Beat the queue

Say what you may: On a first trip, it’s hard to give the Eiffel Tower in Paris a miss, or skip the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. Visiting these attractions, however, can often mean spending up to 4 hours in a queue during peak season, just to get in. Even on average, queues eat into a sizeable amount of time that should be spent having fun. Travel site TripAdvisor, like some others, has put together a list of the longest queues. Here are some Skip the Line tours that smart travellers can book on the website to beat the crowd.

London Eye, London, UK

(Average wait: two-and-a-half hours)

The rotating eye is popular for the 360-degree views of London that it offers. With the “London Eye: Champagne Experience", visitors can not only skip the line, but do it in style with a glass of bubbly (£45/around Rs3,400).

Eiffel Tower, Paris. Photo: iStockphoto

Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

(Average wait: two hours)

Make your Eiffel Tower experience memorable with a meal at a window-side table in the tower’s famous restaurant with the “Viator VIP: Eiffel Tower Gourmet 4-Course Dinner with Champagne and Trocadero View Seating" (€235/around Rs18,000). Or turn it into a romantic experience by combining the visit with a boat ride on the Seine. The value for money “Skip the Line Eiffel Tower, Seine River Cruise and Paris Sightseeing Tour" also includes other Paris sights (€70).

Catacombs, Paris, France

(Average wait: two-and-a-half hours)

This underground labyrinth in the middle of Paris is a popular spot, with 4-hour queues in summer. The guided one-and-a-half-hour “Skip The Line Paris Catacombs Tour" saves visitors the hassle (€80).

Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums, Vatican City

(Average wait: two hours)

Kill two birds with one stone with the “Private Tour: Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basilica". Besides avoiding queues at both museums, travellers are accompanied by a knowledgeable guide on this 3-hour tour (€70).

Colosseum, Rome, Italy

(Average wait: two hours)

Standing in the well of this ancient stadium, it’s not hard to imagine the roar of the 50,000 spectators it once held. Skip the long wait to get in with the “Self-Guided Priority Access Colosseum Ticket and Free Self-Guided Vatican Quest Tour", which lets visitors explore at their own pace and give their imagination free rein (€29.40).