@visafreeworld: ❌ FAMOUS European destinations I'd skip: • Barcelona 🇪🇸 (too crowded for the experience) • Florence 🇮🇹 (beautiful, …
VISA Free World
@visafreeworld
❌ FAMOUS European destinations I'd skip:
• Barcelona 🇪🇸 (too crowded for the experience)
• Florence 🇮🇹 (beautiful, but overwhelmed by tourism)
• Lisbon 🇵🇹 (not the bargain it used to be)
• Santorini 🇬🇷 (the postcard comes with a crowd)
• Madrid 🇪🇸 (great city, not my favorite Spain trip)
• Venice 🇮🇹 (spectacular — and exhausting)
• Prague 🇨🇿 (beautiful, but increasingly tourist-first)
✅ 7 places I'd choose instead ↓
💬 43 · 🔁 55 · ❤️ 523 · 👁 787.7K
4:19 AM · Sep 4, 2026 · View on X
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VISA Free World @visafreeworld
1️⃣ Valencia 🇪🇸 (instead of Barcelona)
Barcelona has the icons.
Valencia has the beaches, food, architecture and energy — without making the entire trip feel like you're fighting a crowd.
Barcelona for the checklist. Valencia for the vacation.
VISA Free World @visafreeworld
2️⃣ Bologna 🇮🇹 (instead of Florence)
Florence might be more beautiful.
I'd still rather spend 3 days in Bologna.
Porticoes, markets, incredible food and a city that still feels lived in.
Visit Florence. Experience Bologna.
VISA Free World @visafreeworld
3️⃣ Porto 🇵🇹 (instead of Lisbon)
Lisbon has more sights.
Porto has more atmosphere.
Walk the Ribeira, cross the Douro, eat ridiculously well and watch the city light up from Vila Nova de Gaia.
Lisbon is the bigger trip. Porto is the better feeling.
VISA Free World @visafreeworld
4️⃣ Naxos 🇬🇷 (instead of Santorini)
Santorini wins the postcard.
Naxos wins almost everything else I'd want from a Greek island.
Better beaches, mountain villages, incredible food and room to actually breathe.
I'd visit Santorini once. I'd return to Naxos.
VISA Free World @visafreeworld
5️⃣ Seville 🇪🇸 (instead of Madrid)
Madrid is one of Europe's great capitals.
But if I only had one Spanish city?
Give me Seville.
Tapas, flamenco, orange trees, Moorish architecture and warm nights.
Madrid feels international. Seville feels unmistakably Spanish.
VISA Free World @visafreeworld
6️⃣ Ljubljana 🇸🇮 (instead of Venice)
No, Ljubljana isn't more spectacular than Venice.
That's not the point.
It's walkable, relaxed, beautiful and surrounded by some of Europe's best nature.
Venice impresses me more. Ljubljana makes me want to stay longer.
VISA Free World @visafreeworld
7️⃣ Kraków 🇵🇱 (instead of Prague)
Prague might win on looks.
I'd still book Kraków first.
Beautiful old town, fascinating history, great food, nightlife and much of what I love about Central Europe.
Prague wins the photo. Kraków wins my return ticket.
VISA Free World @visafreeworld
You can reverse ONE:
Barcelona > Valencia
Florence > Bologna
Lisbon > Porto
Santorini > Naxos
Madrid > Seville
Venice > Ljubljana
Prague > Kraków
Which one did I get completely wrong?
Defend your answer.
Replies (41)
Alex Bel @alexandrosbel
Ues skip santorini .In fact skip Athens too
VISA Free World @visafreeworld author
I agree, Athens should be skipped.
TopSporti @TopSporti
Krakow was quite boring and depressing no way as good as Prague
VISA Free World @visafreeworld author
Experiences vary from person to person.
PatriCk 🇺🇦 🇫🇷 @Patrick20321442
You can visit these cities in winter.
VISA Free World @visafreeworld author
It's undoubtedly worth visiting, but there are alternatives.
Big Brother @ShroominginNH
After having spent three months abroad and visiting six out of those seven on your first list, I agree completely with you. But having also stayed at most of your alternative cities, I’m hoping they stay under the radar as they are true gems.
Panos @Panoptimos
I hope one day you'll get to visit any of the famous European destinations, mate.
Heswall Magazine @heswallmagazine
San Sebastián beats anywhere in Spain in my experience
Balazs Matocza @BalazsMatocza
Definitely avoid Barcelona. Not worth it. Overcrowded and dangerous
WhatsaMata8 @whatsamata8
Most of these are ridiculous.
Valencia is nothing like as good as Barcelona
Bologna is nice but it’s not as good as Florence
Seville is nothing like Madrid
Venice is Venice, Ljubljana doesn’t come close
Krakow is nowhere near as good as Prague
Sure, they’re busy but great
Kloppen Jurg @kloppen_j
Ljubljana alternative to Venice? Must be a joke.
Rrolf @RrolfRrolfRrolf
I would still revisit Lisbon. It may not be a bargain anymore, but it has a lot of magic which you can absorb even during a short stay.
SOH @Wrasseputin
None. Ireland. There are parts untainted and stunning and full of Irish kind people. Even if our politicians don’t want that
Martin Saunders @MartinDSaunders
Consider Sarajevo - excellent and ‘different’ European destination full of history and culture
Kim Dorca @Savallsblog
It’s fabulous! Once tourism has destroyed some of the finest and most beautiful cities in Europe, it goes looking for new places where it can destroy the atmosphere and everyday life of other European cities. And here people are discussing it and swapping ideas about which place
Henry Hill @JfRod27
The real plague for traveling is the cruisers and the binge tourists.
Silly Rabbit @SillyZooUSA
Venice in winter is great. Empty. You have it to yourself. The only glitch is that your food choices become more limited as the tourist traps close down (double edge sword).
Yeshe ᵀʰᵉ ᵁⁿᶦᵛᵉʳˢᵉ ᶦˢ ˢᵗʳᵃⁿᵍᵉʳ ᵗʰᵃⁿ ʷᵉ ᶜᵃⁿ ᵗʰᶦⁿᵏ @yeshebcn
Barcelona is the worst. Don’t come.
Luis Espinosa @espinoso_asunto
Great, no need for more tourists in Madrid
Aleix Salvans @aleixsalvans
Your account is a brochure for the real life version of Independence Day's aliens. You come in droves, suck cities dry, drive rents up, make the locals miserable and then you advise your fellow aliens not to come because you've destroyed the place and it isn't cool anymore.
Allan Pollchik @AllanA13085
Instead of Florence, one might go to East Pigsknuckle to see David by Michelangelo or Venus by Botticelli.
Jordi Valera 🇫🇴 @exper72
Yes, please don't come to Barcelona
Heribert de Can Pallofa @hericanpallofa
Catalonia is horrible—don't come here. It’s really hot, everything is very expensive, we speak a weird language, and on top of that, we eat foreign children who aren't Barça fans. Please, don't come. Madrid, Seville, and Valencia are much better destinations!
Vlad M @VladMaiers
Yeah! Siberia might be an alternative!
BETTY REDONDO @bettyredondo
Totally disagree ! The only ones I’d avoid are Venice (smelly & rotting) - and Madrid (not that interesting - Barcelona is superior). You should visit the others once in your life - preferably out of high summer when there are fewer tourists to enjoy them .
Ligier @andre_Ligier
Venice - Ljubljana.... My friend, What's wrong with you? A unique city with a 1,500-year history, a post-communist city that's 90% of its architecture is crude 1970s architecture...
Emilie Gralic @EGralic
Paris?
Cheryl @HoldingOn2Stars
Barcelona had plenty of tourists this August, but it was far from what I would call crowded. It was a marvelous experience.
⭐️ Albert 🎗 @Pallacus
Top many tourists everywhere.
STAY AT HOME!
Anje @DrusiSpike
Those ¿FAMOUS? Cities are saturated and crowded because of you lot. The tourists.
Blade @3truth1teller3
Malaga
Alicante
Nicola Rae @nicnak475
I agree massively on valencia. Its my favourite Spanish city.
keytoon @tenkeyoot
Château de Peyrelade, Aveyron, France.
Connor O'Toole #SBOUT @UnitedConnor
Porto , sevilla and valencia bang on 💯💯💯 probably pick gdansk over krakow though
Jorge @jorge_tuzo
Islandia en invierno
Zinatifa @zinatifa
Canary Islands are missing from your list. Overcrowded, destroyed, and polluted islands by the tourism monster
esgarriacries @esgarriacries2
Had to leave my flat in Barcelona because of you, cunts. Your mere presence raised the rents, and my family and I had to move elsewhere. So please, before you ruin anybody else’s life, stay the fuck away from everywhere. Parasites.
Tita Molinera @TitaMolinera
All of that is entirely unnecessary. Just stay at home.
Roger Dodger @TriplestickIII
Just stay home then
Darko Kalany @DarkosArtist
Tourism should be forbidden !!
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