London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jul 11, 2025

What are the most and least ‘over-touristed’ capital cities in Europe?

What are the most and least ‘over-touristed’ capital cities in Europe?

These are the European capital cities with the most tourists per resident.

Travel is back in full swing - but not all places are embracing the return of tourists.

Overtourism has become a major issue everywhere from Europe’s beaches to popular capital cities.

To combat overcrowding, some destinations have introduced restrictions ranging from visitor caps in Marseille, France to a cruise ship ban in Venice, Italy.

No one wants to arrive at their holiday destination to find themselves in the latter part of an ‘Instagram vs reality’ post. So how can you avoid this?

We’ve crunched the numbers to find out which European cities are the most - and least - crowded with tourists.

Using data from holiday rental search engine Holidu, which compared local population sizes with 2019 tourist numbers, here are the European capital cities with the most tourists per resident.


What is the most overtouristed capital city in Europe?


Amsterdam has the highest number of tourists per resident. The Dutch capital has 12 tourists for every one of its inhabitants.

Known as the ‘Venice of the North’, Amsterdam has more than 160 canals and 1,200 bridges criss-crossing them. While the city has been a destination for cannabis, alcohol and prostitution for some, Amsterdam now aims to change its reputation.

The city is home to countless elegant houses, bars and coffee shops. A visit to the Van Gogh Museum is also a must.

Which other European capitals are packed with tourists?

Dublin comes in second place with 11 tourists per resident in the Holidu listing.

Ireland’s fun-loving capital is the home of Guinness, and the beer’s brewery tours have welcomed close to 23 million people since first opening in 2000.

Tourists also flock to the iconic Temple Bar, a cobbled street lined with bars hosting live folk bands - including the much-photographed Temple Bar Pub.

Estonia’s capital snags third place with 10 tourists per inhabitant. The Eastern European country has plenty to explore beyond Tallinn. With the Baltic Sea to both the north and west, it is home to thousands of islands brimming with nature and history.

France’s capital, Paris, comes in fourth with nine tourists per resident. The City of Love draws visitors scrambling to see the famed Eiffel Tower. The Louvre, meanwhile, is the most visited museum in the world.

Athens, Greece’s capital, is another of the most popular capitals with eight tourists per inhabitant.


Where are the least crowded capitals in Europe?


Are you looking for a city break that’s a little less crowded? According to Holidu, Germany’s Berlin, Spain’s Madrid, Belgium’s Brussels and Hungary’s Budapest are the ‘least-touristed’ capitals with only two tourists per resident.

Among the other European capital cities, Prague in the Czech Republic has eight tourists per inhabitant; Edinburgh in Scotland has seven; Copenhagen in Denmark and Lisbon in Portugal have six. Stockholm in Sweden, Vienna in Austria and Rome in Italy have four. The UK's London has three.


What about Europe’s non-capital cities?


Are you more interested in visiting cities beyond the capitals? In many cases, they face worse overcrowding due their smaller sizes and seasonal popularity.

Dubrovnik in Croatia, according to Holidu, welcomed an average of 36 tourists per inhabitant in 2019. As these visitors primarily come for summer holidays, the coastal city is most overcrowded in this season.

Italy’s Venice, Belgium’s Bruges and the Greek island of Rhodes, each with 21 tourists per resident, come next.

Like Dubrovnik, Rhodes is mostly visited for summer holidays, when the crowds of tourists dramatically increase.

Turkey’s Antalya and Muğla, which are very popular among European tourists, had five and three visitors per inhabitant, respectively.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
×