Skip Lines For The Mona Lisa And Check Out These Underrated Alternatives During Your Louvre Visit

If you're like most travelers planning a trip to the Louvre, you are probably hoping to see the iconic "Mona Lisa." Painted by Renaissance master Leonardo Da Vinci, the "Mona Lisa" is often called the most famous painting of all time. The opportunity to see this legendary piece in person brings millions of visitors to the museum every year — but you might be better off visiting other beloved pieces, like "The Nike of Samothrace," "The Lacemaker," "Oath of the Horatii," "Grand Odalisque," or any of the other works by Da Vinci at the Louvre.

The popularity of the "Mona Lisa" means that there are extremely long lines to see it. Because the best time to show up at tourist hot spots is always first thing in the morning, you may have a better shot as soon as the Louvre opens, but usually, the best you can hope for is a glimpse of the subject's ambiguous smile between the heads of other excited visitors.

However, don't let this dissuade you from visiting the Louvre. It's one of the world's biggest museums, and you'd need to spend weeks wandering through its galleries to see everything on display. While the "Mona Lisa" may be hard to see, the Louvre is packed with incredible pieces by famous artists with no line at all that are well worth the price of admission. In fact, if you just turn around while waiting in line for the "Mona Lisa," you'll be face to face with "The Wedding at Cana" by Paolo Caliari, a gorgeous piece which happens to be the largest painting in the Louvre.

After entering the Louvre through the "secret entrance" Rick Steves recommends to avoid crowds, most visitors make a beeline for room 711 of the Denon Wing on level one where the "Mona Lisa" is. However, not far away from it is room 700. While it houses some of the museum's most famous works, it is not usually anywhere near as crowded as 711. One piece you definitely will not want to miss in this room is Eugène Delacroix's "Liberty Leading the People."

This painting was painted in 1830, significantly later than the "Mona Lisa," and was highly influential in French Romanticism. It depicts a bare-breasted Lady Liberty carrying the French flag and leading an army of citizens to victory. The painting was inspired by a pivotal moment when Delacroix saw a part of this conflict for himself. Although there was no literal embodiment of the spirit of liberty present, he witnessed what is now the flag of France being flown over Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral by the victorious rebels.

The "Mona Lisa" is certainly the most famous piece from the museum, but if she has any competition for the work of art most associated with the Louvre, it's probably "The Nike of Samothrace." This 8-foot-tall, 2,000-year-old statue was unearthed on the island of Samothrace in the mid-19th century, although not much is known about its origins or the artist. Even headless and armless, this winged figure is as imposing as she is beautiful. Some have theorized that this sculpture was created to celebrate a victory in a sea battle, since she seems to be perched on the prow of a ship, and it is believed that at one time blindfolded worshippers traveled to her remote Greek island to be in her presence.

Today, people still come from all over the world to see the goddess of victory. She can be found in room 703 on level one of the Denon Wing. Under a domed ceiling in the center of an archway, Nike presides over the Daru staircase. A landing might not seem like the most auspicious place for a work of art, but by placing her at the top of the steps, she almost feels like she is in flight.

While there certainly are crowds of visitors desperate for a look at her, the open space that the statue is in and the fact that it is so large and elevated means that it's much easier to get a good look at it on busy days than the "Mona Lisa." If it is really packed, consider going upstairs to the balcony through the gallery of French paintings. It provides an incredible view of "The Nike of Samothrace" at almost eye level and is usually not as busy as the actual landing.

Rooms 700 and 702 of the Denon Wing are better known as The Red Rooms. These impressive halls were built on the orders of Napoleon and are painted red, as the name implies, but that's not the most impressive thing about them. All along the walls you will find many of the largest paintings in the entire museum in gold frames — all of them French. You will find many fascinating works in The Red Rooms to hold your attention without waiting in long lines to see them, but among the most fascinating is Théodore Géricault's "The Raft of the Medusa."

While its name invokes images of Greek mythology, the story behind "The Raft of the Medusa" is French. It depicts a real event that happened when Géricault was living. Painted in 1818, the work depicts people floating on a raft after the horrific wreck of a French ship called the Medusa. The survivors were forced to eat each other to stay alive, and the vast majority of them did not make it back to France. Géricault met these traumatized sailors in order to create a realistic illustration of what it might have been like for them. The painting's subject and the fact that he chose to depict a Black person made it extremely controversial. While it may not be as shocking to modern audiences as it was when it debuted, the scene is still both chilling and beautiful.

Johannes Vermeer is best known for his works depicting real people at work or in quiet moments of solitude in their private spaces, along with his incredible use of light and shadow. Although he is among the most respected artists in history, there are less than 40 known paintings by Vermeer in the world. Two exceptional pieces are located in the same room at the Louvre: "The Astronomer" and one of his most popular works, "The Lacemaker." Both pieces can be found in the Richelieu wing. Although these paintings are famous, if you come to the Louvre at a relatively quiet time, like an off-season afternoon or a weekday morning, you will almost certainly have the opportunity to get a good look at them close up without competing with more than a couple other visitors at a time.

Vermeer's "The Lacemaker" depicts a woman consumed in her work, presumably in her home, bathed in soft light. Similarly, "The Astronomer" shows a man engrossed in his scientific studies, softly lit by the window over his desk. Vermeer is far better known for his depictions of women than men, and these two works, which are often interpreted as being influenced by contemporary views on morality and a person's place in the world, make an intriguing pairing.

Illustrated by Napoleon's court painter Jacques-Louis David, "Oath of Horatii" is surrounded by other enormous works in The Red Rooms in the Denon wing of the Louvre, but it still commands attention in the space. The Neoclassical classic "Oath of the Horatii" is a striking image of three men with their arms around each other reaching for three swords, held aloft by a third figure. In the background, women and children are lamenting.

This piece depicts an ancient Roman legend in which two rival kings send champions to duel rather than fighting a war. The volunteering champions happen to be related, meaning that in order to stop a terrible war and fight for their countries, they will have to either die or kill their family members. In the image, three brothers swear to fight their cousins to death. This evocative painting was painted on the orders of King Louis XVI, but ironically ended up becoming an important image in the French Revolution, which overthrew his monarchy and beheaded him.

While the "Mona Lisa" is certainly Da Vinci's most famous piece, it's not his only surviving painting. The Louvre has more works by Da Vinci than any other museum, and while people line up for a chance to see the "Mona Lisa" between glowing phone screens trying to snap a pic, you can get up close to "The Virgin of the Rocks," "La Belle Ferronnière," "Saint John the Baptist," and "The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne" without waiting in any lines. While these works may not be as familiar to most people as the "Mona Lisa," many find them just as beautiful. 

Da Vinci's "La Belle Ferronnière" may be the best alternative for those who love "Mona Lisa." Like the iconic work, it is a portrait of a woman with captivating eyes and an ambiguous expression — which some argue is more complex than his most famous work. The most underrated may be the warmly lit androgynous figure of "Saint John the Baptist," who has an almost mischievous smile that reveals itself more and more the longer you look.

If you want to get the most out of your museum visit rather than waiting in line, you can see Da Vinci's other works in the Grande Galerie, which is room 710 of the Denon Wing, on level one. It can certainly get crowded, but it's still not as extreme as the room with "Mona Lisa."