Everyone goes to London, Paris & Rome

4 min 48 sec read

Popular doesn't mean memorable.

The Problem With Tourist Traps

Last month, a friend spent $9,000 on a week in Paris.

Four days in line at museums. Overpriced cafes near the Eiffel Tower. The same photos everyone else takes.

He came home and said: "It was fine. But not worth the money."

This is the trap most travelers fall into.

Booking the famous destination because it's famous. Following the crowd because everyone else is going there.

The result? You spend more money for a more predictable experience.

Meanwhile, there are countries that deliver everything you want from travel – unique culture, great food, memorable experiences – without the crowds, lines, or inflated prices.

Here are 5 swaps that actually make a difference.

London → Poland: Old World Europe Without the Price Tag

Why London Feels Played Out

London is expensive, crowded, and familiar. Most Americans have been or know someone who just went.

A week in London for a family of 4 costs $10,000+ with hotels, food, and attractions. You'll spend half your time in lines at Tower of London and British Museum.

It's a great city. But there's nothing surprising about it anymore.

Why Poland Delivers

Kraków rivals Prague and Vienna for medieval beauty, but with almost no American tourists. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wawel Castle sits on a hill overlooking the Vistula River. The Jewish Quarter has incredible history and food.

Plus, the Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of the most surreal places in Europe – a 13th-century underground city carved entirely from salt, 1,000 feet below ground.

How to do it:

• Fly LOT Polish Airlines nonstop from Chicago or JFK, or connect through Frankfurt/Munich on Lufthansa

• Stay in Kazimierz (Jewish Quarter) or Old Town

• 3 days Kraków, 2 days Zakopane (mountain town), 2 days Warsaw

Cost for 7 days, family of 4: $4,500-6,000 (about half of London)

What you get: Medieval Europe without the tourist crush or London prices.

Mexico Resorts → Brazil: Trading Predictable for Unforgettable

Why Mexico All-Inclusives Feel Repetitive

Cancún, Cabo, Playa del Carmen. They're comfortable. But they're also identical.

You never leave the resort. Buffet meals. Pool. Beach. Repeat.

It's not Mexico. It's a resort that happens to be in Mexico.

Why Brazil Delivers

Brazil gives you multiple trips in one country. Rio de Janeiro has beaches, mountains, samba, and street life. Salvador has Afro-Brazilian culture and some of the best food in South America. The Amazon is unlike anywhere else on Earth.

You can do beach and culture in Rio, then fly to the Amazon from Manaus for a completely different experience.

How to do it:

• Fly American, United, or LATAM nonstop from Miami, Houston, or JFK to Rio

• 4 days Rio: Copacabana, Christ the Redeemer, Ipanema, Lapa for nightlife

• 3 days Salvador: Pelourinho neighborhood, capoeira, street food

• Or skip Salvador and add 3 days Amazon (fly from Manaus)

Cost for 8 days, family of 4: $6,200-8,500 (comparable to a decent Mexico all-inclusive)

What you get: Actual Brazil – not a resort bubble.

Paris → Morocco: Skip the Lines, Find the Edge

Why Paris Feels Exhausting

Paris is beautiful. It's also overcrowded, overpriced, and over-photographed.

Two-hour lines at the Louvre. $40 mediocre meals near tourist sites. Pickpockets on the Metro.

For $8,000-10,000, you get a week of managing expectations and crowds.

Why Morocco Delivers

Morocco gives you everything Paris promises but doesn't deliver: markets full of energy, food that surprises you, architecture that feels exotic.

Marrakech has the medina, souks, and Jardin Majorelle. Chefchaouen (the blue city) is one of the most photogenic places on earth. The Sahara Desert offers overnight camps under stars with zero light pollution.

And Moroccan food – tagines, couscous, mint tea – is some of the best in the world.

How to do it:

• Fly Royal Air Maroc nonstop from JFK or connect through Madrid/Paris on Iberia/Air France

• 3 days Marrakech, 2 days Chefchaouen, 2 days desert (Merzouga)

• Stay in riads (traditional houses) for $60-120/night

Cost for 7 days, family of 4: $5,500-7,500 (about 30% less than Paris)

What you get: Tangible exoticism instead of museum fatigue.

Iceland → Canada: Same Drama, Bigger Scale, Better Value

Why Iceland Feels Overplayed

Iceland had its moment. Now it's overcrowded and wildly expensive.

The Ring Road is packed with tour buses. Hotels cost $250+/night. A bowl of soup is $20. Everyone you know has already been.

It's stunning. But it's also tiny – you see most of it in 5 days.

Why Canada Delivers

Banff and Jasper National Parks offer everything Iceland promises – dramatic mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, turquoise lakes – but on a much bigger scale.

Lake Louise and Moraine Lake rival anything in Iceland. The Icefields Parkway is one of the most scenic drives on Earth. And you can do all of it for half the cost.

Plus, nobody's posting about Banff on Instagram anymore, which means fewer crowds.

How to do it:

• Fly into Calgary, rent a car, drive to Banff (90 minutes)

• 3 days Banff, 2 days Jasper, 2 days back through Lake Louise

• Go June-September for hiking, December-February for skiing

• Stay in Canmore (cheaper than Banff townsite)

Cost for 7 days, family of 4: $4,000-6,000 (about 40% less than Iceland)

What you get: Iceland's drama without Iceland's crowds or costs.

Greek Islands → Vietnam: Coastal Beauty That Still Feels Alive

Why Santorini and Mykonos Feel Like Theme Parks

Santorini and Mykonos are beautiful. They're also Instagram traps.

Hotels cost $400-600/night in high season. The towns are overrun with cruise passengers. Every sunset spot is packed with people taking the same photo.

You're paying premium prices for a curated experience that everyone else is also having.

Why Vietnam Delivers

Hoi An is a UNESCO town with lanterns, tailors, and incredible food. Ha Long Bay offers limestone karsts and overnight boat trips. Hue has imperial history. The coastal towns feel alive, not staged.

And Vietnamese food – pho, banh mi, bun cha – is some of the best in the world for $2-5 per meal.

How to do it:

• Fly United, Vietnam Airlines, or connect through Tokyo/Seoul to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City

• 3 days Hoi An, 2 days Ha Long Bay, 2 days Hue or Hanoi

• Stay in boutique hotels for $60-100/night

Cost for 7 days, family of 4: $5,500-7,000 (about half of Greek Islands in summer)

What you get: Coastal beauty with actual culture instead of a resort experience.

Quick Reference: The Swaps

What These Swaps Have in Common

They're not just cheaper alternatives.

They're more interesting alternatives.

Poland has medieval history London doesn't. Brazil has energy Mexico resorts lack. Morocco has markets Paris turned into boutiques. Canada has scale Iceland can't match. Vietnam has culture the Greek Islands lost.

You come home with stories nobody else has.

And usually for less money.

How to Actually Book These

The pattern:

1. Pick one pairing

2. Search flights 3-4 months out on Google Flights

3. Book neighborhoods, not tourist zones (Kazimierz in Kraków, Santa Teresa in Rio, riads in Marrakech)

4. Plan 2-3 activities per day, leave the rest open

The destinations that sound "harder" are often easier once you're there.

English is widely spoken. Infrastructure is solid. And you're not fighting tour groups for restaurant reservations.

The Real Difference

The famous destinations are famous for a reason.

But fame attracts crowds. Crowds drive up prices. And higher prices don't guarantee better experiences.

The underrated alternatives give you something different:

• Fewer people taking the same photos

• Food that hasn't been watered down for tourists

• Experiences that feel discovered, not packaged

Your next trip doesn't have to look like everyone else's Instagram.

Pick one swap. Book it. Come home with stories nobody else has.

Keep Reading

Why Albania belongs on your list - My friend from Cleveland explains why this underrated European country is safe, affordable, and worth the trip.

You're sleeping on Canada - Why Banff and Jasper deliver everything you want from travel without leaving North America.

The real reason Americans don't travel more - It's not just money. It's picking the right destinations for your limited PTO.

5 alternatives to Mexico resorts - More countries that cost the same but deliver way more memorable experiences.

Until next Thursday,

Jeff