Want to skip the lines and dodge the crowds on your next holiday? Discover 5 smart ways to avoid tourist crowds and still enjoy the best of every destination.
We’ve all been there... shoulder to shoulder with strangers, stuck in line for an hour, or craning for a glimpse of a famous site behind a sea of selfie sticks. While iconic attractions are popular for a reason, you don’t have to sacrifice comfort or spontaneity just to see them. In this guide, we’ll show you how we have managed to avoid crowds when traveling without missing the highlights. With a bit of planning and the right tools (like MyGuideGuru’s self-guided tours), you can enjoy a more relaxed, authentic travel experience.
One of the easiest ways to dodge the crowds is by shifting your trip just slightly off-peak. Shoulder seasons (spring and autumn in most destinations) offer milder weather, fewer tourists, and better deals. Think April in Paris or October in Rome: the charm is still there, but the queues are not. Best of all you might even escape the opressive heat!
Last year we travelled April to June through Spain and Italy... the weather was perfect, we didn't need reservations and we could manoeuvre the pram around with ease. This year we had less flexibility and travelled around Italy during July where we were fighting crowds and trying to manage a toddler that was melting down in the heat wave (pun intended)!
Choosing off-peak dates doesn’t mean missing out; in fact, it often means getting a better view, more time in each location, and richer interactions with locals. It also lets you enjoy self-guided experiences without the pressure of packed spaces or rushing from site to site.
Timing is everything. If you’re planning to see major attractions, aim for early morning or late afternoon. It must be one of the only perks of travelling with a toddler... you're up early! Check out this photo of us at the Duomo in Milan just after sunrise, which was flooded with tourists only hours later!
Most tour groups operate in the mid-morning to mid-afternoon window. Additionally, most people are off to enjoy an aperitivo mid-afternoon, which is a spectacular time of day to watch that beautiful soft afternoon light settle over some spectacular sights. So planning around those hours can drastically reduce your time in lines and your stress... but also open up some beautiful opportunities to soak in sights in peace.
Sunrise at the Acropolis or a twilight walk through the Colosseum offers not only fewer people but better lighting and a more peaceful vibe. Better yet, most attractions allow you to book your tickets in advance!
Guided tours often move in large groups and follow rigid timetables. That’s great for some, but not ideal if your goal is to avoid the crowds. We may be biased, but we've now experienced both and with a self-guided tour app like MyGuideGuru, you can explore cities at your own pace, whenever it suits you.
You decide when to start, what to linger over, and when to stop for a gelato or a quiet café. Our curated audio tours mean you’ll never miss the story behind the site, but you’ll also never be stuck waiting for 30 other people to catch up, or craning your neck to hear your guide.
Not sure where to go first? Try a Lisbon walking tour or a biking adventure in Amsterdam.
Sure, everyone wants to see the Eiffel Tower, but Paris is also full of hidden gems. From canal-side strolls in the 19th arrondissement to family-run bakeries in Montmartre, there’s more to a city than the top five attractions.
MyGuideGuru is perfect for this. You can either drill down into a locality or chose a tour ‘near me’ which will focus in on the history or food of that suburb, opening up possibilities to explore lesser known destinations. Our themed walking tours (like our Culinary or Scandalous options) also help to add a bit more flavour, focusing less on the traditional sites. Better still, add a bike to the mix! Then you have a greater reach than those limited to touristy old towns.
With a personalised self-guided tour app (like MyGuideGuru) it makes easy to experience a city through a different lens.
Crowds can be unpredictable, but with flexibility on your side, you can build quieter experiences into your day. Start in lesser-known areas and circle back to busier ones later. Or flip a route, begin at the final stop of a suggested tour and work your way backward to avoid peak timing.
MyGuideGuru’s tours allow for total flexibility. You can pause the audio, skip a stop, or pick back up later if you decide to detour. It's a great way to turn your day into a mix of quiet streets, local surprises, and famous landmarks, all without the rush.
Traveling doesn’t have to mean navigating crowds and waiting in lines. With smart choices... like off-peak travel, flexible timing, personalisation and self-guided audio tours, you can enjoy iconic destinations in a relaxed, meaningful way.
Want more ideas for smooth, stress-free adventures? Explore the full blog collection or download the MyGuideGuru app to start planning your next crowd-free escape.
