A new report has cast a spotlight on the state of cleanliness in some of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, with several European capitals and iconic cities ranking poorly. The analysis, based on thousands of online reviews, places Budapest, Rome, and Las Vegas among the top three, while Paris finds itself in the top five.
Methodology: Sentiment from Thousands of Travelers
The ranking was published in late November by Radical Storage, an Italy-based luggage storage company. To compile its list of the least clean cities among 100 popular tourist spots, the firm analyzed over 71,000 Google reviews posted between October 2024 and November 2025, specifically tracking mentions of “cleanliness” and “dirt.”
The Top 10: A Mix of European Capitals and Historic Hubs
Beyond the top five, the list includes Milan and Verona in sixth and seventh place, respectively. Frankfurt, Germany, Brussels, Belgium, and Cairo, Egypt, round out the top ten. Conversely, Krakow, Poland, was highlighted for its exceptional cleanliness, with 98.5% of reviews praising its urban environment, followed closely by Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
Breaking Down the Top Five
5. Paris, France
Despite its global allure, Paris ranks fifth, with 28.2% of analyzed reviews citing dirtiness. The city has long faced criticism online, notably through the social media hashtag #saccageParis, which highlights maintenance issues. The report notes, however, significant cleaning efforts undertaken for the 2024 Olympic Games, including major investments in public hygiene and the rehabilitation of the River Seine for swimming.
4. Florence, Italy
Florence takes the fourth spot, with 29.6% of reviews pointing to upkeep problems. The study attributes the challenge to its narrow medieval streets and high pedestrian traffic. In a national context, Italy recently increased fines for littering from vehicles to up to €18,000. Radical Storage also noted local efforts to innovate, including the introduction of AI-equipped trash bins to facilitate waste disposal.
3. Las Vegas, USA
Known for its vibrant nightlife, Las Vegas ranks third, with 31% of reviews being negative on cleanliness. The report suggests the constant influx of visitors makes maintaining pristine streets a significant challenge. The city has also been criticized on platforms like TripAdvisor, with some users describing areas as akin to a “dump.”
2. Rome, Italy
Rome secures the second position, with a striking 35.7% of reviews reporting dirtiness. Online forums feature discussions questioning why the Eternal City struggles with cleanliness. In response to persistent waste management issues, the municipality presented a plan for a new incinerator in October 2024, aiming to resolve systemic problems within three years.
1. Budapest, Hungary
Topping the list is Budapest, where over 37.9% of reviews complained of dirt or poor maintenance. The study links this to the city’s difficulty in managing a massive surge in tourism; the Hungarian tourism sector grew by 8.3% in September 2025, with Budapest alone seeing a 12% increase compared to the same month in 2024.
The findings underscore a growing tension between overtourism and urban maintenance, challenging the idyllic image of many bucket-list destinations and prompting discussions on sustainable visitor management and civic investment.
