Why Traveling to Europe in Summer is a Nightmare

Summary

The video script humorously critiques common tourist behaviors, particularly during summer in Europe, where people often endure discomfort for the sake of visiting popular spots. It emphasizes the importance of authenticity in travel, advocating for slow travel and off-the-beaten-path experiences. The speaker, an immigrant living in Europe, shares personal anecdotes to illustrate the stark differences between tourist and local experiences, and how learning the local language can enhance travel. Sponsored by lingoda, the script also touches on the downsides of summer travel, such as heat waves and construction, and suggests visiting during less crowded seasons for a richer cultural experience.

Takeaways

• 😄 Travelers often tolerate discomforts like long lines and poor conditions that they wouldn't in daily life, especially during summer in Europe.
• 🏖 Summer travel in Europe can be a nightmare due to heat waves, crowds, and high prices, but it's a popular time despite these challenges.
• 🌍 The speaker, an immigrant in Europe, loves the continent but acknowledges the stark differences between living there and being a tourist.
• 🤔 The experience of travel can vary greatly; some trips are memorable while others are forgettable, and the speaker is identifying patterns behind these differences.
• 🐑 People tend to follow the crowd in tourism, leading to a lack of creativity and often subpar experiences due to 'herd mentality'.
• 💰 High demand during peak seasons like summer leads to inflated prices for accommodations and attractions, reducing travel quality.
• 🏠 The original charm of Airbnb has been lost as it has become commercialized, leading to overpriced, impersonal stays.
• 📈 Seasonal pricing is most extreme in summer, with other tricky times being holiday weekends and year-end periods.
• 🌐 Authentic travel experiences involve connecting with locals and culture, avoiding the rush and superficiality of typical tourist activities.
• 🏞 The speaker prefers slow travel, immersing in one place rather than rushing through multiple countries or cities.
• ☀️ Traveling in summer can be physically uncomfortable and culturally barren as locals are often away and many businesses are closed.
• 👷‍♂️ Construction is common in European summers, adding to the chaos and detracting from the travel experience.
• 🗣️ Learning some of the local language can greatly enhance the authenticity of a travel experience, making it more immersive and enjoyable.
• 💡 The speaker advocates for creativity and going off the beaten path for unique and fulfilling travel experiences, rather than following commercialized tourism.
• 📅 Spring and fall are recommended as better times to visit Europe for those seeking a more affordable and less crowded experience.

Q & A

What is the speaker's opinion on traveling to Europe in the summer?

The speaker finds traveling to Europe in the summer to be a nightmare due to the high costs, crowds, and heat, suggesting that people should only come if they are well-prepared and understand what to expect.

Why does the speaker believe that some people have a love-hate relationship with cities like Paris?

The speaker suggests that the love-hate relationship stems from the different experiences people have depending on their approach to travel, which can range from meaningful and memorable to superficial and forgettable.

What does the speaker consider as the secret to why travel in Europe during summer is less enjoyable?

The speaker believes the lack of creativity among travelers is the secret reason why travel in Europe during summer is less enjoyable, as people tend to follow the crowd and engage in the same activities.

How does the speaker describe the change in Airbnb from its early days to the present?

The speaker notes that Airbnb used to be a cool way to experience local homes but has become commercialized, leading to high prices for accommodations that no longer feel like someone's home.

What is the speaker's definition of a wonderful trip?

A wonderful trip, according to the speaker, is one that is authentic, allows connection with locals, doesn't feel rushed, expands the mind, and includes trying new foods.

Why does the speaker prefer slow travel over trying to maximize the number of places visited?

The speaker prefers slow travel because it allows for immersion in the local culture, a deeper experience, and a more meaningful connection with the place visited, rather than rushing through multiple locations.

What does the speaker suggest as an alternative to traveling in Europe during the summer?

The speaker recommends traveling in spring or fall when Europe is more affordable, less crowded, and the weather is more comfortable.

How does the speaker feel about the commercialization of travel?

The speaker expresses concern about the commercialization of travel, stating that it can lead to a sanitized and superficial experience rather than a genuine cultural exchange.

What is the significance of the 'Amor Fati Rings' mentioned by the speaker?

The 'Amor Fati Rings' are a product from the speaker's brand, symbolizing a love for one's fate or all things that happen to you, reflecting the speaker's philosophy on life.

What advice does the speaker give to those who still want to travel in Europe during the summer?

The speaker advises those traveling in summer to go off the beaten path, try different activities, or at least be aware of the challenges they might face, such as crowds, heat, and high prices.

Outlines

00:00

😅 The Paradox of Summer Tourism in Europe

The speaker humorously addresses the irony of tourists spending large sums of money to travel to Europe, only to endure experiences they would never tolerate at home, such as eating from Styrofoam boxes and waiting in long lines. They emphasize that travel experiences can vary greatly depending on the individual's approach, duration of stay, and activities chosen. The speaker, an immigrant, loves Europe but warns against traveling in summer due to the lack of creativity among tourists, leading to crowded, overpriced, and less authentic experiences. They suggest that travelers should be more thoughtful and less like 'sheep', avoiding the herd mentality that leads to the worst aspects of summer travel.

05:01

🌡️ The Challenges of Summer Travel and the Benefits of Learning Local Languages

The speaker discusses the drawbacks of traveling in Europe during the summer, particularly the heat waves that can make sightseeing uncomfortable and dangerous. They argue that speaking the local language can significantly enhance the travel experience, allowing for more authentic interactions. The paragraph includes a sponsored segment for Lingoda, an online language learning platform, which offers live courses with native teachers. The speaker shares their personal success with language learning through challenges and encourages viewers to consider such an approach to enrich their travel experiences. Additionally, the speaker points out the prevalence of construction work in European cities during the summer, which can detract from the travel experience.

10:02

✈️ The Transformative Power of Off-Season Travel and Local Connections

The speaker contrasts their two visits to Greece, highlighting how the experience in January, devoid of other tourists and filled with local interactions, was far more enriching than their first visit in August. They emphasize the importance of creativity in travel, suggesting that off-season visits or traveling to less popular destinations can lead to unique and fulfilling experiences. The speaker also critiques the commercialization of travel, which often results in a superficial version of cultural experiences. They conclude by encouraging travelers to think independently and explore beyond the typical tourist routes for a more authentic and enjoyable journey.

Keywords

💡Tourism

Tourism refers to the activity of traveling, typically for leisure or recreational purposes. In the video's context, it highlights the irony of tourists enduring inconveniences they wouldn't normally tolerate at home. The script mentions the high costs and discomforts such as eating out of a styrofoam box and waiting in long lines, questioning why people put up with these conditions while traveling.

💡Authenticity

Authenticity in the video is about seeking genuine experiences and connections with the local culture and people. The speaker emphasizes the desire to avoid a sanitized or superficial version of the culture and instead immerse oneself in the 'real deal.' This is contrasted with the typical tourist experience, which can often feel inauthentic and rushed.

💡Slow Travel

Slow travel is a concept where travelers take their time to immerse themselves in one location rather than rushing to see multiple places. The video promotes this approach as a way to experience the local lifestyle and culture more deeply. It is presented as an alternative to the fast-paced, 'Speed Run Europe' mentality that can lead to a lack of meaningful experiences.

💡Seasonal Pricing

Seasonal pricing is the practice of adjusting prices based on the time of year, often higher during peak seasons. The script uses this term to explain why travelers may end up paying more for less quality during the summer months in Europe, due to the influx of tourists and increased demand for services.

💡Commercialization

Commercialization in the context of the video refers to the transformation of travel into a mass-produced, standardized experience that lacks the depth and cultural richness that travelers may seek. The speaker criticizes this trend, suggesting that it has led to a loss of authenticity in travel experiences.

💡Heat Waves

Heat waves are prolonged periods of excessively hot weather. The video mentions heat waves as a significant drawback of traveling in Europe during the summer, as they can make the experience uncomfortable and even dangerous, leading to dehydration and heat stroke.

💡Local Connections

Local connections are relationships with residents of the place being visited. The script argues that having these connections can greatly enhance the travel experience by providing access to the local lifestyle and culture. The absence of such connections can result in a more superficial and touristy experience.

💡Cultural Immersion

Cultural immersion is the process of becoming deeply involved in a different culture, experiencing its customs, language, and lifestyle. The video encourages this approach to travel, suggesting that it leads to more meaningful and memorable experiences than simply visiting well-known tourist attractions.

💡Off the Beaten Path

Going 'off the beaten path' means exploring lesser-known or less visited places, avoiding the typical tourist routes. The speaker recommends this approach to travel in the summer, as it can help avoid crowds, high prices, and provide a more unique and authentic experience.

💡Lingoda

Lingoda is an online language learning platform mentioned in the video as a sponsor. It offers live courses with native-level teachers, focusing on building habits and motivation. The script suggests that learning the local language can enhance travel experiences by allowing for more authentic interactions and understanding of the culture.

💡Amor Fati

Amor Fati is a Latin term meaning 'love of fate,' which represents embracing and loving all that happens in one's life. In the video, it is mentioned in relation to a ring the speaker has released, symbolizing a philosophy of life that encourages acceptance and appreciation of all experiences, including travel.

Highlights

Tourists often tolerate poor conditions they wouldn't in daily life, such as eating out of a styrofoam box and waiting in long lines.

Traveling to Europe in summer can be a nightmare due to crowds and heat.

People's experiences with cities like Paris can vary greatly, leading to a love-hate relationship.

Travel experiences can be categorized as either meaningful and memorable or superficial and forgettable.

Summer travel in Europe is often less enjoyable due to a lack of creativity and following the crowd.

The speaker admits to previously making the mistake of traveling in summer without considering the drawbacks.

Tourists tend to flock to popular spots, leading to long lines and inflated prices.

Airbnb has changed from a home-sharing platform to a commercial accommodation service.

Seasonal pricing can make summer travel in Europe very expensive.

Authenticity and connecting with locals are key to a meaningful travel experience.

Slow travel is recommended for a more immersive and less rushed experience.

Traveling in summer can be physically uncomfortable and even dangerous due to heat waves.

Learning some of the local language can greatly enhance the travel experience.

Construction is common in European cities during the summer, adding to the chaos.

Many locals are on vacation in summer, leaving cities less accessible to tourists.

The speaker's personal experiences in Greece highlight the difference travel timing and connections can make.

Travel commercialization can lead to a superficial version of cultural experiences.

Going off the beaten path and being creative with travel plans can lead to unique experiences.

The speaker recommends traveling in spring or fall for a more affordable and enjoyable experience.

Visiting underrated destinations like Bulgaria can provide a more authentic and less crowded experience.

The speaker introduces the Amor Fati Rings, symbolizing a love for one's fate and experiences.

Transcripts

one thing I find hilarious about tourism

is like people will spend thousands of

dollars all the discovery that comes to

travel costs so much money and then

they'll tolerate stuff they would never

ordinarily tolerate in their normal

lives like eating not even on real

chairs out of a styrofoam box waiting in

long ass lines sweating their ass off

look traveling to Europe in summer

is a nightmare don't come

I don't mean that in a xenophobic sense

obviously I'm an immigrant here I love

this continent I love my life here I

love France I love Paris I am years into

living here but this continent can

provide very different experiences let's

say depending on where you're coming

from how long you choose to spend here

and what you're doing let me ask you

this why do some people come here and

have an amazing experience and other

people come here and end up hating it

you know I've explored this before but

people seem to have a love-hate

relationship with cities or places like

Paris and you think to yourself is it

the same city we're all talking about

here's the thing travel can be so many

different things I've been on many trips

in my life some have been deeply

meaningful mesmerizing memorable and

then some trips

I've not been that I would describe but

those other trips as more like

superficial and forgettable and I'm

starting to notice patterns in what

creates the first kind of trip the kind

of trip that we all want to have the

positive kind versus the second kind of

trip the negative kind and I am making

this to help you avoid those negative

trips this is why I say don't come to

Europe in summer unless you really know

what you're getting yourself into and do

not let the long warm days of summer

fool you this is a very complicated time

of year to travel here so here is the

secret here's the reason why travel in

Europe sucks in summer is because people

utterly lack creativity honestly and

this is going to sound a little bit

condescending but I've made this mistake

as well okay I am I've also been a fool

most people are sheep when they travel

it's that effect right where if you see

a bunch of people looking at something

you want to look at it as well you're

like what's so interesting about that

they take photos of things that get

photographed like four billion times a

day so instead of spending a fortune you

can get the exact same photo just by

Googling it you know it's that same law

all that same facet of human psychology

which says a restaurant that is full and

busy is better quality than an empty

restaurant sometimes that's totally true

and sometimes it isn't and that is how

you end up with the problems that make

travel in summer here terrible hordes of

people long lines for all tourist

attractions are anything to do like

museums or bookstores everyone is in the

exact same places try to do the exact

same things and because of the laws of

supply and demand because there's so

much demand you're getting seasonal

pricing which is why you end up paying

a fortune for a crappy spot 10 15 years

ago Airbnb used to be this really cool

way of stepping into someone's home but

companies have to make a profit right

and it's changed now I feel like

sometimes I am paying an arm and a leg

for a place that feels entirely done

just for Airbnb it's not someone's home

honestly if I were to draw it out I

think seasonal pricing would look

something like this summer is by far the

worst and then of course there's a few

other moments throughout the year that

are tricky holiday weekends the end of

the year but summer is by far the worst

extended period okay I'm going to come

back to why so many people inexplicably

put up with airport insanity and Airline

chaos but to properly do that let me lay

out the criteria of what I think makes a

wonderful trip I think this will help

make it clear where things are going so

wrong and I have a feeling most of you

are going to agree with me on this I'm

looking for authenticity I want to

connect with locals I don't want a

sanitized version of the culture I want

the real deal I don't want to feel

rushed I want to expand my mind I want

to steal new things I want to eat the

food

[Music]

okay so having said that this is why I

moved here because when you move

somewhere permanently you have way more

time to experience what that place has

to offer and as I've said before

years into living here I have an utterly

different experience than what the

tourists experience of this city I know

all the places to avoid the tourists I

know when to go out and when not to go

out I'm keep discovering the hidden gems

I honestly have a midnight in Paris like

experience sometimes and it's glorious

and that only came after years of

navigating the city and I also recognize

you can't just move to the other end of

the world every time you want to

experience a new culture which is why we

have travel a temporary visit a

temporary stay somewhere and this is why

I have preached the value of the next

best option in my view which is slow

travel which is basically taking your

time somewhere not maximizing the amount

of things that you do but coming in and

immersing yourself to the best of your

ability I honestly couldn't give a

about the tourist attractions I don't

want to feel rushed I want to just feel

the way of life and personally I think

spending a proper amount of time in one

place is better than doing 14 countries

in seven minutes which is a very

American approach to try travel but can

you blame them they get two weeks of

vacation a year so why wouldn't they

Speed Run Europe another problem with

traveling here in the summer people

don't adapt at this stage in the game

the sad reality is that heat waves are

gonna happen they happen every summer

why anyone would want to travel during a

heat wave is beyond me why would you

want to sweat like a pig why would you

be running to the shade just to survive

it's also dangerous you can get

dehydrated heat stroke personally I

think it's horrible and one of the worst

ways to experience a place the reason I

say this is it's just a part of Summer

at this point right traveling precisely

when heat waves are highly likely to

happen is kind of like stepping outside

on a rainy November day and getting

surprised that you got wet if you want

to have a more authentic experience in

any place in the world you even speaking

some of the local language will make a

huge difference I say that as someone

who is addicted to doing that I think

it's the best way to travel that is why

I am pleased to say that this video is

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the Sprint thank you lingoda for

sponsoring this video another really

important point to be made here is that

for some reason Europeans seem to love

to do construction in summer I know that

the Olympics are happening next summer

here in Paris so there's construction up

the yin yang everywhere you turn but I

think this is also more broadly true for

a lot of European cities I don't know if

it's because of the good weather longer

days I don't know what's going on but

it's absolutely insane

all the way around we got railing now

there's something else that's sad about

traveling here in the summer without any

local connections and that is that the

locals aren't here if you're spending

all day outside in lines in places where

there's you know a lot of people going

to visit you're actually spending all

day with tourists not locals and when

the locals leave it means a lot of shops

and venues are closed too so you're not

really getting the full experience in

August for example half of Europe is on

vacation this is deeply deeply

culturally ingrained and you might say

wait a second you're saying don't come

here on vacation in summer but the

locals are doing it well yeah but you

cannot compete with the locals they've

been doing it every year for Generations

they have their spots they go see family

they know where they're going you can't

compete with them it's not at all the

same as coming in here blind from

another continent and so there are

ramifications to coming here when the

locals aren't here the locals means no

gateway drug into getting invited deeper

into the local life you know you might

run into somebody make a connection here

or there there and then they invite you

to a party or to an event now it's not

hard to beat the hordes to beat the heat

to beat the lines to beat the seasonal

pricing and I'm actually going to

illustrate this through a little story

so I have been to Greece twice and the

two times I have gone have been utterly

different experiences they couldn't have

been more different the first time I

went was a couple of years ago in August

we spent like four days walked around we

visited an island it was fun but in the

grand scheme of things honestly looking

back it was pretty forgettable and I

think part of the reason why was because

I didn't experience much Greek culture I

didn't meet very many locals I didn't

get like immersed I felt like a tourist

there were tons of people there it was

hot I just remember sweating so

much now the highlight of that trip of

that first visit to Greece was when I

posted on my Instagram stories that I

was at a bar very impromptu I just said

hey if you're around come swing by I'd

love to chat love to hang out so a

little while later a group of three

Greek friends came over and joined us at

the table they were viewers of this

channel they're really excited and they

were super cool we totally connected and

in that one conversation I learned more

about Greece and Greek culture than the

entire rest of my time there it was

absolutely the Highlight so we stayed in

touch and Flash Forward now to January

of this year I decided to return to

Greece this time alone and I went to

visit them in fact my Express goal this

time was to do nothing but spend time

with them so this time around I was

hanging with nothing but Greek people in

January where there isn't a tourist in

sight not one tourist it was

extraordinary I spent time writing we

went on a little road trip through the

countryside can you press the button

only it

amazing amazing experience and let me

add I got a little bit lucky because the

weather was pretty nice it's January

after all but it's still southern Europe

and so it was sunny it wasn't too bad it

was certainly much better than Paris at

that time of year the point of this

story is that it's not really actually

that hard to have an incredible unique

experience if you're willing to be a

little bit creative and go off the

beaten path that was originally how

travel worked until it became this giant

commercial thing I do feel like the way

travel has become so commercialized it's

a bit dangerous this kind of Tourism

disguises itself as

mind-expanding cultural travel right but

it's not the same thing it's different

it's a very sanitized superficial

version of the real thing the real thing

I think most of us really want but the

thing is the real thing is not going to

be served in a solar platter for you if

it's made that easy it means tons of

other people have access to it too and

are probably doing it already in fact

this is something I believe more broadly

for life in general if you just let

other people decide what's best for you

it often leads to something mediocre you

have to think for yourself you have to

be plugged in if you can go in spring or

fall Europe is glorious those are my

favorite seasons and it's more

affordable go to the places no one else

is going last year I visited Bulgaria

for the first time and the entire time I

was just shocked it's so underrated so

cheap and the whole time I was just like

why isn't anyone else here there were so

few tourists if you are going to travel

in summer here I highly encourage that

you go off the beaten path you try to do

things a little bit different than

everyone else or at the very least I

hope you understand what you're getting

yourself into thanks for watching and if

you do come to Europe I wish you the

best luck

really quickly since you've stuck around

this long in this video I wanted to

mention that I recently released the

Amor Fati Rings which I am wearing right

now and they are available until they

run out I love how they came out they're

made out of sterling silver some of the

other items that I've released with my

brand gef have sold out so consider

snagging one of these while they're

still available if you've got two items

from the shop you can get free shipping

anywhere just as a quick reminder for

those of you that don't know the meaning

of amor Fati it is one of my favorite

phrases of all time it's Latin for

having a love of your fate or a love of

all things that happen to you and for me

it's a beautiful reminder of how I like

to live I'll leave a link in the

description if you want to check them

out thank you so much for your support

thank you