This is kinda unrelated, but just curious to see what everyone thinks. Is there even any city that’s really bad?

Hey everyone! I’ve been living in Europe for the past few months so of course I had to get some Europe travelling in :)

I started with a few more popular places like Prague & Stockholm, but so far have actually enjoyed less mainstream travel destinations. Currently my favourite has actually been Riga in Latvia! (Yes it’s the capital of Latvia, but it should definitely be more advertised for travel)

So I’m asking for you guys to share your favourite niche travel experiences in Europe! If you could- include how easily accessible it is from mainstream airports, who you travelled with (solo, family, friends?), your age + gender at the time of your trip, and what you enjoyed about it :) - you don’t have to include any of these but it would be helpful!

Any and all comments welcome! Thanks guys :)

Gdansk is a city I never expected to find this beautiful! I spent a weekend in Gdansk at the end of 2024 and had zero expectations. The city is absolutely phenomenal! Beautiful buildings, clean, affordable and walkable! The aesthetics reminded me a lot of Copenhagen, Denmark. If you are looking for cheap weekend escape in Europe then I would recommend Gdansk with all my heart!

I'll start. For me it was Varna, Bulgaria.

One of the most affordable destinations in European Union probably the most affordable but it has beautiful beaches, a relaxed wonderful calm atmosphere, and absolutely delicious amazing food. The people are warm and peaceful.

Having a glass of wine on the beach in the sunset is one of my favourite Europe memories 🥰

One of the most common mistakes I see here is itineraries that focus only on large cities. Sure, they have a ton to offer. But so many itineraries would really benefit from including more small cities, especially ones outside the best-known like Salzburg, Heidelberg, or Toledo. So I thought I'd write up my thoughts on why more people should visit small cities - feel free to share your thoughts and favorites in the comments below (see my suggested criteria at the bottom of this post). Maybe the next time someone posts another London-Paris-Rome-Barcelona-Lisbon itinerary, just send them a link to this post. :-)

• A more relaxed pace: Big cities are great for their energy and buzz. But an itinerary that is all (or almost all) big cities only can get really tiring. Traffic, noise, pollution, crowds, large distances to get between places, etc., all take a toll. Mixing it up with small cities can really make a trip more enjoyable and memorable. This is especially true for longer trips - it's one thing to visit 3 major cities in 10 days, another to visit 9 in a month. Small cities tend to be more intimate and generally very walkable, often with most sights concentrated in the city center, where you can comfortably walk from one end to another. And the locals tend to be friendlier, too. And don't make the mistake of thinking a smaller place is boring - many (especially ones with universities) are very lively.

• More distinctive culture: Big cities tend to attract people from all over their countries and even the world. This has advantages, but can also mean they are in some ways more homogenized. There are many parts of big European cities that are indistinguishble from other large cities 2000 km away. Take Berlin - for all the many great things about the city, it doesn't feel especially German. Smaller cities have generally been less affected by globalization and the pressures of population growth and development, and so often they are more authentic examples of distinctive national and regional cultures, whether in architecture, cuisine, or way of life. (This is especially true in Germany, where the major cities were almost totally destroyed in the war, while many small cities survived with much more architecture intact.)

• Cheaper and fewer annoyances: Small cities are generally cheaper for restaurants, accommodation, sights/activities, etc. The lack of large tourist groups also means there are few/no "tourist traps" where you get ripped off, and generally fewer pickpockets and other annoyances.

• Easier to reach than you think: People often assume small cities will be difficult to reach, because they often don't have an airport with scheduled flights, or the train will take longer / more changes. In reality, many small cities are surprisingly well-connected by transport. Many small cities have excellent rail links - e.g., Bamberg is a stop for most Berlin-Munich express trains. In many cases these small cities make ideal day trips.

So, what are some of your favorite small cities? To keep this from getting responses that are too all over the map, I suggest:

• Size: (roughly) between 30K and 300K in population, e.g., Sevilla and other medium-sized cities do NOT fit this description
• Relatively unknown for travelers from outside the country, e.g., Porto and Salzburg do NOT fit this description
• Include at least some info about your response, not just a city name

We have been researching on our next Europe trip and I have been reading on many different threads here and on other subs and have read many “best destinations”, “favourite destinations” threads and I hardly see any place from Switzerland mentioned anywhere.

I was thinking of spending 3 nights in Switzerland, then go to Spain and then Italy for our 3 week itinerary.

But why no one talks about it? Is it not as fun? Would it be boring for young people?

If we had 3 nights in Switzerland, which places should we visit?

My husband and I are wanting to take a nice long European vacation. I’m thinking 2 weeks but we could possibly plan for longer as this will be a summer trip that is a few years out.

I have strong Scottish heritage and am a fan of Outlander so I definitely want to spend time there and see a lot! My husband’s family is originally from Sicily, so we also want to go there.

Some other Countries of interest are Greece, Germany, Denmark, France, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, England, and Ireland. All the big ones 😅. We love nature, architecture, animals, food, culture.

I started planning with Scotland and realized quickly I won’t be able to hit everything in 2 weeks. Hell, I could probably spend 2 full weeks in Scotland. So I really need some help and ideas with how to see the most, and do the most, in roughly 2 weeks. I’d like Scotland and Italy to be our flight points. So whatever we can squeeze in the middle would be great.

We want to be able to travel by train or car to most places, but are fine with getting on boats. Knowing us we may need a rest day or two thrown in, but that could be a train day.

Just thought of this question, which 3 places in Europe would you choose to visit if you were restricted to only those 3? It can include where you live if youre in Europe.

Not the easiest choice but for me:

. London - Not my favourite in winter but there's so much choice in things to do, great for music, sports, the arts and its incredibly diverse which is good.

. Barcelona - I love the way of life there, great climate, good food and good amount of nature.

. Paris - gorgeous city, great history and art, great food of course.

Hi,

I'm an American who would like to visit Europe for the first time, but I don't know which city I should prioritize. When I travel I generally like to stick around one particular city for a week and explore it entirely. I'm really into museums and historical landmarks so that's usually what I spend my time focusing on each day. I'm thinking Berlin might be my best option. What does /r/Europetravel think? And if I were to check out Berlin, is there anything nearby I shouldn't miss (that I could reach simply by bus or train)?

My wife and I (both 30) will be traveling to Nimes France from the US at the end of October for a wedding. After the festivities we’ll have a week left in Europe and I was hoping for some recommendations on cities to check out.

Neither of us have been to Europe before so trying to narrow down what cities sound the most interesting to us is a bit overwhelming. Currently we’re thinking of heading over to Barcelona but I wanted to get some opinions from more experienced travelers before we set anything in stone.

We’re willing to do some traveling within Europe, so we’re pretty open. We love architecture, nature, culture, good food, and any cool bars. Please let me know where you’ve enjoyed visiting the most!

Hi everyone! 👋

Edit: okay I have added more time to our vacation. We arrive on August 10th in Amsterdam and we will be there for 3 days + we are adding 4 days of Paris and I need 1 more county to add we will be leaving Out on August 20th I’m not certain what other location we should add with a 14 year old he said he really didn’t want to visit London so can you all help us please?

———————————————————

I’ll be taking my 14-year-old son on our first-ever trip to Europe, and we’re really excited. We already have flights booked from Southern California to Amsterdam, and we’ll be in Europe for a total of 10 days.

I’d love suggestions on other countries or cities we could realistically visit within that timeframe.

A few things on my mind:

• We are Black Americans, so I want to be mindful of places where we’re less likely to experience issues or discomfort. • Safety overall, especially with everything going on politically right now.

I’ve been dreaming of visiting Europe for years (half-joking, but sometimes I swear I lived there in a past life — my son even had a British accent when he was 2 or 3 😄).

I was thinking about possibly adding Brussels, Paris, and London, maybe traveling by train. Does that seem doable in 10 days, or would you recommend a different route?

Any advice, itinerary ideas, or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance! ✨

Traveling in the month of August from Southern California.

Hi everyone,

I’ll be travelling to Europe in Jan 2027 with a group of 6 people and I’m wondering if we can do these 4 cities in 16 days?

Right now I’ve planned:

*4 days in Rome
*3 days in Budapest
*4 days in London
*5 days in Paris

Is this doable or will it be too rushed?

The reason for this itinerary is that different people the group wanted to visit different places. I added Budapest because I lived there for a year and want to revisit, and the other folks wanted to the classics.

I guess we have no choice but to acommodate them all. Bur I’m afraid it will be too rushed, appreciate any tips to make it smooth.

Thanks!

I’m French and I often see travelers focusing only on Paris or big cities when planning their trip.

France has so many quieter, beautiful places that offer a very different experience.

Here are 5 differents magical places in France :

1. Mont Saint Michel
2. Calanques de Cassis
3. Château de Fontainebleau
4. Les Alpes françaises
5. Etretat

Mont Saint Michel and the Chateau de Fontainebleau can be crowded, so think about the good dates to visit it !

These places aren’t about “seeing more”, but about experiencing better.

Do not hesitate to Ask any questions here, will be a pleasure to answer you.

Which places did you enjoy the most with sightseeing, the overall vibe, nightlife (with the lighting and overall feel of the place at night), good food, little alleyways with outside restaurant seatings, and just fun at walking all day and night exploring?

We went to Cappadocia and Istanbul last year and while we got bored in Cappadocia after 1st day, we really enjoyed Istanbul, it exceeded all expectations.

Which are your favourites?

Why would you choose to visit that city over the capital?

Ciao friends!!

Any recommendations for 2025 summer vacation spots (5-7 days) for some besties in their late 20s?

We’re looking for a destination that offers:

• Beautiful beaches (ideal for swimming and long walks)
• Fun (but keeping it classy) nightlife
• Plenty of sightseeing and cultural experiences
• Amazing food

We’d like to explore somewhere new — so we’re excluding Sicily and Sardegna (Italy), Rhodes (Greece), and most of Spain (with the exception of the Canary Islands and Ibiza), and the south of France.

We’re currently considering Albufeira, Portugal — any thoughts or suggestions? Or any other recommendation in general?

Thanks in advance!

I'm set on solo travelling to Madrid in July (yes I'm aware of how hot it will be, I'll be fine). I want to add one more party city along with my Madrid trip. I'm travelling from Toronto so a city that's affordable for Canadians to fly to like Madrid is what I'm looking for.

European party cities I've already been to: Lisbon, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Budapest, and Prague. I'm also going to Rome and Berlin in May.

Should I add Dublin or Porto to my Madrid trip? Right now, those are the only two party cities with great party hostels for solo travellers and affordable for Canadians to fly to that I know of. I don't know if there are other cities that I should consider. If not, which of the two should I pick?

If you have been to all of them, which were the first and last ones you visited? Apart from home country.

If you haven't been to all of them, which one would you most like to visit, and why?

I'm interested in cities with similar vibes to Ljubljana, Lviv, Krakow - cafe culture, nice architecture, not too big.

I have visited and enjoyed Warsaw and several places in Croatia which I loved, but they were both different from the other cities I mentioned. I have also been to Bratislava which I didn't find particularly interesting/appealing. Never been to anywhere else in central or Eastern Europe so wondering where I should try next.

I’m currently planning my second-ever trip to Europe and I’m having a serious "analysis paralysis" moment.

Last year, I did my first big European trip to Italy (North > Tuscany > Rome), and to be honest, it changed my life. I fell head-over-heels for the lifestyle, the people were incredibly warm, and the food... well, it basically ruined my standards for what "good food" is. I also spent a huge chunk of time geeked out on Roman and ancient history.

Now I’m looking for a "natural progression" from Italy, but I want to see somewhere new. I’ve narrowed it down to Greece, Spain, or France, but I’m open to wildcards. I should note that I'm thinking about going next September or October for 18 days.

What I’m looking for:

• The Food: This is huge. I need that high-quality, fresh, local-ingredient vibe that Italy has.
• The History: I’m a history nerd. Specifically: Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, and WWII.

TL;DR: Loved Italy for the food, ancient history, and lifestyle. Between Greece, Spain, and France, which one feels like the best "sequel" to an Italian vacation? Or am I missing a hidden gem?

For me, I totally enjoy the Baltic Coast in December between Christmas and NYE. In the past years I've been to Ruegen and Fehmarn, both in Germany. I'd planned to go to Ribe in Denmark last year but was recovering from surgery. This year I'll be going to Upsala and Stockholm. There's something about short days, grumpy weather and the somewhat melancholic Baltic Sea that I like, and I'm sure I would have liked the North Sea as well. In the past I've also been to various Dutch Waddensea islands in November and December, usually getting around by bike or on foot.

Hi all - I’m looking for recommendations for a summer holiday in Europe, or possibly coastal Turkey if it genuinely fits the brief and is easy enough to reach from the UK/Europe.

We won’t have a car, so the destination needs to work well without one. Ideally it should be walkable and/or easy to get around by ferry, airport transfer, train, bus, taxi, water taxi, local minibus/dolmuş, or short boat trips. I’d like to avoid anywhere where a car is realistically needed to enjoy the best beaches or day trips.

We’re looking for somewhere that has enough variety for 7-10 days without feeling repetitive or too sleepy. Ideally there would be a mix of beaches, coves, boat trips, viewpoints, nearby islands, coastal walks, old towns, harbour areas, scenic villages, day trips, swimming spots, beach clubs, lidos, and relaxed activities.

The big priority is beauty. I’m looking for somewhere genuinely breathtaking rather than just “nice for a beach holiday” - crystal-clear turquoise water, dramatic cliffs, coves, islands, harbours, sunsets, old towns, and views that feel magical/cinematic.

For beaches, we’d love pale or white sand if possible, but we’re also open to pebbly coves, rock platforms, or lidos if the water, scenery, beach-bar setup, and overall vibe are exceptional. We’d ideally like places where you can rent comfortable sunbeds and order beers/cocktails from a beach bar, lido, beach club, or relaxed sea platform.

We’d also like a beautiful town, harbour, old town, village, or seafront to wander around in the evening, with a buzzy but classy atmosphere: good restaurants, seafood, wine bars, cocktail bars, and relaxed cute bars.

We don’t want clubbing or heavy nightlife. We mainly like daytime drinks at beach bars, relaxed evening cocktails/wine, and nice dinners. The vibe should feel alive and fun, but not messy, over-commercialised, pretentious, influencer-heavy, or packed with mass tourism.

Ideally it should still feel somewhat authentic, warm, relaxed, and not absurdly expensive - more local character and charm than luxury hotspot.

We’re avoiding the obvious/crowded places like Santorini, Mykonos, Ibiza, Positano/Amalfi, Dubrovnik, Hvar, Marbella, major resort strips, or places that are beautiful but too sleepy for a full week.

Priorities:

• Jaw-dropping natural beauty
• Turquoise, crystal-clear water
• Beautiful beaches/coves, ideally pale sand
• Dramatic scenery, cliffs, viewpoints, old towns, harbours
• Good beach bars, beach clubs, lidos, or serviced sunbed areas
• Easy without a car
• Enough to do for 7–10 days
• Beautiful evening town/harbour/seafront
• Great restaurants and relaxed bars
• Lively but not clubby
• Authentic, charming, non-pretentious feel
• Reasonable value compared with obvious luxury hotspots
• Easy-ish access from the UK/Europe
• Best months for atmosphere without peak-season chaos

For any recommendations, it would be really helpful to know:

• Best area to stay without a car
• Whether it has enough variety for 7–10 days
• Best beaches/coves/viewpoints/boat trips/day trips
• Best beach bars, clubs, lidos, or sea platforms
• Whether the beaches are sandy, pebbly, rocky, or platform-style
• How easy it is to get around without a car
• Whether taxis/buses/water taxis/boats/minibuses are reliable
• Nearest airport or ferry port and how difficult the transfer is
• Best restaurant/bar areas
• Best months to go
• Any drawbacks or reasons it might not fit

If you’ve been to places like Parga, Milos, Naxos, Sardinia, Montenegro, Kalkan/Kaş, Menorca, Skiathos, Albania, etc., I’d especially love comparisons.

What would you rank highest for this specific brief - not just general popularity, but jaw-dropping beauty + turquoise-water beaches + car-free ease + enough variety for 7–10 days?

My parents would like to take another trip to Europe that I will be leading and are really up for just about anything I suggest. Our last trip saw us in some busy capital cities and I'd like a bit of a slower pace this time around and no more than 2 bases. I was leaning towards starting in Milan, seeing Verona and taking a train to Lucerne. Basically see some of Northern Italy, take a train to Switzerland, and make our way towards Zurich to get back home. Interested to see what other places you suggest instead.

Criteria:

-Prefer Western Europe (already visited France, Spain, and Germany)

-Senior friendly

-At least 2 countries but no more due to changing

-Great food, slow pace, some museums. Enjoy culture and history.

-Would prefer travel by train but can rent a car if route is scenic.

Hi there,

Fiance and I (american and early 30’s) are debating between the 2 trips above.

Balkans specifically would be Bosnia, Montenegro and maybe Albania.

Would be for this July and over 14-16 days.

Both well travelled but neither have us have been to the above places. We speak english.

Don’t really care about the money. What we are prioritizing includes:

- less touristy (yes i know there are a lot of tourists regardless where you go)

- great food (we are foodies)

- easy to travel (aka means of transport, length of train/bus rides, language barriers, etc). Not down for pain in the ass full day travel days between places

- mix of beautiful architecture and nature, whether that is a beach, lake, mountains, hikes, or whatever

Thank you!

I went to Geneva a few years ago, and I still remember how crazy expensive it was. I am usually okay with the prices in Europe, but I found Switzerland to be outrageously expensive.

Are there any cheaper alternative to Switzerland that has dense, glacier-fed alpine landscapes with permanent snowfields, gently rolling green pastures, and villages made out of traditional wooden farmhouses?