People Are Sharing Their Favorite Hidden Gem European Destinations For Escaping All The Tourists
Chances are you already know all about the major European vacation spots — places like Paris, London, Tuscany, Barcelona, and more. Maybe you've even visited a few of them.
But the European continent is full of more off-the-beaten-path destinations. Whether you're looking for a beach vacation, a rustic mountain getaway, an urban adventure, or anything in between, these underrated spots are begging to be explored. Best of all, you won't be surrounded by a ton of tourists.
1.Albania
"I love Albania. I traveled solo as a female for three weeks and had no issues. It was one of the most beautiful and unspoiled countries I've ever visited, and I am itching to go back. I particularly loved how friendly the people were. They went out of their way to help." —u/Ambry
"You're getting beaches that are equally as beautiful as those in Greece, but you can visit for a third of the price." —u/ABrotherAbroad
2.Riga, Latvia
"It's the best-kept secret in Europe." —u/Joll-·
"I did a big trip around the Baltics last September, and Rīga was my absolute favorite place I visited." —u/5440_or_fight
3.Ardèche Valley, France
"It's a different side to the South of France that most people don't know about. I visited for two weeks and went rock climbing, kayaking, and visiting the small towns there. It was absolutely beautiful, and almost everyone we met were local French people." —rachelsg1210
4.Istria, Croatia
"This Croatian peninsula borders Italy in the Northern Adriatic Sea. It never seems to get as much love as the south (Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Split, etc.), but it deserves it." —u/deleted
5.Malta
"Malta is known by Europeans, but it's practically unheard of among Americans, and it's a fantastic place to visit. It's cheap, stunningly beautiful, and has perfect weather year-round. Once you go slightly off the beaten path from the main attractions in Valletta, you'll hardly see any tourists." —u/elijha
6.Orvieto, Italy
"It's located in the Umbria area and built on tufa. Their Duomo, built in the gothic style, is one of the most beautiful in Italy. There's an underground tour, and you can climb up and down a very cool, deep well. The city is an absolute delight." —christinam423fd8d61
7.Romania
"It's especially beautiful in the fall. It's very grey and foggy and completely fills the gothic stereotype, but in such a great way. It's amazing if you want to explore abandoned places and landmarks. Of course, there's also Dracula's castle and the winding Transfagarasan mountain road too!" —maysoonsheikh
"Romania boasts cheap, great food, amazing landscapes, and impressive architecture. I absolutely loved visiting." —u/tronsom
8.Ghent, Belgium
"In Belgium, Bruges is always packed with tourists. Go to Ghent instead. It's incredibly charming and has all the aspects you'd want in a great travel experience, especially around Christmastime with the markets." —nikkim19
9.Utrecht, Netherlands
"It has a very Dutch feel with canals and typical narrow houses, without all the tourists from Amsterdam, but with all the same benefits (English speakers, places open late). Also, from Utrecht, you can basically take the train to everywhere in Europe." —Cookie Cutter
10.Republic of Georgia
"The country is incredible. There's hiking, mountains, beaches, amazing yet cheap food, affordable transportation, and excellent budget accommodations. It’s not overpopulated by tourists either (at least not yet), and it has an interesting mix of Asian, Middle Eastern, and Russian culture." —u/s_i_m
11.Bulgaria
"It's such an underrated country. It has mountains and cities and the sea. It's gorgeous and very affordable." —abruneau16
12.Aljezur, Portugal
"I think in general, Portugal is overshadowed by Spain, France, and Italy. It’s affordable, artsy, offers great food, moderate year-round weather, and has a coast lined with amazing beaches. Aljezur is a small coastal town between the Algarve and the Alentejo that embodies everything that I love about Portuguese beach towns: nice local restaurants with live bands, amazing sunset views, nature walks, surfing, and a laid-back vibe. You won’t find a McDonald’s or Starbucks here, which is part of the charm." —u/jettyyyyy
13.Bergen, Norway
"Norway as a whole is so beautiful, safe, and clean. The Norwegian people are so friendly, and every building is just gorgeous. The city of Bergen in particular is easily one of my favorite places in the world." —u/Thartperson
14.Minorca, Spain
"If you're thinking of going to Mallorca, consider instead traveling to Minorca, a neighboring Spanish island in the Mediterranean. It's really beautiful and much more quiet." —JahneKess
15.Wales, United Kingdom
"It boasts the majestic mountains of Snowdonia National Park in the north, the dramatic coastal cliffs of Pembrokeshire in the west, and the beautiful beaches of Gower in the south." —Kitseykat
16.Slovenia
"The country is like a fairy-tale city full of castles and quirky old folktales. The scenery is gorgeous, and you can see the entire country in a short visit. The people are also unbelievably friendly. Despite all of this, most Americans never think to visit." —u/sarasmirks·
17.Friuli, Italy
18.Klitmøller, Denmark
"I recently studied abroad in Denmark, and my class went to a small town called Klitmøller, aka Cold Hawaii on the North Sea. It's a super-cool place to surf and eat lots of seafood." —Kelss2019
19.Northern Spain
"Madrid, Barcelona, Andalusia, and the resort towns of Spain get so much attention, but the northern region is really underrated. Basque Country, Asturias, Cantabria, and Galicia are incredibly beautiful and much cheaper to visit than similar places in Europe. Picos de Europa National Park is a great place to visit: You can drive from rural mountain towns to quaint beach towns in less than an hour." —u/digitall565
20.Thessaloniki, Greece
"It's got it all. Great history, awesome food, a vibrant nightlife, and exciting destinations you can explore nearby like Chalkidiki and Mount Olympus." —u/mantouvallo
21.Rennes, France
"I personally think Paris is overrated, but Rennes is awesome. It's a city filled with students, and it isn't touristy at all. In Paris, you have to be careful to avoid the many tourist trap restaurants, but in Rennes the food is great, and literally every meal I had was amazing." —u/SendTheBoat
22.Isle of Skye, Scotland
"Traveling there made me feel like I was on another planet entirely. It was absolutely incredible." —u/Derman0524
23.Basque Country, France
"I was blown away the first time I saw the coastline in French Basque Country. Biarritz in particular is breathtaking. The water is as blue as the Caribbean Sea, and there's amazing weather, an awesome surf culture, friendly people, plus lots of great restaurants and bars. On top of all that, you have the scenic Pyrenees Mountains hovering in the distance." —u/spacegurl2021
24.Kraków, Poland
"When visiting eastern Europe, most people choose to visit Prague, Budapest, or Vienna, but Kraków is a great city. In fact, it's the only European city I've returned to for a second trip." —u/nefastvs
"Kraków is probably my favorite city in Poland. It has tons of amazing historical sites, beautiful city scenery, and plenty of hidden gems if you like going off the beaten path. The nightlife is also great for people who enjoy that sort of thing." —u/Laturnich
25.Glasgow, Scotland
"People said Glasgow is just an old, industrial city, but I found it to be so much more than that. Between all the greenery and the history, it was possibly my favorite stop on a recent trip." —u/LadysPrerogative·
26.Yerevan, Armenia
"Armenia has most of the allures as it's more popular neighbor, Georgia. It's a lot less traveled by tourists, and as a consequence it's cheaper and quieter. Yerevan in particular is a very interesting city." —u/slightly_offtopic
