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

Register For Simon Calder's Free Travel Email For Expert Tips And Discounts

Subscribe To Simon Calder's Travel Newsletter!

2023 saw the return of holidays in full swing after a few years of limited travel opportunities. And it seems that 2024 will be an even bigger year for jetsetters. According to Abta, the association for UK travel agents, international travel is expected to keep increasing next year, with passenger numbers reaching or even exceeding the levels from before the pandemic.

Many tourist-deprived places will be grateful for a surge in tourists, but in some places, the situation has changed quickly from manageable to excessive.

The issue of excessive tourism or "overtourism" seems to be resurfacing in 2018. Several destinations plagued by an overwhelming number of visitors have been taking measures to reduce them. For instance, Barcelona is now limiting the number of cruise ships allowed to dock at its main port, while Venice is preparing to impose new fees on day-trippers.

Apart from exploring a popular tourist spot during its off-season and choosing a less busy time of the year, there is another method to prevent adding more strain on a congested attraction or metropolis - substitute it with a less visited alternative.

Are you interested in seeing canals? Don't limit yourself to Venice as other destinations have them too. Have you ever imagined exploring Incan ruins? Machu Picchu is not your only option as there are countless other sites to choose from.

Here are a few suggestions for changing your travel habits to promote sustainability in the year 2024.

Discover additional information about eco-friendly tourism:

Trade Amsterdam For Utrecht

Charming waterways and slanted-roof homes are common features of Utrecht, just like they are in Amsterdam.

The city of Amsterdam is often used as an example of overtourism. In March 2023, the city launched a successful campaign to discourage rowdy tourists. The initiative led to a 22% drop in the number of UK visitors compared to 2019. Amsterdam still wants to attract the right kind of tourist, without groups of partygoers. Luckily, there are many other great cities in the Netherlands that offer similar attractions, such as traditional houses with gabled roofs, peaceful canals, first-class restaurants, and excellent museums. One such city is Utrecht, which is only a 25-minute train ride south of Amsterdam. It boasts stunning Dutch architecture, picturesque waterways, cobblestone streets, and a medieval center that rivals even the capital's.

Trade Venice For Genoa

The city of Venice is struggling to cope with the number of tourists visiting the area. The city has banned cruise ships from the Venice lagoon from 2021 and plans to ban loudspeakers and large tourist groups. From summer 2024, a fee of €5 will be charged to daytrippers entering the historic centre. If you're looking for an authentic Italian experience without the crowds, then Genoa could be the perfect alternative. This beautiful port city is often overlooked, but it has a lot to offer. It's the birthplace of pesto and has a laid-back charm, with its own network of narrow alleyways and stunning Renaissance palaces, as well as modern buildings designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano.

Choose Choquequirao Over Machu Picchu

Choosing to visit Choquequirao instead of Machu Picchu guarantees a tourist-free experience.

When individuals usually imagine Incan remains, Machu Picchu in Peru comes to mind. Machu Picchu is a fortress from the 15th century situated high up in the Andes; however, it became so congested with visitors that it had to implement a ticket system in 2017. In 2019, the regulations became even more stringent, and travellers were required to pick specific time slots and arrive within an hour of them, or risk being denied entry. Nonetheless, adventurers can quench their thirst by choosing to explore Choquequirao instead, an Incan site situated in the southern part of Peru's Andes. Choquequirao, affectionately known as "Choque" among the natives, boasts identical structures and building techniques to that of Machu Picchu. Accessible solely by foot or mule, Choque features ceremonial halls, chambers that once housed mummies, terraces, and numerous buildings that accommodated the Incans.

Trade Barcelona For Valencia

Valencia is an attractive coastal city in Spain that is full of charisma.

Barcelona is a place in Europe that has experienced overtourism, leading to an increase in rents and a lack of housing for locals. As a result, the city has taken steps to tackle this problem. One of the latest measures was to reduce the number of cruise ships that can dock at the main port from 10 to seven. Additionally, starting in 2024, guests who stay at five-star hotels in Barcelona will pay a municipal tourist tax of €6.75 per night, which is an increase from the current €5.25. The money collected will go to the City Council and Barcelona's Generalitat. If you're seeking a Spanish coastal destination where you can explore a city while enjoying the beach, Valencia is a perfect choice. It's Spain's third-largest city and has a relaxed atmosphere, a beautiful old town, affordable and delicious food options (including plenty of paella), and an excellent location near the sea. Valencia also boasts a wide variety of museums and galleries, which you can visit in the City of Arts and Sciences.

Try Zadar Instead Of Dubrovnik

Taking a bird's eye view of Zadar and its harbor

Dubrovnik, a magnificent destination with a well-preserved, UNESCO-listed walled city, has been negatively impacted by the high popularity of the TV series, Game of Thrones. The site has become overcrowded, and it is also affected by the cruise industry. In an effort to combat this issue, Dubrovnik has limited the number of ships that can dock each day to two, carrying a maximum of 5,000 passengers between them. New measures have also been implemented for visitors to “Respect the City” starting in 2023. This includes restrictions on activities such as walking around in swimwear, driving without permission, eating and drinking around cultural monuments, and climbing on the city walls. However, there are alternative coastal cities in Croatia, such as Zadar on the Dalmatian coast. It offers ancient Roman ruins, Venetian-era cathedrals, chess board castles, peaceful national parks, vineyards, and a variety of nearby idyllic islands to explore by ferry.

The tourism sector in Croatia has recovered to the levels it had prior to the outbreak of the pandemic.

Trade Angkor Wat For Beng Mealea

Beng Mealea is abundant with otherworldly edifices waiting to be explored.

The temple complex located in Cambodia that has gained worldwide recognition for being the largest religious building in the world attracts a considerable amount of visitors - between 1,000 to 1,500 people per day. Due to this influx of tourists, informal settlements began to form, which resulted in negative effects on the local environment such as littering and the exhausting of water resources. Although Angkor Wat is undoubtedly an impressive site, there are other temples worth exploring in Cambodia, such as the Beng Mealea - a complex located 40km east of the main temples in Angkor and 70km outside of Siem Reap. Built in the 12th century, this site has a similar layout to Angkor Wat and displays remarkable features such as dark chambers, an unspoiled library, and delicate carvings. Despite its compelling features, this temple complex receives a small number of visitors.

Exchange Santorini For Syros

Ermoupoli serves as the primary port of entry for Syros island.

Santorini, a famous island in Greece's Cyclades, is widely known for its beautiful white buildings with blue roofs. However, it gets crowded during peak season due to many tourists trying to capture the perfect Instagram shot. Although it is a small island, it attracts around two million visitors annually, making it one of the top tourist destinations in Greece. On the other hand, there are other islands in the Cyclades that are not as well-known but share the same charm as Santorini without the overwhelming crowds. One of them is Syros, which boasts a lovely port called Ermoupoli, neoclassical architecture, a thriving farm-to-table food culture and peaceful coves perfect for boat trips. Additionally, getting to Syros is easy as it only takes a thirty-minute ferry ride from Mykonos or a two to four hour ride from Athens' port.

Explore further on The Independent's assortment of travel options that do not involve air travel.