Alternative Europe: How to Get Off the Beaten Path

Traveling to Europe in the summer months is a rite of passage—steamy nights spent in the south of Spain, snoozy days on the most beautiful Greek islands, breezy afternoons sipping rosé on a terrace in the South of France. But as tourism levels continue to rise after a few quiet years, and peak-season temperatures climb from Italy to Croatia, is the appeal of a big European summer holiday dwindling?

Savvy, conscientious travelers are staying clued-up on the pitfalls of height-of-summer travel to over-touristed destinations, and choosing a different track. That might mean visiting the most popular hotspots in the shoulder season or off-season, and eschewing these places in favor of lesser-known or unsung regions when traveling during the summer. But where should you go? We tapped our editors and contributors to answer that very question—and here, they give guides to some of their most beloved alternative destinations to visit this summer, from northern Spain to Norway.

To travel in Europe in the summer of 2023 was to experience first-hand a single season of contrasting extremes. Now, travelers are moving towards visiting lesser-known—and cooler—destinations.

There’s a rapidly growing trend for traveling to alternative destinations—#dupe or #dupes amassed 342,000 posts on TikTok as part of surging interest. Thoughtful travelers are reacting to the world around them and selecting off-beat destinations to visit instead.

The Dolomites—meaning pale mountains—span a vast area of 6,000 square miles, over 2000 mountains and hug Austria to the north (the South Tyrol was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1919) and Verona in the south and incorporate several regions within its boundaries.

This corner of northern Spain has its own language, culture, and cuisine—and is finally edging onto the radar of nature-loving travelers.

Buzzing with entrepreneurial energy, Antwerp’s creative culture is cooler than ever. Often bypassed by international visitors for other European cities, Antwerp offers an embarrassment of riches in a compact city at the crossroads of Europe.

For a long time seen as a jumping-off point for the Lofoten Islands, Bodø’s arts-led reinvention and rich vein of outdoor pursuits mean there’s plenty worth sticking around for.

The City of Baths, also known for its rambunctious ruin bars, has for centuries beckoned travelers with a salve for their ailments. But beyond purported curative powers, these historic bathhouses also mesmerize with a transportive Old-World ambience.

Just 25 years after the war that established it, the tiny nation gives a masterclass in preserving culture—one that was almost lost forever.

From the cerulean waters of Karpas Peninsula in Portugal (a popular nesting ground for sea turtles) to cave-clad Ramla Bay in Malta and beyond, these are our favorite seaside spots for when you’re keen to not follow the crowd.

Credits

Editors: Sarah Allard, Charlie Hobbs, Sarah James, Shannon McMahon, Arati Menon

Visuals: Andrea Edelman, Sophie Knight, Pallavi Kumar

Lead social media: Mercedes Bleth

Supporting social media: Lucy Bruton, Kayla Brock

Audience development: Abigail Malbon, Amber Port