They are harassing tourists in Barcelona. It’s a lovely city, I went a decade or more ago… not sure I’d go back in this environment.
Where in Europe isn’t over-toured? Bulgaria? Serbia? Albania? Not Europe, but even Istanbul is the most visited city in the world. Can over-touring be avoided? Because it’s not only bad for the locals… it makes for a suck and very sterile experience as a tourist. You don’t got to Europe or anywhere else to see Taco Bell signs.
I blame it on Instagram, Facebook, Covid and the cheap interest rates.
I’ve never visited Europe… it’s too crowded. There’s too many interesting alternatives to Europe that are not crowded.
Having lived in S. Florida and Los Angeles I don’t like crowded cities, especially when I’m on a vacation.
I’m not sure I want to go to Belarus, but definitely here are some ideas.
20 Least Visited Countries in Europe: Off the Beaten Path (iamaileen.com)
I was in Barcelona 3 months ago and didn’t notice anything. Spent a month in Europe in 6 countries and had a great time. I don’t go in the summer when it’s more crowded. Croatia was very welcoming 2 years ago.
But I’m sure there are great lesser known destinations. By definition they are harder to discover.
To avoid large numbers of tourists:
go in the off seasons
go to less common destinations
book accomodations that aren’t near popular tourist sites
hire local guides who will customize the experience to your taste
Five decades of travel- I agree with all of your points.
My wife and I visited Serbia in 2022 and have a trip planned to Bulgaria later this year. One thing to note is that travelling to less popular locations may require an additional flight or drive.
I was just thinking requiring an additional flight or drive or train ride is a tourist filter!
I’ve been traveling a lot for 30+ years, and the biggest difference I see is the variety of tourists. Every ethnicity instead of just Americans, other Europeans, and Japanese. I run into lots of Brazilians, Indians, Taiwanese, Koreans, you name it. The middle classes everywhere are booming, and this is how they want to spend their time and money. It’s awesome…until you show up at the Vatican in June and see lines that rival DisneyWorld. I usually stick to the shoulder seasons (I like cooler temps), so that experience floored me.