How to Climb the Eiffel Tower

Climbing the Eiffel Tower is the dream of many travellers who go to Paris. It is an icon!

If you are one of them and you want to include this monument among the activities you will do during your stay in the city, in this post I will tell you how to climb the Eiffel Tower in detail so that you don't miss anything. Don't miss it!

The Iron Lady is the most visited tourist attraction in Paris. If you want to see the inside of the Eiffel Tower, you have to buy your Eiffel Tower ticket. To avoid the long queues at the entrance of the monument, the best option is to book your tickets online. This will allow you to choose the day and time that best suits your schedule in the French capital well in advance of your trip. This way you can organise in detail all the activities of the day and make the most of your time in the city.

From 30 € you can get a ticket to climb the Eiffel Tower in Hellotickets to enjoy the magnificent views from its viewpoints while you are accompanied by a professional guide who explains everything you are seeing as well as a lot of curiosities about the monument. But there are many more options at very different prices! I recommend you take a look at the website to see all the possibilities.

Types of tickets for the Eiffel Tower

Before visiting the Eiffel Tower, keep in mind that you have different ticket options. Here are the most popular ones:

• Tickets for the Eiffel Tower in Paris, from €30.
• Eiffel Tower skip-the-line tickets and Seine River cruise, from €90.
• Night tickets for the Eiffel Tower in Paris, from €40 (summer season only).

There are two main options for climbing the Eiffel Tower: the stairs and the lift. And you can combine both depending on the level of the tower you want to access.

The stairs is the cheapest option (from 30 € the entrance). It's perfect if you want to visit the inside of the Eiffel Tower and you're travelling to Paris on a budget. With this ticket you can enter the first and first floors of the monument via the stairs and enjoy amazing views from above. However, it's worth bearing in mind that climbing 116 metres on foot requires a physical effort that not everyone can afford.

The lift is an alternative that I recommend you consider if you're travelling to Paris on a more flexible budget because the ticket costs a little more money (from €40). It's ideal if you want to avoid the long flight of stairs to the first floor of the Eiffel Tower. Once you get into the lift you can enjoy the beautiful views of Paris from a privileged spot.

And for a little more money you can complete the experience by going to the top of the Eiffel Tower by lift on the third level. You'll be 276 metres up and you'll be able to see the office of Gustave Eiffel, the engineer who built it for the 1889 Paris World's Fair.

That's right, and it's an option that I highly recommend because it's a lot of fun. With a guided tour of the Eiffel Tower, as well as enjoying breathtaking views of Paris, you'll also learn a lot about the history of this monument and its construction as well as some of the most curious anecdotes.

My advice is to opt for a guided tour of the Eiffel Tower if it's your first time in Paris because you'll get much more out of the experience by having a greater context about the monument you're visiting.

Plus, the guide's company will make the wait for the lift more pleasant, which can sometimes get a little long and boring given the sheer number of people in the monument. You can even ask him for tips and recommendations to make the most of your holiday in the French capital.

Unlike many Parisian tourist attractions, the Eiffel Tower is open every day of the year from 9:30 AM to 10:45 PM and closes its doors at 11:45 PM.

This schedule gives you ample time to visit the Eiffel Tower at any time, but especially at a time that best suits your travel plans in the city.

Visiting the Eiffel Tower is a must for anyone in good physical condition during their stay in Paris.

Due to the structure and characteristics of the monument, the ascent on foot is not suitable for visitors suffering from heart disease or other serious ailments. It is also not recommended for pregnant women because of the extra effort required to climb the Eiffel Tower in certain circumstances.

Wheelchair access is available for the second level of the Eiffel Tower but not to the top, which is on the third floor.

Absolutely! Children will love seeing the city from a bird's eye view and climbing a monument as unique as the Eiffel Tower, which they have surely seen in countless films.

What's more, the Eiffel Tower has enough safety measures to get to know it as a family. You don't have to worry, all areas of the attraction are protected by a security fence. The only thing you'll have to be careful about is that they don't trip if you decide to walk up the stairs. In addition, at each level you can take a short break so that they don't get exhausted during the tour.

And if you are looking for other plans with the little ones in the house, don't hesitate to consult the article Paris with children.

Normally, a full visit to the Eiffel Tower (from the base to the top) will take you around 2 hours or 2 hours and 30 minutes, whereas for the first and second levels of the monument only, 1 hour and 30 minutes is probably enough.

In any case, there is no time limit to visit the Eiffel Tower. In fact, you can spend a long time browsing the souvenir shops in the atrium, on the first or first floor, or even have a drink in one of the bars around the attraction.

Inside the Eiffel Tower

Most visitors are often enraptured by the views of the cityscape from the Eiffel Tower. However, the construction of the tower was one of the greatest engineering revolutions of the 19th century and made a huge impact on the contemporary public.

Many tourists tend not to notice the interior framework and its ingenious structure. The operation of the lifts is also very striking. So take a close look and don't miss the details - you're sure to be amazed!

The views from the monument

The views from the Eiffel Tower are sensational. From the observation deck on the first floor you'll be 116 metres up and you'll be able to see many of Paris' s sights as you've never seen them before. The monument's spyglasses will help you with the task!

The highlight will come when you ascend to the top of the Eiffel Tower on the third level at 276 metres above sea level. Seeing the city's skyline from the top is a dizzying and thrilling sensation. Some of the sights you can see from the top are the Sacre-Coeur Basilica, the Musée d'Orsay: This is a former train station converted into a museum that houses comprehensive exhibitions on the arts of the 19th century. It is one of the best museums in Paris and, therefore, a must visit Notre Dame Cathedral, the Seine River, the Louvre Museum, the Trocadero Gardens, the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs de Mars, the gardens located at the foot of the Eiffel Tower where if it is a sunny day you can relax with a picnic with an incredible view of the monument or the Champs Elysées.

And to round off the visit, what you can't miss on the third level of the Eiffel Tower is the office of Gustave Eiffel, the famous engineer who built it for the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1889. It has the original atmosphere of that time!

Paris is a wonderful city that can take your breath away at any time of the day, but it's true that at night there is something special about it. Being able to see Paris from the heights is a fantastic experience, especially at night when the city looks splendid and the monument shines in all its splendour.

The view from the observation decks overlooking the cityscape, adorned with thousands of tiny coloured lights, is a picture postcard perfect ending to a great day's sightseeing in the 'City of Light'!

A night-time view of the Eiffel Tower is a fabulous plan not to be missed. Discover all that this experience has to offer in the post Eiffel Tower by night.

Paris is a huge city with long distances. If you don't have time to go for a walk, it is best to take public transport to get to the Eiffel Tower quickly.

• By metro: Line 6 (Bir-Hakeim station), line 8 (Ecoile Militaire station) and line 9 (Trocadéro station).
• By bus: Lines 82 and 42, Eiffel Tower stop.

If, on the other hand, you decide to take your car to get to the Eiffel Tower, you should know that there are several car parks in the surrounding area where you can park your car.

• Pullman Tour Eiffel car park (approximately 5 minutes walk)
• 443 Avenue Joseph Bouvard (about 6 minutes walk)
• Quai branly-Tour Eiffel car park (about 8 minutes walk)
• 2 Place Joffre, 75007 Paris (about 12 minutes walk)

If you are looking for more detailed information on this topic, don't miss the post How to get to the Eiffel Tower- we take a closer look!

Take note of these tips to make the most of your visit to the legendary Eiffel Tower!

• As the most visited monument in Paris, I recommend you to buy your tickets in advance and online to skip the endless queues at the ticket office.
• If you are visiting Paris for the first time, it might be a good idea to take a guided tour of the Eiffel Tower, as you will get more out of the experience and have a great time with a guide.
• When you're planning your visit, I advise you to check the weather forecast for the day you want to go, as sometimes Paris usually dawns with a layer of fog and you can't enjoy the views as much.
• For a more intimate, low-key experience at the Eiffel Tower, it's best to plan your visit for early morning (if it's not foggy) or early evening.
• If you are travelling to Paris on a tight budget and would like to see the Eiffel Tower without spending a lot of money, my advice is to choose the staircase tour.
• On the other hand, if you are travelling to Paris on a budget, I recommend that you opt for the lift tour with access to the top of the Eiffel Tower on the third level.
• Paris is an expensive city. If you plan to climb the Eiffel Tower and take a cruise on the Seine, a good option is to opt for a savings package, which combines both activities and saves you a little money.
• Sunset is a good time to climb the Eiffel Tower if you want to enjoy both daytime and nighttime views but don't want to do the visit twice. Be prepared for the crowds, though, because it's the most popular time of the day!
• If you fancy a bite to eat before or after your visit to the Eiffel Tower, I recommend a picnic in the Trocadero Gardens or on the Champs de Mars if the day is sunny. It's a very relaxing experience and you'll get a great view of the monument from a different perspective.
• Inside the Eiffel Tower there are also several fabulous restaurants where you can go if you fancy a special romantic evening - highly recommended!
• Take care of your belongings throughout your visit. Pickpockets are on the lookout for any carelessness.
• At the end of your visit, save time by taking the stairs down, because the lifts form long queues - it will only take you a few minutes and on the way down you'll have an unparalleled view of the scenery!

If these little 'tips' have helped you to prepare your visit to the Eiffel Tower, I recommend you also take a look at the post Tips to visit the Eiffel Tower (when to go, duration of the visit...) where you will find many more.