Picture this: you’ve saved up for months for that perfect European vacation, only to spend most of your time stuck in crowds and and attractions packed like sardine cans.
These 15 destinations have become so overrun with tourists during peak months that they’ve lost all their original charm.
The Worst Destinations to Visit in Europe if You Hate Crowds
Here are the European hotspots where tourist hordes can completely ruin your travel experience.
1. Zakynthos, Greece
- Crowded Months to Avoid: June, July, August, Early September
This small Greek island becomes completely overwhelmed during peak season.
The famous Navagio Beach becomes absolutely packed, with boats arriving constantly and barely any space to move on the sand.
Whilst standing in photo viewpoint areas for way too long is the norm.
The island’s narrow roads also turn into gridlocked parking lots where you’ll spend hours in traffic, with parking spots nearly impossible to find.
2. Santorini, Greece
- Crowded Months to Avoid: June, July, August, Early September
Visitors vastly outnumber Santorini’s residents during peak season.
The narrow streets of Oia become completely impassable during sunset hours, forcing you to queue for around an hour just to get those iconic shots.
The constant jostling and noise from selfie-stick wielding tourists will completely destroy any romantic atmosphere you’re hoping to find.
3. Mykonos, Greece
- Crowded Months to Avoid: June, July, August, Early September
This popular Cyclades island sees massive tourist numbers during summer.
The famous beaches turn into packed parties where you’ll struggle to find a spot to lay your towel.
Meanwhile, the tiny narrow lanes in Mykonos Town become completely jammed with tourists, making it nearly impossible to move.
4. Corfu, Greece
- Crowded Months to Avoid: June, July, August, Early September
Corfu experiences overwhelming tourist numbers compared to its local population.
The charming old town becomes a bottleneck of tour groups and cruise ship passengers flooding in from massive ships.
The island’s most beautiful beaches like Paleokastritsa become so packed that finding a spot to lay your towel requires arriving at dawn.
5. Athens, Greece
- Crowded Months to Avoid: July, August
The Acropolis ranks among Europe’s most overcrowded attractions with long queues snaking down the hill in scorching heat.
Inside, you’ll barely have enough space to take photos as you’re shuffled along like cattle through the ancient site.
Many visitors report waiting over two hours in blazing sun just to reach the Parthenon, only to be rushed through in minutes.
6. Venice, Italy
- Crowded Months to Avoid: May, June, July, August,
Venice has an extremely high tourist-to-resident ratio that creates dangerous bottlenecks throughout the city.
The narrow walkways and bridges become packed with visitors, leaving you constantly bumping into people while trying to navigate.
Water taxis offer no relief as they’re packed beyond comfort.
St. Mark’s Square often reaches capacity where you literally cannot move freely, turning this architectural marvel into a claustrophobic experience.
7. Rome, Italy
- Crowded Months to Avoid: June, July, August
The Trevi Fountain epitomizes Rome’s overcrowding problem – you’ll be lucky to get within 10 meters of this iconic landmark.
The situation extends throughout the city as Rome’s narrow streets become clogged with tour groups snaking between attractions.
The Colosseum and Vatican Museums see massive queues in sweltering heat while aggressive street vendors push through the crowds.
8. Florence, Italy
- Crowded Months to Avoid: Late May, June, July, August, Early September
Florence’s historic center becomes a human traffic jam during peak season.
The Uffizi Gallery and Ponte Vecchio become virtually impassable as crowds bottleneck at these must-see attractions.
The problem extends beyond individual sites since the narrow medieval streets weren’t designed for modern crowds, creating annoying bottlenecks.
9. Barcelona, Spain
- Crowded Months to Avoid: June, July, August, September
Barcelona receives multiple cruise ships daily during peak season, dumping thousands of day-trippers into an already crowded city.
La Ramblas transforms into a slow-moving river of tourists, while the narrow Gothic Quarter streets become claustrophobic mazes.
The famous Barceloneta Beach becomes so packed that you’ll struggle to find sand space, while beach vendors constantly hassle sunbathers.
10. Dubrovnik, Croatia
- Crowded Months to Avoid: June, July, August, September
Dubrovnik’s old town suffers from an extremely high tourist-to-resident ratio that makes the famous city walls walk take hours due to bottlenecks.
The ancient stone streets below become overcrowded as cruise passengers flood the UNESCO site.
During peak hours, the walls become so packed that people literally cannot pass each other.
11. Paris, France
- Crowded Months to Avoid: June, July, August
Paris attracts an incredible concentration of visitors that creates city-wide congestion.
The Louvre exemplifies this problem with lines stretching for hours just to enter the museum.
The Eiffel Tower becomes equally chaotic with security queues wrapping around the base, while Notre-Dame’s surrounding area remains packed with tourists.
12. Versailles, France
- Crowded Months to Avoid: June, July, August
The Palace of Versailles attracts millions of visitors annually, turning the Hall of Mirrors into a sardine-can experience.
Getting there becomes part of the ordeal as the train from Paris gets overwhelmingly crowded with day-trippers.
Once you arrive, you’ll face long queues to enter before dealing with packed palace rooms where moving becomes nearly impossible.
13. Edinburgh, Scotland
- Crowded Months to Avoid: July, August
Edinburgh Castle ranks among Europe’s most overcrowded destinations, particularly during the famous Festival season.
The Royal Mile below becomes virtually impassable as street performers compete with massive crowds for space.
14. Budapest, Hungary
- Crowded Months to Avoid: June, July, August, September
Széchenyi Baths epitomizes Budapest’s overcrowding problem with notorious long waits and packed thermal pools.
Even the changing rooms become bottlenecks where you’ll wait in line just to store your belongings.
The city’s infrastructure struggles as narrow streets become clogged with tour buses heading to the baths and other attractions.
15. Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Crowded Months to Avoid: April, June, July, August, May, September
Amsterdam’s narrow streets and canals become completely clogged with tour groups and cyclists during peak season.
Walking through the historic streets becomes a shoulder-to-shoulder shuffle where you can barely see the historic canal houses through the crowds.
King’s Day on April 27th turns the city into complete chaos with hundreds of thousands of orange-clad party-goers flooding every street and canal.
The Worst European Destinations for Those Who Hates Crowds
These 15 destinations prove that sometimes the most popular places are popular for all the wrong reasons.
Save yourself the stress, skip the peak months, and discover Europe’s hidden gems instead.
Want to make your European adventure unforgettable for the right reasons? Check out these essential guides:
- Europe Packing Mistakes That Will RUIN Your Trip
- Why Traveling to Europe in Summer is a Nightmare
- 10 European Destinations I Won’t Ever Visit Again & Where To Go Instead
Browse our blog for more insider Europe travel guides to help you plan your perfect Europe trip.
Europe Travel Planning Guide:
**🚑 Do I need travel insurance for Europe?
100% YES! — Europe has great healthcare, but visitors need travel insurance for emergencies. I recommend SafetyWing.
**🚙 How to get around in Europe?
By Car: Renting a car through DiscoverCars gives you the freedom to explore charming destinations at your own pace.
By Train: For travel between major cities, trains are efficient and affordable – book tickets through Omio.
**📲 Will my phone work in Europe?
Maybe — But you might come back to massive bill as it might be pricey. For the best experience, I recommend getting an SIM Card online before you travel.
**🏩 What’s the best way to book accommodations in Europe?
My go-to for European hotels is Booking.com. However we often prefer a more authentic European experience, and book apartments and homes through VRBO.
**✈️ What’s the best site to buy flights to Europe?
For finding cheap flights to Europe, I recommend Skyscanner.
