Wanna know why places like Frankfurt aren’t on Americans’ radar?
Because they’re missing that centuries-old wow factor we typically picture when dreaming of trips across the pond.
As such, instead of following crowds to Paris, Barcelona, and Athens this summer, our expert team took a deep dive to compile a round-up of 5 Old World destinations where crowds are the furthest thing from your mind and cookie-cutter experiences aren’t anywhere to be found.
These are the type of places to pack your best walking shoes for timeworn cobbled streets you could lap all day, and to clear out your phone’s storage for color-wheeled facades and medieval marvels.
Here are 5 Old World destinations everyone should visit at least once:
Sighișoara, Romania 🇷🇴
Sighișoara (pronounced see-ghee-SHWAH-rah) is tucked away in Transylvania, oozing charm from a past time most places could only dream of preserving.
This colorful hilltop citadel feels stuck in time with cobbled alleyways, fortified towers, pastel facades, and medieval walls that still wrap around one of the continent’s best-preserved inhabited old towns — the exact Old World image we likely envision when planning a Euro-trip.
Unlike other postcard charmers rising in the ranks, such as Bruges, there’s virtually no hype for Sighișoara, making it one of Europe’s most underrated escapes in another underrated country at that.
Better yet, travelers claim Romania is one of Europe’s safest countries, currently seeing an impressive score of 90/100 on our Safety Index:
Visby, Sweden 🇸🇪
Sweden may not typically be on your Bingo card, however, let me tell you even the country’s largest urban sprawl of Stockholm beholds one of my favorite Old Town districts in Europe.
If I had the chance to redo my trip, though, I’d skip Copenhagen and spend more time in Sweden in the hush-hush hideouts locals keep close to the chest, like Visby.
The vibes in Visby are ridiculously enchanting, boasting a UNESCO-protected medieval dreamscape as it gleams with rose-covered cottages, stone walkways, and ancient ruins drawing “oohs” and “ahhs” at every turn — plus, it’s on an island.
This former Hanseatic trading post isn’t just pretty old buildings; it was once a major medieval commerce hub and has remarkably retained its storied fabric as arguably Scandinavia’s best-kept secret.
Fellow travelers currently rate Sweden’s safety at 75/100 on our Safety Index:
Košice, Slovakia 🇸🇰
Not to hijack my own article, but Košice has long been on my ever-changing bucket-list.
Once I visited much more popular Bratislava on a whim a handful of years ago, I realized I’d been sleeping on Slovakia far too long.
That’s when I discovered Košice, a city located in eastern Slovakia almost hugging Ukraine, that feels worlds away from the overly touristy version of Europe we can easily become disappointed by.
While Košice is a historic stunner no matter what time of year you visit, I know we’re getting ahead of ourselves here — come winter, this virtually unknown city transforms into one of Europe’s most unsung wonderlands, taking on a whole new glow that makes it feel like you’ve clicked your heels and landed inside a snow globe.
That’s not to mention Košice Castle ruins and UNESCO-listed caves nearby to level up your trip even more.
Fellow travelers currently rate Slovakia’s safety at 95/100 on our Safety Index:
Vianden, Luxembourg 🇱🇺
If you thought Luxembourg City was the only worthwhile destination in one of Europe’s tiniest countries, you’d be mistaken.
There’s blissful wine country bordering Germany along the Moselle River, and perhaps the country’s most treasured hideaway is little-known Vianden, a castle-crowned village that feels ripped from another century.
Yes, Luxembourg may tend to be on the expensive side, but hey, that’s why we’re saying you can visit just once.
Plus, one of the most unique aspects about the whole country is that Luxembourg has offered free transportation end-to-end since 2020, no questions asked.
Fellow travelers currently rate Slovakia’s safety at 85/100 on our Safety Index:
Gazientep, Türkiye 🇹🇷
Travelers love to visit the origins of any given place. For example, did you know my hometown of San Diego is the “birthplace of California”?
Next time you grab a kebab after a night out, spare a thought for Gaziantep, Türkiye — the country’s UNESCO-recognized culinary capital, said to be the O.G. of both kebabs and baklava.
But it’s not just the drool-drawing cuisine that’s worth a visit this deep into the world — even as fitting as it may be to gobble in Türkiye — it’s the beautifully preserved old city, buzzing bazaars, historic mosques, and castle tours that make Gaziantep go beyond filling your gut.
As Türkiye has become Eurasia’s undeniable new hotspot, Gaziantep doesn’t quite feel like part of that mix, sitting so close to Syria — a country with a war-torn timeline of its own, even as it attempts to revamp its image as a welcoming tourist destination.
As such, don’t be deterred from visiting due to safety, though travelers don’t seem to have caught up…
Fellow travelers currently rate Türkiye’s safety at 71/100 on our Safety Index:
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