This newspaper also wrote about Amsterdam now Barcelona. Ironically they wrote a piece recently about the pick pockets in the city.
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...ment-119915259

A Spanish friend told us this about Barcelona back in 2007 and blamed it on the large cruise ships. It is worse now. They need to limit the number of cruise ships as do many other ports such as Venice.

Yep I have been to both. Like most places glad I done them years ago. Not many on this forum, or others seem to like to get out of that comfort zone very often, shame as there is so much to see.

Tourism is ruining tourism!

Nobody goes there anymore, because it is too crowded.


Stu Dudley

I took my wife to Nice two years ago since she had never been there. I had not been back for almost 40 years, and dreaded the changes from the charming place I had known. Indeed, things were crowded, the old town was almost unrecognizable, the infrastructure had changed insanely, and the prices were astounding.

We had a MARVELOUS time!

People go to these places now because they are exciting and wonderful right now, irrespective of how they might have been in the past. Live in the moment!

As long as tourists stay within the "borders" of Pl. Catalunya, the Ramblas, the waterfront, and El Born plus a trip to Sagrada Famila, you probably won't see much more but a super touristy Barcelona.
By the way... already a decade ago, you could not go to the beach without the constant offerings of "masaje, masaje".. and the fake bags and sunglasses arrived only a bit later.
You can line up forever at the Picasso museum or one of the Modernisme "Casas", or just walk into the Center of Arts Santa Monica, the MNAC, or the Caixa Forum. All of the latter three often have stunning temporary exhibitions.
You can squeeze your way through the masses on the Ramblas, or take a walk on the Carretera de les Aigües or to the Mirador de Migdia.
You can buy snack fruits, smoothies and souvenirs at the Boqueria or check out the Mercat de San Antoni - or the supermarket / delicatessen at Corte Ingles. In fact, if you want to experience "local flavor", any Mercadona supermarket will give you a better insight than upscale foodstuff at the market.
You can line up forever to get some overpriced tapas at one of the "Top 10" places, or have a great night out in Poble Sec where tapas or pintxos cost €1.50 or €2.50.. and a €20 bill can get you through the night.
You can complain about El Born or Barri Gotic or stay a few more stops on the metro and explore Gracia or Sarria or the lesser known parts of Eixample.

It's very easy to endure the tacky, overrun, touristy Barcelona - but as easy to have a totally different experience.

-It's very easy to endure the tacky, overrun, touristy Barcelona - but as easy to have a totally different experience.-

So true. Although I would change "endure" to "avoid."

LOL.. very true, rialtogrl.

Same with Venice, though I will agree that it is much harder for a relatively small town like Venice to handle THAT many tourists compared to a big city like Barcelona. My favorite place/ campo in Venice is not far from the tourist trail, but still is pretty peaceful with just a handful of restaurants and an adequate number of tourists.

What campo? I have found that even the farthest reaches of Venice are getting more tourists, mostly due to AirBnB but for sure there are less crowded areas. Barcelona is huge - you could throw a dart at the Barri Gotic hell hole but there is still a lot of dartboard.

Even in Barceloneta if you get off the beach you can find parts of the neighborhood that aren't packed with tourists. And you can go to the Catalan history museum, where it will be you and a whole bunch of school groups. I agree with you 1000% Cowboy1968. I suggest the author of that piece go to the Sants festival where he'd be one random traveler in a sea of locals. Barcelona losing its character. Pishaw.

That would be Campo San Giacomo dell'Orio.
It's not off the beaten track and not "locals only" - but I find the number of tourists quite okay.
You have a couple nice restaurants , nothing pricey like in San Marco, some gelato, a bakery, one souvenir shop, and a few places to have an Aperol Spritz. Feels more like the main square of a small town that gets some tourists.
My favorite restaurant is Al Bagolo. Some say their pizza is not that good. But I don't eat pizza in Venice anyway. The fish & seafood is very good, IMO. And you find several Venetian dishes on the menu.
We stayed in that area in May, in a small "albergo" - so one official business, not an AirBnB. And "our neighborhood" was very very quiet at least after 7 or 8 pm. You could wander along the canals (almost) all by yourself in the twilight..

Campo San Giacomo dell' Orio is wonderful.

We stayed for a week in late Sept last year just steps from Campo San Barnaba and didn't feel overwhelmed with tourists. I advise people to never find themselves between the Rialto Bridge & St Marks anytime between 10AM & 6 PM.



Stu Dudley

Venice, Amsterdam, Bruges, Barcelona, etc all super touristy in relatively small areas and all have calm others that are neat too as Stu and others say. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Best of all go off-season when crowds much thinner.

And now for the other side of the tracks. (Same newspaper)
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/g...ea-in-pictures

<Not many on this forum, or others seem to like to get out of that comfort zone very often, shame as there is so much to see.>

Really?
Ribeirasacra: Where in your own adopted country would you consider "out of the comfort zone??" Are there not a number of posters here who have visited Galicia? Is that region out of the "comfort zone?"

I'd love to learn more about areas in Spain that are off the beaten path....much obliged!!

Galicia is not off the beaten path and if you have any questions start you thread. Better still do a search and you will find many who have been fortunate to find more about Spain.

But I am asking you, since you live in Spain, to let me know of areas that you would consider "worth visiting" in your country that are off the beaten path. I'm asking cause I'd like to consider those areas. One I can name myself is Cabo de Gata, which gets virtually no mention on this forum and I wonder why, but since I've not been myself, I have to take the rave comments of my neighbors....

I didi start my own thread, about Galicia, about two years ago but we decided to concentrate on Asturias on that trip, last fall.

I think I've contributed quite a few trip reports about my own visits to Spain, and would like to learn more, if you would be so kind....

I plan to return this winter.

That is one area I found very impressive.
But for those who are familiar with landscapes of the Southwestern US or Northern Mexico, it may not look as "exotic" as for someone from Northern Europe.

Another region which I do not see mentioned very often here would be Southern Catalunya, the region called Terres de l'Ebre. Which I also like very much, especially in fall or spring.
https://terresdelebre.travel/en

Cowboy, thank you! I will look up those areas today! From first glance that part of Catalunya looks super, super!!

Hope that RS, who lives in Spain (as perhaps you do as well, cause I remember your knowledgeable posts from years ago) can offer more suggestions on the Spanish mainland. I don't understand the comment that few people here like to go off the beaten path..

My neighbors just loved Cabo de Gata and I came across another internet "friend" who is heading to Almería soon...so those two might make an interesting detour, but not sure if Almeria is off the trail or not.....Murcia, too..never read much about this city here or anywhere else I've come across for that matter....

Asturias is not at all off the beaten path for anyone except perhaps Americans and other from far away. We had such a tremendous visit a year ago....would love to discover another interesting/beautiful area that gets fewer foreign tourists than some of the more talked-about destinations on the mainland...

One of these days I might make it to Canarias, as I imagine there a ton of great scenery and food awaiting outside the big-name tourist areas...