12 Tricks to Skip the Crowds to See the World’s Most Popular Tourist Attractions

Most of Rome’s ancient sights draw crowds every day, but while many are reasonably spread out, in the Vatican Museums and St Peter’s Basilica, you are following a strict path, which you sometimes cannot see due to the throngs of tourists. Yet, stepping into this little country—with its magnificent art, architecture, and the Sistine Chapel—can be done with fewer crowds. Try booking an early access tour that allows you to wait in line before the gates open and be one of the first allowed into the vast museums. And while you won’t be totally alone in the Sistine Chapel, you won’t be squished by tourists either.

With just as many visitors as the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower is simply the thing to see for first-time visitors to Paris. Unlike many other of the world’s biggest attractions, there are no “skip the line” or VIP entries for the Eiffel Tower–the only difference between you and the queue is whether you booked ahead or made a last-minute decision to visit.

Booking ahead can be difficult because you cannot rely on the weather, but it saves you an hour’s queue at the ticket office. Choices between taking lifts or stairs (674 to the very top) need to be made beforehand. The only way to beat the crowds is to avoid the weekends and the summer months between June and September, with the least crowded days proving to be Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

The former royal palace turned largest museum on earth is hugely popular. Some 7.5 million people visit the Louvre every year, and you can see a large chunk of that crowd queueing alongside the I.M. Pei-designed glass pyramid in the Louvre courtyard. But did you know that there is another, faster entry point? If you arrive by metro lines 1 or 7, step out at Palais Royale-Musée du Louvre and go into the Carrousel du Louvre entrance. There is an underground mall with views of the glass pyramid from below, from which you can enter with your pre-booked ticket. This entrance is much faster than queuing upstairs.

The Sagrada Familia is the hotspot in Barcelona after Las Ramblas, with 16,000 visitors coming through its highly decorated doors each day. The basilica, which is still being built after more than 140 years of work, grows practically before your eyes. For a chance to see the inside without crowds, you can either enter a lottery to win two tickets for three select dates this summer, or opt instead for the fast track tour, booking the first timeslot of the day.

When 10 million annual visitors spread across some 13,000 miles of wall, you’d think you’d have the Great Wall of China to yourself, but no. Most visitors pile onto the Badaling section of the wall, which proves incredibly steep and, at times, can be standing room only. Instead, drive a few more minutes inland to visit less crowded sections of the wall. Also try to visit outside of the high seasons, and you just might have the wall to yourself. In winter, the snow-covered wall and mountainous surroundings are magical.

Stonehenge is one of those sites where the sheer age of the place can give you goosebumps—I mean, 5,000 years can do that to you. And yes, the ancient site is popular, not only for its history but also for its spiritual connection and engineering feat, which is still being marveled at today. The best way to enjoy a visit is to book the first timeslot and come early so that you are ahead in the line and on the first shuttle taking you to the stones. You have probably an hour before more people turn up, and, if you time the seasons right, you might be there when the sun peeks out in the morning.

When at 6 a.m., an hour before opening, you already have 500 people ahead of you in the queue, you know that not only there is something special behind the grand gate, but also that it will be crowded. And while, officially, there are no VIP tours and early entrances to the Taj Mahal, that is not entirely true.

Come as part of a luxury train trip, such as the Palace on Wheels, or on an excursion from the nearby Oberoi Hotel, and you get swept past the long-suffering queue. But, if the budget is tight, start queuing at 5 a.m., avoid weekends and Fridays when the site is closed for prayer, and be patient. If you can also avoid the main season, between October and March, you might be lucky to get to that famous seat without others in your way.

If we can agree that the most spectacular room of the 2,300 rooms in the Palace of Versailles is the Hall of Mirrors, then here is what you do. You come early and try and get into the line by 8.30 a.m., once through the security check, you run. There is only one main entrance to walk through the palace and after 10 minutes of fast walking, you will get to the Hall of Mirrors, ahead of everyone else. Hurry to take your pictures, then head back, facing the oncoming crowds, and take your time with the rest of the château. Trust me, it works.

Don’t walk up (it takes around three hours) and don’t bother with “skip the- ine” tickets. Simply turn up at the funicular early, before 7.30 a.m. for the 8 a.m. opening, and head straight up. If you avoid weekends, and hot spot times such as Carnival and holidays, then you will head up into the clouds, with the statue of Christ the Redeemer slowly emerging from the morning mist, with views across Rio clearing below you. You hear advice to go later in the afternoon, but you won’t have the morning mist, and there is an incredible number of people lingering all day up on the top, causing unnecessary crowds.

Like in the Louvre, there are different entrances to the Tower of London: the main entrance, the more crowded West Gate Entrance, and the less busy Middle Drawbridge Entrance. Booking your ticket in advance is a must, and there are beat-the-line tours that will spirit you past the queues. But, when it comes to the Crown Jewels, we all must wait our turn to step onto the flat escalator and marvel at the gems.

The ancient city of Petra, hewn from rock, sprawls along a valley, with some of the best sights being right at the entrance, just as you pop through the Siq rock passage and right at the end. As with most sights, the earlier you can get there, the better. Instead of lingering, however painful it might be to tear yourself away, head onward, right to the Monastery, and work backward. This way, you have those sights largely to yourself. The official best times to visit Petra are spring and fall for the weather, but come in winter (apart from over Christmas), wrap up warm, and you’ll have fewer crowds. Another consideration is to come during Ramadan.

With “only” 16,000 visitors per day, on average, the Acropolis is a lightweight attraction compared to some of the other sights on this list, but, when you are there in summer, surrounded by other tourists, it can feel very cramped. The problem is already evident: summer. This is when the crowds descend on Greece, wander its islands, and take in the Acropolis. Try and come in any other season, for starters. Also, avoid the main entrance, head to the southwestern entrance instead, and get a “skip the line” ticket. Either opt for visiting first thing in the morning or an hour or two before closing time, when groups start to leave.