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Valencia for Barcelona and other holiday swaps to make to avoid the crowds

With pandemic travel restrictions a thing of the past, the thorny issue of popular cities and beauty spots being inundated with visitors has raised its head once more. helen coffey picks out some just-as-worthwhile alternatives to the traditional hotspots, article bookmarked.

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A fter several years in which travel was severely restricted, 2023 was the year that holidays were back in full force – and 2024 is set to be even more jetset. UK travel agents’ association Abta has predicted that international travel will continue to grow in 2024, with passenger numbers achieving or surpassing pre-pandemic levels.

Though in many quarters tourist-starved destinations will be giving thanks for an uptick in visitors once more, in others, the balance has tipped swiftly from “just enough” to “overwhelming”.

The blight of “ overtourism ”, one of the defining words of 2018, seems to have returned. Places struggling under the weight of their own popularity have once again been forced to implement strategies aimed at curbing visitors, from Barcelona reducing the number of cruise ships that can call at its central port to Venice saying it will finally introduce new taxes for day trippers.

Aside from visiting a hotspot outside of peak season and going at a quieter time of the year instead, another way to ensure you don’t put more pressure on an oversubscribed beauty spot or city could be by swapping it for an undersubscribed one.

Want canals? Venice isn’t the only place to see them. Dream of visiting Incan ruins? There are far, far more options out there than Machu Picchu.

Here are some ideas of alternatives to help you travel more sustainably in 2024.

Read more on sustainable travel :

• A green guide to going on holiday
• How to see Peru’s Machu Picchu the sustainable way
• The destinations cracking down on overtourism

Swap Amsterdam for Utrecht

Often seen as the poster child for overtourism, the Dutch capital was so sick of lairy visitors that in March 2023 it launched a campaign to discourage disruptive tourists . It was a resounding success, with the number of arrivals from the UK down 22 per cent compared to 2019 . While Amsterdam is still keen to welcome the “right” kind of tourist (no stag dos, please), there are plenty of other Netherlands alternatives where you can enjoy traditional gabled houses, peaceful canals and top-notch museums and restaurants. The city of Utrecht is just a 25-minute trainride south of Amsterdam, and is replete with classic Dutch architecture, waterways and narrow, historic streets. Plus it has its own Medieval centre to rival the capital’s.

Swap Venice for Genoa

Venice frequently hits the headlines due to locals complaining that the city is overwhelmed by visitors. Massive cruise ships and daytrippers are particular issues, leading the Italian city to ban cruise ships from the Venice lagoon in 2021, to announce plans to ban loudspeakers and large tourist groups , and to implement a €5 fee for those on daytrips entering the historic centre from summer 2024. While Venice’s beguiling mix of Venetian Gothic architecture, unknowable warren of streets and sublime network of canals is one-of-a-kind, if what you want is an authentic Italian fix minus the tourist hordes, oft-overlooked Genoa should fit the bill. This handsome port city (the birthplace of pesto, FYI) has a low-key charm, its own maze of narrow caruggi alleyways, and splendid Renaissance palaces alongside modern silhouhettes designed by Genoa-born starchitect Renzo Piano.

Swap Machu Picchu for Choquequirao

When people think of Incan ruins, they think of Peru ’s Machu Picchu, the 15th-century citadel set high in the Andes. But the site was so overrun with visitors that in 2017 it was forced to introduce a ticketing system ; in 2019, the rules were made even stricter , with tourists required to select specific time slots and arrive within one hour of them or risk being turned away. Travellers can still scratch the itch by opting to see Choquequirao instead, an Incan site in southern Peru’s Andes that’s very similar in structure and architectural style to Machu Picchu. Only reachable on foot or by mule, Choque, as it’s known by locals, features ceremonial halls, chambers that once held mummies, terraces, and hundreds of buildings that housed Incan people.

Swap Barcelona for Valencia

Another European destination where locals have suffered at the hands of overtourism, with rents skyrocketing as residents were pushed out to make way for more lucrative holiday accommodation, Barcelona has taken various measures to crack down on the “too many visitors” issue. The latest was the decision to cut the number of cruise ships able to dock at its central port from 10 to seven. Plus, from 2024 it’s increased the municipal tourist tax from €5.25 to €6.75 per night for guests staying in five-star hotels, with the sum paid to Barcelona’s Generalitat and the City Council. If what you’re after is a slice of Spanish culture on the coast where you can combine a city break with hitting the beach, simply head slightly further south to Valencia . Spain’s third city blends laidback charm with a magnificent old town, incredible and affordable eats (including copious paella), an enviable seaside location and a wealth of museums and galleries in its City of Arts and Sciences.

Swap Dubrovnik for Zadar

Perhaps the best example of a popular TV series wreaking havoc on a destination, Dubrovnik , with its beautifully preserved, Unesco-listed walled city, has suffered from overpopularity since it played a starring role as a backdrop in Game of Thrones . It’s another spot where cruises are a problem; in 2019 the Croatian city capped the number of ships that can dock each day to two, carrying a maximum of 5,000 passengers between them. And in 2023, a “ Respect the City ” campaign introduced new measures for visitors, including bans on walking around in swimwear, driving without special permission, eating and drinking around cultural monuments and climbing on the city walls. Other Croatian coastal cities exist, however. Take Zadar on the Dalmatian coast: it’s Croatia’s oldest city, with ancient Roman ruins, Venetian-era cathedrals, chess board castles, blissfully quiet national parks, vineyards, and an array of nearby idyllic islands to hop on a ferry and discover.

Swap Angkor Wat for Beng Mealea

Cambodia ’s famed temple complex, officially the largest religious structure in the world, attracts around a whopping 1,000 to 1,500 tourists per day. The tourism boom led to informal settlements springing up, causing damage to the local environment by producing rubbish and overusing water resources. While spectacular, Angkor Wat is not the only Cambodian set of temples worth your time. Located 40km east of the main group of temples at Angkor and 70km outside Siem Reap, on the ancient royal highway to Preah Khan Kompong Svay, 12th-century Beng Mealea receives a fraction of the visitors. It’s built to the same floor plan as Angkor Wat and features dark chambers, a well-preserved library and intricate carvings.

Swap Santorini for Syros

The star of Greece’s Cyclades islands, Santorini , with its white-washed, blue-roofed buildings, is mobbed by snap-happy tourists in peak season keen to capture the perfect Instagram shot. It subsequently struggles with the sheer volume of visitors; a small island, it nevertheless receives around two million visitors a year, making it one of the most-visited destinations in Greece. But other, lesser-spoken-of islands in the Cyclades have all the Santorini-style charm minus the crowds. One example is Syros : it boasts a picturesque port, Ermoupoli; neoclassical architecture; a burgeoning farm-to-fork food scene; and tranquil coves for boat adventures. Plus it’s just a half-hour ferry ride away from Mykonos, or two to four hours by sea from Athens ’ port.

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Madrid or Barcelona?

We want to spend 4-5 nights in Madrid or Barcelona (not both!). What can RS travelers recommend?

“Guernica” is on my list…so Madrid, right?

Pablo Picasso's Guernica is displayed at The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, which is in Madrid. As far as I know, this is a permanent display.

I lean slightly to Madrid. If you haven’t experienced “ Guernica” in person, you need to go see it!

Both cities have much to offer a visitor, though they are quite different (don't think of them as part of the same country, they're not really).

Which one for you for this trip? Depends a lot on your interests and preferences. Have you been to Spain before? Is this "4-5 days" part of a bigger trip? Where else are you going, and where will you be coming from/going to?

The ages of the travelers may also make a difference (I'm trying not to generalize, but Barcelona is a very powerful magnet for younger travelers and some subsets of travelers, though not exclusively so...).

Heads you win! Tails you win!

Madrid for me. But then Barcelona is nice!

I vote for Madrid, also. Though I really liked Montserrat, which is easily reached from Barcelona. But if choosing between the two cities it would be Madrid all day.

You might want to take a look at this before making a decision.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/spain/think-twice-about-visiting-barcelona-this-summer-2024

In 2013, I visited Madrid and Barcelona. Thought I was expecting to like Barcelona more, I ended up preferring Madrid.

I loved seeing the Reina Sofia, the Prado and bullfight at the Las Ventas Bullring in Madrid. I think I stood amazed in front of "Guernica" for an hour. Though the architecture of Barcelona is well-known, Madrid's is a just as superb. I loved walking around city with its two great public squares.

There were some great things in Barcelona, too. I loved the pedestrian-only Barri Gotic quarter, which is like stepping back 500-plus years. I laid out on a beach on the Mediterranean for a couple hours. And I took a fun side trip to Salvador Dali's home in Figueres, about an hour north of the city via train.

I think Barcelona is better to just walk around, it's a prettier city. But Madrid has by far the better museums. If you like art museums, go to Madrid. If you don't care much for art museums, go to Barcelona.

We did both cities in 2011. I was really surprised I didn't like Barcelona more. Before we left I heard I would love Barcelona, that I would want to move there, that I wouldn't want to leave, that they would have to "drag me onto the plane" when it was time to leave, that it would totally enthrall and enchant me. I was so excited to be in independence-minded Cataluña. I kept waiting for that "love" moment to happen, and it really didn't. I very much appreciated the Sagrada Familia, and our day up on Montjuic Hill that was quieter, less people, with more greenspace. But I have to say, though our time in Madrid was shorter, I actually liked it there better. Museums weren't even open because it was a Tuesday! I have always wondered about that trip and why I felt the way I did because I was frankly expecting the opposite.

Because of the drought in Catalonia I’d head to Madrid. You can visit Catalonia once that region gets some ran.

"Madrid has by far the better museums." No surprise there — for every single euro the Madrid (i.e national) government spends on museums in Barcelona it spends at least 30 in Madrid. At a point in the early 1990s (driven by an envy of Barcelona's hosting of the 1992 Olympics) the spend was as high as 45 times. True: Jordi Pujol, the then Catalan separatist President of Catalunya, did not want the Olympics in Barcelona — but the republican socialist Mayor of Barcelona, Pasqual Maragall, did. In order to get Spanish official sate backing for Barcelona's bid to host the Olympics Catalan republican socialists did a deal with the ruling Spanish socialists and agreed to back the financing of the first AVE (high-speed) rail line — between Madrid and Sevilla. "From Maybe Somewhere to Maybe Nowhere — in a hurry," as Catalan wags claimed at the the time. It's as well to remember that Juan Saramanch, then president of the IOC (International Olympics Committee), was Catalan — but from a decidely Francoist (Nationalist) background. Maragall played a blinder. Madrid got its new-fangled railway — in time to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Columbus's arrival in the Americas, and Barcelona (and Catalunya) got the Olympics. Who, do you think, came out best? In terms of global appreciation and recognition? Influential elements within the Madrid government have never forgotten, nor forgiven that, and have since throttled cultural spending in Catalunya — preferring instead to steer huge amounts of money towards cultural projects in Valencia, Málaga, Bilbao, Zaragoza etc etc etc.

The one thing about Spain that always surprises me is how passionate Spaniards are about their regional birthplaces. They will always say- -I'm from Leon, or Sevilla, etc., even though most tourists can barely find the cities on the map.

There has been a long history of proposed separatism across the country of Spain, there is a level of competitiveness, and there are distinct regional cultural differences, but again, not necessarily detectable or understood by tourists.

For me, the capital city always shines bright--here is where the power of the monarchs was consolidated after the reconquest, and from then the city continued to grow. Madrid is also surrounded by marvelous historic cities that are easily accessible --Toledo, Segovia, Avila, Salamanca. Castilla is where the Spanish used around the world developed. This is the heart of Spain for me. (The museums are fantastic, but most capital cities have very nice museums.)

Guernica is startling, shocking, and sad----Spanish power and political differences twisted into insane violence. I felt the same way when I visited the Valle de los Caidos when Franco was still buried there.

Yes, Barcelona is great to visit, it is on the coast and has access to superb beaches, it has a very nice medieval area, and the Gaudi creations elevate the city to an artistic nucleus. I do think it has become quite overrun with tourists and cruise ship visitors, and petty crime has certainly increased.

Regarding the decision--if I am in the area of Barcelona, I will certainly stop and visit, but I will go out of my way to get to Madrid and its neighbors. Strangely enough, I am arriving in Barcelona after a cruise this Summer, and immediately after disembarkation we are on a train to Madrid.

By the way, I have been traveling to Spain for decades, and I appreciate RS, but I prefer to "know" a country deeply by studying the language, history, literature, culture, and so forth. Spain will always be a second home for me.

Barcelona by a mile IMO.

In Barcelona, there is a gothic quarter, a moderniste area, beach, world's fair site, even some small Roman remnants.

Madrid, again IMO (you will get arguments) has no history by European standards. Madrid offers a ton of museums (Prado is a world class art museum) and green spaces that are unusual (because it was built later, and green space was part of the plan). Madrid is known for night life, which isn't important to me.

If you choose Madrid, at least do yourself a favor and spend two or three nights in Toledo. Toledo is the historic capital; in effect it is the historic center that Madrid is missing.

Both cities are expensive, by Spanish standards. Both have unusually high crime levels. To date, Barcelona and Madrid are the two cities, in my travels, where thieves are the most ubiquitous (including Rome, Prague, Budapest and Paris).

i was in both cities last year. if art is your thing then the prado, reina sofia, thyssen-bornemisza, and sorolla museums make madrid the clear choice by far. in addition, day trips to toledo (el greco's in original sites) and segovia (medieval churches and roman aqueduct) are easy and highly recommended.

Is "Guernica" on your list or IS "Guernica" your whole/main part of your list?

It is a must see in Madrid but it is not the only reason to visit Spain. Barcelona and Madrid stand on their own, so both are worthy of visiting.

If "all things are equal" then sure, Guernica breaks the tie. If not, a lot of other things including something simple like the dates of your visit or other places (if any) on your itinerary would have a bigger impact in the decision.

I preferred Madrid overall to Barcelona. While Barcelona does have some amazing things to see, I found it overwhelmingly crowded and busy. Madrid also has amazing things to see, but they are not as Gaudi. (See what I did there. ;) )

I loved Madrid! Beautiful and so clean! I was surprised expecting it to be more like NYC. Lots of museums and terrific restaurants! The buildings are stunning!

My personal choice would be Madrid, as Barcelona is just not much to my taste; I really dislike Gaudi's architecture, and it seems as though tours of the city want to focus one's attention on the Gaudí buildings. Barcelona is also crowded and noisy in a way I didn't expect. But this is all individual taste, and I loved the inland towns of Catalunya.

Madrid is IMO the more cosmopolitan city, with much more diversity of experience. And of course the museums are fantastic, and I'm a museum geek. Huh, big surprise I'd prefer Madrid. Don't miss the Prado, one of the truly great art museums in the world.

Finally, I wouldn't stress too much about crime. Neither Madrid nor Barcelona is as dangerous as any midsized city in the USA.

It's always Madrid for me whenever this question arises. Barcelona is great in its own right but for me, Madrid has so much more.

And like others have said, if you haven't seen Guernica, you should see it. The entire museum is nice too and there is a lovely sculpture garden too.

Saw this on this forum posted on this website: "This year in Barcelona and the wider Catalonia region we are enduring our most severe drought ever recorded. Most city fountains have been shut off, there is a ban on refilling hotel swimming pools, there is a ban on watering public gardens, beach showers are shut off, and hotels now ask guests to limit showers to just four minutes. If conditions don't improve, water may even need to be shipped in from neighboring regions, just to keep Barcelona functioning over the summer. I fear the tourist season this summer in Barcelona will bring on even more restrictions, when we will have a collision of a climate crisis and overtourism crisis to create a really dreadful situation for both locals and tourists. Please consider alternative destinations in Spain this summer."

I think that would help you answer your question and if I was choosing one or the other I'd go with visitng Madrid given the situation.

Here's the original link to the website for reference: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/spain/think-twice-about-visiting-barcelona-this-summer-2024

from the German broadcaster, Deutsche Welle: "Travel Tips: How to Spend the Perfect Day in Madrid" https://www.dw.com/en/travel-tips-how-to-spend-the-perfect-day-in-madrid/video-68553931

The Washington Post ran an article on Guernica this weekend that I found interesting and worthy of a read if headed to Madrid.

• WaPo link to Picasso’s ‘Guernica’ marked a specific event. What does it say today?

I much prefer Madrid over Barcelona.

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