Tickets to the louvre and other attractions

[montyp]

Hi,

thanks in advance for your helpful replies.

I am off on the Cosmos European masterpiece tour in september.

Looking forward to it

i was wondering what peoples experiences were with queues at the major attractions and what tips people have about getting to the attractions effectively.

Can you buy tickets to these attractions early? say online? any good sites peopel know of?

Also is it wise to buy tickets at special prices offered by all sorts of agencies, or is it best to get them from the official venue when we are there?

[ZeldaSue]

If you're travelling on an organized tour you'll have the opportunity to purchase "optional excurions". . They appear to be high-priced and some people are reluctant to buy into them. Where they can be helpful is in shortening the time you'll wait in line to get into some of the more popular attractions. If I had not bought the optional to the Eiffel Tower I might still be waiting in line.

Another down side (besides the price) to the optionals is that you're on the group's schedule instead of your own. While you may get in to see the David in Florence you might want to hang around a lot longer than the tour group has arranged.

I recommend you check the various websites for specific information about prices and opening times. Then, have a good conversation with your Tour Director when he/she isn't distracted by something else. In the past, they've given me helpful information about how to get to an attraction (e.g. Louvre), best times to go and what to expect. That way, you'll be able to make a decision that suits you and fits with the schedule you're following with the group.