Fodors’ 2025 forbidden list named Majorca, Barcelona and the Canary Islands due to tourist saturation amid warnings visiting busy places “rarely results in happy travellers”
A top travel guide has slapped a “forbidden” label on three beloved Spanish hotspots owing to the sheer number of visitors every ear.
Majorca, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands were named on Fodors’ forbidden list for 2025 due to overwhelming tourist numbers. The guide said the charm of the Spanish gems has led to their downfall as they cannot handle the tourist tide.
In a scathing review, it said visiting overcrowded destinations “rarely results in happy travellers”. It warned: “Touring cities full of tourists is frustrating; Sightseeing in villages where locals resent your presence is disturbing and wandering through nature plagued by garbage is depressing.”
Last year, all three destinations faced backlash with anti-tourism protests. Over 20,000 demonstrators reportedly took to the streets in Palma, Majorca in July, with angry banners proclaiming, “Your luxury, our misery.” Complaints were rife in Cala Major beach as tourist services encroached upon public space, prompting a local Majorcan association to consider formal action, reports the Express.
Barcelona’s mayor, Jaume Collboni, has laid out plans to ban tourist flats by November 2028 to ease the pressure on the housing market and curb price inflation – a move aimed at resolving the housing squeeze in the bustling city. Meanwhile, the Canary Islands are pivoting towards an ecologically sustainable path, shunning the traditional “sun and beach” allure to foster environmentally-friendly tourism.
Though the travel spots were dubbed ‘forbidden’, Fodors did tip their hat to the allure of these areas, admitting: “The destinations on the list of ‘forbidden’ places deserve the fame and adoration they receive and they are worthy of their time and money.” The popular destinations Venice, Tokyo and Bali also made an appearance on the guide’s list.
