the more popular a place is the less inclined I am to visit it
While I don't disagree with you per se, it is also worth remembering that most super popular places are super popular for a reason, and there often is a good reason to see it for yourself. I was indifferent towards Eiffel Tower for example, until I actually was in Paris and climbed up it and got to really see and experience the scale and design and engineering that went into building it up close. Now I get why the Eiffel Tower is considered impressive.
Same with Venice. You can read about it and look at pictures, but until I walked up and down all the streets and alleyways, and went into the old buildings, I never really got what a truly interesting and unique piece of urban planning Venice really is, and what efforts must have gone into building and maintaining it. Now when I read about the history of Venice it comes alive in a much different way than before I visited.
Same story with Sagrada Familia, Notre Dame, St Peter’s Basilica, most of the major art museums etc. etc.
So as much as dislike 'tourist traps' I'm at the same time super glad that I've gotten a chance to visit most of the big ones, and don't regret the time I had to spend to do so.
While I don't disagree with you per se, it is also worth remembering that most super popular places are super popular for a reason, and there often is a good reason to see it for yourself. I was indifferent towards Eiffel Tower for example, until I actually was in Paris and climbed up it and got to really see and experience the scale and design and engineering that went into building it up close. Now I get why the Eiffel Tower is considered impressive.
Same with Venice. You can read about it and look at pictures, but until I walked up and down all the streets and alleyways, and went into the old buildings, I never really got what a truly interesting and unique piece of urban planning Venice really is, and what efforts must have gone into building and maintaining it. Now when I read about the history of Venice it comes alive in a much different way than before I visited.
Same story with Sagrada Familia, Notre Dame, St Peter’s Basilica, most of the major art museums etc. etc.
So as much as dislike 'tourist traps' I'm at the same time super glad that I've gotten a chance to visit most of the big ones, and don't regret the time I had to spend to do so.