Europe's attractions that are worth the wait

Selecting the right attractions to visit during your getaway can be a challenge. You want to dive deep into the culture without wasting time on overhyped spots. With so many incredible sights across Europe, how do you determine which attractions truly deserve your time?

Europe is brimming with must-see spots. That's why we've curated a ranked list of European attractions worth the wait, based on factors such as sentiment analysis of Google Reviews, Google popular times data and crowd data. Our comprehensive "worth the wait" score pinpoints destinations that merit your attention.

Our “Worth the wait” score has been calculated by looking at the balance between an attraction's busyness and visitor enjoyment levels at each attraction. We then drew a comparison between the crowd data (busyness) and experience data (enjoyment) and ranked the outcomes by 100. From this we have been able to create the “worth the wait” score.

Our data revealed that the top European attraction worth the wait is France's Puy Du Fou, with a "Worth the wait" score of 98.77. Located in the Pays de la Loire region, this historical theme park attracts 2.3 million visitors annually. With an experience rating of 72.68, visitors are evidently captivated by the park's immersive shows and breathtaking gardens. Coupled with a crowd rating of 67.67 and an average crowd size of 1,206 across its 500-acres, it's clear why it holds our top spot.

In second place is Paris' Musée d'Orsay. Renowned for its impressive collection of impressionist paintings, the museum achieved a 98.66 "Worth the wait" score. Housing masterpieces by Monet and Van Gogh, and with an average crowd size of 1,370, it offers ample space for visitors to appreciate art at their leisure.

Completing our top three attractions is Valencia's Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. With a 71.22 experience rating, this architectural marvel includes museums, gardens, and even an opera house. With an average crowd size of 1,171 and a crowd rating of 67.12, it is teeming with culture.

France's comic book themed Astérix Park ranks fourth with a "worth the wait" score of 94.91. A delight for all ages, the park boasts the second-lowest weekday crowd at 496 visitors. A visit during the week is recommended to avoid those rollercoaster queues.

London's Southbank Centre concludes our top five. As Europe's largest arts center, it garnered a 68.72 experience score and a noteworthy 92.10 "Worth the wait" score. Whether exploring the National Poetry Library or the Hayward Gallery, the Southbank Centre promises a memorable experience.

Crowd sizes can influence your decision to visit an attraction. We’ve rounded up the top 10 to give you an insight into just how busy your destination might be.

Our crowd rating has been determined by analysing Statista data on inbound tourist arrivals. From this we have been able to estimate monthly visitor counts at each attraction. Using Google's popular times data, we’ve broken down visitor numbers by day and approximated hourly crowd sizes. Normalising this data, we then have our crowd rating.

France dominates with four of the ten busiest attractions. Notably, The Palace of Versailles is Europe's most crowded, boasting a crowd rating of 100. Once a residence for European elites, it now welcomes an estimated 15 million visitors annually. A mid-week visit might be more enjoyable, as crowds at the weekend almost double (46%) in size.

It's unsurprising that three of Paris' attractions rank among the busiest. The renowned Louvre Museum claims the second spot, drawing in about 7.8 million art enthusiasts yearly. Barcelona's Park Güell takes third, with a crowd rating of 97.43. This UNESCO World Heritage site, adorned with Gaudí designs, attracts an average crowd size of 3,135.

Another Paris gem, the Cité des Sciences et de L'Industrie, is Europe's largest science museum and ranks fourth. Germany's Europa-Park concludes our top five with a crowd score of 88.91.

Italy is second to France, hosting three of the top 10 crowded attractions. Both the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum in Rome see daily crowds exceeding 2,000. Pisa's iconic Leaning Tower is the tenth busiest, with a crowd score of 80.22.

We've covered attractions worth the wait, but where can you expect the best experience? To determine this we sampled Google reviews for each attraction, analysing them with a machine-learning model. This measured the average sentiment level of a review, including a compound score reflecting the overall mood. We then scaled this score to create the final Experience Rating, where a higher score indicates a more positive experience.

The UK, Ireland, and Germany stand out in this category. Topping the list is Longleat, a British wildlife park and stately home, with a staggering 82.48 experience rating.

Following closely is the National Museum of Scotland in second place, boasting an 81.50 experience rating. Kew Gardens in London ranks third, offering a mesmerising journey through exotic flora and fauna.

Another botanical excursion, RHS Garden Wisley comes in fourth, its science-centered horticulture scoring an 80.55. Home to over 2.8 million objects, the Victoria and Albert Musuem came fifth. With archives spanning over 5,000 years of human history, its 79.74 experience score is well deserved.

Europa Park in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, occupies the sixth spot. With over 100 attractions, its inclusion in the top 10 is no surprise. Ireland shines with three entries: Dublin’s Guinness Storehouse at seventh, Bunratty Castle & Folk Park at ninth, and Fota Wildlife Park at tenth.

So, whether you're envisioning a memorable weekend in London, a cultural excursion in Edinburgh, or bracing yourself for the bustling crowds of Versailles, we offer a diverse range of hotels across Europe's major cities. After a day of exploration, rest and rejuvenate in comfort and style.

Crowd Rating: We identified the most visited European tourist attractions using Statista data and researched annual visitor numbers for each site. By analysing Statista data on inbound tourist arrivals, we estimated monthly visitor counts. Using Google's popular times data, we broke down visitor numbers by day and approximated hourly crowd sizes. Finally, we created a weighted index using mid-max normalisation to create a Crowd Rating.

Experience Rating: We calculated the Experience Rating by sampling Google reviews for each attraction and analysing them with a machine-learning model. This process measured the average sentiment, including a compound score reflecting the overall mood. We then scaled this score to create the final Experience Rating, where a higher score indicates a more positive experience.

Worth the Wait Score: We determined this score by evaluating the balance between busyness (implied wait times) and visitor enjoyment for each attraction. By comparing crowd data with sentiment data, attractions were rated out of 100, determining which ones are most worth the wait.