Off the beaten track: Where to go in Europe to avoid the tourist traps

Europe’s holiday hotspots are fed up with overcrowding.

From Amsterdam to Venice, many of the continent’s most popular travel destinations are urging some tourists to stay away or imposing restrictions on those who do visit.

Northern Italy’s Trentino Alto Adige region is the latest place to levy new rules. Earlier this week, Minister for Tourism Arnold Schuler said that the region - home to the famous Dolomites - had “reached its limit” for how many visitors it can handle.

Overcrowding can turn a paradise into hell. But don’t fret - there are plenty of other options to avoid the crowds and contributing to the overtourism problem.

Read on for some of the best alternatives to Europe’s most popular destinations.

Amsterdam is sick of “nuisance tourists.” Last year, it launched a “discouragement campaign” to keep badly behaved visitors away.

If you want to dodge the hordes of tourists, head to nearby Leiden instead. The small city boasts winding waterways, charming townhouses, and beautiful pubs - without the millions of visitors that have frustrated Amsterdam locals. Cycle the tree-lined streets, explore its 28km of canals (crisscrossed by 88 bridges), or enjoy a beer in a local pub.

Leiden is renowned for its university, the oldest in the Netherlands, and the student culture keeps the bars and cafes full. Plus, if you fancy a trip to the big city, it has frequent direct trains to Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

In 2022, a whopping 34 million tourists visited the small Trentino Alto Adige region in Northern Italy. This week, authorities announced that they were capping access to Lake Braiseswill, one of the region’s most popular sites.

But why not skip the crowds and visit the nearby Julian Alps instead? This soaring mountain range