10 Off-The-Beaten-Path Places to Visit this Summer in Europe

If you’re looking for lesser-known and less-visited places to go on holiday in Europe this summer, this list of off-the-beaten-path destinations is for you!

I’ve compiled 10 great options for places that are not as highly visited in Europe where you can get a feel of local life, avoid the big all-inclusive resorts, and in some cases, find a cheaper option than the popular European summer holiday destinations we all know of.

1. Lake Garda, Italy

Northern Italy is one of the best places to visit in Europe during summer because of its slightly cooler temperature thanks to the Dolomites mountains, and Lake Garda offers all you need for a family or couples holiday without the big beach price tag.

There are many villages to stay in around Lake Garda, most of them offering hotels with swimming pools and if you think a beach is out of the question as you’re by a lake, think again as there are pebble beaches dotted around the lake with sunbeds and facilities on offer.

I went to Lake Garda with my family in June as it was opening up to the summer tourists and we loved having family facilities like theme parks and activity parks close by, whilst enjoying the beaches and historic villages for a much cheaper price, and of course the food was great! The extra bonus is that Lake Garda is just an hour’s drive from Milan.

2. Northern Albania

Whilst the Southern beaches of Albania are experiencing a boom in tourism and interest right now, Northern Albania offers a holiday away from the crowds and a chance to explore this mountainous area.

Places like Theth up high in the Alps of Albania offer a rural stay amongst the mountain villages with cooler temperatures than by the coast. Nearby is one of the other most popular places to visit in Northern Albania, the Shala River known as the ‘Thailand of Albania’ because of its crystal clear waters, steep mountains and chilled vibe. For getting to Northern Albania, I recommend checking flights into Montenegro which is how I recently visited as it’s closer than Tirana.

3. Paros, Greece

Whilst islands like Mykonos and Santorini in Greece get extremely busy and are known for their high prices and crowds these days, nearby islands like Paros are less busy and you can still get an authentic feel of the Greek Islands here.

Paros has some of the prettiest beaches in Greece and for undeveloped beaches which offer you that ‘off-the-beaten-track’ experience head to the South and Western beaches like Faragas Beach, or, for beaches with more facilities but are still quiet stretches of golden sand, stick to the North of the island.

4. Bergen, Norway

Norway is a great place to visit in the summer months to experience their long summer days and warm weather without it being too hot, and if you’re looking for a road trip holiday with plenty of activities then Bergen is a great place to visit and start a holiday in Norway.

Once here, you can spend 1-2 days exploring the city and then head to the nearby Fjords. The Fjords do get busy in the summer months and popular places like Flam and Stegastein viewpoint are worth reaching early in the day but once you get deep into Jotunheimen National Park you mostly find, either nobody, or only locals, enjoying the hikes and impressive scenery. This was one of my Norway highlights!

5. Gozo, Malta

Malta is split into 2 islands and for the island with fewer visitors, a more peaceful feel and a lower price tag, Gozo is the best option.

I researched a family trip here recently and I couldn’t believe the difference in price for villas in Gozo compared to mainland Malta. Gozo offers a great mix of nature with stunning beaches like Ramla Bay, historical monuments and culture like Victoria the capital city and Ggantija Temples, a UNESCO site in Gozo.

6. South Wales, UK

I have to add a UK option into this list because sometimes, it’s not always about going abroad. South Wales offers visitors plenty to do and you can easily spend a week’s holiday in South Wales exploring the beaches, mountains and activities.

Whilst most tourists flock to Pembrokeshire in the South West, and rightly so because it’s gorgeous with so many beaches and villages. I think the Glamorgan Heritage Coast between Cardiff and Swansea is one of the most underrated places in Wales. Beaches like Nash Point and Merthyr Mawr beach offer far fewer crowds but spectacular scenery and a mix of adventurous rock beaches and relaxing golden sand beaches. The bonus is that the Glamorgan tHeritage Coast is quicker to reach from England than Pembrokeshire in the corner of the country.

7. Costa Brava, Spain

Unlike the well known Costa del Sol, Costa Brava in the very North of Spain offers a chance to see the authentic mediterranean coastline without high-rise hotels and superyachts.

Costa Brava has some of the best beaches in Spain and is where you want to visit for a relaxed holiday in the sun visiting pristine beaches like Aiguablava and Aiguafreda along with white washed towns that look like paintings like Cadaqué, and you’ll notice a drop in prices here compared to the Costa del Sol!

8. Northern Iceland

A holiday to Iceland in the summer months is a great idea, especially if you’re dying to go but don’t fancy the cold, long winters they experience!

Iceland does get busy in the summer months though with many people thinking the same thing and the Golden Circle in the South can get packed with tourists and coaches, therefore I’d recommend heading to Northern Iceland instead which is currently much less visited and offers even more spectacular scenery and activities.
Summer is peak Whale watching season in Iceland and for the best chance of seeing Humpback Whales up close you should go from Akureyri or Husavik in the North. Other places to see in the North are impressive waterfalls like Goðafoss, Hverfjall crater and Mývatn Nature Baths geothermally-heated pools.

9. Bansko, Bulgaria

Bansko is a popular ski resort in Bulgaria but in summer, it comes alive with mountainous activities and plenty of sunshine, all at a much cheaper cost than summer ski resorts in the likes of Austria and Switzerland.

Just 2.5 hours from Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, you can easily spend a week’s summer holiday in Bansko hiking in the Pirin National Park, enjoying wineries in the Struma River Valley and doing adrenaline activities like mountain biking, rock climbing and rafting.

10. Southern Sweden

Last summer, I wanted to live out my dream of staying in a Swedish cabin next to a lake for a few days and it was surprisingly easy to find, book and do.

Sweden has an astonishing 95,700 lakes and many of these are within easy reach from cities like Stockholm and Gothenburg which have regular flights and there are many cabins to rent around these lakes which offer a quiet, secluded and local stay in nature. Some cabins are very basic and others offer more amenities and can hold big families.

We spent our days hiking in nearby National parks, boating on the lake and visiting nearby cities. A holiday like this is great for families with kids to get them out into nature in a safe environment with good summer holiday weather.

Any of these off the beaten path destinations would make for a fabulous holiday away from the crowds, so I hope you’ll consider one as your next holiday!