Europe Travel
Europe has long been a popular destination for travelers.
It is accessible, easy to navigate, and packed with an unrivaled number of historical and architectural treasures.
I’ve traveled Europe extensively throughout my life—beginning with trips to Italy when I was only six months old.
Europe is the place that introduced me to travel and started my great love affair with discovering new places. It is in Europe that I learned to appreciate visiting museums, admiring architecture, and retracing family history
For first-time travelers to Europe, these destinations offer a wealth of places to see. After all, European cities are among the most romantic and aesthetically pleasing in the world. Few places have artistic and cultural richness that can rival the likes of Paris, Venice, or Florence.
TRAVEL IN EUROPE
Many travelers to Europe will probably be content with ticking off their travel bucket list destinations in one big trip to Europe. Euro trips have become such a common phenomenon, that they are now near rites of passage for 20-something adventure-seekers.
Yet, while I’m fully supportive of those who pack their bags for broad multi-country trips to Europe, I’ve come to appreciate exploring the continent in bite-size chunks.
Each area of Europe offers so much wealth and diversity, that those merely hopping from capital city to capital city are bypassing some of the Europe’s most remarkable treasures.
So if you’re hoping to travel to Europe but don’t know where to start, perhaps this guide can be of help.
WESTERN EUROPE
Encompassing a wide array of different peoples, languages, cultures and landscapes, Western Europe is a popular (albeit pricey) tourist destination. Western Europe includes the British Isles, France, the Low Countries, and Germany. By some accounts, it also includes the Nordic Countries and parts of Southern Europe (though I’ve assigned them different geographic regions here).
Western Europe features age-old historical sights and important cultural monuments.
Although its cities, towns and cultural sights are second-to-none, Western Europe is also home to lots of breathtakingly beautiful scenery .
SOUTHERN EUROPE
With glittering, beach-filled coastlines, warm, inviting climates and an incredible array of historical sights and beautiful cities, Southern Europe really does have it all.
As such, every year hordes of tourists flock to Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain, in order to enjoy pristine beaches, delectable cuisine, and vibrant nightlife.
Southern Europe has some of the continent’s top tourist attractions, but its smaller countries—Andorra, Cyprus and Malta—are equally delightful.
EASTERN EUROPE
Eastern Europe encompasses the Baltics, parts of Western Russia, and the post-Soviet states of Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova.
Despite covering a huge swathe of territory, these fascinating countries attract relatively few visitors in comparison with other regions in Europe. Yet, their relative lack of popularity doesn’t make them any less appealing for visitors.
With their onion-domed churches and concrete cityscapes, they offer urban landscapes that are worlds away from those found Southern and Western Europe.
Travelers looking to stretch their dollars may want to consider Eastern Europe. The area of the continent is both affordable and full of off the beaten path attractions.
THE BALKANS
There’s a lot to love about the Balkans.
Located in between the Adriatic Sea and Black Sea, the Balkans are a captivating place to visit. The Balkans include a block of countries from Slovenia to North Macedonia. They include a diverse patchwork of peoples and cultures that reside amongst stunning mountain scenery, pretty forests, and shimmering coastlines.
With the exception of Croatia, the Balkans get very little tourism. Countries like Albania and Kosovo afford some of the most rewarding European travel experiences—at a fraction of the cost.
NORDIC COUNTRIES
The Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden enjoy some of the highest standards of living in the world.
Home to breathtakingly beautiful nature and wonderful wilderness, the sparsely populated Nordic Countries offer a plethora of things to do, see, and eat. Pretty much everyone speaks English in Northern Europe, and getting around is easy.
Be prepared to spend money, however. Northern Europe is amongst the most expensive travel destinations in the world.
THE CAUCASUS
Some people consider the Caucasus to be part of Europe, while others consider them to be in Asia.
Sandwiched between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, the region defies categorization. The Caucasus countries of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan sit at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, in their own off the beaten path cluster.
Today, travel to the Caucasus is becoming a bit more common, though it is still far from mainstream.
I don’t expect the area to remain unexplored for long, however. For the countries are simply overflowing with natural and cultural highlights.
10 OFF THE BEATEN PATH PLACES TO VISIT IN EUROPE
Narrowing down the top things to do in Europe is an impossible task. Much like narrowing down itineraries for Africa or Asia, Europe simply has too many unforgettable destinations.
But for the sake of choosing a handful of must-see places that most people overlook when planning trips to Europe, I’ve compiled a list of top off the beaten path Europe travel destinations (in no particular order).
1. Burano Italy
Burano is a fairytale island in the Venice Lagoon. The island is a canvas of color that resembles a mini Venice.
While Burano isn’t exactly off the beaten path, I’m constantly surprised at how many people choose to skip the colorful island when visiting Italy’s most romantic city.
2. Matera Italy
Matera is otherworldly and unique. It is a photogenic gem and highlight of Southern Italy. The small rock-hewn city has been gaining more notoriety in recent years, but it is till largely off the beaten path—at least for Italian standards!
3. Southern Coast of Iceland
Home to gushing waterfalls, black sand beaches, and soaring mountain views, the South Coast of Iceland is one of Europe’s truly unspoiled gems.
4. Porto Portugal
While Lisbon gets most of the love, Portugal’s second city is worth visiting, too. Porto is an artist’s dream. The picturesque town is home to colorful tile-clad houses, narrow cobbled streets, and sweeping views of the Douro River.
5. Ohrid, North Macedonia
The beautiful town of Ohrid is a UNESCO-recognized gem that sits on the shores of a cobalt lake. Ohrid contains an ancient amphitheater, a handful of stunning churches, and a fortified castle.
Both the town and the lake are worth exploring when visiting the Balkans.
6. The Albanian Alps
The Albanian Alps are truly spectacular. To best enjoy all they have to offer, I recommend completing the Northern Albania circuit from Skhoder. The unforgettable adventure includes Komani Lake and an awe-inspiring hike from Valbona to Theth.
7. Transylvania Romania
The land of Dracula is about more than just vampires.
Transylvania contains many of Romania’s top attractions. It is home to elaborate castles, colorful fairytale towns, and the forest-carpeted Carpathian Mountains.
8. The Wild Atlantic Way in Donegal Ireland
The Wild Atlantic Way in Donegal is one of Europe’s great road trip destinations. It passes by picturesque villages, verdant pastures, and soaring coastal cliffs.
9. Valletta Malta
Valletta Malta may be much smaller than its fellow European capitals, but it is no less beautiful. The golden-hued city is jam-packed with sights. UNESCO even went as far as saying Valletta was ‘one of the most concentrated historic areas of the world.’
10. Svaneti Georgia
The Svaneti Region of Georgia encompasses some of the most spectacular snow capped peaks in Europe. Home to picturesque UNESCO-recognized towns and villages that retain a Medieval charm, it is a destination that is remarkable for both its history and its scenery.
