The woeful tale of towns and cities overrun by tourism has been everywhere this summer, from the glittering beaches of Spain to oh-so-quaint villages in France and Italy.In recent years, many beloved tourist destinations have fallen victim to the curse of overtourism. At the same time, many of these hotspots have faced a growing wave of local protests demanding something be done about it.Some have gone so far as to say they don’t want tourists at all, telling foreign visitors to ‘go home’.These are the places that don’t want tourists – and you’re better off avoiding them… Brittany, France Locals in Brittany have told visitors to ‘go home’, with three cars vandalised recently Locals in Brittany have told visitors to ‘go home’, joining the throng of Europeans across the continent fighting back against overtourism. Families in the Finistère port of Plobannalec-Lesconil in France found their car doors had been scratched with aggressive slogans reading: ‘No to Parisians’ and ‘Tourists go home’.Anti-city dweller sentiment has erupted across France, after local residents have been priced out of housing following a boom of second-home purchases since the Covid-19 pandemic.Some local residents are in support, with one explaining they ‘completely understand’ the anger.The owners of all three cars vandalised in the port were not, in fact, Parisians – rather, they were locals who had relocated to the French capital, The Times reported.Mallorca, Spain People protest against the overcrowded tourism in Mallorca, Balearic Islands this summerOver the summer, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Mallorca against overtourism. Residents have complained of rising housing costs from holiday rentals or foreign nationals’ second homes as well as congestion in once-quiet towns and villages.One of the demonstrators in the town of Soller held up a poster that said in English: ‘No more second homes while locals can’t afford one.’Another said in a mix of English and Catalan: ‘Welcome to Mallorca. And where do we live?’It came a month after an estimated 20,000 people took part in an anti-tourism protest in the same town. Dozens of people formed a human chain in another Mallorca protest this summer In Soller, protests and marches took place calling for limited tourismPlus, in July around 10,000 people waded into the sea at a well-known beauty spot on the island to call for better protection of the coast and natural attractions.The demonstration included the formation of a huge human chain.Organisations including the ecology group GOB, Terraferida and the ‘Menys Turisme, Mes Vida’ platform (‘Less tourism, more life’) gathered at the natural beach of S’Arenal de sa Ràpita to protest over the Balearic government’s ‘destructive’ policies.Bourton-on-the-Water, UK In August, a protest erupted in Bourton-on-the-Water against overtourismThe protests over the summer were the culmination of growing discontent over the last few months in this Cotswolds destination.In August, a particularly British form of demonstration erupted in Bourton-on-the-Water, a once-sleepy corner of the Cotswolds that has become the latest victim of overtourism.Some 100 residents gathered on the village green beside the River Windrush at 8am, holding placards and wearing T-shirts with ‘We love tourists’ printed on the front and ‘Just not this many!’ on the back.The population of Bourton-on-the-Water, in Gloucestershire, is less than 4,000, yet the village can attract up to 10,000 tourists a day at peak times.Residents have previously said they are under siege by tourists ruining their village – after it was revealed that 300,000 day-trippers arrived in a single year.Bourton-on-the-Water is regularly crowded with international visitors taking pictures and vlogging, after being dubbed the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’ for its beautiful low bridges which connect it to the River Windrush. Tourists flock to Bourton-on-the-Water in the CotswoldsBut councillors have claimed it is now being ‘ruined’ by TikTokers, after locals in the small village had to battle hundreds of thousands of tourists.Visitors have been pictured standing in the river, blocking roads and causing endless queues at local pubs and bakeries.Residents have said they have had enough, with a new survey finding that 90 per cent of those living in Bourton say tourists are ‘blighting their lives’.The survey by Bourton Residents’ Voice found that 94.6 per cent of residents believe there are too many visitors, and 90.8 per cent reported a negative impact on their quality of life.It also found that 92.6 per cent felt traffic and parking was not run properly, while 82 per cent said Bourton has lost its sense of community.Barcelona, Spain An anti-tourism placard is seen during the demonstration in Barcelona in 2024 Protests against mass tourism have been going on for years in the cityAs for Barcelona, tourists face additional nightly fees of up to €15 (£13) following a significant increase in the local tourist tax – one of the highest in Europe.Aside from the increased fees, there is plenty of evidence that locals want rid of tourists.There are signs and graffiti all around the city demanding that ‘tourists go home’. Locals have claimed that this isn’t tourism, it’s ‘an invasion’. They call their city ‘Carcelona’ – ‘carcel’ means ‘prison’, according to Responsible Travel. Indeed, while tourism makes up 13 per cent of Barcelona’s GDP, it has caused economic strain for residents.Rent has spiked by 62.1 per cent over the past ten years due to short-term lets, and the ballooning cost of leisure activities has made the city inaccessible for those who actually live there. Venice, Italy Overtourism in Venice has long been an issue for the residents of one of Italy’s top cities Streets can get rammed during popular visiting seasonsVenice attracts hordes of tourists each year with its charming canal routes, beautiful architecture and interesting history.But the floating city may be past its best – the popular destination is battling overtourism, with crowds filling its paths and visitors standing shoulder-to-shoulder in balmy temperatures.Demonstrations have taken place in tourist hotspots such as Barcelona, Mallorca and Venice, with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s report acknowledging that there was ‘growing pushback from local residents’. Last summer, protests took place in the city against a new hotel opening – as well as in opposition to Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’s extravagant wedding.Kyoto, Japan Kyoto in Japan also sees huge numbers of visitorsNot all of Kyoto is opposed to tourists – only certain areas are. Private residential alleyways in Kyoto’s historic Gion geisha district are closed to tourists. Kyoto City’s senior director at the office of industry and tourism, Takamasa Kadono, told News.com.au: ‘These challenges are actually limited to only a few specific areas within Kyoto.’Therefore, the city is not implementing measures to restrict visitors.’