Special Report

25 Worst Tourist Traps in Europe

Rob Hayek

Published: February 5, 2024 10:10 am

You are headed to Europe. It’s exciting, and there is so much you want to do. It is a beautiful continent with so many different countries you can travel to via train. Additionally, there are so many cool locations to check out that you have been hearing about. Many of these are among the worst tourist traps in Europe.

Some of the locations on this list are among the most popular spots in Europe and a few of them are in the happiest countries on Earth. They all come with their history and fame. Likewise, there is something else that makes them not fun. If you are not a fan of crowds, you want to avoid spots that are commonly tourist traps, and the spots on this list all fit that category.

These are the worst tourist traps in Europe that you will ever know, and there are so many alternatives you should choose. Come with us as we explore some tourist traps in Europe that may be crowded, more expensive, or have something else that may cause you to turn away.

25. Moulin Rouge in France

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The Moulin Rouge was once iconic. But the novelty has worn off. Mainly, it has become a worn-down shell of itself but still costs you a lot of money to get in with a lot of people waiting with you. It will cost you at least 87 euros to get inside the venue. Then, you will need to pay 185 euros to include dinner. It is a historic place but also a tourist trap that costs way more than it is worth.

24. Oktoberfest in Munich

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Octoberfest is a fun event. But you may not like to drink. Or, you may not want to pay that much to drink. Yes, Octoberfest in Munich is free to enter. There is another part of the festival on the south side that costs 4 euros to enter. The rides also cost about 1 euro. However, merchandise will cost you. A traditional bandana will cost you 80 euros. A collector beer can cost you 29 euros. Also, an Octoberfest hat will cost you 45 euros. Octoberfest in Munich gets crowded, and the merchandise and beer will take a lot out of your wallet. It is one of the worst tourist traps in Europe.

23. Rue des Bouchers in Brussels

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Rue des Bouchers in Brussels is a pretty famous place. It has also become one of the biggest tourist traps in Europe. It has a 2.5 rating on Tripadvisor, with many of the comments and reviews saying the same thing. A beer tasting at the Rue des Bouchers can cost you at least 443 euros. A private walking tour may take about 400 euros from your pocket. Then, you have to consider how small the area is, along with how crowded it is. There are better options in Belgium to check out. 

22. Santorini in Greece

Santorini, Greece (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Pedro Szekely

The Santorini in Greece is absolutely beautiful. It can also cost you. Amazingly, a suite can cost you up to $400. It is a luxury island. That means you will have to shell out some money regardless of how many deals you can find. Yet, it is also packed to the brim, and you won’t have trouble finding other people. While it is not as bad as the other tourist traps in Europe, you still will need to shell out a lot.

21. Leicester Square in London

Fairground at Leicester Square (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Oast House Archive

Leicester Square is similar to Times Square in New York. It is crowded and expensive. Mainly, there are plenty of overpriced products you probably don’t need. But the atmosphere is very fun. If you are willing to deal with the crowds and want to experience a cool place, Leicester Square can be exactly what you are looking for. Otherwise, it is one of the most crowded tourist traps in Europe and won’t give you much back.

20. Hallstatt, Austria

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Hallstatt is a small town in Austria that you may want to see. There are other people who also want to see it. Also, it can get pricey. Two meals and drinks can cost up to 60 euros at some restaurants. Because it is such a small town, you will get more of the same. It is oversaturated with people, which brings the value up, which in turn makes everything more expensive.

19. Temple Bar

TempleBar (CC BY 2.0) by Ruben Holthuijsen

If you have dreamed of drinking in Ireland, you may want to try the Temple Bar. You may regret it as soon as you go there. Sure, the Tempe Bar is historic. But you also feel awkward throughout the entire time because you will have trouble moving throughout. It is one of the worst tourist traps in Europe, and you may not even get in. Go to Bowe’s instead if you want the real Ireland experience.

18. La Rumbla in Barcelona, Spain

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La Rumbla in Spain is such a historic street. You can feel the history as you walk two miles per hour with a person on your right, left, front, and back. Sadly, this has helped pickpocketers. There are so many people on this street that it is tough to notice someone stealing from your pocket. Instead, go to Rambla de Catalunya. It is less crowded with just as much beauty. It also has some of the oldest shops you will ever see.

17. The Little Mermaid Statue in Copenhagen

Visiting the Little Mermaid (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Schorle

We all want to see statues if we are visiting Denmark. We especially love statues of mermaids. The Little Mermaid Statue in Copenhagen is beautiful. But you will also be competing with so many people for the right to see that statue. It will take you a long time to even get close to seeing what amounts to a 4-foot statue. You will have better luck checking out Sculpture Park in Humlebaek. There are more statues to see, and there will be fewer crowds to see them.

16. The Red Light District in Amsterdam, Netherlands

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The Red Light District in Amsterdam would be in the dictionary next to tourist traps if that was a thing. Unless you are very interested in partaking in the activities in the Red Light District, there are other options for you in Amsterdam. Even if you are interested, it can get costly. There are numerous parks and gardens throughout Amsterdam to check out. Also, De Pijp is an awesome neighborhood to explore.

15. Palace of Versailles

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The Palace of Versailles is pretty to look at. It is pricey, and you need to book in advance for at least three weeks. It will cost you 12 euros to even get into the place. Then, it will cost you an additional 12 euros for a tour of the palace. The restaurants are also overpriced. There will also likely be a long wait to eat at some of those overpriced restaurants. Thus, it is not an ideal place to go if you are not willing to shell out the cash or withstand large crowds.

14. St. Peter’s Basilica

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St. Peter’s Basilica has such historic beauty and is a temple to revere. There are lots of other people who want to experience that as well. That could make things uncomfortable for you if you choose to explore it. While it is free to enter, keep in mind that everyone knows it is free. That means you will be waiting in a long line with hundreds of other people who want to explore. It is one of the worst tourist traps in Europe because of its historical value and significance.

13. The Gondola Rides in Venice

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Riding a gondola in Venice sounds so romantic. Well, be prepared to spend a lot of money for that romantic journey. You will spend about 80 euros for a 25-30 minute tour. That is only if you do this during the daytime. If you want to experience the ambiance at night, you will spend 120 euros. There are a lot of people who want to book this, so it also can require plenty of advance booking. If you do not care much for a private tour, a traghetto would be a better (and cheaper) option to get you across the canals of Venice.

12. The Vatican Museums

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The Vatican is the holy ground of Catholicism. Catholics and many other people may want to explore the museums. But those museums can cost a lot of money. A visit to one of the museums can cost up to 17 euros. Some other museums can go as high as 52 euros. Then, think about all the people who are crowding together to go explore this place. It is one of the worst tourist traps in Europe, and you should only go here if you want to explore the culture and history. But be prepared to spend some money.

11. The Leaning Tower of Piza

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You should look at the Leaning Tower of Pisa from the outside. Take a picture of it and then leave. You don’t want to go inside unless you enjoy crowds and spending some cash. Skip the Line tickets can cost up to 30 euros. Combo tours may take as much as 65 euros. There is also a 45-people limit inside the tower. That means you may have to wait a long time before entering the building. Go check out the Medieval towers instead.

10. Rialto Bridge

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Rialto Bridge is a cool place to check out, and you can see the private gondola tours going underneath (as we wrote earlier in this article). It costs some money to explore the bridge. Additionally, a walking tour can cost up to 44 euros. Of course, you already know how much a gondola ride costs. Rialto Bridge is the ultimate tourist trap and one you should avoid if you do not like crowds or spending a lot of money.

9. Europa Park

Europa-Park (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Olivier Bruchez

Europa Park is basically a European version of Disneyland without the labels. You will get all the fun attractions. In fact, there are over 100 of them. It will cost you some money. Ultimately, a ticket to Europa Park will cost you almost 131 euros to get in. You will pay a lot to go in and battle with crowds to get on the rides. Then, you will probably pay even more money for anything you want to eat at Europa Park. It may be a fun place to visit. But it is also one of the biggest tourist traps in Europe.

8. Prague Castle

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Everyone loves a castle. Prague Castle is the biggest one of them all. It also will cost a lot of money to get in. An average adult admission will cost you 250 Czech Koruna to get inside. You have to consider if it is worth it to shell out all that money to visit. Old Town Hall with the Astronomical Clock will be much cheaper to check out, with tickets averaging around 25 euros.

7. Buckingham Palace

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Buckingham Palace is one of the most famous places in the world. There are some downsides to that. It also can cost you up to 30 euros per person to visit. Even if you want to just go outside the palace to see the royal guards, you will have to wait behind hundreds of other people who are also waiting to see the same thing. If you want an authentic British experience, go to the Ritz instead.

6. The London Eye

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You may have heard about the London Eye. It has beautiful views as you sail up in the air. But remember, it’s just a Ferris wheel with a little more glamour. Additionally, it also costs 42 euros to ride it. If you want nice views, check out Switch House. This will not cost you any money, and you get the same views. The London Eye is popular but remains one of the biggest tourist traps in Europe.

5. The Sagrada Família

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The Sagrada Família may cost you about 49 euros to get in. The whole purpose of this is to give you amazing views of Barcelona. But be prepared to climb up for about two hours while battling crowds. You can walk around the Sagrada Família for free. Moreover, if you want to see breathtaking views of Barcelona, you can go to Les 3 creus, which is free.

4. The Mona Lisa at The Louvre

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You may want to see the famous Mona Lisa. You can only see that at the Louvre. But be prepared to wait a long time and behind a lot of people to see one of the tiniest paintings you will ever see. You can still go to the Louvre. The Winged Victory of Samothrace is an alternative to check out as the statue is popular yet somehow less crowded. It also will be cheaper to see this than the Mona Lisa, which will be 22 euros.

3. The Eiffel Tower

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You have probably heard of the Eiffel Tower. Yes, it is wonderful. But it is not worth the money and the hassle to go up the long tower. It will cost you almost 20 euros to go inside and climb the tower. If you are just looking for a nice picture of the tower, you can snap a shot across any of the buildings nearby, and it probably won’t cost you a thing. It is probably one of the largest tourist traps in Europe, and there are other ways to enjoy it without falling for the money grabs.

2. The Colosseum

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The Colosseum is breathtaking. It was once a home for gladiators. If you want to go inside, it will cost you around 18 euros. Remember that there are numerous others who also seek to explore The Colosseum. That makes it difficult to walk through. If you are just looking for a photo opportunity, then you can snap a photo nearby without having to pay an admission. There are also other ancient Roman ruins to check out nearby that won’t cost you a thing, such as the Appian Way.

1. Trevi Fountain

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Trevi Fountain is completely free to visit. That is the good news. The bad news is that it is the most-visited attraction in the world. About 1,200 people visit the fountain daily. The fountain itself is a tourist trap. It is the restaurants and venues around the fountain that are. Ultimately, the first thing to watch out for is anyone trying to invite you into their restaurant. That is the first sign of a tourist trap and a respectable restaurant would not do that. The popularity of the Trevi Fountain alone makes it the biggest tourist trap in the world.