Edinburgh landmark named most 'overcrowded' tourist destination in Europe

A new study has revealed the top 10 most "overcrowded" tourist attractions in Europe - and an iconic Edinburgh spot has come in at number one.

With people across Scotland and beyond heading on their holidays this month, many popular spots will be busier than usual as tourists come to visit. Those seeking a more tranquil and intimate summer should avoid certain destinations that visitors are known to flock to.

To determine which tourist sites are said to be the busiest, luxury travel company The Thinking Traveller looked at Tripadvisor reviews for the most popular attractions in Europe and counted how many reviews mentioned the words 'overcrowded' or 'busy' for each one.

According to the experts, Edinburgh Castle topped the list, with 1,184 reviews during summer months that claimed the destination had too many tourists.

London also had three destinations in the list that were deemed overcrowded by tourists, with Buckingham Palace, The Tower of London, and the British Museum all making the top 10. The Roman Baths in Bath also made the top 10 coming in at number five with 990 reviews.

The study was commissioned ahead of The Thoughtful Traveller Day on August 12, which encourages people to think about travelling more sustainably, including travelling to lesser-known places instead of those that are at risk of over tourism.

More information about the study and methodology can be found on The Thinking Traveller website.

According to the study, 1,184 Tripadvisor reviews of Edinburgh Castle mentioned the words ‘overcrowded’ or ‘busy’ (David Williams / Getty Images)

Top 10 overcrowded tourist attractions according to Tripadvisor reviews

1. Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland: 1,184 mentions
2. Buckingham Palace, London, England: 1,112 mentions
3. Siam Park, Tenerife, Spain: 1,096 mentions
4. Canal Grande, Venice, Italy: 992 mentions
5. The Roman Baths, Bath, England: 990 mentions
6. Tower Of London, London, England: 965 mentions
7. Louvre Museum, Paris, France: 924 mentions
8. Acropolis, Athens, Greece: 905 mentions
9. The British Museum, London, England: 900 mentions
10. Musee d’Orsay, Paris, France: 899 mentions

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