Eiffel Tower Paris: Tickets, Summit & Everything You Need to Know

The Eiffel Tower is the world's most visited paid monument — 7 million visitors per year ascend the 1889 iron lattice structure that Gustave Eiffel built as a "temporary" exhibit for the World's Fair and that Parisians initially despised. From the third-floor summit at 276 metres, the entire Paris basin is visible on clear days: the Sacré-Cœur basilica to the north, the Bois de Boulogne to the west, and the entirety of Haussmann's grand boulevards radiating below. Three floors are accessible: the first floor (Level 1 at 57m, now housing the glass-floored walkway and 58 Tour Eiffel brasserie), the second floor (Level 2 at 115m, with Jules Verne restaurant and the most photographed city view), and the summit (Level 3, lift only). Tickets must be booked online at the official site (toureiffel.paris) — advance booking opens 60 days ahead and popular slots fill within hours. Climbing via the stairs (1st and 2nd floors only) is significantly cheaper and recommended for the experience. Evening visits (sunset plus the sparkle show on the hour) are the most magical. Trocadéro across the Seine provides the classic postcard photograph.