Visiting The Eiffel Tower – A First-Time Visitor's Guide

The Eiffel Tower is the most visited monument in the world, and in history — over the decades hundreds of millions of visitors have journeyed to Paris to climb to its top. That kind of love can be gratifying, but it can also result in crowds. And that's true at this famous icon, where the lineup time for visiting the Eiffel Tower can be two hours or more. In short, you don't want to just show up hoping to get to the top.

Luckily, there are strategies savvy travelers can use to avoid standing out in the cold. Skip-the-line tours get you past the long lines to a priority elevator queue, so you are soon up to Level Two enjoying the view of Paris 200 feet below. Some of these skip-the-line activities get you to the very top, to Level Three nearly 1,000 feet above the City of Lights, but we think the best views are the the more easily accessible Level Two. So, let's start with how to skip the lines, then move on to the other information you'll need when visiting the Eiffel Tower.

Be Sure to Book a Skip-the-Line Tour

We know we've said it more than once, but it's worth repeating that skipping the lines at the Eiffel Tower is one of the best moves you can make when planning your trip to Paris. After all, you don't want to spend your precious time in Paris waiting in line, do you? So, be sure to check our newly-updated advice on the best Eiffel Tower tours that get you past the lines. (The photo above is a view of the line-up you will see once you're up on the Tower. Wave to those poor people!)

Info for Visiting the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is open every day of the year, so you can visit at your leisure. But keep in mind what we said about the lines being long This is particularly important during the peak summer months and during the Christmas season, the times when most people visit Paris.

Eiffel Tower Visiting Hours

• SUMMER
  9 AM to 12:45 AM
  Last elevator at midnight
• OTHER SEASONS
  9:30 AM to 11:45 PM
  Last elevator at 11:00 PM
• EASTER WEEKEND & SCHOOL HOLIDAYS
  Closing time extended to midnight

Eiffel Tower Tickets & Prices

If you haven't booked a tour you'll need to head over banks the Seine in the 7th Arrondissement and get in line. Here is some of the information you'll need to know.

Ticket Prices

Adult ticket prices for the elevators are about €16 for the elevator to the 1st and 2nd Levels, or about €25 to get you all the way to the top, to Level Three. Young people and children save a couple of euros.

Stair tickets, which only get you to Level Two, are listed as around 10€. However, we've been there in the off-season and found that it was free to climb the stairs. You might get lucky! That is, if you're the type of person who considers climbing 704 steps a lucky thing.

Climbing the stairs is not only a great workout, but a chance to see the tower in a unique way. You get a real feeling for the construction of the tower and even what it must have been like to work on it. And the views are fantastic!

You can now buy Eiffel Tower tickets in advance on the official website. You can't always get the time and date you'd like. Note that holding tickets only lets you skip the ticket line, not the line waiting to get to the elevators. Only a guided tour can offer that.

When to Go

The best times to go to Paris to visit the tower, when there are the smallest crowds and the waiting period is often less, are November to early December and January to early February, but avoid the holiday season and weekends.

Security at the Eiffel Tower

Looking back, it seems surprising that you used to be able to wander beneath the Eiffel Tower day or night. Nowadays in Paris, with a greater awareness of safety, visitors to museums and monuments have to pass through a security gate. It's the same at the Eiffel Tower as it is at the Louvre and Musée d'Orsay. A minor inconvenience, but greater peace of mind.

How to Get to the Eiffel Tower

Metro: Bir-Hakeim. Line 6 runs above ground for part of its route and you get a nice view of the tower as you cross the Seine, if you're coming from the direction of Etoile.

Metro: Alma-Marceau. We like this station on Line 9 that comes up on the Right Bank next to Princess Diana's de facto memorial flame. It's a lovely stroll across the bridge and along the Seine to the tower.

Metro: Trocadero. Served by Lines 6 and 9, this station puts you across the river where you can take in another wonderful view before crossing the bridge to the tower.