The Best Eiffel Tower Tours is a proud icon of France, standing high over Paris’ roofs as a monument to French creativity and craftsmanship. The tower receives about 7 million visitors each year, making the “Iron Lady” one of the world’s most visited landmarks.
Tickets to explore the tower’s three floors can be booked online up to two months in advance, although they tend to sell out quickly. However, because many tour providers have early access to tickets, you can typically book even earlier to assure your position with a professional guide, or even catch a last-minute excursion to the tower.
City Wonders – Eiffel Tower Climbing Experience with Optional Access to the Summit Level
This walking trip begins just outside the Eiffel Tower grounds, where a City Wonders representative divides participants into two groups: those going to the pinnacle (by elevator) and those quitting after the second floor ascent. My guide for the second-floor ascent was enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge of the Eiffel Tower after living in Paris for a year, and he had an album of historic images to back up his comments. He spoke with each tourgoer individually while we waited for 30 minutes for our admission beneath the tower after passing through a fast security line for “ticket holders.”
Everyone in the party climbed the first 327 stairs at their own pace, then had 15 minutes to regain our breath and explore the Eiffel Tower’s first level at our own before assembling for a guided tour. Our guide pointed out all of the important sights visible from the first floor, including lesser-known attractions such as Napoleon’s tomb within the Hôtel des Invalides and a quarter-scale copy of the Statue of Liberty near the tip of Swan Island (Île aux Cygnes).
Best Small Group: Experience First – Eiffel Tower Guided Tour
ExperienceFirst was the first tour company to provide guided climbs up the Eiffel Tower. The company’s experience with group excursions is obvious on each of the five tower climbs it leads each day. The standard ticket covers a two-hour guided tour from the ground floor to the second story, as well as the 674 steps that connect the two levels. Participants report that the pace is easy, and the guides are competent, pleasant, and well-versed in French history. Furthermore, the trip includes a complimentary shuttle service between ExperienceFirst meeting places across the city, with possible add-ons such as elevator access to the Eiffel Tower’s peak and a Seine River boat.
Best Nighttime: The Tour Guy – Privileged Access Eiffel Tower Tour with Seine River Cruise
Best Nighttime: The Tour Guy – Privileged Access Eiffel Tower Tour with Seine River Cruise
The trip Guy is well-known in Paris for its fantastic small-group excursions, and this combination trip is no exception. The journey begins on a riverboat for an hour-long picturesque ride of the Seine, which includes a glass of Champagne or soft drink with each ticket. A competent guide joins the party (limited to 19 persons) at the pier to begin the tour of the Eiffel Tower. Skip-the-line tickets keep things moving as the party takes the elevator to the second floor for a stunning perspective and an informative tour of the tower and the surrounding vistas.
Many reviewers advised taking a nighttime trip to witness the Eiffel Tower’s spectacular light show, which runs every hour on the hour from sunset until the tower closes. This tour is an excellent deal, according to travelers, because to the skip-the-line entrance and the river cruise. Tours are provided every day; the precise timings vary. The Tour Guy also provides daytime and summit excursions of the Tower, among other alternatives.
Best Elevator: Ecklectours – Eiffel Tower Elevator Tour with a Guide
Ecklectours offers a variety of choices for exploring the Eiffel Tower. The company’s two-hour excursions are led by a friendly and knowledgeable guide who transports the group to the summit or the second level using the tower’s glass elevators. Access to the top requires an extra charge, although all four time windows (morning, afternoon, evening, and nighttime) provide unique insights into the tower’s history. Some reviews stated that they loved the time in line with their guides since they could ask personal questions about Paris, while others praised the tour’s efficiency for covering so much material in under two hours.
Best for Families: Bonbon Tours – Eiffel Tower Guided Tour by Elevator with Summit option
According to reviewers, guides bring the history of the Eiffel Tower to life with courteous, enthusiastic discourse. Tours begin at a meeting location just outside the tower grounds, when a local guide begins narrating the history of how the Eiffel Tower became one of the world’s most recognized structures. The elevator journey to the second level is included, with an optional upgrade to the summit (please note that summit access must be booked in advance). When booking, you may select one of five beginning times.
Tourgoers praised the captivating personalities of Bonbon Tours guides, who they believe are especially good at entertaining small children. The only complaints were from folks who either missed their start times or were unaware that this trip does not provide skip-the-line access. The organization also provides tours of the city’s most prominent areas, such as the Latin Quarter and Le Marais.