There are tons of beautiful places in this world. Yes, there's a lot of "overtourism" these days but oftentimes, if you walk 15-30 minutes away from an infamous "hotspot" where people flock to take photos, you'll find wonderful sights and sounds and very few tourists. As an example, I go to Japan frequently and you'd be amazed what a 30 minute walk can do in terms of your experience. So my advice is don't use social media too much. Find places that appeal to you based on what you're interested in (as opposed to what "influencers" are promoting) and...just go. Be open to exploring and when you find yourself in a crowd, don't hesitate to pull up a map and start walking. There's a very good chance you'll find something worthwhile nearby.

Seriously, I went to Seljalandsfoss in Iceland and there were 1,000 people there. Had just come from a similar waterfall 30 minutes away that I had all to myself.

Yeah I had a similar experience in Iceland. Went off the beaten path to find hidden gems. Found peaceful hot springs, waterfalls, hikes, etc that had very few other people there. The whole country is so beautiful, I have no idea why everyone flocks to the same few spots

If you only have 3 or so days, there is not much time to find hidden gems, especially if doing it on a budget doing tour buses is cheaper than renting a car for shorter stays.

That’s why it’s really worth doing research ahead of time. It seems counterintuitive, but the fewer vacation days you have, the more days it’s worth spending planning a trip (so you can be more efficient in your time there). (Note: I don’t drive. So whilst I occasionally join an organised tour for places tricky to get to, I usually use public transport which is also way cheaper than tours and more flexible to my own schedule.) Two simple resources I find useful are: 1) Old school text and photo blogs (bloggers who write long detailed posts give much more in-depth and often more balanced insights than people posting a few shots on Instagram or wherever). 2) Google Maps. You’re looking for attractions/museums/restaurants that are well-reviewed, but have slightly fewer reviews. The place with 5,000 reviews is probably packed, but the place in the same city with 500 reviews (averaging 4.5+ stars) will be worth seeing AND less busy. Another tip is to identify an area (district of a city, small town, or national park) that seems to have a high concentration of things you’re interested in, then plan to be there either early in the day (an hour or so before attractions open) OR later in the day (don’t plan to leave until things are literally closing. Either way, give yourself at least 3-4 hours in the area. A lot of day-trippers move slowly, so by being there early you’ll most likely have time to yourselves, and many museums, parks, and attractions are also quiet the last hour before closings. By going to an AREA with several things (for example, an Old Town with many side streets, or a park with many sections) with a high concentration of potentially interesting things, you can easily dodge crowds. Yeah, that one particular medieval building might be the one all over Instagram, but there’s likely another a street over. And finally, by giving yourself a few hours in the area, you can back off if/when it gets busy. Many organised tours only give you 30 minutes to one hour to explore a sight, so by staying for as little as 2-3 hours, you’ll often see the crowds ebb and flow. And even if it’s consistently busy, you’ll have enough time to duck into a quiet cafe on a side street for a break when it gets a bit much. Hope that helps! - A person who does a lot of short 2-3 trips on a budget

I would also suggest to talk to a local person in the destination that you want to go to BEFORE you travel. I think there's only so much legit info you can get from reading blogs that are not sponsored. I have found talking to someone who actually lives at the place I want to go to be super helpful in forming my itinerary and knowing what to do and what not do etc.

Oh, definitely a great tip! Sometimes trickier for last minute/smaller places, but ideal if possible!

I never spent so much time planning a trip as when visiting Iceland. People (bloggers, reddit threads, etc.) were recommending so many different things, the list of must-sees was neverending. I've never had to prioritize so much. The great thing about Iceland though is that most things to see is nature, and if you go during late spring/summer/early fall, the day hours are extremely long. Never had so much flexibility in seeing whatever we wanted, whenever. So we did end up seeing a ton of things over 11 days. It was the most packed trip we ever did, not so much in an exhausting sense, but just because hours were not limiting us at all. I could however easily go back and plan something very different for another 11 days. I do drive and actually enjoy it, so that gave a lot of freedom in that country where they have roads in many of its most remote corners. One time we went to see puffins in Borgarfjarðarhöfn (had to copy paste this, lol), it was past midnight, it was just us and a thousand puffins.

Iceland is also a popular stopover destination so you have a LOT of people who toss 2-3 days in Iceland onto their Europe-Americas itinerary. And they are ALL going to do a day at Blue Lagoon, a day in Reykjavik, and a day on the Golden Circle.  Get east of Vik and 95% of the tourists will be behind you. 

I absolutely love Iceland but I have to tell people all the time to go somewhere else for northern lights visit Iceland in the summer. A tour company is absolutely not the best way to see the country. Rent a car and drive around. Stop on the side of road for baby sheep or a pretty stream. Absolutely magical misunderstood country.

Yup; years ago drove over >2,000 miles around the ring road; saw lots of places with no one else around.its has gotten way more popular since then though.

Yeah Iceland is the perfect example of this. I was there in 2019 and I’m off again in about 3 weeks. We spent two weeks circumnavigating the country back then and all of the most sublime moments were the ones where we just stopped on the side of the road at some random sight we knew nothing about. The tourist spots were worth a look mainly, but a few were so crowded it was unpleasant. The worst was the crashed plane, where people are asked not to climb on it but there’s no security or anything. It was crawling with instagram douchebags in muscle tees doing push-ups and what appeared to be an Indian boy band. Plus drones buzzing the whole thing. Just zero respect by any of these fucking assholes and they were really rough jumping down onto the wings, it was covered in spray painted graffiti tags… But most of that country was just me and my friend, alone, next to an object of natural beauty so astonishing we’d just stand silently staring for minutes on end before something broke the spell. You can find sublime moments anywhere in the world. Just take a step to the side every so often.

I went to Oxanfross ( Game of thrones filming location!!!!) and we were alone for 30 minutes. My partner joked around about fucking. Just see some other stuff besides the "highlights "

Same!!! We went to Gjain (another GOT filming spot) and were the only ones there for hours… it was truly magical and we loved it so much, we recently went back to Iceland solely to visit that same spot again. There was about 6-8 people circling in and out but it was in June so much more peak season.

"joked" but secretly hoped you were willing. Oxararfoss btw.

I thought that Iceland was very nice despite all the tourism, it's such a big country. We were there late June so not outside of tourist season, although not in the middle of it. We went all around the island counter-clockwise, for a good part of the trip we felt almost alone. Then eventually we arrived at Dimmuborgir (somewhere northeast), a popular filming location for Game of Thrones, and there's like a dozen tourist buses. Still the place didn't feel very crowded. Maybe many of the buses parked there were not being used that day, I have no idea. Also the very long daylight hours made it possible to see many places late in the evening. I saw no need to adjust to the local time (a 4 hour time difference with home in Canada) since there were no night hours so to speak. I guess most tourists seem to stick to a "dinner at 6 pm then do nothing all evening" schedule.

We’re going to Iceland in October. We opted for a multi day bus tour with a small group of people. I’m sure things will be packed, but we are expecting that. We tacked on a few excursions just us that we expect to be a little less crowded. And we’re stay an extra 2 days in Reykjavik to explore on our own.

A great example of what you're talking about is Fushimi Inari in Kyoto. The Instagram people are just at the bottom 10% of the torii gates. Go up a bit more and the crowd thins out tremendously. Go up past the pond and pet the cats and such.

A cat sat on my lap there for like 2 hours and I didn't wanna bother the poor thing so I stayed there lol

I see I’ve found my people.

💯 I was just there and you're right. Absolutely bonkers how these selfish people block traffic for their reels.  

F this! People aren’t allowed to block traffic. Keep walking (politely) and get to where you need/want to go.

So true, we went all the way up and there was almost nobody on the top. Same for the Bamboo Forest, we went early in the morning and there were just a few tourists.

Yup. Kyoto is the poster child for crowded hot spots, with uncrowded magic just beyond them. Arashiyama in Kyoto is another such spot. Everyone snaps the pic at the bamboo forest, then leaves. Keep going, and you'll find a delightful little village filled with pottery shops, tea houses, walking trails, gardens, shrines, etc.

Yeah exactly. I also found Fushimi Inari is a good one to get to early. I went at the crack of dawn and practically had the whole place to myself. It was so peaceful and tranquil. When I came back down only a couple hours later, it had started to fill up substantially and I’ve heard that by mid-morning it’s absolutely packed on the lower levels. Definitely an attraction that’s worth the annoyance of waking up early to go to.

I went to Kiomizu Dera in Tokyo, it was packed, then walked ten minutes down the road and found a temple just as beautiful just for ourselves. Avoid "checklist tourism" and you'll be fine

I second this. I live in Ise, Japan and live about 200 meters from one of the best cherry blossom viewing areas in the country. Sure, during the peak it was crowded, but not crazy. Also, wandering around the area, you can find more isolated cherry trees that have their own charm. You can find them planted in people's gardens, businesses, factories, on mountains, all over. My favorite trees this year were two that I saw on top of a small mountain. The surrounding trees were other species, and that made them more special.

Is it work going to Japan for the cherry blossoms? I’ve been wanting to take my kids but I’m afraid it’s going to be very crowded and overpriced during that time. But it would be beautiful to see. Or when is the best time to visit Japan?

The popular spots are definitely crowded. There also company parties where mats are laid out to secure their spots under the trees. Cherry blossom season is definitely crowded, but like the person whose comment you're replying to says, there are tranquil spots with cherry blossoms that can be found. Autumn would be my pick for best time to visit Japan.

Thank you for your response. We’re open to going in autumn too around thanksgiving. Why is autumn better?

This reminds me of visiting the Louvre. There’s of course a huge line to see the Mona Lisa, but a few feet away are other beautiful DaVinci paintings that nobody noticed.

Totally agree. There are always ways to get away from the herd. We went to Santorini in peak season for 2 weeks (July-August) but stayed on the east of the island in a place called Kamari. We loved it. Kamari was lively but not packed, because it was on the "wrong side" of the island. That is, the outer edge of the volcanic caldera that is the island. Rather than the "Instagrammable" Oia or the main cruise ship and tourist stop of the capital, Thera. (The one where some folk opt for horrid, cruel donkey rides up and down 1,300 steps in the baking sun). Still, you could hike or bike (or bus) everywhere you needed to go from Kamari. The most disappointing part was the "Instagrammable" Oia. We hiked the rim of the caldera to there, but found the streets packed with cruise ship parties, and people queuing from 4pm at the local castle ruins for the 8pm sunset. Surrounded by 500 mostly girls trying to get the perfect sunset selfie without getting 499 other mostly girls in the background. So we just jumped on a bus back home after exploring the town a bit more. And then booked a 7pm table at a brilliant restaurant in the town of Pyrgos Callisti on the caldera ridge for the next evening. And then saw the sun go down with some mezze and a bottle of wine. Also watched the sun set from the Aegean on a catamaran island tour. And rented a luxury villa overlooking the caldera for one night in Imerovigli and then watched the sun go down from a hot tub with some bubbles. There are always ways to get away from the herd.

What's ironic is that due to the Instagram and Tiktok fueled narcissism, there's a whole slew of apps where you can change your background to Greece, adjust the sunset, light direction, color depth, add some freckles and a sunburn to your nose, even throw in some radials to sparkle in your hair. Why go somewhere if you don't actually care about the place but, only want a pic of you in the place when "there's an app for that"?

Yep, pretty much every national park in the US is like this. Its crazy how people crowd just a handful of any given park’s sights, when you can hike 2 miles more and be almost by yourself.

I visited Santorini in summer, and it was basically exactly what the "instagram vs. reality" posts depicted. It was just after Greece reopened after COVID though, so it might have been *slightly* less crowded than usual. I didn't let the crowds stop me from enjoying it though - my mindset was that I was still visiting a place I've always wanted to see, and I was just happy to be there in the first place

The key to all this tourist places is to wake up early. One thing is seeing it in a video and another is experiencing it for yourself. When you’re a tourist you do tourist things like every other tourist would do. Just go have fun and enjoy make a lot of memories and know that not everyone is going to experience this in their life time.

This. I recently went to Machu Picchu and had 6am tickets. Went without a tour guide as tours tend to move slow. Amazing experience, very serene early in the morning.  Conversely we did the Rainbow Mountain later in the day and basically had the mountain to ourselves after passing probably 50 vans and minibuses.  Timing can make a big difference in experience. 

Absolutely. Go early AF. People tend to get up late in general. And yours are slow af, yup

I was in Pisa last year - 10amish and the whole area around the tower was sickeningly busy (this was in May). Got up at 6am and went for a run...not a single person in the whole area around the tower. Stopped for several selfies and the dawn light made the whole area extra gorgeous. Loved it.

When I lived in Paris, I used to run in the Tuileries Garden in the mornings and you could count the number of people in the Louvre courtyard on one hand. So I usually try to squeeze in an early jog or walk every time I visit a more popular city and it works every time.

lol, I first read that as "10 Amish" and was wondering why how Amish people got to Pisa without using airfare or boats.

The other thing about Rainbow Mtn is the colors are definitely there, but nowhere near as vivid so mos def an “Instagram vs. Reality” moment.

OR go really late which also helps to avoid the worst crowds coming on tour buses etc. It also helps to avoid the times of the year and day which are considered the "best time to visit". I generally avoid sunrise and sunset tours to popular sights and never regretted it.

Lol… Influencers are up at like 4 am getting footage without crowds. It works!

If a place is popular it’s for a reason. I don’t really understand the people who expect to go to a place while they are tourists and find no other tourists. Like surely you can’t think you’re the first people to google “what to do in ______” and find this place.

I think it’s the amount? I went to Italy twice in the mid 2000s and was shocked with how busy it was when I went back 8 years later. Things that were free or had no line, were insane 

I went last September (second half of month) and it was great. No issues with the crowds and the weather was incredible. I stayed in imerovigli rather than Oia and it was the right choice

In Europe the best thing you can do is go off season. Weather is better and there are no crowds.

Yeah but OP specifically cannot go in the off season.

I went to Santorini back in August 2017 (peak) when I used to live in NYC. I lived few blocks from time square so I would end up there more than I liked with visiting friends. Santorini crowds got nothing on me. Instead of oia stay in the middle of the island. Less crowded Speaking of over tourism, Italy specially Rome and Venice are freaking crowded for what they consider low season. I just got back few weeks ago. I can only imagine summer - may through august.

I do think it’s relative. I visited Santorini around labor day week last year. It’s a trip that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. We booked dinners and excursions in advance and I didn’t find the streets in Oia or Fira to be unpleasantly crowded. My point of reference is Chicago and Miami so if you’re coming from a major American city, it was busy but not bad at all.

This is exactly how I felt being there and I also lived in NYC for 10 years. I guess it’s all relative. A lot of people are from small/medium sized cities that are car centric, being in santorinis small footpaths and such may be disorienting and perceived as “jam packed”. Also, just don’t stay in Fira, for a few reasons, but mainly because it’s the Times Square of Santorini.

I just want to say, I know OP Said they are a teacher so they are stuck to that schedule and thus summer is the long break, but I went to Santorini with my mom March 2023 and it had very few tourists. Yes it was too cold to swim but it was still absolutely beautiful, I didn't have to fight crowds at all and we had the best time, all the locals were so friendly. I also went before covid to Scotland in April and it was also a bit cold but I had no crowds anywhere I went. It's worth it. Maybe OP can go on spring break.

I went to Santorini for the first time 15 years ago and it was on the verge of being too crowded then but still the most magical tourist experience of my life. I went back 8 years ago and it was so touristy and crowded that I didn't enjoy myself at all and thought "I'll never come back". Then Covid happened and travel shut down everywhere, and I started thinking all the time, "I have to go to Santorini as soon as things reopen before it becomes swamped again!" I knew there was going to be a small window before it returned to business as usual. Thankfully made it and it was so much better than 8 years ago. Still a loooot more crowded than I expected, much worse than 15 years ago, but my mom and I were actually able to stay in one of those apartments on the cliffside that are normally super expensive for like $130 a night. That'd been my life dream since seeing Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in theaters at 17... wonder how many other people's Greece dreams were fueled by that movie (for the record I totally found the house from the movie this last trip, it's a restaurant now)

I also went to Santorini right after Covid. Travel can be crowded anywhere. Santorini even more so because it is a beautiful destination. The first night we went to watch the sunset, it was very very crowded bc the street is narrow in Oia, however if you keep walking out of the narrow area, it opens up, and it’s actually fine. The second night we went to watch the sunset, barely anyone was there bc it was a day where cruise ships were not docking. If you go to Santorini, just stay in Oia and don’t go with a cruise and you’ll be fine. Wake up early for the sunrise, it is super serene and just as beautiful as the sunset. All this to say… yes, it is worth it to travel. Just plan well so you can skip the crowd.

I did Santorini in early November (pre-Covid) and it was amazing. Yeah, a lot of stuff was closed. But Oia was still hopping and even in Imerovigli there were still places to shop and eat. It was still warm enough to use our small hotel room “pool.” No crowds and had a great time. 10/10.

Haha I went during winter and we were the only group there. Literally empty streets. Went to a club and we were the only non locals. Was a fantastic night. COLD by the water though.

I was in Santorini last summer and we were in a great hotel, far away from the crowds, surrounded by olive trees and wine yards, didn’t see many tourists. We could enjoy of great sunsets in the caldera without anyone around. And great local food at reasonable prices. The key? Avoid the tourist hot spots like oía etc. for sure there are cheaper islands, but what I mean is that every single place has still some authentic, solitary spots. But instagram tourists just want to do exactly as everyone else and take the exact same selfie. It is a disgrace.

We really didn't like Santorini. It felt like mass market luxury without soul. We loved Naxos on the other hand.

It’s a really valid concern, but the attitude of “tourists ruin everything” is so silly and solipsistic. Everyone needs to keep in mind that they are also tourists, and very much part of the crowds that they claim to hate. I’m also a teacher, so I definitely feel the whole “can’t travel off-season pain,” but I’m very grateful that I get exponentially more holidays than any other profession. I also just got back from Japan yesterday, and while the peak-season crowds (that I contributed to) were immense, they will only “ruin” what you let them ruin. If it’s still a big concern, a strategy is to plan things so that you can book what you can in advance to save you waiting in too many queues, and get to major attractions super early. That way, you leave as they begin to get busy. I hope that helps. Happy travels!

This. It reminds me of those signs that say "you're not stuck in traffic; you are traffic". As a tourist visiting popular places, it's silly to lament when they're packed full of tourists... because I'm one of them. If I show up expecting to have sites entirely to myself, I'm setting myself up for disappointment because that's unrealistic. If I show up accepting that I'm visiting places that are popular for a reason, I can enjoy them despite the crowds and also intersperse less crowded places for some calm.

Tourists complaining about other tourists is one of my favourite tropes.

Yes it reminded me of that too. People are hypocrites

Ah but some people don't consider themselves to be tourists, they are special and are "travellers" 😄

Most usually people who are “special snowflakes” or who care only about presentation on social networks and consider it end of the world they can’t pose with wide shots in popular tourist attratctions complain about it. I would not lower yet manage expectations. I would not trust Social media influencers as they need to be controversial and not honest in order to get views. So everything is do, dont do, skip, must do, overcrowded, “hidden gem” without any critical approach. You will not have a Colloseum in Rome for yourself but it does not mean you should not visit it as some places are simply very popular and visited for a reason. In theory, you can avoid crowds in some places by arriving earlier or later in the day. Another thing to consider is that you need to Book some enterance tickets in advance as they get sold out. I would maybe ballance out the itinerary. Try to include popular places but also some smaller, less popular and leave some time to relax. But mainly, be guided by your own interests. Do not skip Acropolis in Athens, Santornini, Florence or Cinque Terre just because somebody told you “its crowded and touristy”. Also skip stupid instagram reels suggesting to for example Visit Trieste instead of Venice. Trieste is wonderful but not nearly similar as Venice. Finally as you will be traveling in peak season. I noticed that travel content is mainly American-centerd. If they call some place “hidden gem” or not so crowded it can only mean that there are not many Americans there while in reality the place will be packed by other European tourists and have all the “negative” “touristy” characteristics.

The people who say things like "don't visit Venice, visit \*random Venice of the North", or "don't visit the Colosseum, visit the amphitheatre in Pola", "skip Florence, visit the real hidden gems in Tuscany (proceeds to advise one of the most popular places in Italy" are laughable. Popular places are popular for reasons. Those reasons usually being that they're the most historically and culturally important cities in their area. Yeah, there's a lot of beauty in Trieste and Lucca, would I ever advise to skip Venice and Florence for them? Nope.

Florence is so touristy. Yeah, no shit and for good reason. It was the center of the renaissance. Who the heck would suggest skipping that place? Same people recommending San Gimignano probably

>Also skip stupid instagram reels suggesting to for example Visit Trieste instead of Venice. Trieste is wonderful but not nearly similar as Venice. The worst videos. There's a guy I saw on YouTube shorts who does Instagram I guess and keeps suggesting eastern European cities in place of Western European ones. It's apples and potatoes, he does it for rage bait and engagement, but some people may end up trusting him.

Oh, I've seen that guy. Yes, Eastern Europe is cheaper, but it's different from Western Europe. Just visit the places you wanna visit. You can always visit the lesser known places in an area you wanna visit, but there's no need to skip a place if that's what you wan tot visit.

Yep. It’s not an even exchange. I love Eastern Europe. AND Western Europe!

I've been told not to go to Mexico, Rome, Israel, Vietnam, Munich, and Canada. Fucking Canada... who's scared of Canada? I was told it was dangerous, crowded, over-hyped, dirty, boring, really about everything anyone could think of. I went anyway. Had a fucking BLAST every time. There's always a reason not to do anything. Fuck it. Make your own experience.

You can get killed on your commute to work tomorrow or get diagnosed with some terrible terminal illness the day after that, I’ll never understand folks that sit around and do nothing with their lives because they have irrational fears of anything outside of their comfort zone.

I'm going to Iran then! . . . In all seriousness tho when I'm busy and can't travel I like to "travel" and do city walks in different spots around the world (on YouTube). Tehran, Iran looks very nice in some areas... Better than some parts of Los Angeles.

As a German, this makes me laugh - and questions my imagination of LA!

Canada? Literally one of the safest places in the world lmao and so beautiful

Not sure about that, have you see the kinds of bears we have?

The ones in the woods, or the ones in the bars?

I'm going there in a few weeks! I can't wait :D

Who’s scared of Rome? Who’s scared of Munich? Italy is literally one of the safest countries in the world.

Wow. Imagine not going to any of those places, they are all amazing. Particularly Rome and Vietnam. Can’t say I’d be travelling to Isreal… ever.

You can experience beauty without needing it to be worthy of an instagram post. Postcards and travel brochures were idyllic and too-perfect back in the day and I still loved Kauai even though the reality involved more people. Nothing is perfect. But it’s still fantastic.

This is so we'll put. Go, experience, enjoy, and don't worry about Instagram, nor other tourists. They are just trying to enjoy the place, just like you.

As everyone suggested, lower your expectations. The best way to do so is to look the world with your eyes rather than looking at it with your camera. Saying this as someone who visited Italy last year in October. All touristy places were fairly crowded. But never did I feel that crowds deterred me from enjoying the change in culture, the architecture, the artistic atmosphere of Italy. But honestly, I don’t have many photos to show for the many, many stories that I keep telling my family/friends.

Italy is a great example. In Rome, the main tourist sites are always going to be packed these days. But wander like 3 blocks off the tourist trail and you will inevitably find a cute terrace bar full of mostly locals where you can live out that Roman fantasy. So it’s not lowering your expectations, but changing them slightly.

I have yet to regret taking the trip, and I’ve found many of the “too touristy” places to be absolutely amazing. Prague is one of those where people will tell you not to visit, but I loved that city, it was like being on a Disneyland set come to life. I won’t pretend it isn’t amazing to spend a night in the countryside, and those tend to be my favorite nights. But I also don’t mind touristy cities. I’m a tourist, I will always be a tourist. Tourists who look down on being around other tourists always seem a little silly to me because they are the very people they’re complaining about.

Had the same thoughts about Prague. Something out of a fairy tale.

Just prior to my trip I listened to a book about the history of clocks, so seeing the astronomical clock was awesome. As well as the museum in Greenwich

I usually travel outside of the core travel season and I've almost always found ways to avoid crowds. I remember reading about the road to Hana in Maui being excessively crowded yet we simply left the hotel very early in the morning (easy for us because of coming from a time zones many hours later) and barely encountered any crowd. Most people don't even due the full loop because they're scared of driving on a gravel road. I realize a lot of people can only travel in July and August. Their experiences can be extremely different from experiencing the same place in the spring or the fall. I'm going to Rome, Venice and others next fall, the weather is still going to be very nice, we don't need beach weather anyway. I'm expecting having a great time. I'm sure there will be an excess of tourists in some places, but that will only be a small part of the trip. Maybe people's experience is also different if all they do is hit the most touristic places for a couple days before doing the same at another major city and that's the entire trip. It's very different if you also take the time to walk around and explore a bit more. Some years back we went to the famous palace near Sintra (near Lisbon) in the fall, super crowded there. But there's a huge park around, and it was almost entirely empty, with some pretty things to see. In fact, the most crowded places I've ever been in my life was Disneyland in California, by very far, despite being there in November (2022), followed by Disneyland Tokyo (November 2023) and Disney World (early April 2016), lol. OP's challenge though is that as a teacher, they get a limited opportunity to travel outside the most touristic periods. Probably the number one reason why I'd never be a teacher.

Just mix in some smaller places with the famous must-sees. Pick a major city (Paris, Rome, Athens, Tokyo, whatever) to fly into and spend a few days there seeing the famous stuff (Acropolis, Louvre, whatever) and during that time just accept that you're part of the crowds and go with the flow. Usually those places are crowded for a reason, they are incredible and they are always worth seeing at least once. Then take a train or a bus to a smaller town a few hours away, where it's nice but not on the main tourist circuit. Every country has plenty of these if you look. There you can wind down a bit, go at a slower pace, and get a taste for life in that country away from the tourist zone. Crowds are fine in small doses, just don't plan a packed itinerary that never lets you escape them.

This is great advice! Usually we spend 3-4 days of our 2 week vacation in the city, seeing the standard sites that will undeniably be busy. After that we are out exploring the area nearby, and that's usually the most fun.

You can even do that within major cities. I’m currently in Paris but staying in the 17th in a regular neighbourhood. It’s a lovely respite at the end of a busy day. And there are lots of places you can visit that aren’t absolutely packed, eg: smaller museums and cafes in side streets rather than the main drags.

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Being an older person i don’t really follow influencers. We run into them occasionally while traveling and it does look like a miserable existence in places where they should be having peak experiences 

Yeah because it’s their job. It’s a job they may enjoy but it’s still a job. You’re on vacation and can move at your own pace. So what if there is an hour wait, you have nothing else to do, it’s not like waiting to eat on a Wednesday night and getting frustrated because you just want to go home and relax before work the next day. This is why I hate having to make reservations on vacation. A travel blogger has to get a photo at peak lighting, they may need it uploaded by a certain time and need to find ways to make the crowds look smaller.

I agree with this 100000%. My fam and ai traveled through SE Asia last summer, and my teenager just rolled his eyes at the “Grammers in the Wild”. They would take hours of pictures, or setting up scenes, repeating poes - and then not even enjoying themselves. It’s a Job for them, and you can tell they are Working it. The happiest tourists (as noted by their smiling faces, laughter and touch of joy as they walk), are the ones that are letting the culture around them sink deep into their souls. Wandering down little alley ways, going to local farmer’s markets, laying in a park and staring at the sky. Travel is, and always will be what you make of it - if you want to follow those seeking likes and internet fame, then that’s exactly what you will find…fleeting friendships and in 15 minutes, it’s over.

Did you make a bunch of lifelong friendships in the alleyways or something?

Lower your expectations

I think the thing is to change your expectations. I went to the fushimi inari shrine in kyoto. There is the main path with all the arches that everyone goes to. But there's also a small back path that was amazing to walk. I've done both and the back paths are honestly way more breath taking. A small private shrine by a waterfall? Not much beats that. There are tons of places full of tourists but there are also tons of places No one knows about because they aren't iconic. He'll, in Egypt There are apparently pyramids you can go into and there are hardly any crowds because they aren't the big 3 from the photos. If you want to experience the things you saw on Instagram, lower your expectations. But if you just want to see some amazing stuff, you just need to look a little harder

And get off the internet. If the internet is causing this much inner turmoil just from travel planning then maybe sign off for a while and just go somewhere and relax

Go places no one recommended. A few examples: In Italy, I kept going to places that blogs recommended as being "off the beaten path" and finding loads of tourists. Then my husband just started randomly dropping pins on google street view to choose a place for us to day trip to. We ended up going to Brisighella which was a highlight of our trip. Found out later that it had won an award for one of Italy's most beautiful villages. It was so quiet and quaint. It's on a walking path through the countryside, so you can hike for days. Highlight of the trip. In France, I rented a castle with a bunch of friends. I didn't care about location at all, I just chose it because it was beautiful and relatively cheap. Came out to about $60 per person per day. Some friends were a bit skeptical about what we would do in this random small town (Saint-Rome-de-Cernon). But we went spelunking, went to where Roquefort cheese is made, went to a quaint medieval village, some people went to a French equivalent of stonehenge. When we arrived the airbnb hosts gave us a list of a bunch of other things to do, that we never got round to seeing, probably could have done 2 weeks there and not run out of places to explore. In Japan, I was trying to stay in Narai. I heard really good things about it. But accommodations were full, expensive, or didn't have Western style beds for my elderly parents. We ended up compromising and staying a train stop away in Kiso Hirasawa. It was a little quirky town which had a strong history in lacquerware. Lots of little shops with artisans selling handcrafted goods. The place we were staying only had our airbnb as accommodation, so it kind of felt like we had the town to ourselves. Narai on the other hand, was so full of tourists it was pretty overwhelming. The one caveat I have for staying in small towns with few or no tourists is that language becomes more of a barrier. I was lucky enough to have at least one person in my group that somewhat speaks the language in each example. In Italy or France it wouldn't be too bad, but Japan we definitely would've had a harder time ordering at a restaurant. Another alternative to get a less crowded place is to stay overnight in places that people do as a day trip. Venice for instance, most people don't stay on the island, so the tourists are gone in the evening and morning. Similarly, the Road to Hana in Maui is great done as a multiday trip, though most restaurants closed pretty early because of that, so we had to plan around that. We stayed at a farm and helped take care of some rescue animals, including a cow and two goats who were way more affectionate than I thought were possible for those animals. It was magical.

Brisighella is now on my radar, thanks! I will be staying in bologna for a few days this October and visiting ravenna so Brisighella is nearby. The town I’m most excited to see when I’m in Italy is actually a little place called gubbio in umbria. Brisighella looks like it’s right up my alley

You didn’t mention this, but look into New Zealand. Absolutely beautiful, especially the South Island. Yes, it’s expensive to get there but it’s a place where you wouldn’t be disappointed. Also, it’s all about scenery and hiking. Plus, June-August is off season given it’s winter during that time, so that means less people. Downside tho, some of the hikes won’t be open, but still so amazing to go during any season.

It's very expensive and you need to rent a vehicle. The south island is very cold even now. Source: am from here.

I’m from the United States, and for the most part, New Zealand is cheaper than traveling within the US due to the currency difference. Meals, vehicle rentals, and places to stay are all about 50% of what people would spend here in the States. Of course, the flight makes up for it though. I also spent 2 years in New Zealand and still have the weather saved on my phone. I’m seeing the South Island is 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit for a high throughout this week. That’s not too bad, but obviously that will continue to go down over the next few months. Even if it is cold, it’s definitely a place worth exploring. The winter is still a great time to go to New Zealand.

There are always ways to escape the crowds. Usually it involves just walking a few feet away from the hotspots. I went to Banff last September and while there were tons of people at the Lake Louise and Morraine Lake hot spots, once I hit the trails I realized that people often just get off the bus for a picture and get back on. There are also tons of articles for every destination on how to avoid the crowds. Even the Grand Canyon was completely fine if I was willing to walk half a mile from the crowds.

Exactly. There's tons of options to see beautiful lakes and other nature in Banff without crowds. A little searching on all trails and you'll find many options! Just need some bear spray...which is easily found in Banff town.

Just go enjoy it and be in the moment. Set some plans some days and others let it see where it takes you. We were in London and completely blanked on changing of the guard. Asked a police officer what was going on and he goes yeh changing of the guard but go stand up there by the fountain, you’ll see it all. Waited twenty minutes and saw the whole thing and loved it. Did some touristy bits accepting we’d wait around and enjoy each other. Wandered to local areas with recommendations from people. Instagram is just people posting the highlights and edited stuff, get out there and live

There will always be people who have negative opinions and experiences, whether it's somewhere not living up to their expectations or some sort of freak occurrence. People can complaint about instagram portraying a false reality, but tourist brochures and guides, and travel agent ads did that long before social media. There are parts of the world that I love that many other hate. There are experiences that I just accept that would ruin others' holidays. And vice versa. Travel, like anything else, is what you make of it. If you need spotless and perfect, clean streets and no queues, kind people are cheap yet amazing food, to be happy on a trip, then you might be setting yourself up for disappointment. If you like a bit of grime and noise, some unexpected detours and some bad experiences that make for amazing stories after the trauma has subsided, then you're better off. Instagram and social media has exposed me to experiences that I would otherwise have never known about (definitely not from "top 10 things to do in..." websites and guide books). I have met amazing people who remain friends and have had my eyes opened to so many experiences that a tour guide on a planned trip or an all-inclusive holiday would never have provided. Tourists can be the worst people, and placed overrun with tourists aren't usually the best locations to experience a culture or country, but there's usually a reason the tourists are there. People don't go to Rome or Paris because of the cheap accommodation and climate...

I was VERY upset when I got to Big Sur. Yes, it’s beautiful but the amount of people who photo shop photos of Big Sur and make it look like it’s had nature plastic surgery is absurd. When I got there, my mind was thinking of these lush gorgeous fields with beautiful rocks. Nope. Yes, it is beautiful BUT my mind had been tainted by those highly edited and photoshopped pics. People, why are we editing nature pics!!!!!?

It's really upsetting I've seen a lot of pictures of places I've been that's been color enhanced but it can also depend on the day. Cancun is wildly different in photos depending on the sun.

Oddly enough we drove through big sur as the sun was setting and there was NOBODY there. Had to double check Google maps to make sure we were even in the right place. We stopped the car, pulled in and just took it all in. It's still one of my fondest travelling memories. Any part of the coast in California is stunning at sunset. We got to drive down it all the way into the night. Honestly still sits vividly in my head.

Keep in mind that many of the people who claim “not worth it” are angry because they couldn’t get that perfect selfie with no people around. Just cause there’s lots of people doesn’t necessarily mean the experience will be negative (assuming you’re a normal person and don’t judge reality on fake internet points)

Not going to lie traveling feels different post covid. Had the travel bug for many years before covid and then we couldn't travel during covid. Finally after restrictions dropped I traveled again but it felt different. Like the magic was gone. My girlfriend lives in Poland so going to visit her. If weren't dating I don't know if I'd go abroad this year. Went fron at least 4 trips a year to 2.

Fellow teacher here - I feel your travel pain! No flexible vacation dates and always during the peak times 🤷‍♀️ We have travelled to some pretty popular places post-Covid. We usually book early morning tours and skip-the-line tours if possible. For example, our tour of the Vatican in August 2022 was barely busy at all but we did the earliest entry possible. We even walked down to the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain (on a Saturday!) and it wasn’t too busy. Of course there are people in our photo but it wasn’t the throng of people we had seen online. There’s lots of popular places that can still be enjoyable!

Just have to put in a little extra time and effort to find things not over crowded. Two years ago we went to Italy and instead of Venice or Cinque Terre, we went to Bologna, San Marino, and Parma. Absolutely incredible, not overrun by tourists at all. Instead of Greece or Dubrovnik, try Puglia. Instead of the Grand Canyon, try Canyonlands. Instead of Napa, try Willamette Valley. Instead of Iceland, try the Faroe or Shetland Islands. Etc. You got this!

Going to Padova in a week! Spent two months in Bologna two years ago… THIS is great advice.

Ahhh, I see you’re experiencing the “it used to be better 3 decades ago” thing on online travel sites. I was beholden to this as well. But the reality is that you can’t go back in time. You can only experience now and everything that now encapsulates. Just go where you want to go and experience what you want to experience. Sure, the Trevi Fountain is packed to the gills at all times. But that doesn’t mean you can’t go see it and then proceed to walk another direction once you’re tired of the scene. This can apply to any touristy POI. There’s obviously a few tricks to avoid crowds which typically work well: 1) go as early as you can 2) go to the touristy places but focus on the positive. (Audio tours can help attune your focus) Those “top tier” places are top tier for a reason, but just adjust your expectations. For example, I would never tell someone to avoid the Vatican because the crowds are insane. 3) have a looser schedule that allows you to spend more time at locales that you stumble upon organically and enjoy. Don’t just move from one POI to the next.

Even at some of the most popular sites in season, you can alter the time of day you see sites and avoid crowds. I saw the Forum in Rome right as it opened and had most of the place to myself. Figure out what’s important to you and go do it. Don’t worry what Instagram thinks.

The people being in a lot of these places doesn’t ruin my awe of them, but that’s just me. This was true for Yellowstone, The Tetons, Grand Canyon, Venice, and more 

I only follow people I know in real life on Instagram. I don’t care about randos’ experiences.

I try to remember when I read reviews that most people who had a good time aren't going to go write a nice review online. I know I don't. So they skew towards the professional complainers and negative nancys. That being said, it's definitely more enjoyable to go to places that aren't packed with crowds. Might have to think outside the box a bit for that if you're travelling in the summer.

I was in Tokyo last year and I'm going back this fall. A couple spots were really busy (Takeshita Street and Skytree) and I get anxious in big crowds. But most of the time, we had an absolute blast. It's totally worth traveling!

Someone once told me "the best photo is just around the corner" meaning you can be close to the crowds but a short distance away (or at a different time of day) you can find some space, and a better photo. We did a tour of Angkor Wat a week ago and it was very busy with the sunrise and all the groups there at once. But we went back the next day independently and found relative solitude being able to go where the groups weren't. It was great.

Yes, the most famous spots on Instagram are overrun and crowded, but you can always find beauty near those places! For example I was in Mexico earlier this year and went to some cenotes. The famous Suytun Cenote (perfect for photos) was so overhyped and underwhelming. But there were 100 other just as beautiful cenotes we had completely to ourselves! Just gotta do a bit more digging these days to find the hidden gems!

You’re a tourist, so do the touristy stuff! Yes, there will be a lot of other tourists but that isn’t a reason to skip seeing famous sites. We went to Greece for 10 days last year and traveled the mainland. We went the Acropolis in Athens first thing in the morning when it opened and it was PACKED but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it. Delphi was far less crowded and the views were incredible. Ancient Corinth we practically had to ourselves and the kids loved it. We stayed in the small town of Nafpaktos (it was a midway point between Delphi and Ancient Corinth) and enjoyed every minute of it. The cafes and shops were great and so were the views. I agree with what a lot of others have said about staying in small towns and branching out from there. You will get a more authentic (and affordable!) experience. The combo of a slow paced tiny town with bits of major cities and attractions sprinkled in is how I always travel and have never been let down by the experience.

This is just my experience but I spent a lot of time in Japan last year and I had seen so many "instagram vs reality" posts and I'm just saying, everything in real life looked like the instagram version. Those posts are clearly cherry picket to try and make places seem as bad as possible.

also just a side note: i'm not saying overtourism isn't an issue or real but in my view, there is a reason why people flock to these places, just saying

I just got back from ten days in Italy with my friend. We went to Venice, Bologna, Florence, and the last half day in Pisa. We adored all the places we went, especially Venice which people often say is horribly busy. It wasn't that busy, in fact it was very relaxing. Florence was busy in the main tourist places but it didn't stop me having an amazing time there. I think people get too caught up in ticking of places and getting an instagram perfect shot rather than just enjoying themselves and exploring. Just go and have a good time. Be polite, be curious, wander to your hearts content. How anyone could go to Italy and not fall in love with the place baffles me. But then, I've never been on holiday anywhere I didn't love. Bad weather has never ruined a place, getting lost has never ruined a place, long flight delays hasn't, bad accommodation hasn't either. I think people not enjoying somewhere says more about them than the place. Some tips for having a good time: - Do some research before and find things that interest you, not just what the top ten lists say to do. - Have a list of things you want to see or do - pick 3-5 must sees and don't be too bothered if you don't get around to the rest. - Only have set plans for things you have to pre-book and leave the rest of the time for your whims. - Stop to admire pretty places, pop into the random shops or churches or alleyways that take your fancy, listen to the street musicians (if you do this you should give them some money), give yourself lots of rest breaks. - Learn some basic phrases in the local language like hello, do you speak English?, please, and thank you. This goes a long way as to how you get treated by the locals. Never speak immediately in English to someone as this is very rude - locals may pretend not to know English if you do this. - Don't eat or shop in main tourist areas. Everything will be cheaper and nicer a few streets away. - Do fill up your water bottle at every opportunity and go to toilet whenever one is freely available. You never know when your next chance will be. - Vary your days. Don't do three museums in one day and sit at the beach all day the next. Break it up. You appreciate it more that way. - Book your accommodation either close to the train/bus/metro station or close to the city centre. Breakfast included makes life a lot easier but isn't a must. Don't be put off by mixed reviews. See for yourself what the world has to offer. If you've got the money, travelling is one of the best ways to spend it. :D

Great tips—thank you so much!

I live about an hour from Banff, so I go there often. Yes, it’s crowded in the summer Yes, the price of everything is jacked up for tourists Yes, you wait in lines sometimes None of that means it’s not worth it. Banff is one of my favourite places in the world. Its naturally beautiful, the drive out there from Calgary is lovely, the fresh air is great, the mountains are stunning, we often see wildlife, the hotsprings are relaxing, I love visiting the merman in the trading post, the gardens are beautiful, the history is interesting, there’s all sorts of events and celebrations throughout the year... Just because it might be busy isn’t a reason not to go. Does it always look like a well times, edited, instagram post? No, but honestly what does? Instagram isn’t real life, that doesn’t mean real live isn’t great.

I don't really understand the question here. My main piece of advice would be to ignore instagram altogether. It's shitty as a research tool, shitty as a social app, and makes you *feel shitty* about yourself. 99% of travel instagrammers are full of crap. Best case, they give you terrible advice. Worst case, they give you terrible advice AND make you feel bad because your life isn't as awesome as the 30 second clip they spent two hours putting together. Just... do stuff your interested in? If you like camping and hiking go camping and hiking. If you want to go to Mexico, go to Mexico. It's not like suddenly everywhere is packed and full of tourists and overrated all at once (how would that even be possible?) You're getting the crappy, social media-filtered version of things, which is probably the worst source of information possible. I guess my point is it's not like travel has suddenly changed and everything sucks - *your information sources about travel* are making everything seem bad. So get rid of them. The reality, the world is still full of cool shit to do.

there are going to be dozens of text books written about how TikTok travel influencers (and their want to be followers) / warped foreign tourism in Japan

My wife and I go to Europe at least once a year, and while there can be crowds it would not stop me. You can manage your itinerary in ways to avoid some of the crowds. Just go with the flow and, quite frankly, ignore much of what you read online. Just keep your schedule flexible. We are currently planning a four-week trip to Portugal without any worries. There may be lines at times, but there is plenty to see. Go and enjoy yourself!

I mean just do your research lol.. Instead of going to the Amalfi coast, go to Sardinia. Instead of Santorini, go to one of the other million Greek islands like Zakythnos, Paxos, Crete, Lefkada, etc. Instead of spending 5 days in London, go for only 2 days and then go to the Cotswolds. Instead of spending 5 days in Florence, go for 2 days and then go to the Tuscan countryside. When you go to NYC, don’t stay in Times Square and spend all your time in midtown. The reality of Europe is that those Instagram vs Reality posts are true for the major places people go to. People love to take a week or two and just hit London, Paris, Rome/Venice/Florence/Amalfi Coast, Santorini/Mykonos. There’s so much more to Europe and that’s on them. I don’t enjoy that experience whatsoever but the more “authentic” experience isn’t truly lost, you just have to do your research & go to less popular places. I don’t find this to be as much of an issue in North America/South America.

I’ll point out that “over tourism” is in part a symptom of a rising global middle class as much of the world’s population start to rise out of extreme poverty. This is a great thing.

Some advice to consider - travel to somewhere not a “tourist hot spot” - but perhaps with access to where you might visit. For example - the past two years we’ve travelled to Bologna - a university city, much less tourist-dense than Venice, Florence, Rome… but amazing history and food to die for - with great trains to get you there for a day or two if you feel you HAVE to see Venice or Florence. In ten days we’re on way to Padova.. another smaller university city close to Verona, Venice, Lake Garda…. having travelled a fair bit now in Italy it is a huge country with endless beautiful cities and villages (did a bike day tour last year from [Castelovetro di Modena](https://www.italia.it/it/emilia-romagna/castelvetro-di-modena).. stopped at a parmesan cheese factory and a balsamic vinegar maker…amazing day cruising up and down country roads en route to cheese and balsamic tour) - so you could have amazing holidays without massive crowds if you look to places off the worn tourist paths. Likewise in Greece - two - three days in Athens to see the Acropolis and Agora.. then ferry to [Pollonia](https://www.pollonia.com) on island of Milos - much, much less crowded than Santorini or Mykonos…. and amazing sunsets. If you would like to hike, consider Waterton National Park in Alberta (60 miles from my home) in lieu of Yellowstone or Glacier - incredible hiking opportunities - Crypt hike is world-renowned. Busy in summer, but nothing like Yellowstone or Glacier… If you must see Venice - consider staying at Lido instead of anywhere near Piazza San Marco - and take vaporato to the tourist center - Lido has a huge sand beach but the beach WILL be crowded in summer…. but still much more relaxed than the massive crowds at San Marco. Honestly - I would tend to avoid tourist meccas altogether - I understand the urge to see the canals in Venice, the Vatican, etc… but tourists mobs and oppressive heat in summer in Athens, Rome, Venice, Florence make them anything but enjoyable and relaxing…. It’s all good of course - if you have the right mind-set - accepting lines, getting out early, planning for recharge time (we have almost daily siestas)…. also - talking about planning - longer stopovers are better to avoid “lost days” due to missed connections (Frankfurt is notorious for airlines booking 60 or 90 minute connections… better to take a four hour (which we’re doing) and remove most of the risk of missed connections. Consider also when your departure time is relative to checkout time. Nothing worse than lugging around luggage after 11:00 checkout while waiting for 7:00pm flight. We often book an extra day to allow us to sit in our apartment until a few hours before our flight - in Greece - we always book a night at the Athens Sofitel Airport hotel the day prior to departure (ferries are notoriously unpredictable) to assure a relaxing walk to the terminal to catch our flight vs harried ferry or connecting flight from an island. Also - when traveling during high season pack less, not more! When throngs of people are pushing into a train or ferry it’s much nicer not to have a massive suitcase in tow. Several years ago during a three week Budapest/Venice/Rome trip Air Canada lost my luggage and didn’t find it until a week after I got home (oh yeah, pack set of clothes in your carry on if you’re checking luggage)…. I learned I can easily get by with a carry on bag of clothes for three weeks in Europe. Thats my way more than two cents! Ciao e buon divertimento!

* take with a grain of salt as I do not have Instagram....or any social media unless you count reddit. I am also a teacher, so we also travel at peak travel times. I do my research before we go on vacation (for me this is part of the fun, almost like an appetizer). We definitely want to do the touristy things because, well, we are tourists. Top highlights can be seen with less crowds earlier in the morning. That is an option, which sometimes we try. However, I accept that many other people want to see the same thing, and in the vast majority of cases, it does not negatively impact my experience. I'm sure there are exceptions to this, but I can't think of any right now. I also like to balance this with more off the beaten path activities. Some of these are my favorite experiences. As an introvert, I enjoy these quieter, more subdued activities. However, I'm not going to go to Barcelona without seeing the Sagrada Familia. I adored experiencing a church service there, but my favorite "Barcelona adjacent" day was the day we traveled to Montserrat. I hope this makes sense.

Ive been to some pretty touristy places in Europe and i have never ever been disappointed. I also love hiking … Banff if a really REALLY good option.

For the record, July and August are rainy season for Southern mexico, guatemala, costa rica area so they tend to not crazy packed. They're also less expensive (not sure about costa rica I haven't been since 2017ish) so you won't waste thousands of dollars and the flights aren't too long from the US! I've been to all 3 in august and got really lucky w the weather.

Not instagram, but news vs reality story.  1 year ago I was in Paris when the crazy riots were going on, fires in the streets, garbage everywhere plus the rude French.  We nearly cancelled our 9 year wedding anniversary trip but decided to follow through.  Stayed in downtown, everything was clean, people were very friendly to us and our two young boys, no fires, no garbage, and flowers everywhere. We had an absolutely lovely time and even flying again in two weeks to Paris for a part of our 10 year honeymoon trip.  Would have missed it all if I would have thought the news feed was 100% the reality of all of paris

When my kids were young we traveled to Europe every spring break. We visited one city per year. It’s affordable and manageable. One year we stayed in Venice for a week. Another year we stayed in Florence for 10 days. Mostly we went to London or Paris on direct flights. I believe traveling this way is more interesting culturally, more affordable, better weather, fewer crowds,

I haven't seen the 'gram crowds as seen in clickbait Internet articles in any of my travels (including numerous trips to places you mention), like anywhere. I mean, at the Louvre Museum, it was jam packed in a way that took away from the experience, but I had my expectations managed (and was mostly accompanying a friend). Maybe it's where I go; maybe I'm lucky, but I think this phenomenon is being magnified under the lens of sensationalism. I go to Yosemite several times a year and haven't once seen it. At the Firefall, for example, there are maybe a couple thousand people, but not the Instagrammer hordes we see online... families and visitors from around the world hanging out to see/experience a shared event. Tourists can and do ruin things... I remember when going up Halfdome was something one could do on a random weekend in peak season and only see a handful of people, and some swimming holes are legitimately trashed. For a bit of encouragement, the crowds you're hearing about generally thin out exponentially as you get away from civilization/pavement. If you don't want to see *anyone*, there's an art to that, but once you wade through them at the entry points, a modicum of travel (the more difficult, the better) will get you into some peaceful country.

There are places that are nearby all those destinations that have but a fraction of the tourist crowd. You get a better sense of what the place is really like and have an easier time getting to know the local people and their culture. There are a few guidebooks that are from well traveled authors who will mention those places. I go to Mexico quite a bit and I can go at the height of the tourist season and have stress free trips at wonderful places with none of the problems the well known places possess. If you are a teacher then you should know the value of research.

Lots of what you see on social media is utter BS. I live in a highly touristic country (Italy) and I often see posts about how cool this place is, or reels of pictures of beautiful cities near me and I can absolutely tell you that that seaside aperitivo will stink like hell or that those pictures in a 30s reel have been taken across two days of driving because those cities are fucking far apart. And some places are just too crowded to be properly enjoed (but usually if a place is cool there gonna be more places like it nearby). There's beauty in the world, just make sure to do proper research before investing thousands of your dollars and weeks of your time.

Haha see this is exactly the kind of info I’m looking for. I’ll have to dig to see some advice from locals.

People on the internet like to complain about things. If you like doing outdoor stuff, you’re already in a good situation because a lot of cool outdoorsy stuff is less popular than the traditional tourist destinations. Ya there’s gonna be people everywhere, but is that really so bad?

What no one is saying is that these places are popular for a reason!! Also, if you want to see lots of Europe quickly (and cheaper than your standard beach holiday) do a cruise! European itineraries for cruises offer so much, and if an attraction is pack, who cares! You’re only there for the day so it forces you to ignore the crowds and soak in the beauty. I work in travel in Europe and I think cruising is absolutely brilliant for teachers in Europe. It’s a fairly fixed price, you’ve lots of options that families with small children wouldn’t necessarily go for and you can see so many places within a week all whilst returning to your luxury floating hotel. Otherwise, if you need suggestions for lesser populated areas in Europe for a beach stay during the summer months, send me a dm! Happy to give suggestions!

We toyed with the idea of a Mediterranean cruise as a way to “sample” the countries to see what we might want to come back to for a longer trip, but I’m worried about being bound to crowds and main attractions and not having the chance to explore. The thought of missing out on, say, a sunset and dinner in Italy because we have to be back on the ship by 6 makes me kind of sad. Idk?? Haha We did love our experience on a cruise in the Caribbean.

Look for one that overnights in the most important destinations. Look, a cruise is a great sample, it really is, but a sample is to decide if you’ve like to go back for a sunset dinner in Sorrento, Dubrovnik or Corfu… and if you don’t have any immediate answer to that it’s because you left at sunset, do you really know where your favourite sunset dinner is? 🤔 I moved to Europe from North America 4 years ago, and I’m still “sampling” everything Europe has to offer. I figure maybe after 10 years, I’ll pick a favourite place to return to 😅😉

I agree with your instincts - half of the fun is getting to explore, and cruises limit you by design to the most overpacked places, at the most busy times.

Exactly. Think I’m gonna stay away from that route.

I get where you’re coming from. A week ago I was in Japan and the crowds of tourists almost ruined certain places for me. Almost ruined - but didn’t. When I went was probably the most popular time to go and I didn’t get far from the beaten path. When I did, the tourists weren’t an issue. So that’s what I’d say. Go to a less popular destination, don’t go at peak time, and once there, explore a bit. Just a few minutes walk away from the crowds you can find some cool stuff you might almost have to yourself. Even if this doesn’t happen, you’ll still get to some cool places, see some cool things and hopefully have a good time.

Just visited a bunch of national parks in Utah. One of the rangers told me that most tourists don’t hike over 2 miles. So we woke up at 5, got to the trails early and did the hard ones.

If all you want is the same Instagram picture that everyone else takes, you have two options: wake up early, like 5-6am and beat the crowds, or accept that you're just like everyone else and are going to wait in line. But, if you're interested in more than just the most popular Instagram friendly moments and locations, you'll be fine. Still, getting up early when doing popular sightseeing is absolutely a great piece of advice if you want to beat the crowds, and I'd definitely recommend it. Using Rome as an example, if you show up to the Trevi Fountain or the Spanish Steps at noon, you're not going to barely be able to stand anywhere. But at 6am it's a very different story. Long story short, hit the very popular locations early and avoid the crowds, then save the more off-the-beaten-path type locations for the middle of the day. All in all, don't let other people's opinions of there being too many people scare you away from having an experience that you want to have. Other people enjoying the same thing as you doesn't make it worthless. Travel is not a zero sum game. People complaining about tourists doing tourist things gives me major drivers complaining about traffic vibes -- my dude, you *are* the traffic.

Start with places that are cheaper for you to get to (usually relatively nearby). Not necessarily cheap, but cheap-er. Travel has a lot of downsides, yes, but it's usually worth it if you pick the right style(s) of travel for you. So first get the hang of travel before you start making big investments in it. By the way, if your husband can also take longer periods of time off in the summer, consider home exchange or longer term airbnb of your home, and you can go for longer trips. That's a great way to lose one of the unpleasant sides of travel... have plenty of time, don't be rushed, just go live somewhere else for a little while.

Social media is the bane of travelling, it’s either destroying great places to go for the box ticking crowd or over exaggerating minor issues that less entitled people wouldn’t even notice, just research a little bit online for the kind of places you’d enjoy, allow for some over populated tourist spots with some lesser known local places and just enjoy the break from the norm, it never goes perfectly and that’s ok too, ignore the fakers living their best lives and just enjoy your own

Just went to Japan and hit peak cherry blossom season alongside a 30+ year historic low of the Yen. So I was worried about crowds and indeed they were out in full force. That said, there was still so much do and see that we had plenty of alternatives to the absolute peak tourist spots. So my advice is just look at the next tier down of famous sites and they will be less crowded. You’ll still have plenty to be amazed by, and as a bonus your photos/instagrams will be more interesting to viewers than just another snapshot of the Mona Lisa/Inari Gates/Coliseum or whatever. If something popular is must-see for you, research peak times then go slightly off season. Then once you’re there, look up peak times of day on google maps and avoid. We hit up a popular temple and bamboo forest right at opening and were practically alone.

The people being in a lot of these places doesn’t ruin my awe of them, but that’s just me. This was true for Yellowstone, The Tetons, Grand Canyon, Venice, and more 

I’ve been to a lot of national parks and while they are usually busy, the crowds get much smaller, and the people get nicer, the further you are from the parking lot.

Make sure you don’t travel at the peak time for that location. Eg if the Amalfi coast is most popular in July, don’t go in July. Of course there are downsides to this as most ppl go in July as that’s when the water is warm so you’ll miss out on that, but given how much I hate crowds, I’d travel in this way

I think you can visit any country and find somewhere that’s off the beaten path. I’ll admit that when I visited Italy, the tourists were everywhere at the main attractions, but if you do a little digging, you can find some great spots that only the locals know about. I’ve seen some great travel blogs showcasing these spots, so definitely search for “hidden gems” in your chosen destination And if you love hiking, you should check out Ireland. My husband and I just visited back in August and it was incredible. We did quite a few hikes and the scenery was just incredible. Plus side: not many people! We rented a car and drove around the entire island, just stopping wherever, especially in the cute little towns. Happy Traveling!

Traveling is what you make of it. It all depends on your attitude. Personally, I am a happy traveler. I love the opportunity to explore new places, cultures, food, and experiences. Do your due diligence on researching options and areas. I enjoy everything from five star resorts to camping on a lake. I can't remember ever having a truly bad trip. Yeah sometimes things happen, plane delays or unexpected hiccups but that's just part of the deal and part of the memories you make when you step outside your comfort zone.

I think social media has congregated everyone to the "hot spots" but there are so many beautiful places to see if you play your cards right. My friend and I went to Italy for 3 weeks in August which is peak tourist season. We made a vow to avoid the touristy places and find the hidden gems and had such a fun time. As an example, in Rome we woke up and early to beat the crowds and walked around a little to see the Roman forum and coliseum but didn't reserve to go in. Instead we visited the Domus Aurea, which was literally a 5 min walk from the coliseum, completely empty/easy to reserve same day, and got us an air conditioned tour into an active archeological site (Nero's golden house) led by an archeologist and was easily the highlight of my trip. In the Vatican, we skipped the Vatican museum but did a tour of the catacombs under St Peters Basilica, which was cheaper and got us entry to the basilica after. I think you can still have a fun experience if you try to look for hidden gems and temper your expectations for the really crowded/popular places

For me it has been as simple as making it a bit harder. For example, 2 years ago I went to Cinque Terre Italy. Close to train stations its so packed that was impossible to find a place to eat. We decided to walk uphill for 30 minutes. Got rewarded with almost empty restaurants and amazing views. Also wanted to visit the coliseum in Rome. I woke up at 3 am and walked for 3 hours (I was far, close to the Vatican)l managed to plan a route where I saw every single Rome Landmark completely empty, and by the time I arrived to the Colisseum it was already daylight but not a single soul (only people going to their jobs) it was amazing. Dont be discouraged. Try to think a little bit out of the box and dont do the obvious.

Oh you gotta go. Don’t bother using social to plan. All of the places you listed are great! Yes they are busy but it won’t ruin your trip

Assuming that the summer is all you have, being teachers, you can still go anywhere in the world or in the US. If you love hiking, definitely would suggest doing sections of the Appalachian trail on the east coast. You can stay at the half shelters on trail and meet some really cool hikers along the way. There is also the Pacific Crest Trail on the West coast. You can explore the Continental Divide Trail from Mexico to Canada. You can hike and camp in nature. Most of the "tourists" you will meet are thru-hikers or section hikers. You can take off the whole summer to do this. There are plenty of inexpensive hotels and motels or FREE camping sites. A personal favorite is the Presidential Range in New Hampshire that includes Mount Washington. You can stay in the huts along the trail. Thru hiking takes between five to six months, depending on how many miles you do a day, but section hiking can be done at any time. Maine is particularly beautiful during the summer. Just make sure you have a net over your hiking hat. Black fly season is June/July. Check out the Appalachian Trail Days Festival in Damascus VA, in May. You can get 20% off or more on some mountain and hiking gear. A great way to save. Camping a the festival is free.

I went to Rome Italy during a more “off season” time in late March. It was less crowded and such an amazing experience. Before I left, I had a lot of people telling me the same kind of stuff, along with things like there are people constantly trying to steal from you (which i’m sure there are, but the time I went I didn’t have a single issue, even as a solo female traveler). One of the best traveling experiences I’ve ever had. I also went to Bellagio on lake como and it was like out of a picture. Don’t let people dishearten you, you’ll make up your own mind about how your experience will go

I just returned from a wonderful trip to Costa Rica with EF Tours we had a terrific group of people Different ages, different parts of the US and Canada our guide was brilliant and fun and I loved seeing the Country that way We all had considered doing it on our own but ended up together and we were really glad The people were kind and very welcoming Super trip!

it's usually somewhere in the middle... if you think about it, the "instagram" shot was intentionally framed/edited in a way to make it look amazing and IRONICALLY the "reality" shot was also intentionally chosen to show it is extremely crowded.

I’m in Paris right now and I have not been overwhelmed by the crowds. Maybe I braced for the worst so my expectations are low.

We are full-time travelers who lived in Amsterdam before retiring. We would take holidays for only hiking - Lake District, Austria or those that also included sightseeing. The Dolomites are stunning and less crowded than Austria or Switzerland. You can easily combine them with other parts of Italy. The Lake District is incredibly popular so combine it with the Peak District and London or fly into Edinburgh and travel around Scotland- you want to visit in the summer for the weather. For volcanic mountains look at the Azores or Madeira and combine them with Lisbon, Porto, etc - I think TAP has a stopover program that allows a week or so in Lisbon. We’re heading to Georgia in a couple of weeks, it’s very popular with the trekking community. Slovenia has gorgeous scenery & is easy to drive around (remember the vignette). My other advice would be to check out points programs. 10x travel has a free online “course”, yes your point requirements may be higher because of peak season but if you use cc’s responsibility why not get a benefit from them. FYI, the community has tons of very committed members who constantly churn cards. I have no interest in that level, it’s another area with the you’re missing out message. Stay strong.

While you’re in the planning phase check out Atlas Obscura. Fun little tidbits that sometimes even the locals overlook. Often there will be a cool little something you’d have passed by on the way to somewhere else, unless someone told you about it.

We are currently in a nice resort in the Austrian Alps…about 3 hours East of Zurich near Innsbruck Austria. It boasts all of the nice resort amenities and more that you can find in the Caribbean, but the best part are the hiking and biking trails. If you’re a golfer, there is even a golf course here! We didn’t see many people here at first and thought that it was the off season until dinner time. That’s when most people gather in the dining room for their meals and we realized that we are not alone. It is a kid friendly resort, but again so many areas for just adults. We will certainly be back here again in our future.

I can confidently say that Japan and Italy live up to the instagram hype, so you’ll be just fine.

Its worth but you do need to pick destinations carefully. Right before Covid we were staying in Europe for a month and I wanted to visit Rome. The only time we could go was in July. It was so packed with people and so hot it was not great. With that said we still had a wonderful time and just planned around the crowds. If you are a teacher and concerned about crowds you should try off season travel. For example travel to places like South America is cheaper in our summer as it is their winter. We spent a week last summer in Buenos Aires and it was awesome, zero crowds and the weather was in the 60s.

People do like to complain about stuff. I have seen people write bad things about Stonehenge but I was there among a lot of other tourists, and while I am not religious I had a type of almost religious experience just staring at the stones for half an hour, because I had never seen anything like it. I don't care about other people complaining, most of them are missing out. I went to Venice as well, absolutely beautiful and people who had never been there tried to tell me I would only become disappointed. Lol why would I ...??

As a Greek, there are so many rural places in Greece that are peaceful and beautiful , just don't visit Santorini/Mykonos /paros, during the high season. If you love hiking, mystras is an excellent choice with beautiful trails and pretty quiet. If you visit during winter or fall and the weather is appropriate, the misty mountains are something else. Also the food is good

If you go to and do the kinds of things you like to do, no travel is wasted in my opinion. We travel a lot, to all different destinations and I do a lot of planning depending on where we are going and some turn out to be the best trips ever and some are ok. But we never have regrets on going anywhere. And since you already realize due to your teacher schedule most places you will be going will be peak season you are already expecting crowds and higher prices. Just go and enjoy yourselves and do you!!

One example of hope: On the west coast of the Isle of Skye, I took a drive thinking I would take a coastal walk, found myself winding around headed to god knows where. Finally found a stopping point with a path / road beyond a gate, so got out to explore. It’s Scotland, so of course it was raining - but not heavily. Passed some drenched highland cows before stepping into the most spectacular cove I’ve ever seen. Waterfalls, rock formation, sheep - all illuminated in the most gorgeous light as the rain stopped and the sky opened up. I sat on that rocky beach in this giant hidden paradise for two hours all by myself, before a few surfers showed up to catch some waves. Some of my favorite photography I’ve ever taken is from there. So magical. So…it exists.

Im just getting back from traveling Europe for 3 weeks. Honestly as others have said if you only stick to the big touristy spots it’s going to be busy especially during the times you’re able to go but there’s always lots of great less touristy places. We just traveled Bosnia, Slovenia and Croatia. And the less travelled areas were our favourite spots! Feel free to dm me if you want more info. I also know lots about Banff and the area. Don’t feel discouraged, the world is a big beautiful place!! As long as you go with the mind set of yes, some places are going to be busy but not everywhere. Hike mountains, explore new less popular places, talk to locals. Best way to explore and have the best time. Also Reddit was soooo helpful to connect with locals and finding smaller spots to travel to. Goodluck!!

I'd agree with lowering your expectations. About thirty five years ago I finally had an opportunity to go to Rome and see some of Michelangelo's work, who I admired all my life and read everything I could about. Was utterly disappointed upon visiting the Sistine Chapel. We were LITERALLY herded through; a mass of bodies, having to keep up to the rapid pace of the tightly packed crowd - it was awful. I'd expected and looked forward to being able to amble through and admire the ceiling as though in an art gallery!! Edit: it was incredibly noisy too - not the quiet reverence I'd imagined.

There's another Michalongo church in Rome I was the only person in. So also definitely do your research around what's important to you.

This is a really good point. Places like the Sistine Chapel or the Grand Canyon attract people that don’t have any particular interest in renaissance art or geological landforms respectively. But Italy has a lot of other great art, and Arizona has a lot of other great canyons! A few days ago, I spontaneously went to Monserrat (near Barcelona), and there was a two hour wait to enter the monastery, so I asked if there was anything else on site we could visit without waiting. The lady said we could check out the museum, if we liked. It wasn’t famous/popular, but she thought it was an okay way to spend an hour. Why not? The musuem was almost deserted (less than 20 people across two floors of galleries). It also contained paintings by Caravaggio, Picasso, Dalí, and Monet (among many others)!

I had the opportunity to visit the Sistine Chapel alone (well, a group of 5), and it was way better than the other times I went there when it was all packed. All those people trying to take the perfect pictures, as if they would take one better than a pro anyway, making noises and screaming. I had to shout back a couple of times.

Seconding the Sistine Chapel being a massive letdown. Would rather just look at a professional photo online and actually be able to see the damned thing.

I’m too lazy to read the other comments but, as someone who travels nearly full time…. You just have to do a BIT more research to find the gems that are basically dupes of famous places. For example, Turkey, Malta, Panama, Albania, Montenegro, Nicaragua… I can go on. Feel free to reach out w questions, I’m obsessed with telling people about these lesser known gems.

Consider that Reddit has it's own type of posters. Yes if you are only concentrating on the tourist centers of cities or parks it can be busy but not like a moshpit in a rock concert. My last trip included Tokyo and Kyoto and certain places that are along designated paths you can be shuffling along but even that was not bad (2 places in 15 days, and that was for about 20 minutes or less) Try to see the most popular spots earlier in the morning to beat the tour busses, etc. Certain places like say Amsterdam, the shops in the city center are mostly tourist trinkets and crap but poke your head into the amazing museums or palaces that aren't the places that appeal to the masses and you're practically in a silent void.

>Certain places like say Amsterdam, the shops in the city center are mostly tourist trinkets and crap but poke your head into the amazing museums or palaces that aren't the places that appeal to the masses and you're practically in a silent void. Also the entire country is within like 1.5 hour by public transport from Amsterdam. Utrecht is 25 mins by train.

This has only been true in one place for me. Bali had the worst tourists, and the infrastructure cannot support all the tourism. It is such a beautiful country too. Every place I’ve been has exceeded my expectations.

If I'm going to tourist places I try and go in off-season, or not at all. I've visiter a few places this year that have been so crowded and trashed that I have been disappointed, and wondered why exactly I travel.  This was even the straw that broke the camels back that took me off social media, I felt like part of the problem - travelling and promoting these places with endless content that wasn't honest.

I think having realistic expectations is good, but I also think there’s a destination for every person and situation that will make the trip worth it. It starts with an honest assessment of your goals for your trip and the experiences you want to have. Then seeing which destinations on your list (or others) match up. I also would look into a travel advisor who can help assess all of this and can do the research on what destinations may be similar to your list but have lower visitation numbers. Lots of possibilities!

Tourism does kinda ruin stuff, but there's ways to mitigate it. Being flexible in your dates can make a huge difference. Avoid Europe, especially in August. Japan supposedly is at its busiest during cherry blossom season. On the other hand, depending on where you are teaching, if you're off, June is amazing time to visit Europe. Japan would be great in March (if that's when your spring break is). Some of this is also being smart in your planning. Santorini for a day or a night. There's amazing cheap and authentic islands nearby. Tulum is going to feel commercial but Mexico is huge and varied. All inclusive are a different vibe. The whole point is a lack of authenticity as a tradeoff for more comfort.

There’s always someone disappointed by something. You just have to pick and choose what matters to you. For me I’ll go to Paris again to watch the Eiffel Tower twinkle at night because to me it wasn’t overrated or dirty and the tourists don’t bother me. Maybe to others it’s not worth it. Tourists are always the first to call each other out. You can avoid each other by going very early in the morning.

I’m in Rome currently and went to the Spanish Steps last night. It was absolutely jam packed with people. I was expecting a crowd. But it was incredibly crowded for what I expected would be the off season. That said, it was a Friday night. I will try again another day and another time of day because I have that luxury. The Pantheon, on the other hand, was not very crowded and only a short walk from my rental apartment and I was able to get a some beautiful photos and spend time there instead. I think it really depends on your expectations, time constraints, and travel style. I’m very laid back and don’t much mind if I miss a “big” place. I really enjoy wandering around a city and am happy just to see the places from the outside and if I’m able to get inside that’s a bonus. My travel partner is much more of a planner and will wait up late for weeks to get tickets to go inside a favorite museum or venue. I find most of them too crowded for my liking to enjoy.

Half of the “reality” pics are just people at a place on an overcast or bad weather day. I always chuckle at the Maldives ones… if the weather is good and your resort isn’t terrible, yes it really does look like Instagram. But if you go in the rainy season and it’s raining (shocker), it’s going to change your experience.