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Travel + Leisure
6 days ago
- Travel + Leisure
This Is the Biggest Mistake American Tourists Make When Traveling to Europe
In December, I visited Vienna. It's a beautiful city, especially around the holidays. The imperial architecture, cobblestoned streets, and twinkling Christmas lights made me feel like I was in a fairy tale. But the fairytale sensation was disrupted by the rattle of my oversized carry-on clacking against the paving stones. Not just for me, as I half-dragged, half-rolled the luggage ... it was an earache for everyone. As I walked from the train station to my hotel, I noticed that I was getting judgmental looks from many Viennese people. My luggage made me stand out—I was sure of it. It turned out that my assumption, that I was getting the side-eye from locals because of my big suitcase, was correct. In a viral video on TikTok, which has been viewed more than seven million times, the woman behind the account @GreeceTravelSecrets said packing large suitcases are a common big mistake for Americans who travel Europe. She then went into the reasons why this makes tourists stand out. First, there are far fewer elevators in Europe, meaning you'll be huffing up multiple flights of stairs holding your heavy, cumbersome bag. Second, Vienna is one of many cities in Europe with ancient cobblestoned roads that are poorly suited for tiny suitcase wheels. Third, European buildings are much more petite than their American counterparts. As showcased in the video below, it can be hard to fit larger bags through the narrow doorways and hallways that are common in older cities. Aside from the logistical challenges, there's also the judgment factor. Overpacking is seen as a distinctly American behavior in Europe. The spectacle of it—the large suitcases, the struggling, the maximilist tendencies—it's going to draw eyes. It's become such a trademark of American travelers that some have said that they've been approached by Europeans about it. 'I had a European lady in the airport tell me she knew I was immediately American because of the amount of luggage,' one person on TikTok wrote. There are dozens of viral videos on the platform documenting the experience of bringing a bulky bag on your Euro summer. But, all things considered, the judgment isn't entirely fair. Americans are traveling further, and typically for longer, for their European vacation. Most people are packing for two-week-long trips, and are having to be prepared for a variety of activities. It really comes down to what you want to prioritize: convenience and subtlety, or your stuff? Do you want to blend in, or do you want to have six outfit options for your museum tour and rooftop dinner? One commenter firmly declared she'll always opt for overpacking. 'I don't care if I look like a tourist,' the TikTok user wrote. 'I am one. It's fine.'
New York Post
04-07-2025
- New York Post
This common travel mistake screams 'tourist' — and Europeans absolutely hate you for it
Pack light or get dragged. When it comes to traveling abroad, nothing says 'I don't live here' louder than a tourist dragging a jumbo rolling suitcase across ancient cobblestones — like they're wheeling it through JFK. While exploring a new country should be something to be proud of — culture! carbs! cappuccinos! — travel experts say clueless behavior can quickly put a target on your back, especially when it comes to one rookie move that irks locals and delights pickpockets: overpacking. In a viral TikTok video, travel creator Sandy Papas of Greece Travel Secrets shares a montage of tourists wrestling with luggage through narrow alleys and up endless staircases, warning viewers that 'large suitcases are a big mistake.' 'You've got the ferries to contend with and the gangplanks and all the stairs in the very high villages,' she says in the clip. Her advice? 'Leave the big suitcase at home.' And don't say she didn't warn you — the caption reads like a packing PSA: 'Big suitcases are not suitable for ancient cobblestones, the many many many steps, ferry gangplanks and subways. Pack as light as possible!' The struggle is real. Many historic European hotspots simply weren't built for boxy Samsonite spinners — think steep hills, uneven pavement, and no elevators in sight. Athens, Rome, and Mykonos, for example, aren't made for the overloaded, with their endless stairs and cobblestone chaos — just ask ex-cruise performer turned travel pro Melissa Cabey, who spelled it out in a recent Parade article. She noted that in cities like these, she's noticed there are many instances where 'hotel guests can only be brought to a certain point via taxi, and they have to carry their luggage up a good amount of stairs to get them to the hotel entrance.' She advised opting for packing cubes to prevent bringing an 'excessive amount of clothes' or other items. So unless you want to sweat through your sandals and draw side-eye from seasoned locals, maybe swap the mega bag for a carry-on. Your back — and fellow ferry passengers — will thank you. Historic European gems weren't exactly designed for your bulky, wheelie beast — think thigh-burning hills, ankle-breaking cobblestones, and elevators that exist only in your dreams. DragonImages – As The Post previously reported, it's not just hulking luggage that has locals shooting daggers — Americans abroad have a knack for setting off side-eyes while dining. An American woman tried the so-called 'European way' of eating in a viral TikTok last month — and wound up sparking an international food fight, with critics slamming her manners as straight-up savage. User Amy Gordy (@amygordy1) served up a clip of herself testing out the so-called 'continental' dining style — you know, the one where your fork and knife don't do the cha-cha. Gordy gave the Euro-style a whirl — keeping her fork in the left hand and knife in the right, instead of the all-American cut-'n'-switch routine that looks more like a dinnertime do-si-do. But her Euro etiquette crashed and burned — with viewers roasting her 'knife skills' and questioning if she was holding a utensil or defusing a bomb. One viewer wrote, after the video was reposted on X (formerly Twitter): 'Americans are so primitive for world leaders!!! Hold your knife in your right hand! It's your dinner sword. Watching Americans eat is worse than nails down a blackboard.' So if you're heading overseas this summer, experts say to pack light, mind your manners — and maybe leave the TSA-sized ego at home.
