Most Overrated Destinations in Europe
Let’s talk about the most overrated destinations in Europe.
There are many places in Europe that are expensive and get overrun with tourists, especially during the summer. Between the high prices and major crowds, it can leave you feeling ripped off and disappointed.
I’m going to talk about the destinations that I personally find to be the most overrated, plus my top alternatives for where to go instead. These are just my opinions, and while I actually really like all of the destinations I’m about to mention, I do have to admit that they can be, well, a bit overrated.
Two destinations you’re not going to see on this list? Paris and Venice. I know both would make it to the top of many travelers’ most-overrated lists, but they’re some of my favorite cities in the world.
I’ve been to Paris many times, including living there during college and spending a full month there earlier this year. I’ve also been to Venice a number of times, including a week-long trip, and I really love it too.
However, I can see why some travelers find these cities overrated. If you go during the peak summer tourist season and try to cram all your sightseeing into just a couple of days, you’re not going to have a good time.
You could probably make the same argument for the destinations below, too. But as I mentioned already, these are just my personal opinions for European destinations that I found to be overrated. And with almost all of these destinations, I’ve given them a second chance and still felt the same way.
Anyway, with all that being said, let’s get into my most overrated destinations in Europe:
Barcelona, Spain
I’ve been to Barcelona twice now and I just haven’t clicked with the city on either visit. It’s an interesting city with unique architecture thanks to Antoni Gaudí, but it’s far from the most beautiful city in Spain.
Barcelona has also had some issues with overtourism and the city isn’t the most welcoming towards tourists. I also find it to be more expensive than most of Spain, and it’s just a kind of, well, dirty city. I still like Barcelona okay, but I think there are simply better destinations to discover in Spain.
Where to go instead: Seville. Located in the southern region of Andalusia, Seville is the quintessential Spanish city known for being the birthplace of bullfighting and flamenco. I think Seville is a lot more beautiful than Barcelona. It’s also cleaner and more tourist-friendly and there are tons of cool things to do.
Santorini and Mykonos, Greece
I think that Santorini and Mykonos are two beautiful Greek islands, but they’re also overrated. I’ve been to each island twice now, and unfortunately, both times I was visiting in the peak summer months.
I do think I’d have a different experience if I went in, say, late April or early October at the very beginning or tail end of the tourist season, but as it is, these two islands are terrible in the summer.
Both islands get crowded like you wouldn’t believe with cruise ship tourists. Sometimes there are half a dozen large cruise ships in port at once. These two islands are also super expensive and overpriced destinations, and they’re so focused on tourism that they don’t have much in terms of local charm.
Where to go instead: Ios. This island is a lot more affordable than Santorini or Mykonos. If you’re after nightlife like Mykonos, you’ll find tons of it in Ios, but there are also plenty of quieter spots on the island. Being part of the Cyclades island group, Ios has a similar landscape to Santorini and Mykonos. For a totally different Greek island vibe, head to the laidback car-free island of Hydra instead.
Budapest, Hungary
Budapest is a city I have mixed feelings about. The first time I visited, I only had a day and a half there, and I was left with a good impression and wanted to come back for a longer visit next time.
Then when I finally made it back to Budapest for four days, I was underwhelmed. There are some cool tourist attractions in Budapest for sure, but you really don’t need more than a couple of days to hit the highlights. I also found Budapest to be incredibly crowded and more expensive than I remembered.
I also wasn’t all that impressed with the architecture of the city. It wasn’t as pretty as I remembered it being, and it also wasn’t very clean. Everything also just felt super touristy and inauthentic to me.
Where to go instead: Bratislava. Located 2.5 hours from Budapest by train, Slovakia’s capital city has a charming Old Town, nightlife if that’s what you’re after, and prices that are about on par with Budapest.
Amalfi Coast, Italy
The Amalfi Coast is an amazing destination, to be sure. Made up of towns like Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, and Praiano, there’s no disputing this is a truly gorgeous stretch of coastline.
However, the Amalfi Coast is incredibly touristy and it feels like many towns exist only to cater to tourists. And that’s not to mention how ridiculously expensive everything is. I visited in early October, so it wasn’t even that crowded, but I still came away feeling like the Amalfi Coast was a bit of an overrated destination.
Where to go instead: Ischia. Instead of heading down to the Amalfi Coast from Naples, take a one-hour ferry from Naples to the island of Ischia instead. Ischia is absolutely beautiful, with good beaches, a dramatic historic castle, and thermal hot springs. It’s a popular destination with Italians, but not so much foreign tourists, which makes it less crowded, more authentic feeling, and better value for your money.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Similar to Budapest, I first visited Amsterdam for barely two days, and since I didn’t have much time to see the city properly or visit some of the most popular attractions, I knew I would come back one day.
I ended up spending three full days in Amsterdam and that was more than enough for me. Some of the tourist attractions (like the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Rijksmuseum) are definitely worth it, and exploring the canals of the city on foot and by boat tour is a cool experience.
But overall, I just found myself underwhelmed by Amsterdam. Even though it seems like such a charming city, it didn’t actually feel that way to me — it felt cold and it was dirtier than I remembered.
Where to go instead: Krakow. This might seem like a strange alternative, but I think Krakow, Poland is a great destination to visit instead of Amsterdam. If you’re looking for nightlife, Krakow has tons of it. It’s also a very pretty and historic city with cool things to do. And it’s way cheaper than Amsterdam! While you’re at it, I would visit the city of Wroclaw too, a real hidden gem in Poland.
London, United Kingdom
Oh, London. There’s no denying it’s a great city, but it’s a place I have such a love-hate relationship with. I do think London is a worthwhile destination to visit (like all the places on this list!) but I find it crazy when people go to the UK and only visit London. There’s so much more to the country than that!
On paper, I should love London. In some ways, it reminds me of New York, where I’m from, and I tend to love big cities. London is a massive city so there’s tons to do. But sometimes it feels like too big of a city to me. I’ve been to London many times, but I’ve just never fully clicked with the city despite my best efforts.
Where to go instead: Edinburgh. If you’re still after a city vibe, head north to the Scottish capital. Edinburgh is compact and walkable, unlike London. And in my opinion, it’s a prettier city full of charm.
Most Overrated Destinations in Europe
These are the most overrated destinations in Europe, in my personal opinion.
I want to make it clear that I don’t think there’s anything wrong with any of these destinations. I’ve been to all of them and I think they’re all worth visiting! But all of these places can feel overrated too.
That’s why I suggested some alternative destinations to visit instead. These aren’t meant to be perfect substitutes for any of the “overrated” destinations, but just alternatives for you to consider instead.
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