Eiffel Tower Tickets & Tours – The Best Guided Tours & Summit Access

If the Eiffel Tower is on your Paris list — and let's face it, it is — planning ahead pays off. We've gathered the best Eiffel Tower tickets and tours, from guided visits to Level Two and Summit to combinations that pair the tower with a Seine River cruise.

Every tour we recommend takes you at least to Level Two, 115 metres (377 ft) above Paris. Some continue to the Summit, the highest visitor level at 276 metres m(906 ft). We prefer a guided tour for the stories behind the tower and an expert who can point out the monuments spread across the Paris skyline. After the tour, you're free to stay and take in the views at your own pace.

Our Recommended Eiffel Tower Tour

A guide points out the sights of Paris to her the Eiffel Tower tour group

A guided Eiffel Tower tour is a little like having a smart, entertaining friend along — one who knows the quirks, controversies, and feats of engineering behind the Iron Lady. Your guide leads you up to the second floor, pointing out the landmarks spread across Paris and telling the stories behind the tower: how Parisians once hated it, why it was nearly dismantled, and what went into building 18,000 pieces of iron into the monument we know today.

Choose the Summit option and continue to Level Two, 276 metres (906 ft) above Paris, with the Seine curling below and Sacré Coeur, Les Invalides, and the city's rooftops stretching toward the horizon. After the guided portion, you're free to linger on the tower at your own pace. That's the combination we like — the stories and details first, then time to simply take in the view.

At A Glance

⏱️ Duration: 1 to 2½ hours, depending on option
🗼 Tower Access: Level Two, or Level Two + Summit
⬆️ Summit: Available with the Summit option
👥 Guided: English-speaking guide
⭐️ Highlights: Eiffel Tower guided visit, panoramic views, optional Summit access; Seine cruise available with selected options

Choosing Your Eiffel Tower Tickets & Tours

Madame Brasserie on Level One of the Eiffel Tower

There’s more than one way to reach the upper levels of the Eiffel Tower — and the view from 115 metres (375 ft) above Paris is only the beginning. Go higher to the Summit at 276 metres (900 ft), hear the stories behind the 18,000 iron pieces beneath your feet, or follow your tower visit with a cruise along the Seine. These are the Eiffel Tower tours and tickets worth considering.

1. Guided Eiffel Tower Tours

The view is only half the story. Head up the Eiffel Tower with an expert who can explain how 18,000 iron pieces became a 330-metre tower, point out the monuments and neighborhoods across the panoramic view, and fill in the details you’d otherwise miss. From Level Two, you can take in the sweep of Paris below — or choose a Summit tour and keep going, all the way to the highest level.

See Our Recommended Eiffel Tower Guided Tours →

2. Eiffel Tower Summit Tours

A Summit tour takes you to the highest observation level of the Eiffel Tower, 276 metres above the ground. There’s even a surprise at the summit: a reconstruction of Gustave Eiffel’s private apartment, complete with wax figures of Eiffel and Thomas Edison. The open-air viewing platform puts you 276 metres above the Seine and the rooftops of Paris.

See Eiffel Tower Summit Tours →

3. Priority-Access Eiffel Tower Tours

Your time spent in Paris is better spent on the tower than waiting below it. Priority-access tours arrange your Eiffel Tower entry in advance and take care of the route to Level Two, with Summit access on selected tours. Security checks still apply to everyone, and elevator waits can occur, but you'll arrive knowing your tower visit and access have already been arranged.

See Priority-Access Eiffel Tower Tours →

4. Eiffel Tower Tickets

An Eiffel Tower ticket is an invitation to head up into all that ironwork and see Paris from above. The choices include hosted entry, guided visits, Level Two, and the Summit, with time afterward to stay on the tower and take in the panorama. We've gathered our recommended ticket options, whether 115 metres above Paris is high enough or only the Summit will do.

See Eiffel Tower Ticket Options →

5. Eiffel Tower & Seine Cruise Tours

See Paris first from high above the rooftops, then from the river that winds through the heart of the city. Eiffel Tower and Seine cruise combinations pair the panorama from Level Two — or the Summit on selected tours — with a cruise beneath the bridges and past the Louvre Museum, Notre-Dame, Musée d'Orsay, and the monuments lining the riverbanks.

See Eiffel Tower & Seine Cruise Tours →

A Closer Look At The Eiffel Tower

Looking up through the Eiffel Tower – Mark Craft, 2017

The Eiffel Tower has three visitor levels. Level One is the lowest, with Madame Brasserie and a broad terrace around the tower. Level Two, 115 metres (377 ft) above the ground, is the main observation level and where every tour we recommend takes you. The Summit, at 276 metres (906 ft), is the highest visitors can go; tours that include Summit access continue from Level Two by a separate elevator.

The journey up is only part of the story. You can dine inside the ironwork, trace the tower's beginnings at the 1889 Exposition Universelle, or find out just how much paint it takes to keep 7,300 tonnes of iron looking its best.

Visiting the Eiffel Tower →
Levels, entrances, opening hours, access, and the practical details to know before you arrive.

Eiffel Tower Restaurants →
Lunch, dinner, Champagne, and a table above Paris — our guide to dining inside the Eiffel Tower.

Eiffel Tower Information →
How tall is it? How many levels can you visit? The essential numbers, details, and visitor information in one place.

History of the Eiffel Tower →
From the 1889 Exposition Universelle to radio transmissions and survival beyond its planned 20-year life.

Facts About the Eiffel Tower →
Its 18,000 iron pieces, millions of rivets, changing height, enormous paint job, and other details hidden inside the Iron Lady.

Before You Book Your Eiffel Tower Tour

Visitors on Level Two of the Eiffel Tower – Mark Craft, 2024

LEVEL TWO OR THE SUMMIT?
Level Two gives you the grand panorama of Paris — the Seine, Les Invalides, Sacré-Coeur, and rooftops stretching in every direction. The Summit takes you higher still, to the tower's highest observation level at 276 metres. If going all the way to the top is part of the dream, make sure summit access is included when you book.

CHOOSE YOUR DATE EARLY
Eiffel Tower tours sell out, particularly for the Summit and during busy travel periods. Once you know your Paris dates, booking ahead gives you a better choice of times and access options.

“SKIP-THE-LINE” DOESN'T MEAN SKIPPING SECURITY
Everyone passes through the Eiffel Tower's required security checks. Reserved or priority access can save you from lining up to buy a ticket, but it doesn't eliminate security procedures or every possible wait before you head up the tower

LEAVE TIME TO STAY AWHILE
Most tours allow you to stay on the Eiffel Tower after they end. Take your time to explore the grand, sweeping views of Paris from Level Two with changing views as you make your way around the observation deck. After all, it's the reason you're here.

Continue Planning Your Paris Visit

Where To Stay In Paris →
Paris Neighborhoods →
How Many Days In Paris →
Paris For First-Time Visitors →
City of Paris: Events & News →