This is a wildly mixed bag, from a $54 bike tour to a $481 dinner-cruise-and-Moulin-Rouge extravaganza. And unlike the Colosseum list, the ratings here actually vary a lot - from a strong 4.8 down to a wobbly 4.0 - so price alone won't steer you right.
My rule of thumb: decide whether you want to go up the tower or just see it. Several of these (the bike tour, the Paris-in-a-day, the London day trip) only give you the Eiffel Tower from the outside. If summit or second-floor access is the point, look at the lift-access and summit tickets. And be wary of the big-ticket combo shows - the 4.0-rated 2050TEM has 2,281 reviews telling you it's a mixed experience despite the $481 price.
#1Best overall
Paris Highlights Bike Tour: Eiffel Tower, Louvre and Notre-Dame
The highest-rated, lowest-priced way to see Paris in one go.
★★★★½ 4.8 (245 reviews)·from $54·4h 00m·
At just $53.56 this four-hour bike tour is both the cheapest and the best-rated option here at 4.8 across 245 reviews. You'll roll past the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame, the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay with a local guide. The catch: it's exterior views only - no going up anything.
★★★★★“Our guide Gigi was the best! He knew so much about the city and was such a pleasure to be with. The tour was excellent and I wouldn’t think of exploring the city any other way. I definitely recommend!”
— Verified traveller
What's included
- Fun :)
- Local guide
- Use of bicycle
- Use of helmet
Where you'll go: Eiffel Tower · Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris · Louvre Museum · Musee d'Orsay
What's good
- Best rating in the hub at 4.8
- Cheapest tour at $53.56
- Covers four marquee sights in four hours
What to know
- Exterior views only, no tower access
- Four hours of cycling isn't for everyone
Best for: Active travelers wanting a cheap city overview
Skip it if: You want to go up the Eiffel Tower
#2Most reviewed
Paris in A Day Louvre Eiffel Tower Notre Dame and Seine Cruise
A packed Paris-in-a-day with the reviews to back it up.
★★★★½ 4.7 (1,506 reviews)·from $118·Flexible·
This full-day tour bundles Montmartre, the Louvre, a Seine cruise and Eiffel Tower views for $117.84, and its 1,506 reviews at a 4.7 rating make it the most battle-tested itinerary here. It's a lot of ground for the money. Just note the Eiffel Tower is exterior-only despite headlining the title.
★★★★★“This is one of the best tours we have ever taken. Antoine was an exceptional guide. He was organized, charismatic, outgoing, extremely knowledgeable, an excellent communicator, provided us with rich historical context along our journey, answered all questions, and exceeded all expectations. From meeting points to metro rides and everything in between, it was a seamless and fun experience for the g”
— Verified traveller
What's included
- Eiffel Tower (exterior)
- Local English-speaking guide
- La Conciergerie (exterior)
- Montmartre
Where you'll go: Basilique Du Sacre-Coeur De Montmartre · Montmartre · Place Du Tertre · Louvre Museum
What's good
- Huge sample of 1,506 reviews at 4.7
- Louvre plus Seine cruise plus Montmartre
- Strong value for a full day
What to know
- Eiffel Tower is exterior only
- A dawn-to-dusk pace
Best for: One-day visitors who want to see everything
Skip it if: You expected to actually ascend the tower
#3Best for tower access
Eiffel Tower Lift Access with Optional Summit and Seine Cruise
Lift up the tower plus a Seine cruise, if the rating doesn't scare you.
★★★★☆ 4.4 (105 reviews)·from $78·Flexible·
For $78.36 this gets you elevator access to the tower's second floor (with an optional summit upgrade) plus a one-hour Seine cruise. That combination is exactly what most people picture. The hesitation: a 4.4 rating over just 105 reviews is the softest track record of the tower-access options, and they warn there's no alternate meeting point if you're late.
★★★★★“Meet up spot east to find. Mo, our guide was wonderful. She shared a lot of interesting information, was friendly, helpful and great sense of humor.”
— Verified traveller
What's included
- Access to Second level of the Eiffel Tower with pre booked ticket by elevator
- 1-hour Seine River cruise
- Access to the Summit (if option is selected) with pre booked ticket by Elevator
- There is NO ALTERNATE meeting point possible if you miss the departure
Where you'll go: Eiffel Tower · The Seine
What's good
- Actual lift access to the second floor
- Includes a one-hour Seine cruise
- Optional summit upgrade
What to know
- Modest 4.4 rating on only 105 reviews
- Strict, unforgiving meeting point
Best for: Visitors who want to go up plus cruise
Skip it if: You need a rock-solid rating
#4Best day trip from London
Guided Luxury Paris Day Trip with Optional Lunch at the Eiffel Tower
A 15-hour Eurostar dash to Paris - ambitious, and it shows.
★★★★☆ 4.3 (1,086 reviews)·from $366·15h 00m·
This $365.83 tour is a full 15-hour day trip from London by Eurostar, with a Seine cruise and an optional champagne lunch at the Eiffel Tower restaurant. With 1,086 reviews it's clearly popular, but the 4.3 rating reflects how much can go sideways on a day this long. It's a bucket-list logistics play more than a relaxed tour.
★★★★★“we started the day with a bus tour around the city and then hopped on a boat for a ride down the siene river, it was well worth it and the views were great! we had Anna as our tour guide, she was AMAZING!!!! she was funny, knowledgeable and very personable. we opted for the lunch in the eiffel tower and I have to say this was our favorite part of the day. I wasn’t expecting to sit as a group, but ”
— Verified traveller
What's included
- Return Eurostar tickets
- Tour guide
- 1-hour Seine River cruise
- 3-course Lunch including wine at the Eiffel Tower restaurant (if upgrade option selected)
Where you'll go: St. Pancras International Station · Arc de Triomphe · Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris · Eiffel Tower
What's good
- Round-trip Eurostar included
- Optional lunch at the Eiffel Tower restaurant
- Well-reviewed at 1,086 ratings
What to know
- Punishing 15-hour day
- Only a 4.3 rating
Best for: London visitors set on seeing Paris in a day
Skip it if: You're already in Paris
#5Best value tower-and-cruise
Eiffel Tower Tour with Optional Summit and Seine River Cruise
Same tower-plus-cruise formula, cheaper, more reviews.
★★★★☆ 4.3 (694 reviews)·from $79·Flexible·
At $78.56 this near-mirrors the 5045P44 combo - guided second-floor (or summit) access plus a Seine cruise - but backs it with 694 reviews versus a hundred. The 4.3 rating is middling and honest about the crowds and queues that come with tower tickets. Solid, unglamorous, does what it says.
★★★★★“This tour was great. You do the cruise whenever you want, and then you meet your guide outside the Eiffel Tower at your assigned time. Marsa was our guide, she was wonderful, very personable and knowledgeable. She brings you up to the tower and spends some time with you, then you can explore on your own. Very enjoyable, I learned a lot!”
— Verified traveller
What's included
- Expert, English-speaking guide [up to the 2nd floor or summit depending the option selected]
- Entrance Ticket to the Eiffel Tower 2nd floor
- Seine River Cruise ticket with a live commentary
- Entrance Ticket to Eiffel Tower Summit [if option selected]
Where you'll go: Eiffel Tower · The Seine
What's good
- Much larger review base at 694
- Tower access plus live-commentary cruise
- Optional summit upgrade
What to know
- A middling 4.3 rating
- Guided portion can feel rushed
Best for: Value hunters wanting tower and cruise together
Skip it if: You want a premium, unhurried experience
#6Best summit-only ticket
Paris: Eiffel Tower Summit Access
Straight to the top - just a ticket and a quick intro.
★★★★☆ 4.2 (124 reviews)·from $91·1h 30m·
This $91.02 ticket is the most direct route to the summit: 90 minutes, elevator access to the second floor and the top, with a short intro from an English-speaking guide. It's the priciest per-minute option and its 4.2 rating over 124 reviews is the weakest of the access tickets. You're paying for the summit, not a tour.
★★★★★“I was so happy I did this. It was great! It's definitely a must-see, and I recommend everyone do it if you have never done it!”
— Verified traveller
What's included
- Intro commentary by an English-speaking guide
- Standard Access to the summit of the Eiffel Tower by elevator
- Pre-booked Timed entrance ticket to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower by Elevator
Where you'll go: Eiffel Tower
What's good
- Summit access by elevator
- Quick 90-minute commitment
- Brief guided intro included
What to know
- Lowest-rated access ticket at 4.2
- No cruise or extras for the price
Best for: People who only care about reaching the top
Skip it if: You want a fuller tour experience
#7Biggest night out
Seine Dinner Cruise, Eiffel Tower Access and Moulin Rouge Show
Dinner cruise, tower and Moulin Rouge - lots of reviews, lukewarm love.
★★★★☆ 4.0 (2,281 reviews)·from $481·7h 00m·
The $480.78 headliner packs a Seine dinner cruise, second-floor tower access and a Moulin Rouge show with champagne into a seven-hour evening. Its 2,281 reviews make it the most-booked thing in the hub, but the 4.0 rating is the lowest here - a sign the logistics and value don't always match the price. Go in with realistic expectations.
★★★★★“This tour was amazing! We were able to cover a lot of ground and Alister was an amazing guide. The owner Nima came along as well, their insight and knowledge of the history was incredible.”
— Verified traveller
What's included
- Drop off to the center of Paris: Opera, Arc de Triomphe, Montparnasse, Eiffel Tower or Bastille
- Seine River Dinner Cruise with stunning Paris Views
- Moulin Rouge Show with Spectacular Performances and Champagne
- Reserved access to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower
Where you'll go: The Seine · Musee d'Orsay · Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Paris · Bibliotheque nationale de France - site Francois Mitterrand
What's good
- Three marquee experiences in one night
- Champagne and Moulin Rouge show included
- Enormous review base at 2,281
What to know
- Lowest rating in the hub at 4.0
- Most expensive option at $480.78
Best for: A splurgy one-night Paris blowout
Skip it if: You want reliable quality for the money
Before you go
- Book a timed slot and arrive 30 minutes early for security screening — the whole park under the tower is fenced with airport-style checks.
- There are no large bags or luggage allowed, and no glass; travel light or you'll be turned back at the perimeter.
- For the light show, be in position by the top of the hour at Trocadéro or the Champ de Mars — it lasts only about five minutes.
- If you want summit access, book it specifically in advance; you often can't add it once you're at the 2nd floor if it's sold out.
- Sunset slots are the sweet spot — you get the city in daylight, then watch it light up, but they're the first to sell out.
- Consider stairs to the 2nd floor to skip the lift queue and save money; only the summit strictly requires the lift.
How I ranked these
For Eiffel Tower tours I weighted three things: what you actually get for the money (group size, what's included, special access), the rating balanced against how many reviews back it up — a 4.9 from 200 people isn't the same as a 4.6 from 15,000 — and price for what's on offer. Ratings, review counts and prices shift over time, so always check the live booking page before you pay.
Good to know
Should I go to the summit or stop at the 2nd floor?
The 2nd floor already gives you the great postcard view over Paris and is where most tickets stop. The summit adds height and the vertigo factor but the view isn't dramatically different, and the summit lift often has its own queue. Several tours here let you pick: 2nd-floor-plus-Seine-cruise runs around $78, while adding summit access pushes it toward $91. If it's your only Paris trip, the summit upgrade is a nice-to-have, not essential.
Stairs or lift — what's the difference?
You can climb stairs to the 2nd floor (about 674 steps) and it's cheaper and often a shorter wait, but the summit is only reachable by lift. The tours listed here are all lift-based with pre-booked timed tickets. If you're fit and want to save money and skip the lift queue, stairs to the 2nd floor is a legitimately good option.
When does the tower sparkle at night?
The gold lights stay on after dark, and on top of that the tower does a sparkling light show for about five minutes at the top of every hour, from nightfall until 1am (11pm in some seasons). Evening and dinner-cruise tours are timed around this — the Seine dinner cruise plus Eiffel access option here is built for exactly that view. Watch from the Trocadéro across the river for the best angle.
Is a tour worth it or should I just buy a lift ticket?
For the tower alone, a plain timed lift ticket is fine and cheapest. Tours add value by bundling — a Seine cruise, a guide, or Paris highlights by bike (the ~$54 bike tour hits the Eiffel, Louvre and Notre-Dame). If you just want to go up, buy direct; if you want the tower as part of a half-day of Paris, the bundles here make sense.
How early do I need to book Eiffel Tower tickets?
Summit tickets in particular sell out days ahead in summer, so book 1-2 weeks out. The tower releases timed slots on a rolling basis and they go fast for evenings and weekends. Note that several tours warn there's no alternate meeting point if you miss your slot — the timed entry is strict.
Prices are "from" prices in USD and change with date and availability. Last updated August 2026.