Overtourism: what travellers can actually do
Picture a narrow street at noon in August. You can't stop to look at anything, the café has a queue, and the people who live there are trying to get home with their shopping. Nobody is having a good time.
I've seen this from both sides. I studied tourism in Rome, and I worked as an assistant hotel manager on the island of Elba, where summer changes everything. So when people ask me about overtourism, I don't think the answer is to stop travelling. I think we can travel a little smarter.
What "overtourism" really means
The word sounds big, but the idea is simple: too many visitors in the same place at the same time. Life gets harder for the people who live there, and the trip gets worse for visitors too.
When the UN's tourism agency looked at this in European cities, it pointed to residents who feel crowded out and bothered by noise. It also said that local people need a real say in how tourism grows. I agree.
The good news? Most of the fix is about when and how we go, not whether we go.
1. Move your dates, even a little
Crowds are mostly a timing problem. The same town can feel packed in August and lovely in late May or early October. If you can, travel in the shoulder season: the weeks just before and just after the busy summer. Rooms often cost less, the weather is softer, and locals have more time to chat.
Can't change the month? Change the hour. See the famous square at eight in the morning or after dinner, and spend the middle of the day somewhere quieter.
2. Stay the night, don't just rush in
Day trips push a lot of people into a small space for a few hours. They leave queues behind, and not much else. Venice now asks day visitors to pay a small access fee on its busiest days. In 2026 that means about 60 days between April and July. People who sleep in the city don't pay it.
I love the message behind this: slow down, stay, enjoy your evening there. A night in a small family-run hotel helps a town far more than a rushed afternoon. And you get to see the place when it's calm.
3. Go one stop further
Every famous spot has a quieter neighbour. Next to the busy old town there's a market district where people actually shop. Near the crowded beach there's a village that's just as pretty. Take the local train one stop further and see what you find.
Ask your host where they go on their day off. Hosts love that question, and the answer is almost never in the guidebook.
4. Spend your money where it stays
Choose a locally owned guesthouse, a neighbourhood restaurant, a guide who grew up there. Buy the cheese at the market, not a souvenir made on the other side of the world. You spend the same money, but where it lands makes a big difference.
5. Pay the fees with a smile
More and more cities ask visitors to chip in. Amsterdam already has one of the highest tourist taxes in the world, and it plans to raise it step by step. The city says visitors should pay a fair share for upkeep, maintenance and investment.
Nobody likes an extra line on the bill. But these fees help keep streets clean and buses running. Check them before you book, so they don't come as a surprise.
6. Be a good guest
This one costs nothing. Keep your voice down in quiet streets at night. Cover up when you leave the beach. Don't sit on steps or monuments where it isn't allowed. Ask before you take photos of people or their homes. In short, treat the town the way you'd want visitors to treat your own street.
A quick checklist before you book
Can I go a few weeks earlier or later?
Can I stay at least one night instead of a day trip?
Is there an access fee or tourist tax? Have I booked it or put it in my budget?
Have I picked one quieter area to explore?
Is my stay, my food or my guide locally owned?
Do I know the local rules, like quiet hours or where not to sit?
Now it's your turn: what's the most crowded place you've ever visited, and how did you still enjoy it? Share your tips in the comments. I'd love to collect them.
Want to see it in practice? Claudia goes deeper on blogness.org: Slow Rome in a Weekend: Aventine, Testaccio and the Appian Way.
Sources and further reading
Photo: Luca Bravo / Unsplash
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