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If you’re not ready to take a transatlantic trip since the world reopened to tourism, Europe is probably on your radar in the coming year.
We get it: it’s the place to sample a multitude of foreign cultures in one vacation, it’s home to some of the oldest and most historically important cities known to man, and most of it is normal downright beautiful.
Still, there are a few things to keep in mind as you travel through the Old Continent, especially if you plan to visit these four extremely popular destinations in 2024.
They’ve been high on everyone’s bucket lists lately, but any advice?
Just avoid them altogetherstarting with the City of Light:
Paris, France
The French capital is a stately metropolis in the heart of the European continent, dominated by the distinctive Eiffel Tower, which rises high above a sea of Haussman-style buildings and wide boulevards, full of romantic corners and with a picturesque, winding River Seine cutting through it.
Love it or hate it, Paris is an essential piece of the puzzle your European map wouldn’t be complete without it, but trust us when we say you might want to postpone it for another year: next summer the 2024 Olympics will take place here, and as the French would say: ‘ça vaêtre le bordel‘.
That’s French for saying things can get a little… messy.
From increased metro fares – €2.10 for a single ticket to €4 – to crowds and high hotel pricesthanks to a tripling As for the tourist tax, which has left local entrepreneurs themselves in complete shock, the City of Light is not the place you want to be in the coming year.
Instead, you should opt for Bordeaux, a beautiful ‘mini-Paris’ in the French South, famous for its centuries-old winemaking tradition and limestone buildings, or, if you fancy a road trip, perhaps the castle-studded Loire Valley . , cut from an illustrated storybook, might appeal to you.
Venice, Italy
Venice is always busy no matter the season, and if you ever really want to check it off the list you’ll have to face your aversion to crowds at some point, but we’ll set you free for 2024 as we would In the In the near future we will not set foot in the Italian pearl crossed by the canal.
The reason for this is simple: Anti-tourism sentiment in Venice is at an all-time highIn recent years, municipal authorities have come up with ingenious ways to drive away tourists, whether it means banning cruise visitors altogether or signing laws to limit the availability of rooms in the historic center.
Now, in yet another blow to visitors simply hoping to marvel at the architectural heritage of this millennia-old former maritime republic, they will have to buy tickets to enter all the most beautiful parts of Venice on certain calendar dates next year.
Even if it only costs five euros, it will transform the entire world Centro Storicowhere the Rialto Bridge, St. Mark’s Square and the Doge’s Palace are all located, into a paid tourist attraction.
The aim is to openly ‘discourage’ tourism during certain periods, and don’t be surprised if the locals blatantly reject you or downright hostile should your American accent expose you in public.
The measure has not been introduced without some controversy, as the Adriatic port already has one of the most expensive hotel rates and consumer prices in Southern Europe, but it only proves that the situation has reached a tipping point.
Let’s put it this way: the Venetians have had it with tourists crowding the interconnected islets they call home, and fair enough.
For now, we choose to listen to them and wait until the dust settles (fingers crossed that Venice won’t have sunk underwater by then).
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Amsterdam is just like Venice no longer a place that tourists should be overly excited about visiting, as city officials have brutally told them to stay away over and over again, at least indirectly, through a series of different measures.
The first one happened a few years ago when they removed the famous ‘I Amsterdam’ sign from the city center, which was clearly significant Instagrammers they are not welcome to form lines to take photos in front of each postcard-ready monument.
Airbnb was later hit by a wave of restrictive measures, forcing local homeowners out of the market after Dutch regulations required them to rent out their entire home in Amsterdam for only 30 nights a year unless they had a permit for short stay.
Now, The Airbnb options are more limitedand tourists have to choose between overpriced hostels or increasingly expensive three-star hotels: no three-night stay in the city costs less than $242 on average, at least if you share a room in one of the cheapest accommodation providers.
Even more shocking, this year the city limited the commercialization of marijuana and launched a literal ‘Stay out‘ campaign aimed at young travelers and partygoers, who often visit Dam Square for its nightlife and vibrant social scene.
Soon enoughthey go one step further moving the world famous Red Light Districtwhere sex workers are located, to a outside the city ‘Erotic Center’: when these plans become reality, what Downtown Dam will look like a lot of otherwise without the erotic shops and sensual artists.
In short, Amsterdam is not exactly the most hospitable city in Europe at the moment.
Dublin, Ireland
Overcast Dublin rounds out the top four, and before we get into the “whys,” listen: We know America’s love for Ireland runs deep.
It is where many of you lay claim to heritage, and Ireland as a whole is a fascinating destination that we have nothing but praise for, and have promoted extensively over the years, but we think we can all agree are that Dublin is a bit too expensive for that what it is.
Looking at the cityscape itself, it is quite flatwith no building or historic structure particularly standing out – you know, like Paris has its Eiffel Tower, or London has its Victorian clock – unless of course we were considering ‘Temple Bar’.
The bohemian, student-filled district, or rather the red-colored pub, is by far the most photographed corner of Dublin, and as cute as it may be, this should tell you something about the Irish capital: the most iconic landmark here is… a drunkard. hollow and probably a tourist trap.
That does not mean that Dublin should be missed entirely. Definitely visit it once, because it is worth experiencing it at least once.
It’s home to a number of notable sights, including a well-preserved medieval castle and the majestic Trinity College, where the 1,223-year-old Book of Kells has found a permanent home, but there simply aren’t enough breathtaking sights to warrant a visit. place in a European list of most expensive cities.
While great for a weekend getaway, Dublin is no Amsterdam or Copenhagen, two of Europe’s most interesting, beautiful and culturally relevant destinations, yet it can be just as expensive as the latter two. In fact it’s about just as expensive to visit as London.
Unless pub culture is your thing, be prepared to pay a whopping $9.94 for a pint of draft beer at a local pub, and you’re Real If we’re keen to visit a Leprechaun Museum, we wouldn’t necessarily strongly recommend Dublin as a destination in 2024.
This Decemberaverage hotel rooms in central Dublin $331.26 per night. Yes, it’s a no from us, at least until prices normalize.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
