Summer, sun, vacation. It sounds like a dream. But some travel destinations transform into absolute nightmares between June and September. Packed beaches, hour-long queues, and temperatures well past 40 degrees Celsius.
Anyone visiting these places at the height of summer often leaves with more frustration than rest. Locals are protesting, prices are exploding, and the famous sights are barely reachable.
Here are 15 popular destinations you are better off skipping in summer, and why spring or autumn is the smarter choice. The first entry surprises almost everyone.
Barcelona
Over 30 million visitors a year, most of them in summer. On Barceloneta Beach, towels touch towels. In the narrow lanes of the old town, you can barely catch your breath. Above 35 degrees, sightseeing becomes a form of torture. Pickpocket incidents double during peak season. Locals hang banners from their balconies reading, “Tourists, go home.” The city is actively protesting against its own popularity. Barcelona is slowly tearing itself apart. But the next city on the list is in even worse shape.