Dream holiday spot crowned world’s ‘most stressful’ destination
Holidays should be relaxing. But there are certain destinations around the world that are quite the opposite.
From busy city streets to confusing metro systems, and bustling markets to crowded theme parks, these holiday spots are a far cry from a chilled-out holiday.
Some holiday spots are far from relaxing. iStock
According to a recent study, the number one most stressful place in the world to take a holiday is Orlando, Florida.
This US city is home to 12 major theme parks, including Disney World and Universal, making it a top destination for people (especially families) coming from around the world.
The study from Radical Storage analysed over 85,000 reviews for destinations across the globe, and found that nearly 10 per cent of Orlando reviews mention anxiety and stress.
It’s ironic that one of the most stressful holiday spots is supposed to also be the happiest place on earth.
Second place went to Beijing, the Chinese capital city which is home to more than 21 million residents.
Travel to China is booming: in 2026 there was a 20 per cent increase in foreign nationals visiting the country compared to a year prior.
Two Indian cities – Mumbai and Delhi – came in third and fourth, followed by Tokyo and Kyoto tying in fifth place.
Orlando is chaotic when you’re in the theme parks - downtown seems a bit more chilled out. iStock
Even as a travel writer, I remember the stress of trying to navigate the Tokyo subway system back in 2018, saying she got lost underground almost every time they tried to find the right exit.
Since then, Tokyo has introduced more English signage for visitors, making the process easier. In fact, Radical Storage’s study shows a huge improvement in the number of reviews calling Tokyo ‘stressful’.
London made it into 8th place in the study, but Nine Travel’s resident Brit Sarah advises that the city is actually quite calm once you avoid the tourist spots.
“Leicester Sq, Oxford St, and Covent Garden are chaotic and stressful, and it’s not really worth it as it’s just chain restaurants and bad tourist shops!”
“Look just outside the centre, I prefer wandering Kensington, East London and Hampstead,” she says.
Some parts of London are quiet and chilled-out. iStock
Similarly, New York City, which came in tenth, has some overwhelming pockets (specifically Times Square), but also some calm neighbourhoods too.
When I visited NYC and wanted to see Times Square, I headed there at 1am. It was basically empty and we were able to take it in in all its neon-lit glory. (It did help that we were staying just a few blocks away.)
On the other end of the spectrum, Buenos Aires was named the least stressful holiday destination, with only 0.3 per cent of reviews mentioning anxiety and stress.
The South American capital has wide streets and beautiful architecture, and tends to have smaller crowds than other cities like Rio.
