Croatia is, hands down, one of the most beautiful places in the world, so it only makes sense that the country is swimming with tourists come summertime. Most visitors flock to the southern city of Dubrovnik with its renaissance buildings and narrow alleyways.
One of the city’s claims to fame is that it served as a filming location for Game of Thrones. This is just one of the reasons that it has been named as the most “over-touristed” city in Europe.
The title comes courtesy of Statista, a global data-gathering company. It was found that Dubrovnik has 36 tourists for every local resident.
It was followed by Venice, Bruges, and Rhodes, all of which come in at 21.
Although UNESCO advised against admitting more than 8,000 visitors into the World Heritage Site at one time, it has not managed to curb the overflow.
Dubrovnik’s mayor has now revealed measures to address the tourist overload. One involves introducing a luggage drop-off system at the entrance to the city center. Visitors must then pay to have their suitcases delivered to their accommodation. The rule is expected to come into effect in November.
Until then, there are some ways to enjoy the walled city without the crowds. Do like the locals and stay out of Old Town. Instead, venture to the Gruž neighborhood and take a boat trip to Mijet.