Australian travel content creator Lucas Brancatisano has shared a critique of his least favourite global cities. In an Instagram video posted on June 12, Lucas — who has travelled to 60 countries — shared a list titled ‘Five cities I’d never go back to if my life depended on it’, ranking New Delhi, India, as his top destination to avoid. Also read | Foreigner ranks ‘how safe she felt as a woman’ travelling solo in different Indian states: ‘0/10 in UP, 9/10 in Kerala’
While acknowledging that many of the surrounding regions or countries are ‘absolutely lovely’ or ‘fantastic’, he didn’t hold back on the sensory overload, cultural friction, and aesthetic disappointments that defined his travels to these five specific cities.
1. New Delhi: ‘a whole level above’ overstimulation
Topping the list is India’s capital city, which Lucas dismissed for its overwhelming atmosphere. “If you think you’ve been overstimulated in your life before, New Delhi is a whole level above that,” he said, adding, “There’s pollution, there’s noise, buses, horns, and cows on the road. The sky is a smog. It’s just crazy. It’s not for me. I don’t think I’ll ever go back.” Despite his harsh review of the capital, he clarified that his experience does not reflect his views of the rest of the country, noting, “The rest of India, in parts, is absolutely lovely, but in Delhi, not for me.”
2. Leon: ‘sweaty’ and ‘dangerous at night’
Coming in at number two was Leon, a city in Nicaragua. According to Lucas, the destination lacks appeal outside of its popular adventure-tourism scene. “This place is sweaty. It’s dangerous at night. If it hadn’t had volcano boarding, we probably wouldn’t have been there in the first place,” he revealed. Similar to his thoughts on New Delhi, he separated the city from the country at large: “But it’s fine. Nicaragua itself is fantastic. I had a great time there in 2024. But Leon, no, I will never go back.”
3. Oia, Santorini: ‘definition of hell in summer’
For his third selection, Lucas targeted the picturesque coastal town of Oia on the Greek island of Santorini, criticising the suffocating impact of overtourism during peak travel months. “This place is my definition of hell in summer: sunburn, 100,000 selfie sticks, and every single person getting the same sunset photo,” Lucas lamented. “You can just look at it online. You don’t have to go get a photo, don’t go there. You’ll have a really bad time. That’s all I have to say about it,” he added.
4. Phnom Penh: built-up and boring
Ranked fourth was Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh. Though the content creator admitted his memories might be a bit dated, the architectural and aesthetic impression left a lingering negative taste. “I went there a long time ago, but all I remember is a very built-up city with lots of tyre shops and not much going on,” he said. Lucas remained open to being proven wrong by locals and fellow backpackers, adding, “I could be wrong, and please let me know in the comments if I am wrong… maybe I would go back, but from memory it was a s*** hole.”
5. Benidorm: A cultural misstep
Rounding out his list at number five was the coastal resort town of Benidorm, located in Alicante, Spain. Lucas slammed the destination for losing its authentic Spanish identity to low-cost British tourism. “This place is hell. This place, if you find yourself [there and] you’re not British… you’re in hell,” he stated. “If you walk in there, there’s an English breakfast on every single menu. Old British people rolling around. There’s just pasty skin everywhere. It’s just not a very nice place,” Lucas added.
He concluded his video with a blunt warning for those planning their European itineraries: “If you’re in Spain and you’re going to Benidorm, you need to rethink all of the life choices you’ve made up to that point because you’re in the wrong spot; that’s my list. There aren’t many I wouldn’t go back to, but there are five of them.”
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