Is Europe overrun with tourists?

As we read about anti-tourism protests in places like Barcelona and Venice, we’re led to believe that Europe is completed overrun by hoards of tourists. But it ain’t true.

Some places are overrun, but those are the exceptions. There are plenty of quiet places, if you look.

At Travel Fever, we work to avoid the chaos of mass tourism. We don’t take our groups to such places simply because we don’t want to be there ourselves. We’re happiest in small towns and open spaces, so as much as possible, that is where we go. And also, we avoid the summer months when it is hot, crowded, and expensive, focusing instead on the spring and fall.

I’m in Europe now and I’ve managed to avoid the crowds. Germany, along the Rhine, was nearly empty of visitors, even thought it was the first week in September. In Tuscany, Pienza certainly had visitors, but it wasn’t overrun. And now I’m in France, along a rural part of the French Camino (le Chemin de Saint Jacques), where everything is quite manageable.

You may also wish to consider the type of tourist you’ll be among. As an American, I prefer to be in places where the tourists don’t speak English. If they say particularly embarrassing things, it doesn’t bother me simply because I don’t understand them. And I don’t feel responsible for the sometimes questionable acts of these tourists, as they are not my countrymen.

So if you’re worried, just take the time to plan your trips carefully and search out things that the travel bloggers and influencers have missed. You’ll have more fun, and your impact on your host country will be lessened.