The Truth About Italy's 'Skip-The-Line' Tickets Tour Companies Don't Want You To Know

Visiting Italy can be the trip of a lifetime, and Rome is the jewel in the country's crown. If you're visiting, you're likely to be doing what travel pro Rick Steves calls Rome's "Caesar shuffle," which is hitting the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Pantheon. Well, you and thousands of other tourists who want to marvel at these incredible ancient locations. If you're planning a trip, you may have considered something called "skip-the-line" tickets, where a company says you can bypass some long lines if you book the ticket through them. Some of these companies offer you a tour along with these tickets, and if that's what you're looking for, this may be just fine for you. However, there is something some of these companies don't want you to know: Any timed ticket that you purchase from an attraction's official website is technically a skip-the-line ticket, and it's likely less expensive that those purchased from third-party sellers.

If you're not interested in a tour, it's best to simply purchase timed tickets yourself. For instance, the Colosseum — as with many other attractions in Europe and America like the Louvre Museum in Paris or the Getty Center in Los Angeles — makes you reserve a specific entry time window. Some of the skip-the-line companies may purchase some timed tickets and resell them at a higher price. Unless the attraction has a special entrance for tours, you're likely going to pay less on the official site with the same amount of time standing in line. And make no mistake: You're going to be waiting in a line either way.

Tour groups and individuals with skip-the-line tickets, as well as those with simple timed entrance tickets, are still going to have to wait for a bit. There are going to be security checks and other people with tickets for the same time, so you should factor that into your schedule, no matter what kind of pass you have. You can help get through it faster by not bringing a large bag with you and leaving your heavy coat back at the hotel. (Don't fall for other money traps while you're waiting, either, like the gladiator photo scam at the Colosseum.) 

There are some times, however, when these skip-the-line ticket companies may be helpful to you. If the entrance tickets are sold out on a day and time when you want to go, and you don't have other options in your schedule, tickets from a third-party will at least get you in. If it's a choice between missing out on something you're dying to see and paying a bit more, you may decide a few extra euro is worth it. Finally, being an early riser can offer a better experience in Europe, as mornings are often less popular (and, therefore, less likely to be sold out) than later in the day, particularly for the bigger sites. Look for the opening times on the attraction's official website and book that if you can. Then, you have the rest of the day to enjoy a good meal and some souvenir shopping.