The One Touristy Thing You Should Never Do If You Want to Blend In Abroad

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The One Touristy Thing You Should Never Do If You Want to Blend In Abroad originally appeared on Parade.

When traveling anywhere out of your home country, it’s incredibly common to stand out as a tourist, and some may not think that’s a bad thing. There’s nothing wrong with being new to a country, and you should be proud of immersing yourself and learning about a new culture. However, many locals in touristy countries tend to get annoyed with tourists for certain behaviors, and that’s something to avoid. Along with that, pickpockets and muggers know what to look for when spotting a tourist, making them easy targets for a crime.

As a former cruise performer and current freelance travel writer, I’ve done my fair share of traveling. Now that I’m experienced, I’ve seen firsthand many mistakes that tourists make. It’s important to know the basic rules of traveling, so as to be respectful of the places that you’re visiting. First and foremost, you should always try to learn simple phrases in the language of the country, like “hello” and “thank you”, as it shows you’ve put in effort to communicate better with the locals. You should also be familiar with the appropriate cultural attire to wear in that country, since there are many differences throughout the world. Ultimately, you always want to be as respectful as possible.

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Beyond these easier-to-handle tips on navigating a new country, there are more nuanced ones as well. For example, wearing athletic wear in a city like Paris will make you stand out, as will using a selfie stick (practically anywhere) and wearing large bags. When it comes to baggage, that’s a whole other ball game, which brings us to the one main thing you want to avoid as a tourist.

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Why You Should Never Pack a Large Suitcase Abroad

One of the most commonly seen tourist mistakes is when they bring a large rolling suitcase to a destination that’s just not built for that kind of luggage. In a TikTok video by an account called Greece Travel Secrets, the creator shares a compilation video of tourists struggling to carry their luggage throughout various parts of a city. She says that these videos were taken in Italy, however the same applies to Greece, which is her travel specialty.

There are many reasons why the tourists are struggling so much with their luggage. Many European cities have older, cobblestoned streets–which are difficult to roll a large suitcase on. There are often many stairs to navigate throughout European cities as well. I’ve personally seen hotels in cities like Rome, Lisbon, Mykonos and Athens where hotel guests can only be brought to a certain point via taxi, and they have to carry their luggage up a good amount of stairs to get them to the hotel entrance.

Related: The Row You Should Never Sit in On a Long Flight, According to the Points Guy

Photo by Carl Kho on Unsplash

Train stations are another beast to think about. When traveling between cities (whether it be in places like Europe, Asia or even South America) having a large suitcase with you will create some problems. Many trains have an area where luggage can be stored, however they often fill up incredibly fast. Once you drop your bag there, there’s no guarantee that someone else won’t take it, and that can create a safety risk. If you’re able, you can lift and place your luggage on the storage shelf above the seats, but if your suitcase is too heavy, it may not be realistic to lift it over your head. My parents recently made this mistake on a visit to Italy—they told me that they were given dirty looks by the locals on the trains, and that their large suitcases were clear tells that they don’t travel abroad often—they won’t make that mistake again.

How To Pack Lighter For a Trip Abroad

At this point, I’ve practically mastered the art of packing lighter for a trip abroad. Whether you want to aim for a medium-sized suitcase or a carry-on, I think both are better options than bringing a full-sized rolling suitcase.

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First and foremost, use packing cubes. This will optimize your space within the suitcase, and also help to keep things organized. Next, pack clothing items that can be easily mixed and matched, that way you don’t have an excessive amount of clothes. For example, when I travel, I always bring two to three bottoms, and I make sure that the tops that I pack can be worn with any of the three bottoms. Lastly, pair down on shoes. Shoes take up a lot of space–so wear your bulkiest shoes on the plane, and then limit yourself to one or two more pairs in addition.

When Can You Actually Pack A Large Suitcase?

Photo by Zoshua Colah on Unsplash

There are a few select times where I believe that you can get away with packing a large suitcase–and you won’t be pinpointed as an inexperienced tourist in the process. If you’re traveling to a location where you will be driven straight from the airport to your destination, door to door, I think the large suitcase can work.

This is for vacations to places like tropical resorts or cruises. When it comes to those types of vacations, you will be brought swiftly to the location, and you will stay there–not traveling to new places with your luggage. I personally believe that this is the only time that bringing a large suitcase won’t affect your trip in a negative way. If you’re traveling to any sort of location where you’ll be taking public transportation, traveling between cities or countries with your luggage, or aren’t sure what the transport will be like from the airport to your accommodation–skip the large suitcase, trust me!

Related: The Surprisingly Smart Way to Use a Scarf While Traveling

The One Touristy Thing You Should Never Do If You Want to Blend In Abroad first appeared on Parade on Jul 3, 2025

This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.