Revealed: The worst tourist trap in the world

Daily Mail​

5 days ago

In every country, tourists eagerly gather at the most popular and talked-about spots , hoping it lives up to their expectations.
Though at times, travellers may find themselves disappointed - charged premium prices and squashed shoulder-to-shoulder with others all aiming to chase the same sought-after attraction.
Now, the very worst tourist trap in the world has been revealed, in research by Nomad eSIM.
There's not one, but two places that tie as the top spots to avoid when travelling – and both are in the United States.
Fisherman's Wharf, located in San Francisco, and Wall Drug, in South Dakota, scored the worst in Nomad's analysis.
The company looked at thousands of reviews for attractions in 50 popular destinations around the world and tracked mentions of 'tourist trap'.
Both Fisherman's Wharf and Wall Drug have 1,000 reviews labelling them as 'tourist traps'.
Wall Drug attracts around 2 million tourists each year and started out as a small pharmacy in 1931.
Now, it is known worldwide for being a quirky roadside attraction spreading across 76,000sq feet.
Visitors can enjoy coffee for five cents, fresh donuts and an old-timey photo studio, as well as over 300 pieces of Western art.
However, not everyone is impressed with its offerings and the attraction has received more than 1,000 reviews labelling it a 'tourist trap,' according to Nomad.
One slammed it for being 'very crammed and tacky' while another swiped 'you will be ripped off by every store owner in town'.
Fisherman's Wharf ties with Wall Drug as one of the worst tourist traps.
The historic waterfront spot brings in around 12 million tourists a year who visit for the seafood restaurants, sea lions and souvenir shops.
However, many leave disappointed and underwhelmed.
According to Nomad, some visitors described the location as 'dirty, run down and overcrowded' and commented 'only worth it to see the seals.'
Spain's Las Ramblas, a promenade that runs for more than a kilometre through central Barcelona, placed second in the 'tourist trap' rankings with 826 reviews.
The attraction is packed with shops, eateries, and attractions and while some travellers enjoy its energetic vibe, others find the experience chaotic and overwhelming.
Known for pickpocketing, the area is often packed with crowds some visitors find that it's 'one of the most overrated roads in the world', and one even went as far as to say that 'it should be on your DO NOT DO list'.
Dublin's Temple Bar was listed third, despite being renowned for its lively nightlife and traditional Irish pub s.
The Irish icon saw 'tourist trap' mentioned a whopping 687 times.
Complaints about Temple Bar range from how dirty it is to the sky-high prices, with one reviewer describing it as 'overcrowded, overpriced and overrated'.
Temple Bar was closely followed by Checkpoint Charlie, in Germany, which had 681 reviews dubbing it a 'tourist trap'.
The famous Cold War-era border crossing in Germany features plenty of souvenir stalls and draws in plenty of visitors.
But it doesn't always impress and according to Nomad, one traveller said: 'For somewhere with so much historical importance, it has become a cheap and nasty tourist spot'.
While the Royal Mile in Edinburgh placed five in the 'tourist trap' rankings with 539 reviews.
Stretching 1.81km, the cobbled road links Edinburgh Castle the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
However, one visitor to the Scottish capital expressed disappointment: 'Bring back the days when locals could live and work in the area without locusts like plagues of tourists!'.