Planning to visit Paris and want to know if a guided tour of the Eiffel Tower is worth it and right for you? This article will go over what to expect from an Eiffel Tower tour and the benefits if any. This way, you can decide if it’s right for you.
Pro Tip: Take 10 minutes and look through our other articles on Paris and Eiffel Tower. There are great reads about how to visit attractions, what to see, and where to eat nearby. Bookmark the things you like on your phone so you can circle back to it while traveling.
What does it mean to “See the Eiffel Tower”?
The Eiffel Tower is synonymous with Paris and even France. If there was a symbol for the city or country outside their flag, it would be the Eiffel Tower. It is likely one of the most recognized monuments in western civilization, next to the Statue of Liberty. Coincidence has it that Gustav Eiffel, the man credited with the tower’s construction, also had a hand in the Statue of Liberty’s construction!
Regardless, you can “see” the Eiffel Tower from almost any point in the center of Paris. No tall buildings exist in the city center, and the tower majestically overpowers the skyline. You may be lucky enough to see it from your hotel balcony or while walking around the city, but this monument’s true beauty is seeing Paris from on top of it!
Areas of Interest
The Eiffel Tower stands tall in Champs de Mars on the left bank of Paris. Not sure what “left bank” means? Check out our article on the Right and Left banks of Paris. Champs de Mars and Trocadero are great vantage points to see the Eiffel Tower from the ground. Both areas are free to graze, but if you can make your way to Paris you should set aside money in your budget to go up the tower.
You can purchase tickets to visit the Eiffel Tower individually, and your main question should be, “how high up should I go?” and, “should I take the elevator or stairs?”
How high should you go?
Short answer: Up to the summit!
If you can find tickets to see the Eiffel Tower summit, you should 100% go up to see it. You should also look to spend around 2 hours at the tower and consider a meal there. For info on visiting and restaurant options (there are many) check out our article on how to visit the Eiffel Tower.
Summit tickets are difficult to come by, even for a tour operator like us, and they sell out quickly. You should spend the extra money to see the top if you can find them. That said, you’ll want to book these months in advance.
Elevator or Stairs?
If you live in Paris or have been there for months studying, consider taking the stairs as a form of exercise during a cooler month. Take your time getting up and enjoy the views!
For anyone else who is visiting Paris, take the elevator as high as you can go. You’ll walk around the city all day and get your “steps in” either way. Save your energy so you can cover more ground and take the elevator.
Not ready to jump into a tour? Read more about the Eiffel Tower.
Should You Take a Tour?
Is a tour worth it? Short answer: Yes, of course, it is worth it.
We’re a tour company, so we obviously will lean towards a tour, but we don’t sell tours of everything on Earth. A great tour guide can make a rock interesting; look at Gibraltar, for example; not everything needs a guided tour. The Eiffel Tower is a mega-monument so deeply intertwined into French and Parisian culture that it makes a lot of sense.
Not only that but there is a lot to see. We have an article, Top things to see at the Eiffel Tower, that gives a great overview if you are not sold on a tour. We want you to go on a tour as that is our business, but ultimately we want to enrich the global community with culture and knowledge.
Most Popular Tours of the Eiffel Tower
Which tour is for you? That depends on budget, time, energy, and your travel goals. Below are our most popular tours of the Eiffel Tower.
Privileged Access Eiffel Tower Night Tour (includes river cruise)
A popular tour includes entrance to the Eiffel Tower via elevator up the second floor. It also includes a Seine river cruise that passes by the tower as it starts to light up (for evening times). See more details on the tour page.
Paris in a Day Tour with Eiffel Tower (includes river cruise)
A popular tour if you want to get as much in on your first days is the Paris in a Day tour which includes the Eiffel Tower. It also visits the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa and hits the city’s most popular quarters! Read more about it on the tour page.
Eiffel Tower Summit Evening Tour (includes river cruise)
The Eiffel Tower Summit Tour is the sought-after tour we have in Paris. Not only do you sip Champagne on a river cruise, skip the line going into the tower, and get a private tour guide, but you also get to the summit of the tower for the best view in Paris! See more details on the tour page.
Private Eiffel Tower Tour (includes a river cruise)
A private guide should always be a consideration if you have the budget. It allows you to go at your own pace and be in control of the narrative of your tour. The private Eiffel Tower tour with Seine river cruise is the most elegant way to visit the Eiffel Tower! See more info on the tour page.
Not ready to jump into a tour? Read more about the Eiffel Tower.
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