Europe’s most enchanting towns aren’t always as peaceful as they look on Instagram. Cobblestone lanes, medieval squares, and waterfront views can quickly lose their magic when thousands of tourists all show up at the same time. In recent years, a handful of picture-perfect European destinations have become so overcrowded that their charm is fading under the weight of long queues, selfie sticks, and jam-packed streets.
This guide takes a closer look at the towns struggling the most with overtourism, why it’s happening, when the crowds hit their peak, and what travelers can do to experience these places more responsibly. Before planning your next European escape, here’s what you need to know.
Riquewihr (France)
Riquewihr is a small town in the historical Alsace region in France. It’s located near the German border.
Due to the complex history of the region, this town and others nearby, are known for their fairy tale ambiance, complete with half-timbered colorful houses and picture-perfect aesthetics.
It’s difficult to pass on this one, and truthfully, we have visited these towns several times over the years, unfortunately the crowds have been getting worse.
At 10 am it’s already crowded on any given day of the year, and that also includes the neighboring towns of Colmar, Eguisheim, and Ribeauvillé.
Only Hunawihr is still spared the crowds, but for how long until the tour groups flood it as well.
Hallstatt (Austria)
You must have come across a picture of Hallstatt at some point when you researched your Euro trip.
Hallstatt is so popular that the locals had to come up with special tourist restrictions, but none have worked so far.
The village of 800 inhabitants gets on average about 10,000 a day, and it’s a tiny village perched against the Salzkammergut mountain range.
People come here because of the unparalleled lake views and because it’s the historical capital of the Celtic tribal empire of Noricum. The salt trade flourished here in the last 1000s of years, and salt is still being mined just above the village.
Hallstatt is also just a day trip away from Salzburg and therefore difficult to avoid.
Similar places that you can visit in the vicinity include Bad Goisern on the Hallstatt lake and other lake towns along the Mondsee lake and the Wolfgangsee lake.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber (Germany)
We have just come back from a trip to Rothenburg, and we were definitely not prepared to see such a large crowd there.
The last time we had visited was during the 2021 Covid period, and we forgot that we got to experience the town when the world was in a semi-lockdown. Yes, we saw some people back then, but not THIS.
Yes, Rothenburg is a true fairy tale gem, but it’s almost impossible to make a photo like the photoshopped and AI versions that you have been presented with in the past.
We spoke to a lovely lady, who runs Don Lui, a Puerto Rican food place with her family, and she said the best time to see Rothenburg without people is in February early mornings.
Bellagio (Italy)
Bellagio is popular because it sits at the fork of lake como.
It is probably the most well-known Italian lake globally, thanks to Napoleon, Star Wars, and George Clooney. I’d describe it as a quintessential, small Lake Como town!
Due to its location, you are bound to get there as the ferry takes you from Bellagio to the other popular towns across the lake, Varenna and Menaggio. This is the Lake Como triangle.
Cues of people, tour groups, and endless selfie making influencers make it almost impossible to be there longer than an hour.
We came at 8 am, and fortunately, we did because it was still alright, and we did get to enjoy Bellagio to some extent. At noon, it was exceptionally busy already.
Overtourism is also present in Varenna, where you will encounter a couple of American weddings (?!).
Your best alternative is Menaggio, as it is still chill and as pretty as the other two towns!
Český Krumlov (Czechia)
We toured Czechia in October and decided to see Český Krumlov, hoping the crowds were not that overwhelming in autumn.
Boy, we were wrong!
People from all over the world have discovered Český Krumlov for themselves, and apparently it doesn’t matter when you visit because the town is popular all year round.
Yet, it is impressive and a must-visit if you are looking for a destination similar to Prague, Vienna, and Budapest, just in a smaller town version of it.
Fortunately, it started to rain, and the crowds dispersed, which was fine with us because the dramatic architecture and foggy night just brought out the aesthetics associated with Český Krumlov.
My tip? Visit when the weather forecast predicts cold, wet, rainy days.
Lauterbrunnen (Switzerland)
Lauterbrunnen is infamous and all that thanks to the picture-perfect waterfall village church setting. It is said that Lauterbrunnen inspired the Lord of the Rings.
The dramatic location and setup of other villages and towns make this a super busy town any time of the year.
You have to stop by Lauterbrunnen if you want to get to Mürren or Wengen, two car-free towns that can only be accessed via a mountain train system or cable car.
Add to that, that one of the James Bond movies was filmed on the Schilthorn summit, and you have a town that attracts fans and visitors from all over the world for various reasons.
Come early in March or April to see this place without the masses of visitors.