NEEDHAM, Mass., Aug. 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TripAdvisor^®, the travel site that helps you find the latest reviews and lowest prices, today announced top skip the line tours to avoid long queues at some of the world's most popular attractions. As some of the most iconic attractions can sometimes have lines up to four hours long during peak season, skip the line tours can save travelers valuable vacation time. 

"By booking skip the line tours on TripAdvisor, travelers can spend more of their time viewing amazing attractions around the world rather than the back of someone's head in line," said Brooke Ferencsik, senior director of communications for TripAdvisor.

10 Popular Global Attractions with Long Lines and the Best Skip the Line Tours to Save Time:

1. The London Eye – London, UK – 2.5 hour queue

More than just a Ferris wheel ride, London Eye's rotating attraction offers 32 enclosed capsules for full, 360 degree views of historic London.

• Skip the Line Tours: Travelers can book a London Eye Ticket with Skip-the-Line on TripAdvisor from $43 per person or a Skip-The-Line with champagne experience on TripAdvisor from $53 per person to admire the impressive London skyline in style.

2. Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museums – Vatican City, Italy – 2 hour queue

With more than five miles of corridors, this vast complex of museums chronicles the history and accomplishments of mankind over the last 2,000 years, featuring classic masterpieces such as Rodin's "Thinker," the Sistine Chapel and "The Last Judgment" by Michelangelo.

• Skip the Line Tours: Travelers can book a ticket for Self-Guided Priority Access to Vatican Museums from $47 per person on TripAdvisor, although it is recommended to hire a guided tour with an art expert from $84 per person on TripAdvisor, who will be able to explain the Roman history along the way.

3. Colosseum – Rome, Italy – 2 hour queue

An iconic, well-preserved ancient Roman monument, this huge marble structure was built to hold more than 50,000 spectators to witness bloody gladiator games.

• Skip the Line Tour: Travelers can book a self-guided priority access ticket on TripAdvisor from $35 per person to see off-limits sections of the site such as the underground and the upper levels.

4. The Catacombs – Paris, France – 2 hour queue (up to 3-4 hours during summer)

A genuine labyrinth in the heart of underground Paris, the Catacombs house the remains of approximately six million Parisians, transferred between the end of the 18^th century and the mid-19^th century. Along a tangle of dark galleries, visitors discover a presentation of death with bones arranged in a romantic macabre decor.

• Skip the Line Tour: Travelers can purchase a Skip The Line Paris Catacombs Tour from $96 per person on TripAdvisor

5. Eiffel Tower – Paris, France – 2 hour queue

Completed in 1889 by architect Alexandre Eiffel, this colossal landmark is a symbol of French civic pride where travelers can marvel at the romantic and stunning Parisian sights.

• Skip the Line Tours: Travelers can book the Skip the Line in Eiffel Tower with a Seine River cruise and Paris City tour from $84 per person on TripAdvisor, or the Skip the Line: Eiffel Tower Behind-the-Scenes Theatrical Tour on TripAdvisor for $42 per person.

6. St. Peter's Basilica – Vatican City, Italy – 1.5 hour queue

One of the most famous Cathedrals in the world, St. Peter's is the spiritual center of the Vatican and the product of Italy's great Renaissance's architects such as Bramante, Raphael and Michelangelo.

• Skip the Line Tour: Travelers can save by booking this no wait access with WiFi audio guide from $22 per person on TripAdvisor.

7. Tower of London – London, UK – 1.5 hour queue

One of London's most popular landmarks, the historic Tower houses the Crown Jewels, the prison cell of Sir Walter Raleigh, known as the Bloody Tower, and the Chapel of St. John and the Royal Armories.

• Skip the Line Tour: Travelers can book the Tower of London Entrance Ticket Including Crown Jewels and Beefeater Tour from $33 per person on TripAdvisor.

8. Van Gogh Museum – Amsterdam, The Netherlands – 1.5 hour queue

Travelers can discover the world's largest collection of works by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, featuring masterpieces such as Sunflowers, The Potato Eaters, Almond Blossom and The Bedroom.

• Skip the Line Tour: Travelers can book a Small Group Tour and Skip the Line Ticket with a professional guide to learn about Van Gogh's troubled life and different periods from $114 per person on TripAdvisor.

9. Empire State Building – New York City, USA – 1.5 hour queue

The world-famous skyscraper offers unobstructed panoramic views of New York City from the 86^th and 102^nd floor Observation Decks – the two highest vantage points in the city. Soaring 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna, travelers can see up to five states on a clear day – New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

• Skip the Line Tour: The busiest time to go is around sunset, so travelers can book the Empire State Building Tickets - Observatory and Optional Skip the Line Tickets on TripAdvisor from $34 per person. 

10. Notre Dame Cathedral – Paris, France – 1 hour (up to 2 hours for the towers)

This famous cathedral, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture on which construction began in the 12th century, stands on the Île de la Cité and is the symbolic heart of Paris.

• Skip the Line Tour: Travelers can book this skip the line tour of Notre Dame Cathedral Towers on TripAdvisor from $36 per person to 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.

TripAdvisor is the world's largest online provider of tours, activities and attractions, offering more than 56,000 bookable tours, activities and experiences in 2,500 destinations and 165 countries to help travelers unleash the full potential of their trips.

Travelers can read the latest reviews and compare prices from more than 200 sites to find the lowest prices on the right hotel for their trip at www.TripAdvisor.com.

Editor Notes
-Queue wait times vary based on time of year; estimates based on public data and tour operator feedback.
-Top skip the line tours based on most booked skip the line tickets and tours on TripAdvisor in 2016.

About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site*, enables travelers to unleash the full potential of every trip. With more than 535 million reviews and opinions covering the world's largest selection of travel listings worldwide -- over 7 million accommodations, airlines, attractions, and restaurants -- TripAdvisor provides travelers with the wisdom of the crowds to help them decide where to stay, how to fly, what to do and where to eat. TripAdvisor also compares prices from more than 200 hotel booking sites so travelers can find the lowest price on the hotel that's right for them. TripAdvisor-branded sites are available in 49 markets, and are home to the world's largest travel community of 415 million average unique monthly visitors,** all looking to get the most out of every trip. TripAdvisor: Know better. Book better. Go better.

TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP), through its subsidiaries, manages and operates websites under 20 other travel media brands:
www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.citymaps.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, www.iens.nl and www.dimmi.com.au), www.gateguru.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com and www.viator.com.

*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, May 2017
**Source: TripAdvisor log files, Q1 2017

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SOURCE TripAdvisor