Long ass lines. Few things are as annoying as spending a morning in Rome queuing for tickets to enter the Vatican Museum, Colosseum or Forum. And yet, there are always hundreds of people outside these places burning away their vacation time because they didn’t plan ahead. Don’t be one of those people. Following these tips will ensure that you’re making the most out of your vacation time and avoiding those long ass lines.

1. Purchase tickets in advance. Most of the attractions you’re going to check out allow you to purchase tickets online the day before you visit. The Louvre and Musee D’Orsay are great examples. During past trips to Paris, I purchased my tickets directly from the museums’ websites and skipped the frightening queues everyone else was forced to stand in. These are pictures of the line outside Musee D’Orsay and me about to walk right passed it.

2. Do your sightseeing in the afternoon or early evening. Going later means having less time to explore certain places, but the crowds at most tourists attractions dissipate throughout the day with a rush in the mornings followed by an afternoon lull.

3. Skip the tourist attractions all together. Bourdain was onto something when we skipped the Pyramids of Giza during a trip to Egypt. Instead of expending time and energy required for that trek, he spent his hours walking around Cairo, eating with locals and learning about the culture as it is now. I don’t understand why people physically go to the Eiffel Tower. You can see the damn thing from anywhere in Paris. I’d much rather have a bottle of wine and baguette in a park than go through the hell that is an insanely crowded tour of one of the most visited landmark in the world (7 million people annually).

So there you have it! In short, book your tickets for attractions in advance, go in the afternoon or early evening, or skip it all together and spend a day living like a local.