“The Constitution Doesn't Apply Here”: Europeans Share Their Worst American Tourist Encounters

As an American who lived in Europe, I always found it weird when people were trying to communicate in English, (or any other language) with someone who clearly did not speak English (or that other language).

What is yelling "I cant understand you" going to accomplish? They can't understand you either.

Start chanting USA USA USA!! loudly for any reason in public.

So many Yanks imitate my accent. Yes, I have that posh Oxford accent, but f**k off if you're going to speak like it. I can't change it either.

I was backpacking through Italy a few summers ago and was standing in line to leave my bag in a locker at the Florence train station since I had a good 5-6 hours to k**l before my next departure. The lockers were manned by a couple of guys who used a sort of coat check/ticket system for a euro or two.

Anyways, this American father and I'm guessing ~13 yr old son were in line behind me and I heard the boy ask, "but what if they steal our bags?" to which the father responded, "Oh don't worry about that. And besides, if they do, we'll sue them." He wasn't joking. It was the hardest I've ever cringed at another American while traveling.

- Be loud

- Wear lots of American paraphernalia

- Wear flip-flops/sandals even when it's f*****g freezing

- Talk to us when we clearly don't want to talk

- Not queue

- Say that we drive on the "wrong" side of the road.

Demand a waldorf salad, even after I tell you I don't have all the ingredients.

Once an American tourist over heard me talking (I have a pretty strong and posh British accent) and actually laughed right in face and asked if he could record me taking to show his mates back home. Git.

Drink/smoke too much and then fall into the canals.

Spread america is the best on everything everywhere they go.

I spent a lot of early 20's backpacking around the world and one thing that consistently annoyed me about Americans was how much they talked about America. Especially when Americans meet other Americans.. holy s**t.

Don't take advantage just because you think we'll stand there and loudly tutt, it's blown way out of proportion, England has hot heads too.

As a barista at a large tourist attraction, it's 3 things:

1. Ordering the most complicated drink you can fathom to make you feel more important.
2. Ordering said drink at 100MPH so I have to continually ask you to repeat what you want so I can write it on the cup.
3. The look of disdain for either -not being able to recognise your hometowns slang for a type of coffee/not taking a loyalty card/NOT STOCKING BLOODY WHITE MOCHA (we are a franchise I am very sorry)


All of these aren't necessarily traits only Americans have, it just seems far more prevalent in those from that side of the pond.

Went to the valley of kings in Egypt. Into a tomb that was something like 4,500 years old but *really* well preserved (super bright colours with a lot of paint still on the walls)

It was a fair way underground with a slow queue to get down the steps. The fat old boy in front of me was huffing and puffing all the way down and being pretty vocal about how slow people were being.

When he got to the tomb he made quite a big thing of walking in... walking out quickly... And saying "There! That's how you do it!"

Complete idiot. I think that was a generational thing as much as anything though

To be fair... Most American tourists I've met have been pretty sound ☺.

Not all that annoying, but we've had some Americans come up on us asking us for directions to places like 50 miles away.

Walking on the bicycle lanes.

Saying 'cheers' and 'mate'. It doesn't work, just be yourselves.

Travel in a heard of other American tourists.