Jonny’s Rant on Americans Abroad: Stop Following the Herd

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The Same Old Cities, Again and Again

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Do you even know this cutie?

My fellow Americans are snobby when it comes to their travel. Being one, not a snob, but an American, I can dive into this topic and share this ridiculousness about Americans and their travel choices. 

Let’s be clear, I can’t tell you the number of times I've mentioned that I live in Italy, only to have people ask me about Rome, Venice, and Milan, as those were the big three that people associate with Italy. Granted, this is an older demographic, so if you skew younger, such as a social media generation, then it’s Cinque Terre, Siena, and Florence. 

Come to think of it, Tuscany is said way too much as well, like it’s a catch phrase. I love my nephew dearly, but when I found out he was going to these hot spots in Italy, or at least some of them, I rolled my eyes and said to myself, “You’re missing the real Italian life.” It’s true. While I have been pushing Brindisi and Me quite a bit, this isn’t a go-to Puglia plug; this is just a venting blog about Americans who need to get out of the tourist hotspots and find another city or region, other than what their friends did last year or they saw on TikTok. 

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Hidden Gems Are Everywhere

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Lake Ieso is like living in a dream

A friend of mine recently returned from Bulgaria and thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. I can guarantee you it wasn’t overcrowded, like the Spanish Steps or for those trying to get a photo of the Coliseum. Pick your battles. If you want to travel and see different places, you don’t have to go off the beaten path, but at least pick up a map and consider other options. 

Let’s take France for a moment. I will share that there was a time I fantasized about a trip to Paris. A true romantic, how could I not? I even booked a trip to Paris, but when a chance to visit Vilnius opened up for the same weekend, I didn’t even flinch. My love for Vilnius is well known, but back to Paris. I recall watching Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy in Before Sunset, as they walked the streets and along the River Seine. It was lovely, and downright inspiring. The frugal traveler in me, the one that doesn’t want to break the bank, won’t even consider a trip, because I’m too old to stay in a hostel (at least one there lol), the apartments are overpriced, and the price point for a decent hotel is not worth the effort when you can still see France and get a feel in other places where the locals don’t actually hate you. Cue, Carcassonne. Talk about a lovely little city, an hour or so from Toulouse in southern France. 

Last October, I was delighted to get that as a stopover. The food was terrific, both on the first night and at lunch the next day, before I decided to dive in and eat some closed mussels, as if it were amateur night. Any New Englander knows not to eat mussels from a closed shell, but why not? Who cares if they taste a bit off? My stomach and intestinal tract the next morning weren’t too pleased. Guess which guy didn’t bring any stomach medicine, and all the pharmacies were closed because it was Sunday? Yeah, this guy. 

That aside, what a beautiful city. I fell in love with the quaint old town area, its river path, and, drum roll, please, the castle with restaurants, shops, and everything in between, just a short walk across the river. There were people there, but not the crowds you get elsewhere in France, and these were just locals out for their Saturday stroll. 

With a bit of research, you can find gems that offer the French or Italian experience without the financial drain and the overwhelming nature of crowds and high tourist season. Does anyone know about Lake Iseo in northern Italy, or are you too fixated on Lake Como and that area? I created a vlog about the small city of Iseo and explored the area to show that you can enjoy a great meal, spectacular views, and avoid the crowds by simply traveling a few hours away from Milan. It’s easy, you just have to be adventurous, and even though this is not adventurous, it’s a calculated measure. 

I can say the same thing for England. I’ve mentioned before that I’ve only been to London once, but I've visited England six times. Just like the same travelers back home who harp on Rome and Tuscany as the end-all of Italy, London is not the United Kingdom. It’s not even really England. The one time I went there for a holiday weekend, I stayed near Hyde Park, and I didn’t hear any English. No joke, it was all foreigners everywhere I went. That’s not authentic. The prices certainly are higher; that’s a given.

Now, why don’t you fly into Manchester or Liverpool and visit either of those cities? Personally, I prefer Liverpool being right on the water, and I'm a big fan of the Beatles. That’s a place I can wrap my head around and enjoy. Did I mention people are friendly there? They are also, for the most part, clearly locals, making for a more refreshing experience. Then again, you can go somewhere smaller like Llandudno, Southport, Morecambe, and get wrapped up in a different vibe, or head to the Midlands and visit Nottingham or Leicester.

People who genuinely want to experience a country, rather than just check a box so they can brag to their friends that they went to a particular location and spent a lot of money, will get precisely what I’m talking about. This is why I bang my travel drum on countries like Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. You see historical cities and towns, with easy transportation methods, great food, and a unique energy that doesn’t pull the same soul strings as Western European spots.

Every time I hear someone say they've been to Lisbon, Madrid, or Barcelona, I ask, “Have you been to the Balkans? Going to Tirana or maybe Belgrade?” There’s a counter to these madhouse places where the locals aren’t keen on tourists, except for taking your money at overpriced restaurants or tourist traps, or worse, literally stealing your wallet and electronics, because they see you as targets. 

Do you want some fresh fruit that will leave a lasting memory? Go to Durres, Albania. Watermelon tastes like pure natural sugar water in that seaside vista. I would go back just to get the watermelon, and I can’t stomach it in the States. You want Greece? Why go to a dirty, crowded city like Athens, when you can sneak up to Thessalonki and then spend an overnight trip in a small village like Agia Triada where the stray dogs will hit you up for a food toll, but the cold beer, the fresh seafood, and the majestic water of the Aegean Sea will leave you with a lasting memory and no hangover from crowds and congestion. 

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​Rethink the Way You Travel

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The Irish Sea is a sight to be hold from the Great Orme

Americans, in particular, need to get off the travel bandwagon. If I read one more article about the overcrowded hot spots in Europe over the summer months Americans are flocking to, even though it’s downright miserable to travel to many of these places during that frame, I might just hide my head in the Moroccan sand until the winter comes again. Honestly, do we really need to read another blog about how small the hotel room was and how there was no air conditioning? Did you not look over your listing at Booking.com? Better yet, did you conduct any research, or was it just “Let’s go where everyone else goes?” 

I wouldn’t be so adamant about his topic, but when do you think Europeans travel? Newsflash: they also take a holiday in the summer. Why not think outside the box and go during the off-season when at least the kids are back in school? Is it really necessary to play this overseas travel game during the same time frame? 

Wow, I didn’t realize how worked up I get on this topic. I suppose I just want to get off the beaten path, or at least avoid running into a bunch of fellow Americans in the exact location when I happen to be exploring Europe and other parts of the world. The goal is to experience new places, new cultures, and, of course, culinary delights. If you want to see other Americans, then so be it; hit the major cities, just like everyone else, at the exact high times of the year. Go for it, and you’ll miss out on what traveling is intended to be and what it can show you about yourself and your connection to the world. 

I could be wrong, but that’s my two cents on the topic, and I’m sticking to it.

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