Summer season trip – two phrases that conjure pictures of sunshine, rest, and journey. We completely love hitting the highway (or the skies!) when the climate heats up. However let’s be actual: summer season 2025 is shaping as much as be doubtlessly chaotic in sure hotspots. File journey numbers are predicted, costs are climbing, heatwaves have gotten extra intense, and admittedly, some well-liked locations are simply bursting on the seams.
Because the skilled workforce of editors and writers right here at Travel Off Path, we have seen all of it. We have navigated shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, paid eye-watering costs for mediocre meals, and felt the strain when tourism pushes native infrastructure – and persistence – to the brink. So, drawing on our collective data and present journey developments, listed here are 7 locations we’re advising warning on for this summer season. It does not imply they are not fantastic locations, however visiting throughout peak summer season 2025 may take a look at your sanity (and your pockets). We have additionally included a possible various for every, simply in case!
1. Venice, Italy: The Floating Metropolis is Sinking Below Vacationers
Ah, Venice. Gondolas, canals, beautiful structure… and other people. So. Many. Individuals. Venice has been grappling with overtourism for years, and summer season is absolutely the peak. Think about making an attempt to navigate slender alleyways that really feel extra like a packed subway automotive, shuffling throughout bridges in a slow-moving human tide, and ready in lengthy traces beneath the blazing Italian solar. The city has even implemented an entry fee on sure days to attempt to handle the move, which tells you ways severe the state of affairs is. Whereas lovely, the sheer quantity of holiday makers in July and August can dilute the magic, making it really feel extra like a theme park than a dwelling metropolis.
- As a substitute, think about: Treviso. Only a brief prepare experience away, this charming walled city additionally options picturesque canals and medieval structure however with out the overwhelming throngs of vacationers, providing a extra relaxed ambiance.
2. Barcelona, Spain: Protests and Packed Promenades
Barcelona is vibrant, creative, and undeniably cool. Sadly, it is also develop into a poster baby for tourism fatigue. Locals have been more and more vocal, with protests popping up against the negative impacts of mass tourism – rising rents, crowded public areas, and a perceived lack of neighbourhood character. Whilst you’ll seemingly nonetheless have a very good time, be ready for doubtlessly huge crowds at main sights like Sagrada Familia and Park Güell. You may additionally encounter demonstrations or a common feeling of rigidity in some areas. Add within the sticky summer season warmth, and navigating town can really feel overwhelming.
- As a substitute, think about: Valencia. Spain’s third-largest metropolis affords a implausible mix of historic appeal, futuristic structure (the Metropolis of Arts and Sciences), nice seashores, and wonderful meals (it is the birthplace of paella!), usually with fewer crowds and a extra laid-back vibe than Barcelona.
3. Santorini, Greece: Instagram vs. Actuality
These iconic blue domes and whitewashed villages cascading down cliffs are breathtaking, little doubt. However Santorini in July or August? Brace your self. It is arguably probably the most well-known Greek island, and the crowds replicate that. Cruise ships disgorge hundreds of passengers each day, clogging the slender streets of Oia and Fira, particularly round sundown. Costs for lodging, meals, and even fundamental transport skyrocket. Getting across the island generally is a sluggish, sizzling, and irritating expertise. The sheer density of individuals could make it really feel much less like a tranquil escape and extra like a really scenic queue.
- As a substitute, think about: Naxos. The largest island in the Cyclades, Naxos boasts unbelievable sandy seashores, conventional mountain villages, historical ruins, and a extra genuine, much less frantic ambiance. It affords selection and wonder with out the intense crowds and costs of its well-known neighbor.
4. Amalfi Coast, Italy: Bumper-to-Bumper Magnificence
Driving the Amalfi Coast is on many bucket lists, however in summer season, it may be extra of a nightmare than a dream. The famously slender, winding coastal highway turns into choked with site visitors. The picturesque cities like Positano and Amalfi are stunning but become incredibly congested. Seashores are sometimes small and jam-packed. Lodging is booked months prematurely and comes at a premium. Whereas undeniably attractive, the logistical challenges and intense crowds throughout peak season can severely detract from the dolce vita vibe.
- As a substitute, think about: The Cilento Coast. Positioned simply south of the Amalfi Coast in the identical area (Campania), Cilento affords miles of lovely shoreline, charming villages, historical Greek ruins at Paestum, and much fewer crowds. It is a designated nationwide park and UNESCO website, recognized for its clear seashores and genuine really feel.
5. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Making an attempt to Calm Down the Crowds
Amsterdam has been actively working to handle its recognition, implementing measures to curb party tourism and improve livability for residents. Whereas nonetheless a implausible metropolis, visiting in excessive summer season means navigating packed streets, doubtlessly lengthy waits for museums, and canals busy with tour boats. The town is consciously making an attempt to shift its picture, and whereas that is constructive long-term, it means peak summer season guests may discover sure features much less permissive than anticipated, alongside the same old high-season crowds and costs.
- As a substitute, think about: Utrecht. Typically described as a “mini Amsterdam,” Utrecht boasts beautiful canals (with distinctive wharf cellars lined with cafes), a historic metropolis middle dominated by the Dom Tower, and a full of life pupil ambiance. It affords a lot of Amsterdam’s appeal with considerably fewer worldwide vacationers.
6. Canary Islands, Spain: Feeling the Pressure
Much like Barcelona, elements of the Canary Islands (like Tenerife and Lanzarote) have seen vital native protests lately. Residents are elevating considerations in regards to the pressure on assets like water, the impression of mass tourism on the atmosphere, and the impact on housing availability and affordability. While these islands offer fantastic weather and diverse landscapes, visiting this summer season may imply encountering some native friction or discovering that infrastructure is stretched skinny as the talk over the present tourism mannequin intensifies.
- As a substitute, think about: Madeira, Portugal. This Portuguese archipelago affords dramatic volcanic landscapes, unbelievable mountain climbing alongside levadas (irrigation channels), lush botanical gardens, and a novel tradition. Whereas additionally well-liked, it usually affords a distinct vibe and hasn’t seen the identical stage of current anti-tourism protests because the Canaries.
7. Rome, Italy: Sweating with Caesar’s Ghost
The Everlasting Metropolis is magnificent, however visiting Rome in July and August can really feel like your navigating in an oven. The warmth might be oppressive, radiating off the traditional stones with restricted shade close to icons just like the Colosseum or Roman Discussion board. Mix that intense warmth with colossal crowds – shuffling elbow-to-elbow towards the Trevi Fountain or ready in sweltering queues for the Vatican Museums – and the expertise can develop into exhausting. Appreciating millennia of historical past is hard when battling dehydration and crowds.
- As a substitute, think about: Bologna. Because the capital of the Emilia-Romagna area (Italy’s foodie heartland), Bologna affords wealthy historical past, beautiful structure (together with miles of shady porticoes good for escaping the solar), and arguably Italy’s greatest meals scene, all with a extra native really feel and customarily much less overwhelming vacationer crowds than Rome in peak summer season.
The Takeaway? Journey Smarter, Not More durable
Avoiding these particular locations throughout peak summer season does not imply boycotting them without end! They’re well-liked for good causes. However this summer season, you may discover extra pleasure (and respiratory room) by exploring the urged options, contemplating shoulder seasons (late spring/early autumn) for the large names, or just being very ready for the realities of peak-season journey if you happen to do select to courageous the crowds. Pleased (and strategic) summer season travels!
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Opinions expressed listed here are the writer’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, lodge, airline, or different entity. This content material has not been reviewed, accepted or in any other case endorsed by any of the entities included throughout the submit.