Eiffel Tower travel guide: best time, tickets, levels and tips

Why the Eiffel Tower is more than a photo stop

The Eiffel Tower is a wrought-iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars beside the River Seine in Paris. It was completed in 1889 as the entrance arch and showpiece of that year's World's Fair, held to mark the centenary of the French Revolution. It was built by the engineering company of Gustave Eiffel, was meant to stand only temporarily, and drew loud criticism from artists who thought it ugly. It survived partly because it proved useful for radio transmission, and today it stands about 330 m tall including its antennas.

The tower is part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Paris's riverbanks, inscribed in 1991, which covers the stretch of the Seine lined with many of the city's best-known monuments. It is easy to treat the tower as a box to tick. Given a little planning, though, it offers one of the best ways to understand the layout of Paris: the river curving through the city, the grand avenues radiating out, and the hills of Montmartre on the horizon.

Best time to visit

Paris is a year-round city, but the experience at the tower changes a lot with the season.

• April–June: long days, mild temperatures and gardens in bloom. Crowds build steadily into June.
• July–August: the busiest period, with long queues and occasional heatwaves. Book well ahead and go early or late.
• September–October: pleasant weather and slightly smaller crowds once the summer holidays end. A favourite time for many repeat visitors.
• November–March: cold, often grey and sometimes wet, with short days. Queues are shorter, and the tower lit up against an early winter dusk has its own appeal.

Time of day matters as much as season. Opening time is usually the calmest; dusk is the most atmospheric but busiest. High winds or storms can close the summit temporarily. Our best time to visit guide compares seasons across all our destinations.

Getting there

Paris has two main airports, Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to the north and Orly (ORY) to the south, both linked to the city by rail and bus. The tower is in the 7th arrondissement, on the Left Bank of the Seine, and is easy to reach by public transport.

• Metro: Bir-Hakeim (line 6) is a short walk away, and Trocadéro (lines 6 and 9) puts you on the opposite bank with the classic view before you cross the bridge.
• RER: line C stops at Champ de Mars–Tour Eiffel, right by the river.
• On foot or by bike: a walk along the Seine from the Musée d'Orsay or the Invalides makes a good approach.

If you are travelling from India: there are direct flights to Paris from major Indian cities, and many one-stop options through Gulf and European hubs. France is part of the Schengen area; check the requirements and apply through the official France-Visas portal, and allow for appointment waiting times in peak months. Vegetarian travellers will find plenty of options in Paris, including Indian restaurants around the Gare du Nord area, though traditional French menus can be meat-heavy, so ask clearly.

Choosing your level

The stairs run from the ground to the second floor and are a good option if you are fit and want to see the ironwork up close. Lift access to the summit is the most popular, and the queue is longest, so build in time. If you only have an hour, the second floor is our pick.

Tickets and entry

Tickets are sold by level and by whether you take the stairs or the lift. Buy timed tickets on the official Eiffel Tower website, where you can also check the current fee, opening hours and any closures for maintenance. Tickets can be bought on site, but queues in the busy months can run long and popular time slots sell out. All visitors pass through security screening to enter the area at the base, which is enclosed by a perimeter; allow extra time for this. Large luggage and some items are not allowed, so check the official rules before you go.

How long to spend and a sample half-day

Allow two to three hours for the visit itself, including security and queues. A relaxed half-day plan:

1. Start at Trocadéro for the view across the river, best in the morning light.
2. Cross the Pont d'Iéna and go through security for your booked slot.
3. Walk or ride up to the second floor, then decide whether the summit is worth the extra wait.
4. Come down and stroll the Champ de Mars gardens toward the École Militaire for another angle.
5. Finish with a walk or boat trip along the Seine.

Practical tips

• Weather on top: it is noticeably windier and cooler at the top than at ground level. Bring a layer even in summer.
• Pickpockets: busy areas around the tower, Trocadéro and the metro are known for pickpocketing. Keep bags zipped and in front of you.
• Street sellers and petitions: people may approach with souvenirs or clipboards. A polite refusal is enough.
• Accessibility: the first and second floors are accessible by lift for wheelchair users; summit access can be restricted. Check the official site for current arrangements.
• Night photos: taking your own photos of the tower is fine; commercial use of images of the night lighting can be subject to rules, which matters only if you publish professionally.

Our packing list covers the essentials for a city break.

Where to base yourself

Staying in the 7th arrondissement or the neighbouring 15th and 16th keeps the tower within walking distance and tends to be quieter in the evenings. If you want more nightlife and food choices, the Marais, Latin Quarter or Saint-Germain are central and well connected by metro. Paris is compact, so being near a metro or RER line matters more than being right next to the tower.

Respectful and responsible travel

The tower and the surrounding gardens are shared public space. Take your rubbish with you from a picnic on the Champ de Mars, keep noise down in residential streets late at night, and avoid buying from unlicensed sellers. Using public transport rather than taxis is quicker in central Paris and kinder on a crowded city.

Pair it with

If you are touring Europe's great monuments, the Colosseum in Rome is a short flight away and offers a very different, much older kind of landmark. For a complete change of pace after Paris, the Greek island of Santorini pairs well on a longer summer trip.

Official sources

Check these before you go: entry rules, opening days and fees are published here and change from time to time.

• Official Eiffel Tower website
• Paris official tourism office
• UNESCO World Heritage listing (Paris, Banks of the Seine)
• France-Visas official portal

Frequently asked questions

Planning tools: compare months for every destination in the best time to visit planner, sketch a multi-stop route in the trip planner and build a checklist with the packing list builder.