FIVE EUROPEAN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS THAT ARE A COMPLETE DISAPPOINTMENT

Traveler reviews suggest that many of Europe's most famous attractions are actually overrated and often overcrowded. Some of the world's most praised tourist destinations are leaving visitors notably unsatisfied, according to new research.

PHOTO: Alton Towers

Radical Storage, a luggage storage company, analyzed 95,352 reviews from visitors to the 200 most-visited landmarks to uncover the most disappointing tourist attractions worldwide, Euronews reports.

THE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT IS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Inspired by the success of Disneyland in the United States, the Alton Towers estate was transformed into a theme park in the 1980s. With 10 themed areas spread across 910 hectares, it is the largest in the UK. However, the research revealed that nearly half of the reviews for the amusement park in Staffordshire included words indicating a negative experience. For context, the average negative review rate in the study was 10.9%.

Alton Towers had the highest percentage of reviews specifically complaining about the value they received for their money, including misleading ticket information and the expectation to pay excessively for add-ons like expensive food and drinks or access to various parts of the park. Comments also suggested that it wasn't the park itself that disappointed visitors, but rather the customer service.

BUDAPEST'S BATHS ARE OVERCROWDED

The Széchenyi Baths in Hungary’s capital, Budapest, is the largest medicinal bath in Europe and a wellness destination since 1913. However, over a third of people who left a review for the baths online reported a less-than-satisfactory experience. The baths ranked third in the category of crowds and accessibility (16.8% of all reviews, compared to an average of 4.4%).

THE FAMOUS SIAM PARK IN SPAIN HAS POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

Siam Park on the Spanish island of Tenerife is Europe’s largest water park, opened in 2007 by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand. However, a visit to the "world's best water park" is not universally enjoyable. Reviewers frequently mention rude staff and issues with accessibility.

Some visitors also expressed feeling ashamed due to their weight and noted that the park is not adapted for people with disabilities. Overall, nearly a third of reviews had something negative to say about their experience.

TIME OUT MARKET LISBON FALLS VICTIM TO ITS OWN SUCCESS

Planned and constructed by the British media and hospitality company Time Out in 2014, Time Out Market Lisbon was the company’s first venture into the food hall business. The project won the prestigious Hamburg Foodservice Award in 2018, one of the most highly regarded awards in the food service industry. But according to reviews, things may have taken a downturn since then. More than a quarter of reviewers left disappointed.

It seems that Time Out Market Lisbon has become a victim of its own success. The attraction had the highest percentage of reviews mentioning crowds or access issues (18.4%, compared to the average of 4.4%).

THE TREVI FOUNTAIN IS OVERCROWDED

The Trevi Fountain is an iconic Baroque monument in Rome, featured in popular films such as Fellini’s La Dolce Vita and Wyler’s Roman Holiday. Each year, tourists throw around a million euros into the fountain, with the coin believed to guarantee a return to Rome in the future.

However, if you plan to make your wish at the fountain, you may want to time your visit carefully. After Time Out Market Lisbon, reviews for the Trevi Fountain had the second-highest percentage of people mentioning crowds or accessibility issues. In total, one in four visitors had something negative to say about their experience.

The fountain was also closed for renovation during part of 2024, which may have contributed to the disappointment of some visitors, as reported by B92.