If you’re used to seeing vacation photos of Greek beaches, Roman ruins and Spanish cities dominate your social media feeds, you’re not alone. These European classics have long filled the bucket lists of most travellers.
But rising temperatures and soaring prices at the continent’s most popular spots have the savviest of us seeking out alternatives that can offer not just respite from the heat and crowds but also better value.
Some of the following destinations previously were more popular during other seasons, while others were off most travellers’ lists entirely. Now, new attractions, easier flight connections, growing culinary scenes and hotel openings are changing their appeal.
They may not be as known for their summertime exploits as St Tropez and Barcelona, but they are proving to be just as captivating.
The epic Furchetta and Sass Rigais peaks in Seceda, Dolomites Alps. Photo / 123rf
Wellness trends in recent years have boosted interest in mountain destinations, said Henley Vazquez, founder of the travel agency Fora Travel. “Many travellers are looking to accomplish something on their trips rather than the traditional fly-and-flop beach stays,” she said. They “want to wake up, climb a mountain, personally challenge themselves, then balance with relaxation”.
For European travel, that means more people are looking to the Dolomites for their next holiday. Alberto Schiavon, a former Olympic snowboarder who now manages his family’s Hotel Chalet del Sogno, in the ski town of Madonna di Campiglio, said the Dolomites’ mild summer temperatures enable more active vacationers to go on excursions all day long. Schiavon leads biking tours as well as hiking and climbing adventures in the Dolomites, which he describes as limestone skyscrapers that shoot out of lush green forests.
As a relaxing counterweight, most of the area hotels feature decadent spas. And, because you’re in Italy, great meals are never too far away.
“Find yourself in a picnic in the middle of the Dolomite towers or enjoying a gourmet lunch in a mountain hut at the base,” Schiavon said. “The quality is always going to be high.”
Portugal’s tourism cachet shot up several years ago, drawing increasing international visitors to Lisbon, Porto and beach destinations like Comporta and Algarve. But if you’ve been there and done that, consider the wild landscapes of the Azores, Portugal’s nine-island archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic.
“The diverse geography of the islands always offers cooler and fresher areas to explore, such as natural parks filled with shade and a refreshing atmosphere, or coastal areas where it is pleasant to swim and enjoy our Atlantic waters,” said Filipe Lucas Frazao, founder of the travel company Atlantic Brine.
With an average daytime temperature of around 23C, the nine islands allow for a wide range of outdoor summertime experiences. Atlantic Brine leads tours around Pico, which has wineries on volcanic soil and is great for trekkers and wine lovers. Sao Miguel, the largest isle, is home to the twin lakes of Sete Cidades and the steamy hot springs of Furnas. And on Sao Jorge, you can find fantastic cheese, coffee plantations (a rarity in Europe) and remote surf breaks.
Vienna
This former imperial capital in the centre of Europe offers a lot of what you would want from Europe’s historic major cities: world-class art, award-winning restaurants, user-friendly public transportation and lovely shopping. Days there often start in a historic cafe sipping a melange (a local take on the cappuccino) and snacking on Viennese pastries, before a stretch of museum-hopping to see the best of architect Otto Wagner and painters Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt. Then, you can pick between a Michelin-starred dinner or maybe a more casual meal at a schnitzel house.
Vienna has started to make a play for more tourism, with an influx of big-name hotels at lower price points than in Paris or Rome. New direct flights from the United States – Austrian Airlines started flying from Boston in July – also mean that getting to Vienna has never been easier.
A city like Vienna is “heavy on history and culture where you can also go deep on dining and stay in gorgeous hotels, all at a more budget-friendly level,” Vazquez said. She also credits Vienna’s rising popularity to connectivity: from there, it’s easy to reach more of Austria’s beautiful and historic cities, like Salzburg, or the cool embrace of the Austrian Alps.
Slovenia’s Alpine region
Slovenia, which is roughly the size of New Jersey, has gained renown for its booming food scene. Ten of its restaurants hold Michelin stars.
The Julian Alps, which run across the country’s north and border both Italy and Austria, boast stunning bucolic landscapes: the jagged peaks, the fairy-tale vibe of Lake Bled and the emerald waters of the Virje waterfall. But when it comes to food, the area offers a unique kaleidoscope of regional influences.
“This part of Slovenia is a cooler and more relaxing area that’s influenced by Austria and the Balkans, and that can be found in its cuisine as well,” said Ivana Tomic, founder of tour operator Journey 2 Slovenia. Like in many mountain regions, meals here often revolve around heartier fare such as nourishing stews, juicy sausages, dishes that feature wild game and mushrooms, and lots of local cheese varieties. When temperatures drop, try jota, a soup with sauerkraut and beans.
While the culinary traditions here might sound more modest and comforting, the Slovenian Alps are also home to two of the country’s most sought-after dining reservations: the three-starred Hiša Franko, by chef Ana Ros, in the picturesque Soca Valley, and the two-star, lakeside Milka.
Bergen, Norway
Visit the Capital of Fjords, Bergen, Norway. Photo / Unsplash
Scandinavia has experienced a surge of summer tourism this year, but if you want to avoid the crowds that descend on Stockholm, Copenhagen and Reykjavik, Iceland, consider the gateway to the fjords: Bergen. Norway’s second city offers a stirring mix of small-town charm, dramatic natural surroundings and compelling history. The 2022 launch of a United Airlines flight between Newark and otherwise far-flung Bergen makes reaching it much easier.
Yngve Hansen, a hotel general manager who was raised in Bergen, said that what makes it sing in the summer is its medley of culture and nature. You can see Edvard Munch masterpieces from the Kode art collection, attend electronic music parties, and check out jazz and film festivals.
“Combine these experiences with a hike in the mountains or paddle in the nearby archipelago – that is a perfect day in Bergen,” Hansen said. Even in summer, he said, you can ski a glacier at Folgefonna, then taste local cider from apple farms in the fjord.
English wine country
If you’re looking to spend your summer sipping fine wines with vineyard views as far as you can see, skip sweltering Douro Valley and Sicily in favour of the burgeoning sparkling wine scene in southern England.
“We’re seeing the most in-the-know types pairing London with boutique bolt-holes in the rolling hills outside of the city,” Vazquez said. “This summer alone, we’ve seen a tenfold increase in bookings here.” Most will focus on the southeast, where you’ll find the heaviest concentration of England’s vineyards.
The wine country there, which orbits Kent and Sussex, typically features chalky soil and mild, sunny weather that’s drawing new wine labels nearly every year. Michelin Green Star winner Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens just launched its own bottling of sparkling vino to go with its farm-fresh cuisine. The folks from Taittinger, the famed French producers of champagne, are expected to unveil the first vintage from their Chilham vineyard, Domaine Evremond, this year.
A host of festivals and wine trails have also been popping up in the region as its success picks up. And the new Explore Wealden Wine Trail connects and showcases the lesser-known producers of Sussex.
Germany's Black Forest region is popular with cyclists. Photo / Getty
To combine high-quality art and design with gorgeous natural surroundings, head to the Black Forest, in southwest Germany. While known for the chocolate cake that bears its name, the area is filled with forest trails, rushing rivers and tranquil lakes. The Brothers Grimm fairy tales are another well-known local export, and many of them are set in the region.
Through September, the region is hosting Ornamenta, a large contemporary art and design exhibition with events all over the Black Forest, from publicly installed sundials to tasting events reinventing the Black Forest cake.
“The region is a well-kept secret,” said Katharina Wahl, one of the curators of Ornamenta and a native of one of the Black Forest’s larger cities: Karlsruhe. “Because of its size and a lack of a central town or city, it has stayed out of the focus of international travellers.”
Its size also means there’s so much you can do in the Black Forest. You can tour the hilltop Gothic revival Hohenzollern Castle from the 19th century; explore Schiltach, a half-timbered medieval village; get to know Freiburg, one of the region’s biggest cities, and its massive, Middle Ages-era cathedral; or, for a bit of glamour, check out Baden-Baden, the elegant spa town whose waters have been luring pilgrims (including, in recent years, Hollywood celebrities) since Roman times.
