From the Athens Acropolis to the London Eye, Europe is dotted with some of the world's most popular tourist attractions. The Eiffel Tower alone receives more than 7 million visitors every year—that’s an average of nearly 20,000 visitors each day—and the wait for the elevator to the top can be as long as two hours. Meanwhile, at the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, you'll likely share space with more than 2,000 people at any given time.
Who wants to waste precious vacation time standing in line or elbowing for space? Here are three ways to skip the lines and avoid the crowds at Europe’s top attractions.
Skip-the-line tours allow you to do exactly that: skip the long lines at popular spots such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Vatican, Sagrada Familia, the Colosseum, the Anne Frank House and more.
Viator’s VIP tours take you beyond the velvet ropes and behind closed doors for unforgettable experiences that aren’t available to most tourists. Check out secret rooms in the Vatican, see the famous Moulin Rouge show from the best seats in the house, or enjoy a four-course dinner with a view at the Eiffel Tower.
The early bird may get the worm, but when it comes to travel, both the early birds and the night owls also get the chance to see top sights with fewer crowds. Early access tours bring you into popular attractions before they open to the masses, and after-hours tours allow for visits long after the doors have closed to the public.