All international travel is terrible now that so many can afford it.

Most tourists have zero manners. Especially American tourists in other countries.

Anonymous wrote:So, tourists should stay away but it is ok for you to go?

Didn’t you read? OP studied there in 1990. She’s not a tourist. Have some respect.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suspect that the more we visit the same place the more it will shed its magic, irrespective of other factors.

Particularly your age, right?

I mean, everywhere I went and everything I did when I was young, wild and free was sooooo much better than when I revisit as an old married lady with kids.

Roadtripping and staying in dumpy hotels with a hot 20 something guy made everything amazing.

Ha, so true!

Anonymous wrote:I suspect that the more we visit the same place the more it will shed its magic, irrespective of other factors.

Particularly your age, right?

I mean, everywhere I went and everything I did when I was young, wild and free was sooooo much better than when I revisit as an old married lady with kids.

Roadtripping and staying in dumpy hotels with a hot 20 something guy made everything amazing.

Really? I grew up there and was back recently, briefly, and it felt exactly the same…but then I don’t see it like a set out of Emily in Paris…it just is.

There are few things more irritating than someone who studied in Paris. If you did, it’s great, just never talk about it.

The only thing worse than talking about how the aura at Notre Dame is different now is talking about how you got spoiled by the macarons and now you can’t eat inferior macarons.

Anonymous wrote:So, tourists should stay away but it is ok for you to go?

+100. This post is dying from the internal hypocrisy. Can't have one (the ability to be a tourist) without the other (everyone ability to be a tourist).

You could try Ukraine or Russia right now. Probably hardly any tourists there now.

Went in 2019 and had a great time. Yes there are massive crowds in a few places, but that's true in every popular place- go to the Mall in DC in April and it's madness. We mostly went to places that are not the central traditional attractions and had a great time- but still beautiful places like Luxembourg Gardens, Canal St-Martin, etc.

I think another reason you think this is nostalgia for “the Europe of your youth.” You were amazed and in awe of the cities back then and didn’t notice the negative aspects as much. Now you’ve gotten older and more bitter and cynical plus you’ve already seen these things so the novelty is gone and the “magic” has waned.

Sorry OP. I guess it’s my fault I was born too late. I was 8 in 1990 and only recently have the funds to visit these places. Check your privilege.

Feel a bit of the same but I agree that it’s only fair that others experience as well. It makes me less likely to want to go back though.

We did Vienna in April one year and Madrid in Feb previous year (years before pandemic ) and was pretty nice as lighter crowds. Now we can go off peak that is best.

OP,

Consider Lyon. It is a very French city and the food is some of the best you will eat anywhere.

Anonymous wrote:So, tourists should stay away but it is ok for you to go?

ha. +1

We go to visit 3rd tier cities now.

Or, if we go to 1st tier locations we go to 3rd tier sites.

We visited Venice in July of 2020 right before Covid struck.
We avoided St Marks Square and 1st and 2nd tier places mentioned in guide books. We visited off the beaten track churches and off the beaten track museums. We frequently were the only visitors at the 3rd tier sites and had a wonderful more authentic visit to Venice.