Standing at 330 meters tall, the Eiffel Tower is more than a Parisian landmark — it’s a symbol of innovation, resilience, and romance that has captured imaginations for over a century. Completed in 1889 for the World’s Fair, the tower was once dismissed by critics as an eyesore. Yet today, it draws millions of visitors each year and remains one of the most recognizable structures in the world. Approaching the tower in person, you quickly realize just how massive it is, with its iron latticework stretching skyward and its base forming a dramatic gateway onto the Champ de Mars.

Climbing or riding to the viewing platforms is an experience that blends excitement with awe. The first and second levels offer cafés, exhibits, and expansive views of the Seine and the surrounding neighborhoods. From here you can pick out Paris’s most famous icons — the Arc de Triomphe, the golden dome of Les Invalides, and the graceful curve of the Seine as it winds past Île de la Cité. For many visitors, the second level provides the best balance of height and perspective, where the city’s details remain vivid yet the horizon stretches in every direction.

Reaching the summit is an unforgettable moment. The elevator rises through the iron framework, delivering you to the highest platform in the city. On clear days you can see for miles across the Île-de-France region, while at night the city glitters like a sea of lights. Gustave Eiffel’s private office, preserved at the top, gives a glimpse into the history of the tower and its role as a triumph of 19th-century engineering. Even if you’ve seen countless photos of the view, nothing compares to the feeling of standing at the pinnacle of Paris.

Of course, one of the best ways to experience the Eiffel Tower is from the ground. The wide lawns of the Champ de Mars are perfect for a picnic with the tower as your backdrop, while the Trocadéro terraces across the river provide one of the most photographed vantage points in Europe. At night, when the tower is illuminated and its famous sparkle lights up the sky for five minutes every hour, the atmosphere becomes magical. Whether you are admiring it from afar or standing high above the city, the Eiffel Tower is a reminder of why Paris is known as the City of Light.