Pack your bags: Man who has travelled to 190 countries reveals top destinations around the world, mentions India as…

Luca Pferdmenges has travelled to 190 countries. The 22-year-old German globetrotter has shared his thoughts on the best and worst destinations with the Daily Mail.

Luca says that Afghanistan is among the most affordable countries he has visited even though he went there before the Taliban takeover. A plate of street food costs just 11 cents (around ₹9). He also mentions India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal as the countries with the cheapest food.

As per the traveller, the priciest destinations are Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Israel and New Zealand. However, he acknowledges that these observations are ‘inevitably’ biased due to the vast amount of data available.

Luca, a professional juggler, feels that, among European destinations, Brussels and many other Belgian cities are unsafe and unappealing, especially at night and during winter. He also considers Brussels North, and parts of Paris, London and Frankfurt particularly risky after dark.

Luca suggests that travellers shouldn't limit themselves to popular destinations like France, Italy, Greece or Spain as many other countries are equally worth exploring. He is surprised at how often these less-known places are overlooked, mentioning countries like Montenegro and Slovenia. According to him, these places are stunning and affordable, yet they rarely attract visitors.

Luca shares his thoughts on popular travel destinations, pointing out that places like Egypt, France, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles and much of the Caribbean, particularly the Lesser Antilles, are often overly touristy and have little to offer beyond their attractive beaches. He considers Egypt especially frustrating for tourists and views the Caribbean as overrated.

On the other hand, Luca highlights Uzbekistan, other Central Asian countries, the Baltics, Myanmar, North Macedonia, Bhutan, Montenegro and many Latin American countries as underrated. He notes that these places are frequently overlooked but offer more excitement and affordability than typical tourist spots, with Bhutan and Myanmar being particularly stunning yet largely unknown.

Top travel destinations

He mentions Mexico, Brazil, Israel, Spain, Bhutan, the UK, UAE, Portugal and Austria as his top travel destinations. He considers Mexico the best for food, highlighting Israel's vegan Middle Eastern cuisine, Lebanon's Middle Eastern dishes, Ethiopia's Injera and the supermarkets in Germany and the UK.

Luca also praises Mediterranean cuisine in general. However, he criticises countries like Haiti, Chad and small Pacific islands for having poor or unhealthy food options. He also notes that the Balkan countries are difficult for vegans.