During the peak holiday season, top European destinations can be overwhelmingly crowded. Travel experts revealed to Express.co.uk the experience of Italy's famous yet overcrowded attractions.
World-famous hotspots like Barcelona impose higher tourism taxes to manage the influx of visitors. If you want to avoid overcrowded destinations this summer, Madrid travel expert and blogger Sarah Rodriguez shares four locations she finds too busy.
Positano, Italy
Positano, located on the Amalfi coast, may be picturesque, but Sarah described the scene as “busy.”
She told Express.co.uk.
“The atmosphere was busier than idyllic, so tourist prices were inflated. I felt like I couldn't experience a real Positano beyond the chaotic surface.”
Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Dutch capital, Amsterdam, is another city tackling the challenges of overtourism, launching a campaign to discourage certain types of visitors, such as stag parties.
Sarah said: “The city centre was overrunning with a wild bachelor party riding bikes through crowded streets. The museum was packed and reservations at restaurants were not possible.”
Paris, France
Paris's love city was unable to capture Sarah's heart and was shocked by the European hotspots.
She said, “The crowded boulevards in Paris and their never-ending lineup of attractions like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre made my patience tense. I didn't enjoy the atmosphere as much as I waited to take a shot.”
Greece, Mykonos
In contrast, Sarah's expectations of a peaceful retreat in Mykonos, Greece were hampered by unexpected reality.
Sarah said: “When I finally went to the Greek island, I thought it would be a quiet heaven.
“Even if it was breathtakingly gorgeous, I felt that party attendants and drunk vacationers covered it up. The restaurant is expensive and the beach is noisy.”
