Is the Eiffel Tower Worth Visiting? My Tips and Recs
Planning a trip to Paris and wondering if the Eiffel Tower is actually worth visiting? Read on for my tips and recommendations.
The Eiffel Tower, or Tour Eiffel, is one of the most famous and recognizable landmarks in the entire world and certainly is the unofficial symbol of Paris.
The tower, designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World Fair, welcomed over 6.3 million visitors in 2023, and is top of the bucket list for many people when visiting Paris.
But there’s a lot to see and do in Paris, so you may wonder if the Eiffel Tower is worth visiting, or should you spend your time elsewhere in the city? Is the view and experience of being ON the tower as good as looking AT the tower?
I’ve visited Paris 7 times (including living here for 3 months), and have brought lots of people to Paris with me for their first visit to the city, so I definitely have a lot of thoughts and experiences to share!
In this post, I’m sharing different reasons why the Eiffel Tower is (or isn’t) worth visiting, plus some tips to make your visit go as smoothly as possible.
Is the Eiffel Tower Worth Visiting?
Reasons Why the Eiffel Tower is Worth Visiting
The TL;DR is that I do think the Eiffel Tower is worth visiting – as I mentioned above, I’ve brought a lot of people with me for their first visit to the tower, and no one hasn’t loved the experience.
Personally, I’ve summited the tower probably 7-10 times, and it’s still a great experience every time.
Why is it worth visiting?
- It’s just iconic, and a total rush to be actually on the tower.
- The shapes of the trusses are actually quite intricate, and whether you climb the stairs or take the elevator, it’s extremely cool being right in the middle of it.
- The views over Paris are really fantastic and you can see extremely far, especially from the top.
- It doesn’t take all that long to visit, and you can definitely still do plenty of other activities on the same day.
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Reasons the Eiffel Tower Might Not Be Worth Visiting
- No matter what ticket you get or whether you purchase in advance, you’ll have to stand in line.
- The Eiffel Tower is not included in the Paris Museum Pass.
- You can’t actually see the tower when you’re on the tower – obvious, but there is a valid point to be made that the best views in Paris include the Eiffel Tower.
- If it’s rainy or foggy and the tower is covered in clouds.
Personally, while the first three reasons could be considered cons, I don’t think they’re big enough reasons to not visit the tower.
However, Point #4 is a valid reason to consider skipping. If it’s a rainy day and/or there are low clouds or fog, the tower might be obscured in clouds. In this case, I wouldn’t visit – it’s not worth it if you can’t see anything.
Views FROM the Eiffel Tower vs Views OF the Eiffel Tower
Some people argue that because the best views of Paris are the ones where you can see the Eiffel Tower, it’s not worth visiting the tower itself.
While I do agree that the best views in Paris have a great Eiffel Tower view, I don’t think that means that the views at the Eiffel Tower are bad or not worth the effort. You get a unique view of Paris from the tower!
Is Going to the Top of the Eiffel Tower Worth It?
This question takes a little bit of information first. The Eiffel Tower is divided into 3 levels: Level 1, Level 2, and the summit.
You can take the stairs to the first and second levels and then take the elevator to the summit, or you can take the elevator to the second level and then take a separate elevator to the summit.
You can also just go to the 2nd level (via stairs or elevator) and then come back down.
Certainly, you can save time by just going to the 2nd floor, as you don’t have to wait in line for the elevator to the summit, spend time at the summit, and wait for the elevator back down.
If you only have 1 day in Paris, I would definitely consider just doing the 2nd floor and moving on to another attraction with your limited time.
If you are spending a few days in Paris, I would for sure take the time and go to the top! The view is a little different from the top, as you can see the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, the Pont Alexandre III, and the Bois de Boulogne much better from the summit compared to the 1st and 2nd levels.
(However, you can see Sacré Coeur and Montmartre much better on the lower levels.)
Plus, I think both the experience of climbing the stairs and the ride up the elevator are cool, and it’s just fun to say you’ve been to the very top of the tower. So yes, I do very much think going to the top is worth it.
Tips for Visiting the Eiffel Tower + Things to Know Before You Go
But, let’s get into more details about what a visit to the Eiffel Tower is like, how to get tickets, what to know before you go, and what I specifically recommend for visiting.
Different Ticket Types
I touched on this a little bit in an earlier section, but let’s break it down completely here. There are 4 different types of tickets you can buy for visiting the Eiffel Tower:
Ticket with Access Lift to Second Floor: This ticket takes you in an elevator to the second floor only, where you can enjoy the 2nd floor views.
Ticket with Access Lift to the Top: This ticket takes you in an elevator to the second floor, where you can get out and enjoy the views, and then get in line for the elevator to the top.
Ticket with Access Stairs to Second Floor: This ticket allows you to climb the stairs to the first floor and the second floor. You don’t get access to the top with this ticket.
Ticket with Access Stairs to Second Floor + Lift to the Top: This ticket allows you to climb the stairs to the first and second floors, then get in line on the second floor to take the elevator to the top.
You can browse all tickets to the Eiffel Tower here.
Of course, every ticket has a slightly different price but the adult prices range from €11-29, with youth tickets ranging from €6-15, and child tickets ranging from €3-7. Children under 4 are free.
If you buy a ticket to the top (no matter what type), once you return to the second floor you can either walk down the stairs to the ground level, or wait for the elevator to take you to the ground.
Guided Tour Option: A final option is to book a guided tour of the Eiffel Tower, which means you don’t need to worry about securing tickets or navigating the tower yourself, plus you get a fun and engaging local to tell you about the history and stories of the tower as you ascend via elevator.
How to Buy Tickets
You can buy tickets three ways:
- Online in advance, with a timed-entry ticket from the official website. This is a great option if you are sure of your plans, and are able to secure a ticket. Elevator tickets open up 60 days early, while stairs tickets open 14 days early. However, tickets usually sell out crazy fast, and you’ll likely need to get on at midnight Paris time to nab a ticket.
- In person the day of. This is a good option if you’re not totally sure of your plans ahead of time, or if online tickets sell out before you can buy them.
- Online in advance, with a guide through a third-party website. This is a good option if you want to book tickets in advance, but the official tickets are all sold out OR if you prefer going with a guide.
The Ticket Type I Always Recommend
If you’re going to go by yourself (not with a guide), I always recommend doing Ticket with Access Stairs Second Floor + Lift the Top ticket option, where you climb the stairs to the 2nd floor and then go up to the top in the elevator. I think this gives you the most interesting and comprehensive visit!
And look, the stairs are really not that bad. Yes, you’re climbing 328 steps to ascend 57 meters (187 feet) just to get to the 1st level, and then another 347 steps to get from the 1st to 2nd floor.
But the staircase is nice and wide, with relatively shallow steps. There are convenient landing platforms between staircase levels where you can take a break and rest if you need it, and most landings have little informational posters with fun facts about the tower.
I really like walking through the crisscrossing beams and trusses of the tower – it’s different and more immersive than just taking the elevator.
Plus, the 1st floor has two cafes (one takeaway, one sit-down), a gift shop, places to sit, as well as informational exhibits about the tower that are really fascinating.
When you’re done walking to the second level, you still get the very fun experience of taking the elevator up the main shaft to the top. You really get the best of both worlds with this ticket!
I always take friends and family up the stairs for their first time, and everyone has loved the experience.
However, if you’re going with very small children or people with reduced mobility, then the stairs might not be the right option for you. You can still have a great experience at the tower taking the elevator in these situations.
When to Visit
I’d aim to visit first thing in the morning if you can – the tower opens around 9-9:30am (depending on the season), and if you can get there between 9-10am, you’ll beat the worst of the crowds.
I personally do like climbing the tower during the daylight hours, and then watching the tower light up at nighttime.
If you’re buying your ticket on-site (as opposed to online in advance) and thus have some flexibility the day you go, I’d pay attention to the weather and not go on a super overcast and rainy day – the views just won’t be as good.
How Long Do You Need?
I would plan on about 2-3 hours to experience the Eiffel Tower, unless you are visiting during the high season and do not have a ticket already secured (you may need another 30-45 minutes to stand in line for a ticket in this case).
On our latest visit at the end of February, we did not have tickets ahead of time for the tower, so we stood in line for about 15 minutes to buy the staircase tickets.
It took about 10 minutes to climb from the ground to the 1st level, where we spent about 30 minutes admiring the view, examining the exhibits, and getting a small snack.
It took another 10 minutes to climb to the second level, where we spent about 5 minutes admiring the view, and then about 15 minutes in line for the elevator to the top.
We spent about 15 minutes at the top, then waited in line for 15-20 minutes for the elevator to go down, which took us to the second floor. From here, you can either wait in line for an elevator to the base, or you can take the staircase down.
All in all, we spent almost exactly 2 hours on everything at the Eiffel Tower, so I think 2-3 hours is a very reasonable amount of time for the full Eiffel Tower experience.
Security Lines
Whether you go up the Eiffel Tower via staircases or an elevator, you’ll ascend through one of the four legs. To get underneath the tower and access the legs (known as the “Piliars”) you’ll first need to go through a security checkpoint – there is one on the north side and one on the south side of the tower.
Here, your bags will be checked and you’ll pass through a metal detector. You cannot bring in any kind of weapon (including Swiss army knives), luggage, or strollers that do not fold up.
You will also go through a second security checkpoint right before entering the staircase or elevator to ascend the tower.
How to Get to the Eiffel Tower
Via RER and Metro:
- RER C: Champs de Mars-Tours Eiffel station
- Metro Line 9: Trocadero station
- Metro Line 6: Bir-Hakeim station
- Metro Line 8: Ecole Military station
It is a 10-15 minute walk from all of these stations to the base of the tower
Via Bus:
- Line 82/30: Eiffel Tower stop
- Line 42: Tour Eiffel stop
- Line 69/86: Champs de Mars stop
The Jules Verne Restaurant
The Jules Verne is a fine dining, Michelin-starred restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower. A separate, private elevator takes guests up to the restaurant – dinner here is a unique and romantic thing to do in Paris. You can get more info and make reservations here.
Can You Visit the Louvre and Eiffel Tower on the Same Day?
Certainly! While the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower aren’t particularly close to each other, you can get anywhere in Paris easily by taking the metro. It’s about a 20-30 minute journey total (including walking time) between the two monuments, depending on where exactly you are starting from.
Other Spots to See the Eiffel Tower
After you visit the tower, it’s always fun to walk around and check out some of the best viewpoints of the Eiffel Tower. I love the views on Avenue de Camoens:
This spot at Rue de Buenos Ayres:
The staircases at Trocadero:
Or this great spot at Port Debilly along the Seine:
The Wrap Up – Is the Eiffel Tower Worth It?
Absolutely! Now Paris is obviously far more than just the tower; I love its architecture, food, museums, and vibe. You can still have a great visit to Paris even if you don’t visit the Eiffel Tower.
But, I think being inside it offers not just amazing views of Paris and a memorable experience, but also connects you to the history and wonder of this iconic structure.
