

Problem booking tour - blank page, errors or not-enough answers?

If you encounter an issue while booking a tour, you should contact our Customer Care Team by phone, email at [email protected]  or Live Chat so that we can help you to complete your reservation. Sometimes issues can occur when characters outside of the basic alphabet are used on our booking form (for example, names with accents), or if there is an unstable internet connection. Please also note we can only accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

Unsure if booking was accepted?

If you have not received an email with your confirmation voucher, please contact our Customer Care team via the contact form with name and date of tour.

What should I bring for the tour?

All you need to bring is yourself and your voucher! You can either print it out, or show it at the meeting point directly from your phone or tablet. We recommend being at the meeting point at least 30 minutes’ prior to departure in order to check-in.

Is my payment secure when booking online?

 Our website is secure. We work with Stripe, a globally reputable payment processing company.  In addition, your credit card details are not saved on our systems.

Can you book a hotel or flights?

We don’t offer any other service than guided tours at this time. All our meeting points are located in the central areas and are easy to access. Maps provided on your voucher will provide directions.

Can you arrange airport transfer or hotel pickup?

We don’t offer any airport transfer services for any of our tours, however we do offer hotel pickup but only for some tours. When we can provide hotel pickup, this service will be specified in the "what's included section" of the product you booked. For our guided tours, detailed directions to the meeting point will be provided on the voucher you receive upon booking. Please contact us ahead of your tour date for any additional information.

Do you offer private tours?

Currently we offer private tours in many destinations and can arrange many of our tours as private tours.  If you are interested in a private tour please refer to the private tours offered online. If the private tour you are interested in, is not listed, please contact our Customer Care team

I would like a quote for a private tour not listed on the website.

In order to provide a quote, we would need to know the exact number of people who would be joining the tour and the dates/times you are available. Send these to us by email to 

[email protected] or call to +33758320055. We will then contact you within the next few days to let you know the details.

How far in advance should I book a private tour?

In order to organize a private tour, we would kindly ask you to contact us at least 7 days before the tour. Although, booking more time in advance allows a greater availability of booking tickets, guides etc.

What is the minimum number of participants?

For most of our guided tours we need a minimum of 2 participants to operate the tour. However, please note that there are some exceptions and some tours require a higher number of participants to operate.

What is the maximum number of participants?

Typically, our group tours take a maximum of about 25 persons per tour guide. However, we welcome bookings of more than 25 persons. Such bookings can be split among multiple tour guides.

What days do you run particular tours?

 Please refer to the tour information page where the operating days of the tour are provided. This may change depending on the season, however, using the calendar under the book, a tour area will highlight the running days for the tours in question.

Do I have to stay for the entire tour duration?

You have the liberty to leave the group in agreement with your tour guide/coordinator, bearing in mind that a refund is not possible if you choose to not complete the tour

Business Hours

Get in touch, +33 176276676, [email protected], bridge street 61, kington, hr5 3dj, gb, stay connected.

Critical Financial

18 Most Incredible Man-Made Wonders of the World

Posted: February 19, 2024 | Last updated: March 16, 2024

The world is replete with awe-inspiring man-made structures that showcase what human creativity, ingenuity, determination, and technology can produce. Whether ancient or modern, this article explores 18 such impressive structures around the world and the awe-inspiring human stories behind their creation.

Petra, Jordan

Business Insider reports that this 10,000-year-old city carved directly into red sandstone cliffs is one of the newest wonders of the world. Petra was once the thriving capital of the Nabataean Kingdom and is now an archaeological wonder, famed for its intricate façades, ingenious water conduit system, and its blend of Eastern and Hellenistic architectural styles.

Taj Mahal, India

This white marble mausoleum, located in Agra, India, is a symbol of love and loss. According to UNESCO , the beautiful tomb was built by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1632–48 AD, in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It combines elements of various architectural styles and has symmetrical gardens with several pools and gateways.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Perched high in the Andes Mountains, this 15th-century stone city is a great example of the Incan Empire’s ingenuity and strong spiritual beliefs. The Collector says the citadel is made up of more than 150 buildings (including temples and homes) that have a sophisticated and well-preserved dry-stone construction that required no mortar.

Great Wall of China

Completed in 220 BC and stretching over 13,000 miles, the Great Wall of China was built as a defensive structure and was improved and extended by different rulers over many years. It traverses rugged terrain and reaches heights of up to 35 feet—impressive in a time before electricity or modern machines.

The Colosseum, Italy

The might and glory of the Roman Empire are showcased in this ancient amphitheater, capable of seating 50,000 spectators. Built from 70 to 72 AD, it was the site of public spectacles like gladiatorial battles and chariot races. It shows some advanced engineering techniques for the time, including the use of concrete and sophisticated arches.

Christ the Redeemer, Brazil

Built in 1931, this statue of Christ overlooking Rio de Janeiro from the summit of Mount Corcovado is a cultural icon of Brazil. The Art Deco statue stands 98 feet tall, with its arms stretched wide in a gesture of peace, and is made from concrete and soapstone. Study.com says the statue is one of the new ‘7 wonders of the world’ due to its impressive size.

The Pyramids of Giza, Egypt

Located on the outskirts of Cairo, these ancient tombs are the only surviving wonder of the ancient world. Built in honor of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt, they were filled with secret passages, traps, and vaults to hold and protect the pharaoh’s many treasures. The largest, the Great Pyramid of Khufu, was the tallest man-made structure in the world for 3,800 years.

Stonehenge, United Kingdom

The BBC calls this Salisbury Plain monument one of the most famous wonders of the ancient world and writes, “No one knows for certain the reason why Stonehenge was built. The stones that form the inner ring came from the Preseli Mountains in Wales.” The stones, each 13 feet high, were transported 150 miles and erected by prehistoric peoples without modern tools!

Chichen Itza, Mexico

This large pre-Columbian city was built by the Mayan people between 600 and 750 AD and is one of the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico. The site showcases several architectural styles influenced over centuries by different Mayan populations. The centerpiece, the Temple of Kukulcan, has impressive astronomical elements linked to the solar calendar.

The Parthenon, Greece

This ancient Greek temple stands atop the Acropolis in Greece’s capital, Athens, and is dedicated to the goddess Athena, after whom the city is named . Constructed in the 5th century BC, its Doric columns, classical architecture, and impressive size symbolize the artistry, wealth, and skill of ancient Greece.

The Great Sphinx of Giza, Egypt

Guarding the pyramid complex at Giza is a limestone statue of a mythical creature with a lion’s body and a human’s head, believed to represent the Pharaoh Khafre. Carved directly out of the limestone bedrock, it’s the world’s largest and oldest monolithic statue, showcasing the impressive craftsmanship of ancient Egyptian sculptors.

Eiffel Tower, France

According to La Tour Eiffel , “The Eiffel Tower was built to be one of the main attractions at the Paris World’s Fair in 1889.” The iron lattice tower was designed by Gustave Eiffel and is a global icon of France; standing at 1,083 feet, it was the world’s tallest man-made structure until the completion of the Chrysler Building (New York) in 1930.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Angkor Wat is a temple complex in Cambodia and the largest religious monument in the world. Originally constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu, it was transformed into a Buddhist temple in the 14th century. It now attracts thousands of tourists every year who admire its grand scale, intricate carvings, unique architecture, and profound spirituality.

The Forbidden City, China

Located in Beijing, this huge, ancient complex served as the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty. It consists of nearly 1,000 buildings that housed emperors, their households, and the government for nearly 500 years. The complex has traditional Chinese palatial architecture and is preserved as a World Heritage Site.

The Statue of Liberty, USA

The National Park Service states that this 305-foot-tall statue and plinth was a gift from France to the U.S. in 1886 , intended as a friendly symbol of independence and freedom. It stands on Liberty Island in New York Harbor and depicts Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, welcoming visitors with a torch and a tablet inscribed with the date of the American Declaration of Independence.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy

Known worldwide for its unintended tilt (resulting from an unstable foundation), construction of the tower began in the 12th century. Its odd angle became apparent during construction and only worsened over time. Despite its precarious lean, the tower has survived for centuries and is a fantastic example of medieval European architecture.

Sydney Opera House, Australia

The most iconic Australian building, the Opera House, is a multi-venue performing arts center on the waterfront of Sydney Harbour. It is easily recognizable, with a unique series of gleaming white sail-shaped shells making up the roof structure. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and completed in 1959, it’s often described as a modern architectural beauty.

The Hagia Sophia, Turkey

Originally built in 537 AD as a Christian cathedral in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), this religious building served as a mosque after the city fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453, and it is now a museum. Its massive dome and impressive engineering (for the time) often act as inspiration for modern architects.

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Private Tour: Murano Glassblowing Experience from Venice with Prosecco

• Exclusive Boat Ride : Indulge in the charm of Venice as you gracefully navigate its enchanting canals aboard a private water taxi. Revel in the sights of centuries-old palazzi and the captivating allure of the Venetian lagoon , all in the comfort of your own boat transport.
• Artistry Unveiled, Glassblowing Showcase: Immerse yourself in the world of Murano's legendary craftsmanship with a famous glassblowing demonstration led by master artisans . Delight in the revelation of age-old techniques and the creation of exquisite Murano glass pieces.
• Private Atelier Visit - A Glimpse into Murano's Artistic Legacy: Embark on a journey through the Atelier's Private Collection, where the rich history and unparalleled artistry of Murano glass come to life. Marvel at masterpieces and gain insights into the centuries-old traditions that define this renowned craft.
• Explore Murano at your own pace, wandering through its charming streets and soaking in the ambiance. Raise a welcoming Prosecco glass to the uniqueness of your experience, adding a personalized touch to your Murano adventure.

Tour Description

What's included.

• Exclusive Private Boat Ride
• Glassblowing demonstration led by Master Artisans
• Visit To Murano
• Visit to Atelier's Private Collection
• Assistance on Site

Sites Visited

• New Murano Gallery

Unveiling Murano's Artistry: A Private Glassblowing Experience

Explore the artistry of Murano with our captivating Private Glassblowing Tour. Glide through the labyrinthine canals of Venice on a private water taxi, capturing the picturesque scenery of colorful islands and charming shops along the way. As you arrive in Murano, witness a mesmerizing glassblowing demonstration led by master artisans, unveiling the intricate techniques and centuries-old craftsmanship that define this renowned art.

Upon docking, explore the secrets of Murano's glassblowing tradition as skilled artisans craft exquisite pieces. Immerse yourself in the artistry, gaining a deep appreciation for the craftsmanship passed down through generations.

Private Atelier Visit

Delve into the Atelier's Private Collection, showcasing a curated selection of Murano glass treasures. Learn about the history and techniques behind each piece, adding a layer of cultural richness to your experience.

After the glassblowing experience, savor free time in Murano to wander through its streets, shops, and picturesque surroundings at your own pace. Indulge in a Prosecco toast, celebrating the unique charm of this Venetian Island.

Conclude your journey with your private boat back to Venice, cherishing the memories of Murano's artistic allure.

Tripadvisor

Know before you go, meeting point.

Riva degli Schiavoni - Open in Google Maps

Important Notes

Cancelation Policy

This tour is subject to a 24-hour cancelation policy. If you wish to cancel or amend your booking, you can do so without charge by contacting us up to 24 hours in advance of your expected departure time.

We strongly advise against arriving at the meeting point without a booking as we cannot guarantee that there will be space left on the tour. Our guides are unable to accept payment for tours so any bookings made on the spot will still need to be processed over the phone with payment by credit card.

We are happy to assist with this request - availability permitting. Please contact our Customer Care Team who can check availability on the tour and take payment for the additional booking, as payment details are not saved in our system for security reasons.

Your own personal guide, and an itinerary tailored to your interest. Also, Our group tours are not suitable for people with restricted mobility, nor wheelchair users, whereas, in a private tour this can be accommodated

• Book with Confidence: Free cancellations up to 24 hours before the experience begins (local time).
• Multilingual Customer Service: Talk to us, we are here to help.
• No Hidden Costs: All taxes and fees included.

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Venice tours, murano & burano tours, get to know city wonders.

A City Wonders tour is the product of meticulous research, detailed planning, and a passion for providing customers with travel experiences they will cherish forever.

With City Wonders it's not just facts, our passionate guides tell you the stories that bring the sights to life.

• All of our guides are experts in their field
• We only hire fluent English-speakers so nothing is ever lost in translation
• We focus on the little details and anecdotes that make City Wonders so special