12 Tourist Traps Everyone Visits (And Everyone Secretly Wishes They Didn’t)
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The world is full of amazing places, some magical, some picture perfect, and some just plain exciting. That’s why millions of people pack their bags every year, eager to check out the world’s most famous spots. But let’s be real, not every popular destination is as great as it looks online.
Sure, they might seem like dream destinations on Instagram, but once you get there, things can feel a little underwhelming. To save you some disappointment, here’s a list of 12 tourist traps you might want to skip. These places made the cut because they don’t quite live up to the hype. If you’re aiming for a trip to remember for the right reasons, you’ll want to steer clear of these.
Hallstatt, Austria
You’ll likely recognize Hallstatt, a breathtaking lakeside village on the western shore of Lake Hallstatt, from one of your devices. It’s commonly used as a default TV, laptop, and tablet screensaver. Tucked away in the Austrian Alps, this gorgeous 16th-century village and its vibrant architecture look like a dream.
However Hallstatt has been ruined by overtourism. Tourists have overwhelmed Hallstatt to capture the perfect image of the village’s Evangelical church, quaint houses, and scenic mountain views.
Despite being home to less than 1,000 people, thousands of tourists visit this popular tourist destination yearly. Things have got so bad in the village that residents have resorted to boarding up viewpoints and roping off their properties.
Read also: Avoid These Tourist Traps in Europe
The Spanish Steps, Rome, Italy
Rome is one of the world’s most famous, historic, and beautiful cities. It has everything from ancient Roman ruins and world-famous landmarks to world-class cuisine and designer shops. However, the city also has its fair share of tourist traps, the Spanish Steps being one of the biggest.
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A short walk from the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps are a 135-step staircase that leads from Piazza di Spagna to Piazza Trinità dei Monti. They were installed in the city in 1725. Ever since, they’ve been one of the city’s most iconic points of interest. Unfortunately, a number of Google reviews point to overcrowding, littering, and tourist scams on the steps. As a result, the Italian government has implemented strict rules, such as requiring people not to sit on the steps.
Read also: Tourist Traps in Italy
Bali, Indonesia
I find it challenging to include Bali on a list of the world’s tourist traps because it’s one of my favorite places to go. This magical tropical island offers travelers glorious white sand beaches, charming towns, lush, rich terraces, and beautiful ancient temples. However, Bali’s increasing popularity has put immense pressure on the island.
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The island needs help to keep up with the demand, building more resorts, restaurants, and roads. Despite the government’s best efforts, the island suffers greatly from overcrowding, environmental issues, and damage to cultural landmarks according to a number of reviews. With that in mind, I recommend visiting another Indonesian island until Bali has had a chance to recover and implement new tourism initiatives to deal with over-tourism.
Read also: Things You Shouldn’t Do as a Tourist
The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
Despite offering endless volcanic landscapes to explore, picturesque national parks, one-of-a-kind natural wonders, and the opportunity to spot the Northern Lights, one of Iceland’s most famous and photographed attractions is an artificial lagoon called the Blue Lagoon. While the Blue Lagoon is an excellent place to relax, it doesn’t show you the authentic Iceland.
In fact, I’d argue it’s actually an eyesore on what is otherwise a stunning natural landscape. Furthermore, its popularity has seen the lagoon become very commercialized and expensive. The high prices and large crowds take the shine away from the lagoon. Instead, visit one of the island’s more authentic hidden gems, such as Hrunalaug Hot Spring, Hvammsvik Hot Spring, and the Kerlingarfjöll Hot Spring.
Read also: Spectacular Hot Air Balloon Rides Around the World
La Rambla, Barcelona, Spain
The following tourist trap on our list is La Rambla in Barcelona, Spain. Almost every itinerary, TikTok video, and Instagram post referring to a city break in Barcelona includes La Rambla, one of the city’s most famous streets. From the outside looking in, this street looks fascinating, lined with quaint restaurants, bars, shops, and traditional buildings.
However, La Rambla fails to live up to its hype. Admittedly, the street looks spectacular, but that’s about all it offers. Otherwise, you can expect large crowds, in-your-face restaurant staff and street vendors, unauthentic restaurants, overpriced food and drink, and several tourist scams and pickpockets. Therefore, we recommend avoiding the streets altogether and visiting quieter streets like the Gothic Quarter.
Read also: Tourist Traps in Spain
Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, United States
Hollywood Boulevard is a world-famous street in Los Angeles, California, best known for its theaters and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For those who don’t know, the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark that consists of more than 2,750 five-pointed stars and the handprints of thousands of celebrities, such as Nicolas Cage and Jenifer Lopez.
Millions of tourists visit the landmark yearly to hunt down their favorite actors/actresses or performers’ stars and handprints. It’s not uncommon for the Walk of Fame to attract over 10 million visitors annually. Unfortunately, this leads to large crowds, overpriced food establishments, and expensive accommodation. That said, it’s best to avoid the area altogether.
Read more: Steer Clear Off These Tourist Traps in the US
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Santorini, Greece
Santorini is one of Greece’s most famous islands. While it seems the perfect place to enjoy a luxurious island escape, the truth is very different in high season. Beyond the pristine beaches, fiery sunsets, and 5-star villas with private pools, there is a bustling island jam-packed with tourists in July and August.
From the island’s overhyped Instagram viewpoints, people queue for hours to see, to overpriced restaurants and unauthentic tourist souvenir shops, Santorini isn’t what it seems. Worse yet, the island’s popularity has seen accommodation prices soar. Unfortunately, the number of visitors has eroded Santorini’s peaceful and romantic vibes. As such, we recommend visiting a quieter island like Folengandros or Kefalonia.
Georgia Konidari from World Wild Schooling, a Greek who has visited Santorini several times, says, “The best time to visit is during the shoulder season. Santorini is still magical in May, early June, or late September without the tourist crowds.”
Read also: Avoid These Tourist Traps on the Greek Islands
The Pyramid of Giza, Egypt
The Pyramid of Giza might seem like a controversial addition to this list because it is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to remain. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t still one of the world’s biggest tourist traps. The Giza Pyramid complex dates back to 2500 B.C. and is a sight to behold.
However, many tourists complain about how bad their experience was when they visited. Sadly, this world-famous location is filled with touts, scammers, and hecklers. Therefore, you’ll unlikely be able to explore this world wonder without being mithered the entire time. Worse yet, the Pyramids are renowned for being messy, with the surrounding area covered in litter. Fast food restaurants don’t serve as a suitable backdrop, either.
Read more: World’s Most Iconic Places
Taj Mahal, India
The Taj Mahal, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, is a fine example of how a tourist attraction can be ruined by its own success. Commissioned in 1631 by the fifth Mughal emperor to house the tomb of his late wife, it is a breathtaking white marble mausoleum in Agra, India.
Unfortunately, the enormous popularity of the structure has seen it suffer from overcrowding, tourist scams, and pushy tour guides. As such, the initial joy you experience when you glimpse the mausoleum for the first time often diminishes quickly. Not to mention, witnessing the poverty around the Taj Mahal in Agra makes the experience less enjoyable. I’ve visited the Taj Mahal, and this is how I felt.
Read more: UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Times Square, New York, United States
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, entertainment hub, neighborhood, and tourist attraction in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City, United States. You’ve likely seen the bright lights, towering buildings, and large TV screens of Times Square splattered all over Instagram and in the movies.e
While it looks like an entertaining and exciting place to explore, it’s not somewhere you want to visit on a tight budget or if you dislike large crowds. Up to 460,000 people visit Times Square daily. As a result, you can expect to encounter enormous crowds of tourists vying for the best photograph. The square’s popularity has also increased the area’s food, drink, and accommodation prices.
Read also: Must-See Landmarks in the US
Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany
The penultimate tourist trap on our list is Oktoberfest, an annual festival across Germany from late September into early October. During this traditional event, people drink beer, watch carnivals and parades, and participate in games and dancing. In Munich, more than six million people attend the Oktoberfest.
Sadly, the shine of this once-local festival has been taken away by the sheer volume of people that attend it and the high prices. Unfortunately, this leads to much disappointment because you’ll spend way more than you wanted to and spend most of your time in a queue waiting for a beer. We don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound like much fun.
Read also: Tourists Should Never Do These Things in Europe
The Louvre Museum, Paris, France
The final tourist trap on our list is the Louvre Museum in Paris, France’s luxurious capital city. The Louvre Museum is a beautiful place to visit, but the famous artwork inside makes it a tourist trap. For those who didn’t know, the Louvre Museum houses the Mona Lisa, a portrait painting by renowned Italian artist Leonardo Da Vinci.
Created in 1503, the Mona Lisa is widely regarded as the most famous painting ever. As such, millions of people flock to the Louvre annually. You can expect huge queues just to glimpse the painting, which you can’t even stand that close to. You’re better off looking at it online.
Read also: Things To Do in the World Before You Die
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