The global tourist attractions with the longest queue times
If we’re heading to the other side of the world, we’ll be damned if we don’t get to tick seeing the Eiffel Tower or the Colosseum off our bucket list. But, even the most patient traveller can be pushed over the edge having to wait hour after hour in a queue, pressed up against other restless travellers.
TripAdvisor has released a list of the worst culprits for long queue times at popular tourist destinations around the world. If you’re heading to any of these places in the near future, this information will at least arm you so there aren’t any unpleasant surprises.
According to the list, the longest wait times can be found at the places travellers would most-likely expect, including attractions in Paris, the Vatican, Rome, London and New York. Wait times are on average two hours, but this can double in peak season.
The excessive wait times mean that travellers are resorting to buying ‘skip the line’ tours that promise priority entry to the popular attractions. Would you pay extra to skip the queues at the following 10 attractions?
1. The London Eye – 2.5 hours
London’s iconic Ferris wheel offers spectacular 360-degree views of the city. With only 32 capsules, travellers can expect to wait around 2.5 hours for their chance to see unbeatable views of London.
2. Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums – 2 hours
The Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums are unmissable experiences. With more than eight kilometres of corridors, the museums chronicle the history and accomplishments of humankind over the past 2,000 years. That’s probably worth the two-hour wait.
3. Colosseum, Rome – 2 hours
One of the best-preserved monuments of ancient Rome and an impressive insight into gladiator battles, 50,000 people would file into the Colosseum at any given time to watch the bloodshed. It’s a fascinating place and it’ll take about two hours to get in.
4. Catacombs, Paris – up to 4 hours
Hidden beneath the heart of Paris 20m underground are the bones of about six million Parisians, transferred to these labyrinths in the 18th and 19th centuries as the city’s cemeteries were closed. It’s one of Paris’ most popular attractions, however eerie, and can take up to four hours in peak season to get in.
Read more: Basilica of the Sagrada Familia named most popular tourist attraction
5. Eiffel Tower, Paris – 2 hours
The Eiffel Tower needs little introduction. Paris’ colossal steel structure offers stunning views and the whole of Paris at your feet. Queues are notoriously long, so expect to wait around two hours.
6. St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City – 1.5 hours
One of the most famous Cathedrals in the world, St Peter’s is the spiritual centre of the Vatican and features the work of some of the Renaissance’s most celebrated architects: Bramante, Raphael and Michelangelo. It’s a site of pilgrimage for Catholics and curious travellers alike, so expect to wait an hour-and-a-half.
7. Tower of London – 1.5 hours
This historic tower houses the crown jewels, the cell of Sir Walter Raleigh and the Royal Armouries. Those interested in British history can expect to wait for an hour-and-a-half.
8. Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam – 1.5 hours
Famous artworks ‘Sunflowers’, ‘The Potato Eaters’, ‘Almond Blossom’ and ‘The Bedroom’ are all housed in Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum, amongst others. Expect queues for an hour-and-a-half to see the works of the troubled Dutch artist.
Read more: The world’s weirdest tourist attractions
9. Empire State Building, New York – 1.5 hours
A symbol of New York, for just an hour-and-a-half wait, travellers can experience unobstructed, panoramic views of the city from the 86th and 102nd floor observation decks – the highest two vantage points in the city. The busiest time to go is around sunset.
10. Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris – 2 hours
This masterpiece of Gothic architecture is the symbolic heart of Paris where travellers can enjoy up-close views of the Chimera gallery, including gargoyles, monkey monsters, an elephant, a griffin and birds that keep watch over the streets of Paris below. Regular queues take around an hour, but expect up to two hours to visit the towers.
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