By all means, go to the top if you have the time (skip it if your schedule's tight). But I prefer to linger on the second floor: For me, the best views are from this middle level — high enough to see all of Paris, but low enough to pick out distinguishing landmarks.
How long do you need at the Eiffel Tower?
We recommend that you take your time to enjoy your visit! It is advisable to plan a visiting time of at least 1 1/2 hours for visit to the 1st and 2nd floors and 2 1/2 hours for a visit to the top.