The best things to do near the Eiffel Tower are within a 20-minute walk of its base: picnic on the Champ de Mars, cross the Pont d’Iéna to the Trocadéro for the classic photo, take a Seine cruise from the nearby quays, and visit Les Invalides, the Musée du Quai Branly and the Musée Rodin. Plan about half a day for the tower itself plus two or three nearby sights, and book your tower ticket online on the official site before you go.
This guide covers the practical side: which Eiffel Tower ticket to buy, when to go, how to get there, and a walking order for the sights around it so you do not double back. If you want a neighbourhood guide to the 7th arrondissement and Trocadéro instead (where to stay, eat and find viewpoints), read our guide to the Eiffel Tower neighbourhood.
How to visit the Eiffel Tower
Which Eiffel Tower ticket should you buy?
The tower has three visitor levels: the first floor at 57 m, the second floor at 116 m and the top at 276 m. You choose how far you go and whether you take the lift or the stairs. Adult prices listed on the official website in October 2026:
| Ticket | Adult | Youth (12–24) | Child (4–11) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Second floor by lift | €23.50 | €11.80 | €6.00 |
| Top by lift (two lifts) | €36.70 | €18.40 | €9.20 |
| Second floor by stairs | €14.80 | €7.40 | €3.80 |
| Top: stairs to second floor, then lift | €28.00 | €14.00 | €7.00 |
Children under 4 go free but still need a zero-euro ticket. Discounted rates need proof of age. The official site also sells tickets with a glass of champagne at the top and guided tours. Prices and hours change — check the official site (toureiffel.paris) before you go. The tower warns visitors about fraudulent resale websites, so buy from the official site or a trusted booking partner.
What are the Eiffel Tower opening hours?
In late October 2026 the official calendar shows the tower open from 09:30 to 23:00, with longer hours in summer. Access to the top can be restricted in bad weather or at peak times, and the stairs and lifts have separate opening times. Check the day you plan to visit on the official calendar.
When is the best time to go up?
Go at opening time or in the evening. Mornings are usually calmer, and the evening gives you the city lights. After dark, the tower sparkles for five minutes at the start of every hour until it closes, so time your descent or your walk to Trocadéro around the hour. Summit slots around sunset sell out first, so book those early.
How long do you need at the Eiffel Tower?
Allow two to three hours for security, the lifts and time on each level. Add more if you eat at one of the tower’s restaurants: Madame Brasserie on the first floor or Le Jules Verne on the second floor, which holds one Michelin star. Both need a reservation.
How do you get to the Eiffel Tower?
- Metro line 6 to Bir-Hakeim is the closest stop, about five minutes’ walk from the security entrance. The tower’s website has reported closures at this station, so check before you travel.
- RER C to Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel, a few minutes on foot. Check the platform screens, because line C splits into several branches.
- Metro line 9 to Trocadéro or line 8 to École Militaire, both with a longer walk.
The tower’s address is 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris.
What is there to do near the Eiffel Tower?
The sights below are in walking order, starting at the tower and finishing near the Musée d’Orsay. You can do the whole loop in one long day, or split it into two half-days.
1. Champ de Mars
The long park that runs south-east from the tower is the easiest place to sit, picnic and take photos of the tower from below. It is busiest in the late afternoon and evening, when people gather to watch the lights.
2. Trocadéro Gardens and the Palais de Chaillot
Cross the Pont d’Iéna to reach the Trocadéro Gardens and the terrace of the Palais de Chaillot, the best-known viewpoint of the tower. The palace holds the Musée de l’Homme, the Musée national de la Marine and the Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine if you want a museum stop. Come back over the bridge to continue.
3. Seine river cruise
Several cruise operators leave from the quays near the tower. A one-hour cruise passes many of the central landmarks and is a good way to rest your feet between sights. Evening cruises show the bridges and the tower lit up. You can compare Paris cruises and guided tours on our activities page.
4. Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac
A few minutes’ walk east along the river, this museum shows art and objects from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas, set in a garden. It opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 to 19:00, with late opening until 22:00 on Thursdays, and is closed on Mondays except during the spring school holidays.
5. Rue Cler
Head inland to Rue Cler, a mostly pedestrian street of bakeries, cheese shops, cafés and food stalls. It is a practical lunch stop and shows the everyday side of the 7th arrondissement.
6. Les Invalides and Napoleon’s tomb
The gold dome of Les Invalides is visible from Rue Cler. The complex holds the Musée de l’Armée and the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte under the dome. Allow one to two hours. Check opening times on the Musée de l’Armée website, as late openings and closures vary.
7. Musée Rodin
Next to Les Invalides, the Musée Rodin has sculptures inside a mansion and in its garden, including The Thinker. It opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:30 (last entry 17:45) and closes on Mondays.
8. Musée d’Orsay
Finish with a longer walk or a short metro ride to the Musée d’Orsay, a former railway station with a large collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art, including Monet, Van Gogh and Degas. It is closed on Mondays and opens late on Thursday evenings (until 21:45). Last regular admission is usually 17:00.
Several museums near the tower close on Mondays (Orsay, Quai Branly, Rodin), so avoid planning this loop for a Monday. Prices and hours change — check the official site before you go.
Sample half-day and full-day plans
- Half day (morning): Eiffel Tower at opening, Champ de Mars, walk to Trocadéro for photos, lunch on Rue Cler.
- Half day (evening): Musée Rodin or Les Invalides in the afternoon, sunset Seine cruise, Eiffel Tower summit after dark, then the hourly sparkle from Trocadéro.
- Full day: Tower in the morning, Quai Branly, lunch on Rue Cler, Les Invalides and Rodin, Thursday-evening visit to the Musée d’Orsay.
Flying to Paris from Dubai or Abu Dhabi
There are nonstop flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) from both UAE hubs. Emirates flies nonstop from Dubai (DXB), and Etihad flies nonstop from Abu Dhabi (AUH), with up to three daily flights scheduled in summer 2026. The flight takes roughly seven and a half to eight and a half hours depending on the service and the season. Compare fares on Dubai to Paris flights or Abu Dhabi to Paris flights. From CDG, the RER B train runs into the city, or you can pre-book a car to your hotel.
Plan your Paris trip
Ziarah can put your flights, a hotel near the tower and your activities into one plan, so the timings fit together.
Ziarah Travel wrote this guide. We plan and book trips, and some links go to our booking pages.
