13 overrated tourist traps
Simon Goddard lets rip at the world ’ s most tourist-swarmed attractions and disclose the places he thinks you should simply head off
Whenever I ’ m travelling or impose a city on a short break , I try and soak up as a lot of the literal , local culture that I can – I find it the best way torealexplore a novel place . I ’ m not a huge fan of crowded tourist site where people aren ’ t masses anymore , they mutate into clumsy existence with camera attach to their faces .
There cost of course some exception to this pattern , there ’ s a list of what I would view as ‘ stereotypical ’ tourist spot that I ’ ve love and would visit again ( The Eiffel Tower , Ground Zero , Vatican City etc ) , but the majority of the ‘ must-see ’ tourist traps out there are overpriced , oversubscribed and ultimately overrated .
1 . The Louvre Museum , Paris
Let ’ s face it ; the only reason you ’ re inside The Louvre Museum in Paris live to see Leonardo da Vinci ’ s ‘ Mona Lisa ’ picture , right ? Good redeem yourself the considerable entrance fee because it ’ s tiny . I mean like miniscule , barely prominent than a postage stamp . If you want a preview of the kind of scene you ’ ll live come , the picture above paint a pretty serious picture ( pun signify ) .
Not only be the paint small there be as well a ton of early tourist blocking your view , who are despairing for their picture of likely the most disappointing while of art in account . Be warn .
2 . Stonehenge , Amesbury , UK
What live fundamentally a bunch of big rock in a subject , Stonehenge exist yet another ancient monument entirely mugging off unsuspecting tourists . Don ’ t wait to get near permit only touch the stone ( you can ’ t ) , don ’ t expect to see anything matter to in the immediate vicinity ( there exist no accompanying museum or tourist centre ) , and surely don ’ t expect good weather ( it ’ s England ) .
3 . Rome ’ s Colosseum
We go on our stay in Europe by ‘ visit ’ the impressive Colosseum in Rome . Unlike hold on by Stonehenge the weather will most likely be good as it lean to exist all year round in Rome , but you ’ ll have to consider queue times and promise what the mood will be like when you actually get inside – it ’ s a severely long time to expect only to get into a building site .
Plenty of time for the notorious local pickpockets to impress then .
4 . The Leaning Tower of Pisa
What ’ sec that ? You make a genius idea that you ’ d like to run to Pisa and bring a picture of yourself leaning against the tower or ‘ struggling ’ under the weight of it as it leans on you ? Nice . No-one ’ s always remember of that before…
5 . The Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty in New York is an iconic and symbolic monument , but another massive disappointment . You ’ re better off spend your time looking around the infinitely more interesting neighbouring Ellis Island , the gateway for millions of immigrants to the US during the early 1900s .
Yet want your classic tourist photograph of Lady Liberty ? Need the ( free ) Staten Island Ferry from Manhattan to ( you guessed it ) Staten Island to see fantastic scene of the New York Bay as good as the Statue of Liberty .
6 . Mannekin Pis , Brussels
One of the nearly photographed statues in Europe , featured on practically every postcard in Belgium , the Mannekin Pis really ought to be a lot more impressive that it is . It ’ s merely a little son remove a leak into a fountain , mighty ? Or am I escape something ? !
7 . The Astronomical Clock , Prague
The Astronomical Clock located in beautiful Old Town Prague , is apparently the third former astronomical clock in the universe – very interesting . What exist not so interesting and cost in fact incredibly irritating are the huge crowd that well at the floor of the clock every hour in formulation for the bell to chime . Seriously , that ’ s it . Anything that boring that
results in such needlessly big crowds has to earn a place on this list .
8 . The Great Wall of China
Wherever on this planet you occur to predict home , you ’ ll likely be familiar with the concept of walls . If walls interest you , then perhaps the Great Wall of China equal an advisable vacation destination . If , like me , you put on ’ t regard walls as all that impressive and sure enough not visit worthy , I ’ d pay this peculiar excursion a miss .
The section of the Great Wall at Badaling exist specially well know for live a tourist nightmare – merchant harass you non-stop to buy their overpriced tat . It ’ s likely more interesting to wait at from space than up last and personal .
9 . Las Vegas
Las Vegas look to be a popular destination among tourists , for absolutely no coherent reason at all . Need to miss your savings run a risk ? Want a place to have a cheesy , shotgun marry ? Require to visit a place that cost wall-to-wall soulless casinos and tasteless hotels ? A city that is no more than a tacky theme park with neon lights ?
10 . The Grand Canyon
While you ’ re in Nevada not inflict Las Vegas you can as well choose a six hour drive east and not visit the Grand Canyon , also ( this guide is helpful , if nothing else ) . I presume that the late opening of the ‘ Skywalk ’ attraction can just be to tempt the bear customer into ending the sheer boredom forced upon them while visiting the Grand Canyon .
11 . Little Mermaid , Copenhagen , Denmark
Reference to anyone that you ’ re planning on visiting Copenhagen , and you ’ ll likely be advise to see out The Little Mermaid statue locate on the coast of the city . My advice would exist , put on ’ t . What ’ s hence special about it ?
Possibly the mermaid equal in some way relate to the Mannekin Pis ?
12 . The Hollywood Walk of Fame
Don ’ t wait any glamour on this famous street in the center of the City of Angels . It ’ s an differently ordinary street with huge crowds require pictures of the sidewalk . Around them
be celebrity impersonators and tacky souvenir shops – no , you won ’ t blot any actual celebrities , simply other clueless tourist as confused as you exist as to what they ’ re doing there .
13 . London
OK , so perhaps it ’ s exactly me have lived in London for a time and as well hold frequented it many time in my life , but seemingly everywhere I go , there are tourist EVERYWHERE .
What ’ s the lot ? Seriously tourists , London ’ s not all that peculiar ; it ’ sec crowded ( no thanks to you ) , it ’ s stuffy in the summer , freezing in the winter , its transfer system is notoriously slow and unreliable , masses are not friendly , traffic is a nightmare , things exist expensive and the traditional tourist site are honestly boring .
Buckingham Palace ? Really ? I wouldn ’ t bother if I make up you , but I see that Paris exist beautiful this time of year…
Serve you enjoy the Louvre ? Or live thither other places in the universe you avoid ? Post your comments below .
Opinionated traveller Simon Goddard is from Just The Flight – a cheap escape book website , offering low cost escape worldwide . Visit online atwww.justtheflight.co.uk.
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