Europe is every culture buff’s playground, but let’s be real for sec, most people only ever scratch the surface of the continent’s surprising diversity.
I live in Paris myself—coming off an on-and-off love-hate relationship with my former home of London—and while both of these hugely-popular cities are just downright gorgeous, they’re far from being representative of the continent as a whole.
Still, they’re probably all that the casual traveler ever gets to see.
I’ve been to over 100 cities in Europe myself. If you’re asking me which European spots truly have that wow factor, don’t expect me to name-drop your average, overtouristed Western EU hub anytime soon.
For the off-path explorers out there, here are 5 unassuming European destinations I can absolutely get behind, and that I think are actually worth the Transatlantic journey:
PLUS: I’ve built a quiz for you at the end of the article to find your perfect match, so stick around!
Carcassonne, France
Shout out to the country I now call home! Paris, Nice, Marseille, Lyon, Mont Saint-Michel have been covered to death by most travel blogs out there, yet weirdly enough, I feel this virtually-intact medieval stronghold of a town in the South of France never gets half the praise it deserves.
Carcassonne is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and perhaps France’s most striking fortified settlement. I’m talking rows upon rows of double walls, a whopping 53 turrets, and at the very center, a monumental Château Comtal with even taller towers.
It looks like your typical tabletop RPG fantasy game come-to-life.
Stroll the (countless) ramparts and enclosed courtyards—which could take most of a day, mind you—swing by Place Marcou for a traditional brasserie lunch, or wander Carcassonne’s postcard-perfect riverfront, with its stone bridges, quiet cafés, and sweeping views of the medieval ensemble.
To my fellow wine lovers, I should probably mention Carcassonne is surrounded by rolling vineyards, and you can easily add some wine tasting to your Old Town tour.
Over at Château Pennautier, you can taste the silkiest red wine—part of the Cabardès appellation, though if I’m honest, I have no clue what that even means. It just tastes amazing and it pairs particularly well with Comté cheese.
The gardens are stunning, too, and come on, it’s a 17th century Château. It simply doesn’t get any more quintessentially European than this.
The Vibe: Real-life RPG fantasy game
Perfect For: travelers hoping for a more traditional European getaway that ticks the usual boxes—a castle, a gorgeous historic center, vineyards galore
The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:
- Château Comtal: the main fortification in Carcassonne, offering medieval rooms, spiral staircases and battlements
- Château Pennautier: tastings in a 17th century formerly owned by regional aristocracy, boasting a 500-year wine-making history
Gdańsk, Poland
My favorite city break in what’s perhaps my favorite European country as of late, Gdańsk is a storybook town looking like your life-sized Harry Potter movie set. I know, everything remotely European gives off HP vibes, but are you really gonna tell me this isn’t fairytale Europe?
I mean, from the Diagon Alley-coded cobbled streets, flanked by centuries-old townhouses covered in intricate motifs, to the soaring brick cathedral with spires rising so high it’s almost as if they could pierce the cloud-covered Baltic skies, it’s Wizarding World material through and through.
In summer, taking a boat tour down the Motława, with views of Gdańsk’s traditional Northern Mannerist buildings and the iconic medieval crane is a great way to soak up its historic feel. Some of the galeon-style boats even go as far out as Westerplatte, the infamous peninsula where World War II started.
Of course, nothing beats a hearty pierogi serving paired with draft Pomeranian beer at the retro-themed Bar Turystyczny. That’s literally Polish for ‘Tourist Bar’, but you’d be surprised by the amount of locals who pop round for a pint and a ciggy during their lunch break.
The Vibe: fairytale port city with a contrastingly-grim WWII heritage
Perfect For: single travelers who are finally feeling brave enough to venture East of Berlin, but want to keep it low-risk and tourist-friendly for now
The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:
- The Solidarność Museum: an interactive display of communist-era trinkets and daily life, including the perfect replica of a socialist-style apartment
- Malbork Castle: the largest castle by land area in the world, the size of 28 football fields, and only 24 minutes by train from Gdańsk Główny (Central Station)
Córdoba, Spain
If a sun-drenched Spain is your cozy nook and you don’t fancy straying too far from the path you know, Córdoba is a timeless ancient city boasting both a rich Roman, and an indellible Moorish heritage that go surprisingly well together.
Most people flock into Andalusia for Seville’s palm tree-dotted plazas and Granada’s impressive Alhambra Fortress, while missing out on a smaller, far-less crowded Córdoba, with its landmark Mosque-Cathedral:
One of the most impressive displays of Islamic architecture still surviving in a now-Christian Spain, this UNESCO-protected mosque dates back to the period of the Arab Conquest of Iberia, and its red-and-white double arches and unparalled geometry are truly the work of a genius.
Beyond the mosque, Córdoba’s Roman Bridge stretches across the Guadalquivir River, and it’s a 1st-century marvel of engineering worth checking out.
Oh, by the way, if it’s Spain’s flower-filled private courtyards that make your heart flutter, cordobeses literally compete for the crown of Most Beautiful Patio during the yearly Patio Festival.
The Vibe: Muslim heritage in the heart of the Christian World
Perfect For: Hispanophiles keen on discovering a different side of Spain, far from the Barcelona cruise crowds
The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:
- The Patio Festival: it generally takes place during the first two weeks of May, and it’s when the city’s Iberian charm truly shines through
- Tapas at Bar Juanito Mohamed: a Spanish-Moroccan fusion paying homage to Córdoba’s multi-cultural background and dishing out the best pinchitos morunos in town
Český Krumlov, Czechia
Prague is insanely beautiful, but on the flipside, it’s probably one of the most hectic cities I’ve ever had the thrill of enduring. If you think Trevi Fountain’s busy, wait until you’ve waded through the indiscernible mass of human bodies on Charles Bridge at midday.
That seems to be the case with every ‘lesser-known’ gem these days, and Czech cities are no exception.
That being said, if you’re keen on a medieval getaway, Český Krumlov is that one smaller town that’s not exactly not on the radar of the usual Chinese crowds, but that somehow, still feels like a protected Bohemian treasure not fully spoiled by the masses.
A cobblestone town set along the margin of a winding river, dominated by a hilltop Renaissance castle and packed-full of viewpoints overlooking a sea of red-tile roofs, it’s pretty much your Disney-coded childhood dreams come to life.
It does get crammed with day-trippers from Prague, so stay overnight and take an early morning walk if it’s that ethereal, lamp-lit Old Town, atmospheric narrow alleys, and a quiet Vltava River promenade with no tourists in sight you’re here for.
The Vibe: small Bohemian town with a lovely Renaissance-era castle
Perfect for: Prague-disillusioned travelers craving the Czech village experience
The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:
- Penzion Baroko: stay in a historic, centuries-old guesthouse in the heart of the Old Town
- Revolving Theater: rotating auditorium in the middle of the castle gardens hosting live events in summer
Rhodes, Greece
I’ve traveled extensively around mainland Greece, and have been to 18 Greek islands at this point, but the one place that keeps calling me back, and always will, is Rhodes, or how I like to call it personally, the Pearl of Dodecanese.
For starters, its medieval capital, Rhodes Town, seems to have jumped straight out the pages of a chivalry novel: it’s a one-of-a-kind blend of Western European and Ottoman influences, with French-fortified castles, Venetian ramparts, and Turkish-built mosques.
It’s also considered the largest active medieval city in Europe.
The quaint village of Lindos, at the foot of an ancient acropolis boasting breathtaking coastal views, has your typically-Greek, whitewashed houses lining uphill pathways, and over in Faliraki, it’s all about water sports, soaking up the sun, and a lively beachfront nightlife.
Rhodes is no small island, either, and I’d even argue a single week here isn’t enough time to cover all bases, but if you’re looking for something truly unique, make sure Prasonisi is on your bucket list.
At the very southern tip of Rhodes, it’s a narrow strip of sand wedged between the rougher, windier Aegean Sea, perfect for windsurfing and kitesurfing, and the calmer Eastern Mediterranean, ideal for a relaxing early-afternoon soon.
The Vibe: Sun-kissed shores and UNESCO-protected ancient towns
Perfect For: Sun-seekers who don’t mind a little dose of culture, and who don’t really care for Instagrammable Santorinian blue domes
The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:
- Rhodes Town: a medieval walled town that feels actually lived-in and exudes Old World allure
- Valley of the Butterflies: a moderately-challenging hiking trail in the mountains of Rhodes known for its crystal-clear ponds and cascading waterfalls
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