Advice · Overtourism · 2026
Overtourism in Venice, Barcelona, Santorini, Bali: what changes in 2026 (taxes, caps) and 9 less-crowded alternatives tested by our team.
Overtourism is when a place draws so many visitors that it degrades residents' lives, the environment, and the travel experience itself. In 2026, Venice charges up to €10 for a day visit, Barcelona raises its tourist tax to €5 per night, and Santorini levies €20 on cruise passengers in high season. The good news: for every saturated site, there's a neighbouring alternative just as beautiful and still breathable.
This isn't an argument against travel. It's a toolkit. First, understand what's actually changing (taxes, quotas, cruise caps). Then, 9 pairings of saturated destination → less-crowded alternative, drawn from the countries we cover and travelled in 2025-2026.
Editorial selection. No destination paid to be featured here.
Contents
Cyclades · Greece
Santorini charges €20 per cruise passenger from June 1 to September 30, 2026, and caps disembarkations. One to two hours away by ferry, Naxos has the best Cyclades beaches and a real hinterland, Milos its lunar coves (Sarakiniko), Folegandros a cliff village without the crush. Same sunsets, half the crowds.
Italy · Adriatic
In 2026 Venice extends its day-visitor ticket (€5 to €10) to 60 peak days, up from 54 in 2025. Trieste, two hours by train, serves up Viennese cafés, a seafront, and rare calm. For canals and lagoon without the crowd, the South answers: Puglia (trulli, Baroque Lecce), small Adriatic towns. Breathable Italy still exists.
Indonesia
Bali applies a tourist levy of IDR 150,000 (about €9) and is overwhelmed in the south. Flores (Komodo, Kelimutu's volcanic lakes), Sumba (deserted beaches, living culture), and Sulawesi (Toraja, snorkelling) offer the Indonesia of before mass tourism, with real hospitality and gentle prices.
Adriatic · Balkans
Dubrovnik caps calls at 2 ships and 5,000 cruise passengers per day and still feels packed in summer. Cross the Adriatic: the Albanian Riviera (Ksamil, Himara, Dhërmi) lines up Caribbean-grade turquoise water, preserved villages, and Balkan prices. Berat and Gjirokastër add UNESCO heritage.
Croatia · Dalmatia
Split and Hvar saturate in July-August. Šibenik (two UNESCO sites), the Kornati archipelago, and the island of Vis keep the same crystalline sea with half the boats.
Spain / France
Barcelona raises its tax to €5 per night (up to €15 in luxury hotels) to ease pressure. For a lively, affordable, still-quiet capital: Tbilisi, its sulphur baths, its food scene, and the Caucasus within reach.
Iceland
Southern Iceland (Golden Circle, Reynisfjara) concentrates the tour buses. The Eastfjords (Seyðisfjörður, Borgarfjörður eystri) offer puffins, empty roads, and artists' villages, far from the Ring Road flow.
Morocco
Marrakech's medina saturates. Essaouira (trade winds, blue port, relaxed mood) and the Atlas valleys (Aït Bouguemez, Ourika) deliver Moroccan authenticity without the souk's pressure.
Portugal
Lisbon and the Algarve overflow in summer. The Alentejo (white villages, vineyards, empty beaches) and the Azores (volcanic nature, whales) extend Portuguese charm in peace.
| Saturated site | Alternative | Best season | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santorini | Naxos / Milos / Folegandros | May-Jun / Sep | Same Cyclades, half the crowds |
| Venice | Trieste / Puglia | Apr-Jun / Sep-Oct | Breathable Italy, direct train |
| Bali | Flores / Sumba / Sulawesi | May-Oct | Indonesia before mass tourism |
| Dubrovnik | Albanian coast | May-Sep | Turquoise Adriatic, Balkan prices |
| Barcelona | Tbilisi (Georgia) | May-Jun / Sep-Oct | Lively, affordable city break |
| Southern Iceland | Eastfjords | Jun-Aug | Empty roads, puffins |
Marie L. ✓
·Southeast Asia specialist
Southeast Asia specialist.