When Postcards Pick Fights
Some trips feel like destiny. Others feel like you accidentally bought a ticket to a crowd, a queue, and a very expensive sandwich. The truth is, “overrated” usually doesn’t mean “bad”—it means the hype-to-reality ratio got a little out of hand. So here’s a travel-friendly reality check: 10 destinations that often leave tourists shrugging…and 10 that quietly deliver the kind of trip you brag about for years.
Overrated: Paris, France
Paris can be stunning, but it can also feel like you’re speed-running a museum while dodging selfie sticks. Between the lines, the prices, and the pressure to have a cinematic moment every ten minutes, some travelers leave more tired than inspired. The city is still iconic, but the day-to-day experience doesn’t always match the dreamy highlight reel.
Tommie Hansen, Wikimedia Commons
Underrated: Albania’s Riviera
Albania’s coast is the kind of place that makes you suspicious you’ve wandered into a travel secret you weren’t supposed to know. The water is shockingly clear, the towns feel laid-back, and your budget stops crying for once. It’s Mediterranean beauty with fewer crowds—and a lot more room to breathe.
Overrated: Venice, Italy
Venice is gorgeous, and also frequently packed to the point where you’re basically sightseeing in a slow-moving human stampede. It can feel less like “romantic canals” and more like “navigate the bottleneck and hope your gelato survives”. If you go expecting quiet magic, the peak-season chaos can be a rude little plot twist.
Underrated: Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands deliver cinematic landscapes without the constant feeling that you’re standing in someone else’s shot. You’ll find cliffs, waterfalls, and foggy drama in the best way, plus hiking that feels genuinely wild. It’s the kind of destination that makes you forget what a queue even is.
Eric Welch eric_welch, Wikimedia Commons
Overrated: Times Square, New York City
Times Square is bright, loud, and weirdly exhausting for a place that’s essentially a collection of billboards. Many visitors realize they’ve traveled to one of the world’s most famous intersections…to stand in a crowd…and then leave. It’s worth seeing once, but it rarely becomes anyone’s favorite part of New York.
Underrated: Sossusvlei, Namibia
Sossusvlei feels like another planet—towering red dunes, endless sky, and the kind of silence that resets your brain. Sunrise here is legitimately jaw-dropping, and the scale makes photos look fake in a wholesome way. It’s one of those places where the “worth the hype” feeling arrives fast and stays awhile.
Luca Galuzzi (Lucag), Wikimedia Commons
Overrated: Santorini, Greece
Santorini is stunning, but it’s also a masterclass in overcrowding when you hit the wrong season. The famous sunset spots can turn into a shoulder-to-shoulder event where you’re competing for a square foot of view. Add premium pricing and packed streets, and some travelers leave feeling like they paid extra for less space.
Mstyslav Chernov, Wikimedia Commons
Underrated: Kefalonia, Greece
Kefalonia is a Greek island that still feels like an actual island—not a full-time photo shoot with traffic control. The beaches are ridiculous, the villages are charming, and the pace is calmer than its more famous neighbors. You get the wow factor without the constant feeling that you should’ve booked six months earlier.
Kefalonia 2017, Wikimedia Commons
Overrated: Los Angeles, USA
LA looks compact in your head, and then reality introduces you to traffic and distance like they’re main characters. Some travelers are surprised by how long it takes to get anywhere, and how uneven the “glamour” experience can feel. It has incredible pockets, but the city often demands strategy, patience, and snacks.
BDS2006 (talk)., Wikimedia Commons
Underrated: Chiapas, Mexico
Chiapas offers a rich, grounded travel experience that feels deeper than the usual beach-or-bust itinerary. Between highland towns, indigenous culture, and lush landscapes, it’s the kind of place that stays with you beyond photos. It’s not as heavily advertised as other regions, which is exactly why it can feel so rewarding.
Overrated: Phuket, Thailand
Phuket can be fun, but many visitors feel it’s been over-commercialized, especially in the most tourist-heavy areas. Crowded beaches, relentless upsells, and “same souvenir shop, different sign” energy can flatten the paradise vibe. It’s not that Thailand isn’t magical—it’s that Phuket isn’t always the best showcase of it.
Underrated: Luang Prabang, Laos
Luang Prabang is calm in a way that feels almost rare now. The temples, river views, and gentle pace make it easy to actually enjoy where you are instead of sprinting from one “must-see” to another. It’s the type of place that turns a normal trip into a personal reset.
Shelly Zohar, Wikimedia Commons
Overrated: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dubai can feel like a greatest-hits album of modern spectacle—impressive, shiny, and sometimes oddly detached. Some travelers love the luxury and architecture, while others find it pricey and less culturally immersive than they expected. If your dream trip is “biggest and tallest”, you’ll have a blast—if you want cozy, layered history, you might leave lukewarm.
Underrated: Tbilisi, Georgia
Tbilisi has charm in the way cities do when they’re not trying too hard. The food is fantastic, the neighborhoods feel lived-in, and the mix of old and new makes wandering genuinely fun. It’s budget-friendly, full of character, and still not completely swallowed by hype.
Overrated: Bali, Indonesia
Bali has beautiful corners, but many tourists arrive expecting untouched paradise and run headfirst into crowds and congestion. Popular areas can feel overdeveloped, and the “spiritual escape” vibe can get diluted by traffic and influencer logistics. Bali can still be amazing, but it often requires planning to find the Bali you pictured.
CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, Wikimedia Commons
Underrated: Con Dao, Vietnam
Con Dao is the kind of island escape people think they’re booking when they choose a famous beach destination. It’s quieter, more nature-forward, and less coated in tourist-trap gloss. If you want clear water and calmer days, it’s a strong contender.
[Tycho] talk , http://shansov.net, Wikimedia Commons
Overrated: The Hollywood Walk Of Fame, USA
It sounds legendary until you’re actually there, weaving through crowds and trying to avoid stepping in something mysterious. Many visitors say it feels more chaotic and less glamorous than expected, with the “wow” factor fading quickly. It’s a classic example of a place that lives better in pop culture than in real life.
Underrated: Muscat, Oman
Muscat feels refreshingly unforced—beautiful coastlines, striking architecture, and a calmer rhythm than many regional hubs. It’s a place where you can explore without constantly being herded, and the scenery delivers without needing a filter. For travelers who like culture and coast in one trip, it quietly overperforms.
Domenico Convertini, Wikimedia Commons
Overrated: The Leaning Tower Of Pisa, Italy
Pisa’s tower is a fun novelty, but for many travelers, the experience is over in about twelve minutes—ten of which are spent watching people do the same pose. It’s not unpleasant, it’s just…thin. If you’re nearby, it’s a quick stop, but it rarely feels like a “centerpiece” destination.
Ricardo 6167, Wikimedia Commons
Underrated: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Ljubljana is charming, walkable, and the kind of city that makes you slow down without even trying. The riverside cafés, easy day trips, and low-stress vibe make it feel like Europe without the elbowing. It’s proof that smaller destinations can deliver bigger satisfaction.
Janez Kotar, Wikimedia Commons
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