Nothing beats the real thing, but if you’re in Eastern Europe and having Eiffel Tower withdraws, the Petrin Lookout Tower in Prague can be your fix.
Built in 1891, this tower bares many similarities to its Paris sister. The Eiffel Tower is certainly taller, but Lookout still reaches nearly 200 feet into the sky. Likewise, you reach the tower by taking a long tram ride up to the top of Petrin Hill (which itself is over 1,000 feet high), so the structure is positioned considerably higher than the rest of the city before you even take a single step up. And that’s right, on my trip to Lookout Tower, I got to enjoy all 299 steps to the upper observation deck. The elevator was apparently broken, though from what I’ve read, it’s generally only available to the elderly and disabled (though I looked a dreary combination of both by about step 200).
Open every day from April to October (and on weekends during the winter months), Lookout Tower clearly offers one of the best views of the entire city. Only the Prague TV Tower comes close, but Lookout sits just across the river from the old town area and not far from castle, so the sight lines are absolutely incredible. If you love a great view like the one on the left, this is the place to be.