‘I’m travel guru from the US – I won’t visit these three places in Europe again’

Choosing the ideal getaway can often be a challenge.

However, Sooyeon, a travel enthusiast from San Francisco, US, may have some insights to narrow down your choices. She visited an impressive 17 European cities last year but found that three didn’t live up to her expectations.

“These are three cities I probably would’ve skipped,” she said in a video on her TikTok channel @soos. foods. “Doesn’t mean these are bad destinations, I just didn’t enjoy them as much as other cities.”

Sooyeon’s list of less favoured destinations began with Madrid. Despite spending two and a half days there in 2022 after visiting Barcelona, she admitted that the coastal city had captured her heart more than Spain’s grand capital.

She shared: “The main reason is because I went to both Madrid and Barcelona on the same trip, and I feel like Madrid didn’t have as many interesting things to do for me at least, other than the palace and museums.

“…If I were to do this trip again, I would probably skip Madrid and spend more time in Barcelona.”

Then there was Catania. Located on Sicily’s east coast, this ancient port city initially seemed like the quintessential ‘Italian vacation’ for Sooyeon, but it fell short of her expectations of la dolce vita.

Adding to the controversy, she confessed: “…The city just felt a little run down and not the safest. People were also not afraid to stare at you – I’m sure they weren’t trying to be rude or mean, but it felt a little uncomfortable as a female traveller.”

Berlin also found its way onto Sooyeon’s list, but her criticisms of Germany’s vibrant capital were distinct from those levelled at Catania and Madrid.

She felt neither unsafe nor uninterested in Berlin, commending the city for its ‘welcoming’ vibe and the ‘cool cafes, shops and roads’. Yet, she sensed something was lacking.

“Don’t get me wrong, I would love to live in Berlin,” Sooyeon admitted. “But, as a tourist, I feel like the main attractions are history museums which I personally am not the biggest on, especially because at this point on my trip I was getting severe museum fatigue.

“The food scene was also pretty international, so I didn’t find as many options for authentic local food, which is something I try to eat everywhere I go. Again, this is just my experience – what doesn’t work for me, could work for you.”

Sooyeon’s candid thoughts sparked a flurry of responses on TikTok, with users divided over her take on these popular destinations. One user defended Madrid: “I will not accept any Madrid slander! I’ve been like four times and it’s an incredible city.”

Another urged travellers not to overlook Catania, saying: “Everyone here pls don’t skip Catania.” While a different person questioned her impression of Berlin’s cleanliness, with them writing: “Berlin is clean? What girl?”