'I'm a travel influencer - I've been to 17 European cities and I'll never go back to 3'
A travel influencer has revealed the three European destinations she wishes she'd avoided after exploring 17 different. Last year, Sooyeon, a social media star from San Francisco undertook an ambitious European adventure.
Despite enjoying much of her time on the continent and immersing herself in the local cultures, there were three holiday destinations that left her feeling somewhat underwhelmed.
Taking to her TikTok account @soos.foods, she shared her candid travel insights: "These are three cities I probably would've skipped," though she was quick to clarify: "Doesn't mean these are bad destinations, I just didn't enjoy them as much as other cities."
Madrid
Following a two and a half day stay in Spain's capital after visiting Barcelona, she confessed that the coastal city had captured her affections, leaving Madrid feeling rather lacklustre by comparison.
She revealed: "The main reason is because I went to both Madrid and Barcelona on the same trip, and I feel like Madrid didn't have as many interesting things to do for me at least, other than the palace and museums. ...If I were to do this trip again, I would probably skip Madrid and spend more time in Barcelona."
Catania
Catania proved to be another destination that failed to meet Sooyeon's expectations.
Located on Sicily's eastern coastline, the ancient port city appeared to be a perfect 'Italian getaway' destination in theory, yet the reality didn't match her aspirations. Sooyeon explained: "The city just felt a little run down and not the safest. People were also not afraid to stare at you - I'm sure they weren't trying to be rude or mean, but it felt a little uncomfortable as a female traveller."
Berlin
Berlin also featured on Sooyeon's disappointing destinations list, though her concerns about the German capital differed from her gripes with Catania and Madrid. She praised Berlin's 'welcoming' atmosphere and its collection of 'cool cafes, shops and roads', yet felt something was missing.
"Don't get me wrong, I would love to live in Berlin," Sooyeon confessed. "But, as a tourist, I feel like the main attractions are history museums which I personally am not the biggest on, especially because at this point on my trip I was getting severe museum fatigue."
She also observed that the food scene was rather international, making it trickier for her to discover genuine local dishes, which stays her number one priority when travelling.
"The food scene was also pretty international, so I didn't find as many options for authentic local food, which is something I try to eat everywhere I go. Again, this is just my experience - what doesn't work for me, could work for you."
Sooyeon's honest assessments triggered a wave of reactions on TikTok, with users split over her views on these beloved locations.
One user passionately defended Madrid, declaring: "I will not accept any Madrid slander! I've been like four times and it's an incredible city."
Others rushed to defend Catania, with one person pleading: "Everyone here pls don't skip Catania," whilst another commenter challenged her assessment of Berlin's cleanliness, hitting back: "Berlin is clean? What girl?"
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