Tired of arriving to a dream destination just to share it with thousands of other people? Not everywhere in Europe is busy. Thanks to the size and variety of the continent, there are still many opportunities to explore off the beaten path, and many destinations that give you a sense of authenticity and the thrill of discovery.
As my regular readers know, I travel by rail and road as much as possible, and that really helps. I tend to stay away from the busiest destinations and explore further afield.
Here are 10 real hidden gems, great alternatives to some of Europe’s most overcrowded destinations, and equally stunning:
1.Zaragoza, Spain
An Alternative to: Madrid and Andalusia
Imagine a monumental stone and brick historical centre, with not one but two Basilicas, wonderful Roman ruins, a main square the size of a small town, Museums housing Spanish Grand Masters, and an Arabian fortress to compete with the beauty of the Alhambra. Add tapas, great local wines, a stunning riverside setting, parks and gardens, and locals overwhelmingly more numerous than tourists. All this is Zaragoza.
You can visit on a day trip to escape the crowds in Barcelona or Madrid, but Ideally you should stay overnight, and enjoy an evening of Authentic tapas served by welcoming locals.
founded by the Romans to celebrate Augustus’s 50th birthday, Zaragoza wears its 2000-year history with modesty and nonchalance. It was also allegedly the site of Spain’s first church and of its Marian cult, an Arabic Kingdom capital, and one of the cultural centres of Spain’s golden age.
To read more about this stunning Spanish city, click here.
2. The Hague, Netherlands
An alternative to: Amsterdam
The Amsterdammers are notoriously fed up with over-tourism and try to discourage visitors, especially in high season. The Hague sees less tourists, and they tend to be of a more discerning kind. Whether it is the numbers, or their interests, it seems to absorb them better.
The seat of the Dutch royal family and the Parliament, this is a city as rich in history as Amsterdam. Its cultural importance is also easily on a par with Amsterdam too. Apart from the medieval parliament (Binnenhof) and the Royal palace, The Hague boasts fantastic musesums such as the Mauritshuis (home to the Girl with a Pearl Earring),
there are grand mansions overlooking canals, leafy squares, parks, delicious and quirky eateries catering to every taste…There is more. A 15-minute bus ride – or a 50-minute walk – from the Hague you will find windswept North Sea beaches with respectfully preserved Sand dunes. I think the Hague is the only city where you can experience an away from it all feeling. Incredible, at any time of the year.
Inspired? Here’s what you can do in a long weekend in the Hague.
3. Rimini, Italy
An Alternative to: Rome.
Of course, Rome is Rome and there is nothing like it on earth. But if you are looking for a small city which can boast both wonderfully preserved Roman monuments, architectural highlights of the Italian Renaissance, and pictorial masterpieces from the likes of Giotto, as well as the Allure of Italian postwar cinema, Rimini fits the bill to perfection.
Add to that the delicious food of Emilia-Romagna and long sandy beaches. The latter can get very busy in July and August, but are very relaxed at other times.
To plan a short break in Rimini, check out this post.
4. Metz, France
An alternative to: Strasbourg
Metz, the capital of Lorraine, is one of France’s greenest cities, and has a wonderful historical centre that has somehow escaped mass tourism.
Like Strasbourg, Metz used to be part of the Holy Roman empire, and there is a distinctive German vibe about the architecture, such as its postcard-perfect Porte des Allemands.
Like Strasbourg, it boasts a magnificent Gothic cathedral, and a stunning waterside setting. Strasbourg is on the mighty Rhine, Metz on the meandering Moselle.
During Advent, Both Metz and Strasbourg are home to delightful Christmas markets. Strasbourg calls itself ‘the home of Christmas,’ whereas Metz is a bit more modest about its offering. But the stalls of beautiful produce and treats from the nearby countryside are to die for, and the centre comes to life but you won’t be hearing many foreign languages this spoken. Metz is a treasure the French have kept to themselves.
It is a city that yields its beauty slowly, almost shy – The locals almost sound surprised when the foreigner heaps on the compliments. The cathedral, with its towering view on top of the hill of St Etienne, is only one of many attractions.
Wander the leafy squares surrounded by elegant ancient houses, follow the walk between the moselle and the well-preserved city wall, discover the culinary treats of the Covered Market, visit France’s oldest surviving church of St Pierre aux Nonnains) and step into its great museums: Musée de la Cour d’Or traces the history of the city, and the Parisian centre Pompidou has a twin in Metz!
The longer you spend in Metz the more you will appreciate that this city deserves to be explored.
5. Sardinia, Italy
An alternative to: The Balearic Islands of Mallorca and Ibiza
The beauty of the Balearic islands of Mallorca and Ibiza is mind-blowing. Picturesque white wahsed villages, rugged but green interiors, and that incredible blue water.
We also all know the Balearics are suffering form over-tourism. Locals prices out of their housing market and destinations that lose their identity because of an imbalanced ratio of residents to tourists regularly make headlines,
To the east of the Balearics, in the middle of the Tyrrhenian sea, lies Sardinia. The island is a significant landmass, larger than the 4 Balearics (including also Menorca and Formentera) put together. I think the size protects Sardinia from the worse ravages of tourism.
The coastline is all magnificent. And the beaches are incomparable: halfmoon bays (cale), caves, dramatic coastal cliffs such as those of the Gulf of Orosei (the largest unhinabited stretch of coastline in Europe). Beaches are the softest powdery sand you can dream off, some of it famously pink! Waters are either deep blue or crystal clear (Italians call crystal clear water ‘Sardinia water’), and teeming with life. Visitor comparisons stretch beyond the Balearics, it is often called the Maldives of Europe.
Nevertheless, if you avoid high season, and the superyacht haven area of Porto Cervo, many of the beaches retain a sense of wilderness and away from it all – and some are even harder to get to!
the interior is still very rural and unspoiled, with forests and mountains. Both the interior and the coast still abound in traditional villages, lived in by local people, such as Castelsardo, considered one of the prettiest seaside villages in Italy.
The main centres reflect the island’s complex history. Alghero shows off its Catalan heritage, the north abounds in Ligurian-style pastel-coloured villages, and Cagliari is a true southern European gem, with a remarkable historic centre, and and 8-km city beach.
Food is unique and interesting. Being so far from mainland Italy Sardinia developed its own food culture, and some dishes you will try there are unique the region, and often only to parts of it.
6. Torino, Italy
An alternative to: Milano and Paris
With one of Italy’s most Elegant historic centres, a wealth of world-class museums, and one of the country’s best food scenes, it is surprising that Torino has managed to remain relatively under the radar.
The surprise is compounded by the fact that Milan has quickly rosen through the ranks of Europe’s most visited city. While the architectural charms of Milan are undeniable, Torino can easily equal them. Visitors flock to Milan for shopping, but the same Italian brands will have stores in Torino too. The creative edge that has made Milan a worldwide mecca for design is visible in Torino too. The city has historically been a leader in innovation, thanks in part to its industrial roots, and the local rulers and upper class pride in promoting their city’s cultural and creative credentials.
Its museums vary from the Museo Egizio – the largest ancient Egyptian collection outside Cairo, which just celebrated its bicentenary, to the contemporary art collection of Lingotto, to the Cinema Museum. and the fabulous design historical design collection of Palazzo Madama. Add to that well preserved Roman ruins, churches, royal palaces, and you’ll wonder why you have not come sooner.
It is not just interesting, it is beautiful and graceful: the riverside setting along the Po, the blend of Baroque and Roman in the historic, the visual presence of hills (right outside the centre) and the Alps as a Backdrop, make Torino visually unique.
Because of the shared history with Savoy, the Torinesi consider themselves closer to the Parisians than the Romans, and walking through Torino’s beautiful baroque squares you will be forgiven for thinking you are in Paris. Torino also shares with the French capital a place in the history of cinema (it was the birth place of Italian cinema) and a penchant for tall iconic buildings. In the 19th century, the Mole Antonelliana held briefly the record for tallest building in Europe.
Whether it is a less busy Milan or a less busy Paris you are after, Torino is waiting to be discovered. Here’s what you can do over a long weekend.
7. Canterbury, England
An alternative to: Oxford or Cambridge
The residents of Oxford and Cambridge often complain about their city centre being taken over by tourists, a trend only exacerbated by the Harry Potter mania.
I won’t claim that Canterbury sees no visitor, but it does feel less overwhelmed with tourists. There are day trippers from central London , and from France and Belgium – the city is very near the Eurotunnel terminal. The latter are mainly school coaches, who arrive in the late morning and leave by mid afternoon. Go outside these hours, and Canterbury is a gem – a living city which happens to have wonderful some of England’s most wonderful monuments right in the middle of it.
The magnificent Canterbury cathedral, seat of the Anglican Faith, would be more than one reason to visit. Add to that delightful cobbled streets, medieval gates and fortresses, relics of Britain’s Roman age, a waterside park, medieval waterways. The city also occupies an outsized place in Early English literature, given it is both the birthplace of the playwright Marlowe and the setting of the Canterbury Tales.
The food is delicious, with locally eatery taking pride in locally grown artisanal produce.
Last but not least, if you fancy a hike like no other in England, Canterbury is the departing point of the Via Francigena, the Ancient Pilgrimage route to Rome.
Tempted? Read more about Canterbury here.
8. Nuremberg, Germany
Alternative to: Bruges and Venice
Ghent is normally suggested as a less busy alternative to Bruges, and if you want to stick with Belgium it is an excellent choice – and a very beautiful one!
However, there is another European city that partakes of many of the charms of Bruges – beautiful canals, northern atmospheres, stunning Gothic architecture and sculpture, a place in the history of European painting, delicious beer and sweets, and a fantastic Christmas market.
Enter Nuremberg, a city that often sadly evokes tragic 20th century memories, and instead was so much and for so long before. The city’s thousand years of history betray ages when Nuremberg was one of the most advanced cities in Europe.
It boasts beautiful canals crossed by bridges, Magnificent squares overlooked by imposing and graceful Gothic churces and palaces of wealthy merchants, and to add to the wonder, it retains its city walls and a splendid medieval imperial palace.
For all of the reasons above, it is also a great alternative to Venice. It won’t have gondolas, although it did its best to build its own version of the Bridge of Sighs! But the Gothic magnificence of the city and the endless fascination of its canals make for a beautiful alternative.
You can go for a day from Munich and be blown away, but stay for longer if you can. Enjoy bratwurst in an outdoor beer garden under an August moon, wander through the backstreets, watch as the light changes, altering the buildings’ reflections in the canals.
It is a city where I could literally not stay in my hotel. You’ll want to be out and about, soaking it at every hour.
Here’s an idea of what you can do and see in Nuremberg, to help you plan your visit.
9. Bordeaux
Alternative to: Paris
When the architect Haussmann was given the job of redesigning the city of Paris, he looked for inspiration to the city that was considered the most elegant in France: Bordeaux.
Wine connaisseurs apart, Bordeaux was A bit neglected in favour of Paris in the final few decades of the last century. But the perle of Aquitaine is now rediscovering its beauty with a vengeance.
What makes Bordeaux worthy of such a lofty comparison? Let’s start with the ancient historical centre around Saint Pierre, with its buzzying allwyays and the stunning Gothic cathedral. Then, there are the elegant 17-th century mansions and civic buildings that turned into France’s most beautiful town (such as place the la Bourse).
Like Paris, Bordeaux makes the most of its river in architectural and civi terms. The pedestrianised riverside is magnificent, and easy to enjoy at all season. It is also a wonderful epitome of the city itself, with a Napoleonic Bridge on one side of the centre, facing a late medieval gate, and an ultramodern engineering wonder on the other side. On the riverside is also the Miroir d’Eau, created 20th years ago and already one of the symbols of the city,
Bordeaux also boasts great city parks, both historic and modern, museums and iconic contemporary structures such as the Cité du Vin, where you can discover everything about the role of wine in culture…Are you missing the Eiffel Tower? Well, Gustave Eiffel built Bordeaux’s train station and a railway Bridge on the Garonne (La Passarelle Eiffel).
You can read more about Bordeaux here.
10. Genova
Alternative to: Barcelona
in the middle ages and early modern era, Genova used to be a political and trading power, vying with Venice and Barcelona for domination in the Mediterranean trade with the East.
This rich history has left plenty of traces in its beautiful UNESCO-World-Heritage historical centre, with its maze of carrugi (tiny medieval alleys), lively squares, and magnificent palaces and churches such as the 11th-century cathedral of San Lorenzo.
Like Barcelona, Genova is a city defined by the thyrrenian sea, as much as by its architecture and its art. Both cities.
Both were the birthplace of famous architects If Gaudi shaped the Barcelona of people’s imagination, Renzo Piano caputred in his work around the port of Genova the adventurous sea-faring spirit of his fellow citizens.
Despite the similarities, and similarly large ports, Genova does not suffer from overtourism in the same way as Barcelona. Perhaps the Italian perception of it as a working city, or the competition of so many idillic villages on the Ligurian coast, have kept the capital city somewhat in the shade. But it is having a bit of a Renaissance at the moment, so it is the perfect time to go.
Speaking of pretty villages, You can also walk along the coast, amongst fragrant Ligurian flora, to the delightful fishing suburbs of Vernazzola and Boccadasse, and even continue onward to spectacular Nervi, where an enchanting promenade (Passeggiata Anita Garibald), winds along the cliff. There is also a train from Genova to Nervi if you are short of time.
How do I get to these Cities?
By train, of course! Europe has a fantastic rail network in the world, and all the cities featured in this article have a train station. You can plan your trip and book your train tickets through Trainline or RailEurope.
The pleasure of discovering Europe’s hidden gems
Of course, every place in Europe is different and its way unique – it is the beauty of the continent. I am not claiming that Genova is a photocopy of Barcelona without the crowds, or that Nuremberg has gondolas and a Canal Grande. But the destinations I feature are absolutely stunning and yet leaves you with that feeling that our visual age often robs us of – the sense of discovery.
In addition, it is great to be in places where you are rubbing shoulders with locals as well as visitors, in city centres where people work and live and go about their business.
They are less busy and more authentic experiences, that you can savour mostly without queueing or hours of advanced planning. And they are beautiful, so beautiful…
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