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Cities evolve just like we do. Some grow, some lose themselves, and some become victims of their own success—reminding us to chase places where the magic still feels real.
ADAM KELTON / Nov 27, 2025
Travel is a bit like food. Cities have seasons.
They peak, they evolve, they lose their spark, and sometimes they come back better than ever.
But some places? They’ve been coasting on nostalgia for two decades while the rest of the world passed them by.
And look, this isn’t about shaming entire cities or pretending they have nothing left to offer.
Every city has good people, pockets of beauty, and amazing food if you look hard enough.
This is about expectations.
It’s about those places that used to blow your mind but today feel tired, overpriced, or stuck in their own legend.
If you’ve ever traveled somewhere and thought, “This used to feel magical… what happened?”, you know exactly what I mean.
Here are eight cities that were iconic 20 years ago but, in my experience and the experience of plenty of other travelers, just aren’t worth prioritizing anymore.
1) Venice
I still remember the first time I saw Venice in my early 20s. It felt surreal. Like stepping into a painting.
Today, that painting feels smudged.
The crowds are relentless, the prices are inflated to the point of comedy, and a lot of the charm gets lost when you’re elbow-to-elbow with thousands of people trying to capture the same photo.
The city has also been dealing with severe environmental strain, and you can feel it in the infrastructure.
I love Italy.
I’ll never stop eating my way through the country.
But Venice has become one of those destinations where the fantasy in your head and the reality on the ground feel painfully mismatched.
If you want canals, beauty, and incredible food without the overwhelm, places like Verona or Bologna give you everything Venice once did with a lot less chaos.
2) Cairo
Cairo used to feel like controlled chaos.
Now it often just feels like chaos.
Twenty years ago the city felt gritty but magnetic, especially if you’re a history lover.
But tourism grew faster than the city could handle, and today you’ll find intense traffic, aggressive touting, pollution that makes your lungs beg for mercy, and infrastructure that hasn’t kept pace with modern needs.
I’m not saying skip Egypt. Egypt is incredible.
Just consider exploring Luxor, Aswan, or the Red Sea instead.
The experience is smoother, more welcoming, and a lot more aligned with what people dream of when they think of visiting Egypt.
3) Las Vegas
Vegas used to feel wild. Novel. A fever dream.
But today? It feels like a nostalgia machine trying to function as a luxury resort destination.
Everything is more expensive, the cigarette smell never quite goes away, and the whole thing feels oddly outdated in an era where travelers crave meaning, good food, and real culture.
Even the food scene, which used to be the thing I recommended to everyone, now feels diluted by overpriced, underwhelming “celebrity” restaurants that trade more on name recognition than quality.
If you want entertainment and good food, cities like Austin, Nashville, or even Montreal offer more authentic excitement without the feeling that you’re trapped inside a giant theme park powered by slot machines.
4) Phuket
Two decades ago, Phuket felt like a tropical secret you shared only with the people you trusted.
The beaches were quiet, the food was incredible, and the vibe was effortlessly relaxed.
Fast forward to now and the experience has shifted dramatically.
Overdevelopment has swallowed large parts of the island, and the crowds can make even simple beach time feel like a logistical operation.
A lot of the local charm is overshadowed by resorts, bars, and tourist traps that all look the same.
Thailand is still one of the best countries on earth to eat, unwind, and explore.
But these days, if you want what Phuket used to offer, head to Koh Lanta, Koh Yao Noi, or even the quieter parts of Krabi.
5) Barcelona
This one hurts. I love Spain.
I love the food, the culture, the plazas, the late-night energy, the sense that everyone is always a little bit happier than you for some reason.
Barcelona used to feel like the heart of that magic.
But now? The city is overwhelmed.
Overtourism has strained everything from the streets to the locals’ patience.
When the people who live somewhere are visibly exhausted by visitors, it changes the energy. You feel it.
Add in high prices, crowded attractions, and restaurants that survive on churn instead of quality, and the experience becomes less authentic than it once was.
If you want the Spain everyone dreams of, consider San Sebastián, Valencia, or Cádiz.
You get the food, the culture, and the beauty without feeling like you’re in a tourism blender.
6) Dubrovnik
Game of Thrones changed Dubrovnik in a way no one could have predicted.
What used to be a charming coastal gem is now the backdrop for what feels like a never-ending photoshoot.
The old town fills up early and stays crowded deep into the night.
Prices skyrocketed, local shops disappeared, and the city started to feel more like a cinematic exhibit than a living, breathing place.
Twenty years ago you could wander the walls, enjoy the seafood, and feel like you stumbled upon something special.
Now it can feel like the entire city is curated for people with selfie sticks.
If you want Adriatic beauty, Šibenik, Rovinj, or even Kotor give you the same magic with more room to breathe.
7) Marrakech
Marrakech used to feel like another world in the best possible way.
A maze of color, scents, spices, and unexpected moments you still think about years later.
But the city’s popularity has taken a toll.
The medina can feel overwhelming to the point of sensory overload.
Haggling, once part of the charm, now feels more like a relentless sport.
Prices are inflated, scams are common, and the peaceful riad experience can be hit or miss depending on where you stay.
Morocco is still full of gems.
Chefchaouen, Essaouira, and the desert regions offer exactly what people romanticize about this part of the world.
They’re quieter, more authentic, and easier to sink into without feeling mentally drained by the end of the day.
8) Bali (specifically Canggu and Kuta)
Before you throw coconut water at my head, hear me out.
Bali is still beautiful. The culture is beautiful. The people are beautiful.
And the food is so good that I’ve had meals there I still think about whenever I’m trying to recreate something at home.
But the Bali most people picture is not the Bali you get in places like Canggu or Kuta today.
Twenty years ago these areas were laid-back surf towns with a spiritual vibe.
Now they’re overrun with traffic, construction, Instagram studios, and digital nomads crowding every cafe.
The energy has shifted from serene to frenetic, and while that might work for some people, it is not what made Bali magical in the first place.
If you want the Bali of two decades ago, go to Sidemen, Amed, or the northern parts of the island.
Or, if you want a similar feel elsewhere, Sri Lanka or the Philippines offer everything Bali once did without the congestion.
The bottom line
Cities evolve just like we do.
Some grow in the right direction.
Some lose themselves along the way.
And some get so famous that they become victims of their own success.
When I travel now, I look for places that feel alive rather than overexposed.
Places where the food still tastes like it was made for locals, not tourists.
Places where you can slow down, actually connect with the culture, and feel like you discovered something meaningful instead of reenacting a travel brochure.
If any of the cities above are still on your list, you can absolutely visit them.
Just manage expectations.
The nostalgia version and the 2025 version often look very different.
Travel is better when we chase experiences, not just destinations.
And the world has so many underrated corners that deserve the hype these cities used to get.
Wherever you go next, go curious. Go hungry. And go where the magic still feels real.
Original:
https://vegoutmag.com/travel/z-t-8-cities-that-were-amazing-20-years-ago-but-arent-worth-visiting-anymore
