Why this could be your last chance to see Europe’s tourist hotspots without the crowds

With lockdowns and travel bans giving locals a chance to reclaim their cities from the tourist crush, Europe’s often overburdened hotspots should offer surprises for anyone returning later this year.

Of course, visiting these places is far from simple. With much of Europe now placed squarely on the 'amber list', meaning returning travellers are required to self-isolate for up to 10 days, holidays on the Continent present a logistical headache for all but a few.

But if you are one of the lucky ones able to soak up the quarantine period – as well as the added cost of multiple PCR tests – this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have some of the world's most famous landmarks in the world virtually to yourself.

It won't remain this way for long. The worldwide vaccination programme is continuing apace, and barring setbacks by new variants of the coronavirus, visitor numbers will soon bounce back with a vengeance. Before they do, our experts have offered their recommendations for the places to visit before travel is unlocked and the tourist hordes are released.

Rome, Italy

The return of the Romani

Rome may be the Eternal City, but the influx of mass tourism paired with an invasion of short-term vacation rentals has been slowly leaching the local character from the most ancient quarters of the city over the past few decades. But now, after many months all-but devoid of international visitors, Romans have been enticed to explore the heart of their city again.

Many older Romans have noted that they are reminded of what the city was like in the 1960s and 1970s, when even neighbourhoods surrounding A-list landmarks like the Trevi Fountain were more dense with locals than tourists. If you wander these same areas today, you’ll be surrounded by Romans discussing local politics or sports in their disarming double-consonanted accent rather than a Babel-like mishmash of global languages. Meanwhile, restaurants that cater largely to tourists have stayed shuttered while historic eateries continue to operate, shifting the city’s culinary focus back to more traditional trattorias and the authentic dishes they serve.

Valerio Da Gai, an art historian and licensed tour guide, says that locals are also rediscovering some of Rome’s cultural treasures – among them the newly opened Mausoleum of Augustus, which sold out of its free resident tickets in just days, and the private Colonna Gallery collection. Likewise, from baroque piazzas once overrun by dubious buskers and large tour groups to the echoing empty halls of the Vatican Museums, Rome’s cultural treasures are being reclaimed by locals who are taking advantage of the lack of tourist crush to visit sights they hadn’t seen in decades.

It remains to be seen if the Romans stick around once international tourist numbers hit pre-pandemic levels again, but those visitors who are amongst the first to return will find that the Eternal City is once again infinitely Roman.

Rebecca Winke

Dalmatia, Croatia

A rustic foodie resurgence

Since the pandemic began, the Dalmatian Islands have seen something of a return to their glorious, rustic pre-tourism days, with the pretty, cobbled old towns of Korcula, Hvar and Split lying sleepy and still for the first time in years. But it’s not just quieter streets which await the first waves of returning tourists – there’s a more authentic foodie experience, too.

Though the slow food concept has long been appreciated on the islands, the rise in pandemic-fuelled home-growing has seen a huge rise in popularity, with more and more local eateries priding themselves on sourcing local, seasonal produce, even foraging for delicacies such as wild asparagus and rock samphire, and reviving almost forgotten traditional recipes.

“Hvar looks as if it has stepped back into the past”, says Zoran Pejovic, development director of Maslina Resort on the island. “Many locals have returned to growing vegetables and tending olive groves and vineyards, so there’ll be plenty of fresh, local, mainly organic fare on restaurant menus this summer.”

As a result, growers are starting to recognise the enormous potential for agrotourism presented by this uptick. It’s already a success in neighbouring Istria, and will make for a wonderful alternative to the usual tourism hotspots and big, impersonal hotels when international visitors start to return.

Jane Foster

Bruges, Belgium

A chance for sustainable tourism to take hold

Bruges is no stranger to the doldrums. A centre of power, international trade and fabulous opulence in late medieval times, it fell from grace and slumbered for 400 years until rediscovered, restored and romanticised in the 19th century. Under Covid, this process was compressed into mere months as tourist numbers of around 8 million a year collapsed, leaving Bruges’ many dreamy boutique hotels, star-spangled restaurants and heavenly chocolate shops perilously becalmed.

At first the people of Bruges rejoiced to find their historic cobbled streets free of throngs of selfie-takers, but soon they began to miss the buzz of the crowds and, of course, the tourist income – the lifeblood of this tiny city’s extraordinary prosperity. Though they are, on the whole, in favour of their city’s tourist industry for these very reasons, there had been increasing local grumblings which, just prior to Covid, the city and tourist authorities undertook to address by introducing a programme (and philosophy) of “sustainable visitor management”, designed to bring enhanced mutual benefit to citizens and tourists alike.

So the pandemic has, in fact, come with a silver lining for Bruges: an opportunity to reset, and to accelerate this programme, likely welcoming returning tourists to a city better prepared for their patronage than ever before.

Antony Mason

Florence, Italy

Peaceful piazzas and native neighbourhoods

One chilly afternoon this February, during a brief respite in the Italian “zona rossa” lockdown, I booked a slot at the Uffizi gallery. It was a joy: there were no queues and no selfie-sticks, and in place of the ubiquitous noisy, jostling tour groups were respectful, properly distanced visitors wandering through the near-empty rooms, their hushed (mostly Italian) voices full of wonder.

For many Florentines, the opportunity to visit their world-famous museums and galleries without having to battle hordes of tourists has been a perk of the pandemic. Even a stroll round the normally heaving – presently almost spectral – Centro Storico is a revelation: The Duomo! Piazza della Signoria! An empty Via Tornabuoni!

Neighbourhood restaurants and caffés, too, have reclaimed an enthusiastic local clientele during the periods they have been allowed to open – unlike those largely geared towards tourists, many of which have closed. Meanwhile, property owners are reverting to long-term rentals in central areas after the collapse of the short-term tourist market. Suffice to say, the centre of Florence is once again seeing a surge in both little local eateries and Florentine residents. Marvellous.

So what of the future for this tourist-dependent city? It is estimated that we won’t get back to pre-pandemic numbers until at least 2024, so visitors over the next couple of years will find it relatively calm and quiet. The city council is also taking the lull as an opportunity to develop a raft of initiatives to make tourism more sustainable – promoting lesser-known sights and tours to spread the load; discouraging touch-and-go tourism in favour of longer stays; improving transport and infrastructure in general – so, although it remains to be seen what the long-term results are, any Brits visiting later this year can look forward to a more authentically Florentine city than it’s been for many years.

Nicky Swallow

Crete and Santorini, Greece

New green spaces to explore

After six long months of lockdown, there’s been a seismic shift in Greek lifestyle and – as the country prepares to reopen – I’m certain that even formerly frequent visitors will be pleasantly surprised. Since lockdown started here back in November 2020, prime minister Mitsotakis has been urging Greeks to stay in good physical shape, meaning that parks have become increasingly popular, prompting islands such as Crete and Santorini to develop beautiful new green-path networks to give locals more outdoor exercise options. Meanwhile, bankrupt, tourist-dependent businesses across the country have been repurposed to cater to local people as health shops or sports facilities – a welcome change from the often ubiquitous tour-booking outlets and souvenir shops.

Santorini, which received a record two million visitors in 2019, has also had a particularly significant new lease of life since lockdown, with exciting new eco-initiatives including Santorini Walking Tours, a company that runs hiking tours via the island’s goat tracks – another wonderful opportunity for returning visitors to discover another side to this magnificent spot.

Heidi Fuller-Love

Overseas holidays are currently subject to restrictions. Check travel advice on gov.uk before booking.