Eiffel Tower: A Visitor's Guide in Paris

How this guide was made: Editor-reviewed, AI-assisted. Facts are pulled from live Google Places data; images are licensed or public domain. See our editorial policy.

Why go

Gustave Eiffel’s wrought-iron tower has anchored the Paris skyline since it was built as the centerpiece of the 1889 Exposition Universelle, marking the centenary of the French Revolution. At 330 meters, it was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 40 years, and it remains the most recognizable engineering landmark in Europe. With a 4.7 rating across nearly half a million reviews, it’s not just a photo-op — the lattice ironwork, the three observation levels, and the panoramic views over the Seine and the Champ de Mars still justify the hype and the lines.

Getting there

The tower sits at Av. Gustave Eiffel, 75007 Paris, on the Left Bank between the Champ de Mars and the Seine. The two main metro approaches are Bir-Hakeim (Line 6), which puts you right at the base after crossing the Pont de Bir-Hakeim bridge, and Trocadéro (Line 9), which delivers arguably the best classic postcard view from the Esplanade du Trocadéro on the opposite bank. RER C also stops at Champ de Mars–Tour Eiffel, useful if you’re coming from Versailles or the Left Bank suburbs. Bus lines 42, 69, and 82 stop nearby too. Driving isn’t recommended — parking in the 7th arrondissement is scarce and expensive; the Seine riverboat (Batobus) also stops at the tower if you’re touring by boat.

What to see and do

There are three levels open to visitors: the 1st floor (57m), 2nd floor (115m), and the summit (276m). The 1st and 2nd floors have glass floor sections, exhibits on the tower’s history and Eiffel’s engineering, and a champagne bar at the top. Visitors can either take a lift straight up or, for a cheaper and often faster route, climb the stairs to the 2nd floor (around 300-400 steps) before switching to the elevator for the summit, which is lift-only. Gustave Eiffel’s restored office, complete with wax figures of Eiffel and Thomas Edison, is on the 3rd floor and worth a quick look. For a sit-down meal with a view, the tower houses Madame Brasserie on the 1st floor and the Michelin-starred Le Jules Verne on the 2nd floor — both require separate reservations well ahead of a visit. At night, the tower sparkles for five minutes on the hour until 1am, an added light display distinct from its steady gold illumination.

When to go

Early morning (right at the 9:30am opening) and late evening after sunset are the two best windows — daytime midweek in July and August draws the heaviest crowds and longest security lines. Winter months (November-February, excluding the December-January holiday crush) are noticeably quieter, and the tower dusted with occasional frost or fog has its own appeal. For photography, blue hour just after sunset lets you catch the tower lit up against a still-lit sky, and the Trocadéro terraces or the Champ de Mars lawns are the go-to vantage points without needing a ticket at all. Plan for roughly 2-3 hours on-site if you’re going up, including the security check that all visitors pass through at the entrance pillars.

Nearby & tips

The Champ de Mars, the long green lawn stretching toward the École Militaire, is ideal for a picnic with a tower view and is where crowds gather for Bastille Day fireworks on July 14th. Musée du Quai Branly and the Seine riverbanks are a short walk away, and a Seine river cruise departing from the nearby Port de la Bourdonnais is a popular way to see the tower from the water. Tickets are genuinely worth buying online in advance directly through the official Eiffel Tower website, since walk-up lines can run over an hour even outside peak season; stair tickets are usually released separately and tend to have shorter queues than elevator tickets. Always double-check current opening hours and prices before visiting, as both shift seasonally.