TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Several iconic landmarks in Europe often confuse travelers when it comes to finding their way around, leading them astray. Travelers must be familiar with these tourist destinations and plan their trips accordingly.
As reported by Daily Mail, SIXT RIde analyzed the 50 most popular tourist destinations in Europe. Despite these places remaining a top draw for many travelers, several factors confuse them. These include traffic congestion, overcrowding, and unreliable mobile signals.
Europe's Hardest-to-Navigate Tourist Spots
From the research findings, here is a list of the hardest-to-navigate tourist destinations in Europe.
1. Fisherman's Bastion
Fisherman's Bastion in Hungary is expected to see a significant increase in visitors this year, with a 148 percent rise in Google searches over the past three years. However, high levels of congestion may make it difficult for travelers to reach the site.
2. Blue Mosque
Ranked second is the Blue Mosque or Sultan Ahmed Mosque, a historic imperial mosque from the Ottoman era located in Istanbul, Turkey. With a congestion level of 41 percent, travelers may struggle to reach the mosque by car.
3. Hagia Sophia
The Hagia Sophia is a globally renowned historical site that attracts many tourists every year. However, reaching this historical site is prone to confusion due to a traffic density of 41 percent and low mobile download speeds.
4. Louvre Museum
The national art museum in Paris, France, is also a famous site, housing many highly acclaimed paintings such as Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. However, navigating the museum can be bewildering due to its vast size and labyrinthine layout, taking hours to explore even a small portion.
5. Buda Castle
One of the most visited attractions at Buda Castle is the labyrinth or cave system beneath Buda Castle Hill. This place is part of an extensive network of caves and underground passages in the Buda Castle District, and of course, leads in many directions. According to the research, the entire area can be confusing to navigate.
6. Big Ben & Houses of Parliament
Big Ben and the Parliament Building in London are among the city's major tourist attractions. However, with a congestion level of 32 percent, London can be tricky to navigate by car.
7. Tower of London
Another challenging English landmark to reach is the Tower of London. Despite being visited by many tourists each year, with a congestion level of 32 percent, travelers may find it difficult to reach the site.
8. Buckingham Palace
A visit to London would not be complete without a visit to Buckingham Palace. High congestion and other tourists wanting to visit make it challenging to explore.
9. St. Peter's Square
St. Peter's Square is one of the largest and most beautiful plazas in the world, located in front of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City, the papal enclave in Rome. However, this plaza is also difficult to navigate due to its congestion reaching 33 percent.
10. Old Town Square
Old towns are often difficult to navigate because of their winding streets and narrow lanes. One of them is the Old Town Square in the Czech Republic. Combined with a visitor density of 39 percent, long queues and busy streets will characterize the area.
Read: The Most Romantic Cities in the World, from Venice to New York