Europe is the continent of great artistic masterpieces, UNESCO World Heritage historic centers and the most visited cities in the world. But, according to the English newspaper The Telegraphnot all famous attractions keep the promises made by looking at their best-known images. In one classification published in December 2025, the British newspaper identified the 10 most disappointing and overrated tourist attractions in Europehyper-frequented places that should be avoided since no “attentive” traveler would include them in their 2026 itinerary.
Between overtourism, unfulfilled expectations and a strong component oriented towards marketing rather than substance, the “black list” of destinations for the next trip also includes two very famous Italian destinations.
Juliet’s Balcony in Verona
At the top of The Telegraph’s ranking of “the 10 tackiest European attractions where a thinking tourist would never show up” we find Juliet’s Balcony, one of the most photographed places in Verona and a romantic pilgrimage destination for millions of visitors every year. According to the English, however, the attraction represents an emblematic example of a site that has been mythologized beyond measure.
The newspaper underlines how William Shakespeare in reality he has never visited Verona and how the famous balcony was added to the building only in the 20th century, in the 1930s, making the experience more of a narrative construction than an authentically historical place: the famous balcony would in fact have “nothing to do with the Bard nor with the story of the two lovers” and “smartphone cameras continue to take images of the most enduring postcard of fiction of the city.”
Add to this the constant crowding and the fact that they have been entrance fees introduced at 12 euros, a choice dictated by the need to regulate flows, but which from the tourist’s point of view contributes to making the visit less suggestive than expected.
The gondola ride in Venice
The top 10 attractions to avoid in 2026 also include gondola ride in Venice (in eighth place), always considered one of the symbols of European romanticism. However, the Telegraph defines it as an experience far from the idyllic imagination: congested canals, high prices (up to 90 euros for half an hour) and an often chaotic context, transform navigation in the lagoon into an activity that is more stressful than poetic.
According to the British newspaper, the problem is not Venice itself, but the excessive tourist pressure that makes it difficult to experience the city in an authentic way, especially in the most popular areas.
The ranking of the 10 most disappointing European attractions
Alongside Italian destinations, the Telegraph’s ranking includes a series of very famous places in Europe, often present in the first itineraries of those visiting a city for the first time. Among these appear symbolic squares, iconic monuments and naturalistic attractions that have become victims of their own success.
The common thread is always the same: very high expectations, a real experience threatened by the crowd, by endless queues and by exaggerated commercialization, which end up disappointing especially the more aware travellers.
Here it is below complete ranking of tourist attractions to avoid in 2026 drawn up by The Telegraph:
- Juliet’s Balcony – Verona
- Leicester Square – Londra
- Blue Lagoon – Iceland
- Blarney Stone – Ireland
- Reeperbahn – Amburgo
- Manneken Pis – Brussels
- The Mona Lisa at the Louvre – Paris
- Gondola ride – Venice
- The Little Mermaid – Copenhagen
- John O’Groats – Scotland
Thus, alongside the Europe of Roman amphitheatres, cathedrals and Renaissance masterpieces, another map: the one made up of places that have become icons of overtourism, overcrowded and surprisingly disappointing. Obligatory stops for those chasing the most touristy symbols of a place, but increasingly avoidable for those truly looking for the most authentic soul of a trip to Europe and the rest of the world.
