These are Europe’s most overcrowded tourist attractions, according to TripAdvisor reviews

In fact, some of Europe’s most beloved attractions have become too popular for their own good, with long queues, obstructed views and busy streets. 

Many cities have started implementing tourist taxes to try and combat the problem, but tourists themselves have even started to shy away from visiting certain attractions during the peak months to avoid having a negative experience.

After all, it’s easy for the magic of a destination to get lost in the hustle and bustle of big crowds.

So, for anyone looking to avoid the hordes, we’ve found out which European attractions are said to be the most overcrowded by scraping Tripadvisor reviews for phrases relating to this and then ranking destinations based on the percentage of its reviews mentioning this issue. 

Take a look below!

Interesting Findings:

• Looking at the number mentioning overcrowding alone (and not taking into consideration the overall review total), it is the Trevi Fountain that sees the most complaints with over 1,600 comments mentioning its crowds.
• Interestingly, the Sagrada Familia is the tourist attraction with the most overall English language Tripadvisor reviews in the study, but it scored impressively low (66th) for those comments complaining about overcrowding. 
• And when it comes to the least crowded tourist attractions, it was impressive to see some world-famous and highly visited attractions in the top spots including Germany’s Holocaust Museum and Memorial of the Berlin Wall, as well as the Hungarian Parliament Building.
• Looking at the UK specifically, it is Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh that had the least reviews mentioning crowds, followed by London’s Tower Bridge in England. On the other side of the coin is the King’s official residence, Buckingham Palace, which draws the most crowds.

1. Palace of Versailles, France

Taking the top spot for the most overcrowded tourist attractions is one of France’s most iconic landmarks, the Palace of Versailles. Located just outside of Paris, the decadent palace is the former royal residence of King Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette so it’s no surprise that visitors flock to the attraction. Around 15 million of them each year, in fact. 

But such numbers have led to significant congestion, particularly in the famous Hall of Mirrors and sprawling gardens. News outlets haven’t been shy in sharing the challenges faced by the palace’s staff in managing the crowds and maintaining the heritage of the building under these conditions. Therefore, it’s hardly surprising that the tourist attraction had over 700 reviews mentioning it being overcrowded.

2. Blue Lagoon, Iceland

In second position is Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon. It is the first stop for many after landing at Reykjavik airport, with the attraction drawing tourists to its geothermally heated water which is rich in minerals and said to be good for the skin. Not to mention the breathtaking landscapes seen from the water!

An attraction that only saw around 50,000 annual visitors thirty years ago, today welcomes around 1.3 million through its doors each year and has become a ‘must do’ when visiting Iceland. However, the influx in visitors has prompted concerns about the sustainability of the Blue Lagoon due to the increased pressure on its infrastructure and natural environment. Perhaps it’s not surprising then, that the attraction had close to 1,000 reviews mentioning its crowds.

3. Széchenyi Baths, Hungary

Hungary’s Széchenyi Baths round up the top three most overcrowded tourist attractions in Europe. It is the biggest and most popular of all the thermal baths in Budapest, as well as being one of the largest natural hot spring spa baths in Europe. Having been open since 1913, the baths have welcomed many people to its warm medicinal waters, with a current annual tourist figure of around 1.5 million. 

However, the historic site has become a victim of its own success with many tourism blogs and guides recommending people to visit early in the morning to avoid the ‘hordes’! These large numbers can lead to crowded pools and long waiting times, which is not the serene experience many seek – and they’re not shy about sharing this either, with almost 850 reviews on Tripadvisor mentioning the overcrowding.

4. Bran Castle, Romania

Up next is Romania’s most famous tourist attraction, Bran Castle. Often referred to as “Dracula’s Castle”, it draws tourists based on its legendary association with Bram Stoker’s 1897 horror novel. Not to mention its picturesque location on top of a hill in Transylvania, overlooking the Carpathian Mountains. 

In 2023, Bran Castle welcomed more than 1 million visitors from all over the world. But with lots of people comes… lots of people. During the peak season, Bran Castle can get crowded with long waiting lines at the ticket counter, as well as inside the castle itself due to its narrow passageways.

5. Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

Finalising the top five most overcrowded tourist attractions is Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia. People are drawn to its natural beauty, with cascading waterfalls and lush forests, and the well-maintained walking trails that allow them to experience these up close. The UNESCO World Heritage site has become a ‘must-visit’ for nature lovers and photographers all over the world. 

Now attracting over 1 million tourists each year, the national park can get really busy, particularly during the peak tourist season, with over 300 reviews mentioning it being too crowded. In 2017, there was even the risk of the Croatian UNESCO World Heritage Site being removed from this list due to the overwhelming number of visitors and the impact on the park’s delicate ecosystems.

Methodology

A list was compiled of the most visited tourist attractions in Europe, using Tripadvisor and other credible sources.

We then scraped Tripadvisor to find the number of reviews mentioning the phrases ‘overcrowded’ and ‘too crowded’, dividing this by the total number of English language reviews of the attraction.

Data was correct as of June 2024 and a full dataset is available upon request.