How far in advance should you book the Eiffel Tower?

You can buy e-tickets up to 60 days in advance (for lift tickets) and 7 days in advance (for stairs tickets), and book a specific date and time for the lifts (to the second floor or the top of the tower) or the stairs (up until the second floor). This way, you can avoid queueing at the Eiffel Tower ticket offices.



In 2026, the official advice for the Eiffel Tower is to book exactly 60 days in advance if you want lift tickets to the top floor (le Sommet). Tickets go on sale at 12:00 AM Paris time on the official website and often sell out within minutes for peak dates. If you are willing to take the stairs to the second floor, these tickets are usually released 14 days in advance. For travelers who miss these windows, a high-value "pro-tip" is to join a guided "skip-the-line" tour (like those from Fat Tire Tours) which often have their own reserved ticket blocks. If you are visiting during the peak summer months or school holidays, trying to buy tickets on-site can involve a 2-to-3-hour wait, so early digital booking is the premier way to ensure you don't waste half of your Parisian holiday standing in the Champ de Mars.

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Both areas are free to explore and see the Eiffel Tower, but if you've traveled all the way to Paris, you should set aside money in your budget to go up the tower. It's so iconic and absolutely worth the money.

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Visiting the Eiffel Tower in the evening and at night is a completely different experience to day tours – and just as much of a must-see experience! In particular, climbing the stairs while the structure is lit up from the inside offers a unique ambiance that you don't want to miss.

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Visiting time to the Eiffel Tower is not limited. However we recommend that you plan sufficient visiting time at the end of the evening (i.e. around 1 1/2 hours for a visit to the 2nd floor and 1st floor and 2 1/2 hours for a full visit up to the top).

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As the Eiffel Tower is an unmissable tourist attraction, lines are usually massive. You may get there early, but it is highly likely that most tourists will have done the same. The waiting time can be 30 minutes to an hour, but during peak tourist season, wait time can go up to three hours.

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Attendance over the course of the day depends on the period of the year, weather conditions, as well as the day of the week. In general, to feel more comfortable, start your visit early in the morning (before 10:30am) or at the end of the day after 5 PM, or even in the evening.

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And what about the sparkles? Here is the answer to all your questions. The Tower lights and beacon are lit up every evening from dusk until 11.45pm. As soon as it gets dark, the Eiffel Tower's golden lighting switches on automatically within less than 10 minutes, thanks to light-sensitive twilight sensors.

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According to HuffPost, while the Eiffel Tower is stunning during just about every part of the day, the absolute best time to visit is at 1 a.m. Most people know that as soon as the sun sets, the Eiffel Tower is lit up with golden lights that make the landmark look like it's glowing.

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To see the city's top tourist attractions with fewer people around, aim to visit on weekday mornings. Avoid booking with major tour companies, buy tickets that allow you to skip the line, and walk instead of squeezing onto public transportation. Paris is best enjoyed on foot anyway.

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The light show takes place from 8 pm to 1 am, it goes up during the first five minutes of every hour, the night closes with the lengthiest display of lights which lasts 10 minutes.

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The Eiffel Tower can be seen sparkling every night for five minutes each hour, at the precise start of the hour. The current lighting system has been in place since 1985, though the tower has been lit up in various fashions since its 1889 debut for the International Exposition, when gaslights were used.

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Paris & The Best Views of the Eiffel Tower
  • Trocadéro.
  • Pont de l'Alma.
  • Alma-Marceau.
  • Eiffel Tower.
  • Pont de Bir-Hakeim.
  • Arc de Triomphe.
  • Rue de l'Université
  • Champ de Mars.


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Every evening, the Eiffel Tower is adorned with its golden covering and sparkles for 5 minutes every hour on the hour, while its beacon shines over Paris.

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All of central Paris near the Seine is safe, as is most of the rest of Paris. There will still be people on the streets.

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There is an observation deck at the top of the tower. A. It takes anywhere between 30 and 45 minutes to walk up the Eiffel Tower stairs, and about 20 minutes to walk down the stairs.

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While the Tower has a total of 1,665 steps from the ground to the top, you can only climb 674 of them, from the ground to the second floor (327, then 347 steps). You cannot take the stairs all the way to the top from the second floor, as this section is not open to the public for safety reasons.

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You must have Eiffel Tower reservations such as a ticket (or a tour voucher, or Eiffel Tower restaurant reservation confirmation) to enter the Eiffel Tower. Four types of tickets are available based on which floors you want to explore, and whether you want to ride or climb. 4.

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