For good reason, certain monuments and landscapes have become great travel icons we all long to see. Yet the truth of modern travel is that we often arrive with eager anticipation, only to be dispirited by snaking entrance queues and hordes of visitors. Even worse, we might discover that visitor numbers are limited, and tickets have sold out.
So bad has the crowding been inside the Louvre in Paris to view Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa (see below) that the museum’s administration has been exploring the idea of relocating the painting to its own dedicated underground chamber. But while it has become impossible to have the world’s great sights to yourself, sometimes timing and strategy can help you avoid the worst of the rush. Peak times ebb and flow, tour groups tend to make circuits in certain directions, and some viewpoints are more popular than others.
Do your research and reap the benefits. Consider paying more for increasingly popular and promoted “jump the queue” tickets, or tours that give you privileged access outside regular hours. Avoid peak months and peak times of day.
Work out when to arrive, and what order is best to see things in. Time it right, and your experience will be much better for it. Why go This palace reflects the glory of 17th-century France and influenced royal architecture across Europe.
Just as impressive are the formal gardens. Best times Aim for the November-March off-season, or otherwise Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. The palace is clos.
