Immediately get our 22-page full color 2026-2028 travel brochure here.
Best and Worst Places to Visit in Europe
The Traveling Professor’s Honest Guide to What to See — and What to Skip
Everyone searches for the best places to visit in Europe. But experienced travelers know another question matters just as much: what places in Europe should you avoid?
Some European attractions are famous for good reason. Others are crowded, expensive, uncomfortable, or simply overrated. After years of planning and leading small group tours to Europe, I have learned there is a big difference between a place that is famous and a place that is truly worth your vacation time.
Here is my honest Traveling Professor guide to the best and worst places to visit in Europe — including overrated tourist attractions to skip and underrated European gems worth adding to your itinerary.
Worst: Blarney Stone, Ireland
The Blarney Stone may be one of Ireland’s most famous tourist attractions, but fame does not always mean value.
Who wants to wait in line, climb to the top of Blarney Castle, lie on their back, hang partly upside down, and kiss a stone that hundreds of other travelers may have kissed that same day?
Ireland has ancient ruins, scenic coastlines, traditional music, historic villages, and friendly pubs. Spending precious vacation time waiting to kiss a stone is not my idea of the best of Ireland.
Why skip it: long lines, short experience, crowded setting, and better Irish experiences elsewhere.
Traveling Professor verdict: Skip the stone. See real Ireland.
Best: Flåm Valley, Norway
Flåm Valley in Norway is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Europe. This is Europe at its scenic best: waterfalls, mountains, fjords, green valleys, and crisp Nordic air.
The highlight is the Flåmsbana Railway, one of the great scenic train rides in Europe. It climbs from the fjord into the mountains, passing waterfalls, cliffs, farms, and unforgettable Norwegian landscapes.
Flåm also offers fjord cruises, hiking, biking, waterfalls, and one of Europe’s most scenic ziplines. For travelers who love natural beauty and soft adventure, Flåm is outstanding.
Why go: fjords, waterfalls, mountain scenery, Flåmsbana Railway, zipline adventure, and world-class photography.
Traveling Professor verdict: One of the best scenic destinations in Europe.
Worst: Blue Grotto, Capri, Italy
The Blue Grotto in Capri sounds magical. The famous blue light is beautiful. But the experience can be awkward, crowded, and not much fun.
First, you sit in a small boat in rolling seas. Then you wait. Then you transfer into an even smaller rowboat. Then you lie flat while the boatman pulls you through a narrow cave opening. A few minutes later, you are back outside again.
All that effort for a very short visit.
Capri and the Amalfi Coast have plenty of wonderful experiences. The Blue Grotto is famous, but it is not always worth the hassle.
Why skip it: long waits, small boats, rough seas, difficult transfers, and a very short payoff.
Traveling Professor verdict: Great photo. Not a great experience.
Best: Padova, Italy
For one of the most underrated cities in Italy, go to Padova.
Most travelers rush to Venice and never realize that this magnificent city is nearby. Padova is historic, walkable, authentic, and often far less expensive than Venice.
The Scrovegni Chapel is one of Europe’s great art treasures, with Giotto’s extraordinary frescoes. Galileo lectured at the University of Padova. The city also offers Prato della Valle, one of Italy’s grandest squares, the elegant Pedrocchi Café, and the magnificent Basilica of Saint Anthony.
Padova feels like real Italy — rich in culture, full of history, and not overwhelmed by crowds.
Why go: Scrovegni Chapel, Galileo history, Prato della Valle, great cafés, historic churches, and better value than Venice.
Traveling Professor verdict: Padova may be Italy’s best underrated city.
Worst: Rome in the Summer
Rome is one of the greatest cities in the world. But Rome in summer can be one of the worst travel experiences in Europe.
In July and August, the heat in Italy can be brutal, the crowds overwhelming, and the lines exhausting. The Vatican, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and major piazzas can feel packed from morning to night. Hotels are expensive, restaurants are crowded, and sightseeing can become an endurance test.
The solution is simple: visit Rome in spring, fall, or winter.
Why skip summer: heat, crowds, high prices, long lines, and exhausting sightseeing.
Best time to visit Rome: April, May, October, November, or winter.
Traveling Professor verdict: Rome is essential. Summer Rome is punishment with gelato.
Best: The Louvre and Musée d’Orsay at Night, Paris
Two of the best museums in Europe are even better at night: the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay.
Most travelers visit Paris museums during the busiest part of the day. A smarter strategy is to go during evening hours when available. The atmosphere is calmer, the galleries are easier to enjoy, and the crowds are often lighter.
At the Louvre, even major works like the Mona Lisa can be easier to approach. At the Musée d’Orsay, the Impressionist galleries — Monet, Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh, Cézanne, and more — are unforgettable.
Why go: fewer crowds, calmer galleries, world-class art, and a better Paris museum experience.
Traveling Professor verdict: Paris museums at night are one of Europe’s smartest travel tips.
Worst: Temple Bar, Dublin
Temple Bar in Dublin is famous, but that does not make it the best place to visit in Ireland.
Too often, Temple Bar means crowded pubs, overpriced drinks, noisy streets, rowdy behavior, and a tourist-heavy atmosphere. It can feel less like authentic Ireland and more like amateur hour.
Dublin has excellent pubs, literary history, Georgian streets, museums, music, and neighborhoods worth exploring. Temple Bar may be popular, but it is not the best of Irish culture.
Why skip it: crowds, high prices, noise, rowdy tourists, and better pubs elsewhere.
Traveling Professor verdict: Skip the chaos. Find a real Irish pub.
Best: Dingle, Ireland
If Temple Bar is Ireland to avoid, Dingle is Ireland to embrace.
Located on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, Dingle is one of the best small towns in Ireland. It has friendly pubs, traditional music, seafood, colorful streets, local shops, harbor views, and a warm Irish welcome.
The Slea Head Drive is one of Europe’s great coastal routes, with cliffs, beaches, ancient sites, stone walls, and Atlantic views. In town, enjoy music at The Dingle Pub and a stop at Murphy’s Ice Cream.
This is the Ireland travelers hope to find.
Why go: music, pubs, coastal scenery, Slea Head Drive, seafood, local character, and authentic charm.
Traveling Professor verdict: Dingle is one of the best places to visit in Ireland.
Best and Worst Places to Visit in Europe: Quick Guide
| Category |
Place |
Country |
Verdict |
| Worst |
Blarney Stone |
Ireland |
Famous, but not worth the wait |
| Best |
Flåm Valley |
Norway |
One of Europe’s great scenic destinations |
| Worst |
Blue Grotto |
Italy |
Beautiful, but awkward and overrated |
| Best |
Padova |
Italy |
Italy’s underrated cultural gem |
| Worst |
Rome in Summer |
Italy |
Great city, wrong season |
| Best |
Louvre and Orsay at Night |
France |
Paris museums without the chaos |
| Worst |
Temple Bar |
Ireland |
Crowded, rowdy, and touristy |
| Best |
Dingle |
Ireland |
Authentic, scenic, friendly Ireland |
Final Thoughts: Famous Does Not Always Mean Best
The best places to visit in Europe are not always the most famous. Smart travelers look beyond the obvious and ask: Is it worth the time? Is it too crowded? Is there a better alternative nearby?
That is how great European itineraries are built.
Skip the two-hour wait to kiss the Blarney Stone. Think twice before squeezing into boats for the Blue Grotto. Avoid Rome in peak summer. Do not mistake Temple Bar for the best of Ireland.
Instead, ride the Flåmsbana through Norway’s mountains. Walk the historic streets of Padova. See the Louvre and Orsay at night. Listen to music in Dingle and drive the Slea Head coast.
That is the Europe worth traveling for.