My 10 Favorite Wonderful Underrated Destinations in Europe

There are so many famous and highly rated destinations throughout Europe.

Places like the Swiss Alps, the Alhambra or Paris/London/Rome are famous and highly thought of by folks who travel there.

But there are a lot of underrated destinations in Europe.

You know, the countries, cities, regions and sites that just aren’t at the top of the list so they don’t get the love.

So what I want to do is give you a list of some of my favorite underrated destinations in Europe.

Places I’ve explored and really love.

Yet these are not on a lot of travelers’ lists.

Maybe this post will change that.

County Sligo • Ireland

Admittedly, I only spent a few days in County Sligo.

But I really loved it and I really really need to go back.

Located between Counties Mayo and Donegal, this small county has some incredible landscapes and some intriguing sites.

Plus it has ties to WB Yeats, Ireland’s great poet.

Benbulben is the iconic flat topped mountain that Sligo is known for.

It’s definitely hard to miss.

But this underrated destination in Europe has some major neolithic sites including Carrowmore and Carrowkeel.

I was unable to visit as they weren’t yet open when I was in County Sligo.

I did however, see the small site of Creevykeel and walked along Mullaghmore beach.

Sligo is known for having some lovely beaches and some excellent surfing if cold water surfing is your thing.

Mullaghmore is a superb beach to check out.

And if you are a Yeats fan, you must visit his grave at Drumcliff.

Don’t overlook this wee county in Ireland!

There’s a lot to do.

Dumfries and Galloway • Scotland

After spending a week in this region in the southwest of Scotland I’m sold on it.

Dumfries and Galloway is definitely an underrated destination in Europe that has a lot to offer the traveler.

There is some beautiful coastline, charming towns and some gorgeous interior landscapes.

Let me start with the coastline, namely the Rhins of Galloway which is a double headed peninsula.

The lighthouse at the Mull of Galloway is spectacular so don’t miss it.

There are some lovely spots along the coast including Portpatrick and Port Logan.

To the east of the Rhins of Galloway you’ll find Wigtown, which is one of my favorite towns.

Known as Scotland’s book town, there are a lot of book shops for a wee town.

And each year there is a book festival which brings in lots of visitors to hear authors and other noteworthy folks speak on different topics.

I bought quite a few books on my visit!

Kirkcudbright is a colorful town further east.

This town is known for being a place where artists have settled.

As such, you’ll find some nice galleries as well as some lovely cafes.

My favorite destination within Dumfries and Galloway is Galloway Forest Park.

There are trees, some smaller lochs, lots of trails and some beautiful hills and mountains.

And not many people.

This underrated piece of Scotland is worthy of exploring!

Vicenza • Italy

There are a few cities in Italy that are well-known and well thought of — Rome, Florence, Venice.

However I’m guessing Vicenza is not a city that pops up on your radar.

This city lies between Venice to the east and Verona to the west — in the Veneto region.

And it is very underrated.

While there aren’t a lot of sites, there are a few.

This is the home of Andrea Palladio, an architect who lived in this region and designed a lot of buildings in Vicenza and the surrounding Veneto region.

You’ll see some of his buildings in the Piazza dei Signori.

The Teatro Olimpico is a fabulous theater that was designed by Palladio.

It’s a must for your time in Vicenza.

What I love about this city is simply wandering about it and feeling like I’m in a city that belongs to the people who live here — not a bunch of tourists.

I think Vicenza is an amazing underrated destination in Europe.

Costa de la Luz and Vejer de la Frontera • Spain

When you think of coastal Spain, you probably think of Costa del Sol with its hotels lining the beaches.

It’s very popular!

Just to the west of the town of Tarifa lies the Costa de la Luz.

This stretch of beach is less touristy with beautiful golden sand.

There are smaller towns with less development.

It’s quieter with less glitz.

Towns like El Palmar (known for surfing), Barbate, Los Caños de Meca, Zahara de los Atunes and Bolonia (with its sand dunes) are a few of the towns and villages you’ll find along this underrated part of the Andalucía region of Spain.

It’s fabulous.

And just 13km inland from towns like El Palmar and Barbate you’ll find one of my favorite towns, Vejer de la Frontera.

This is another underrated destination in Europe that I just love.

While there aren’t any sites in this town of 12,000, it’s simply the perfect white hill town to wander about and take in everyday life in southern Spain.

There are some unique accommodation in Vejer de la Frontera and some good places to eat too!

Mani Peninsula • Greece

I hear you asking, “Where is the Mani Peninsula, Lynne?”

This is a piece of the Peloponnese peninsula.

Find Kalamata (yes, like the olive) and follow the coastline south.

When you hit, oh around the Stoupa area, then you are officially in Mani territory.

This part of the Peloponnese has some beautiful coastal areas as well as a rugged mountain interior.

I explored a small area between Oitylo and Stoupa.

Actually I went all the way up to Kardamyli which may not be technically part of the Mani but it’s close.

It’s all simply stunning!

You can find small fishing villages, a few sandy beaches, loads of history, square towers and good food.

I stayed on the western side so I am not familiar with the east coast although it looks and sounds fab!

Nor did I make it to the southern tip — which I would definitely do the next time.

What I did see were some amazing historical sites such as Dekoulou Monastery near Oitylo and Old Kardamyli.

I wandered through Stoupa and Agios Nikolaos and loved both.

Not only is this area gorgeous but the people are super friendly too.

And, let’s be honest, the food is delicious as well.

This is one of those underrated destinations in Europe that I highly recommend exploring!

Lavaux Vineyard Terraces • Switzerland

When I say Switzerland you probably think of the Swiss Alps and cute alpine villages.

But one of the underrated places in Switzerland is the Lavaux Vineyards Terraces.

These vineyards hug the northern shoreline of Lake Geneva between Lausanne and Montreux.

There are small towns and villages and a good handful of wineries.

And there is a trail that runs through the vineyards and the towns that is amazing to walk on.

I walked this several years ago from Lutry to St Saphorin with a friend.

It’s a lovely walk and filled with marvelous views.

The day we walked, the wineries weren’t open, but you can time it out so you can visit a winery or 2 and taste some delicious wine.

This area is easily accessible by train from Geneva or Lausanne.

The Lavaux Vineyard Terraces are definitely an underrated destination in Europe that wine lovers need to visit.

Hochkönig Region • Austria

One of my favorite underrated destinations in Europe that I recently traveled to is the Hochkönig region of Austria.

Located in the Salzburg region, this mountain area is beautiful with soaring peaks, charming towns and lovely valleys.

It’s a destination for nature lovers for sure with lots of trails for walking, hiking and biking in summer and autumn.

In winter you can ski, snowboard, snowshoe or any other fun winter sport.

Did someone say sledding?

While it’s well-known with the Austrians and a handful of other Europeans, it’s lesser known with North Americans and Aussies and Kiwis.

The people are super nice and the food is pretty good too.

This is a place I really want to explore more deeply.

It’s just so damn beautiful!

Türkiye

I really think Türkiye is one of the most underrated destinations in Europe.

While it’s been several years since I’ve visited this incredible country, I do dream of it often.

Türkiye has everything!

Soaring mountains, stunning coastline, fascinating history, intriguing culture, tasty as hell food and some of THE nicest people on the planet.

If you’re a history buff, you’ll love Türkiye.

If you are a foodie, you’ll love Türkiye.

Want to spend time along the water and soak up the sun?

Go to Türkiye.

Want to dive into a captivating culture rich with traditions?

Travel to Türkiye.

And Türkiye is far less expensive than other European countries that offer up some of the same.

Seriously.

This country will not disappoint.

Lake Bohinj • Slovenia

I think my favorite place in Slovenia is Lake Bohinj.

I would probably classify all of Slovenia (maybe minus Lake Bled) as underrated.

But Lake Bohinj is particularly so, especially when it comes to North Americans and Aussies and Kiwis.

Located within Triglav National Park — Slovenia’s only national park — Lake Bohinj is more natural and less touristy than Lake Bled.

There are just some small settlements around the lake where you can find holiday apartments and small guesthouses.

You’ll also find a lot of trails to walk on, some of which take you up to viewpoints over the lake.

There’s actually a ski resort at Vogel so you can take a cable car up to this and get some views from there.

And you can walk on some trails there as well.

One of the best things to do is to get out onto the lake.

Motorized water vehicles are prohibited so you can either kayak, canoe, SUP or get out on the electric water ferry that takes you from one end of the lake to the other.

Lake Bohinj is one of the most serene underrated destinations in Europe.

Wales

Once again, I’m choosing an entire country as an underrated destination in Europe.

I want to fully disclose that I’ve only been to northern Wales.

But really, not many folks make it to Wales and this is unfortunate because it’s a splendid country.

Wales has stunning coastline, soaring mountains, charming towns, incredible history (including some awesome castles) and bucolic countryside.

The Welsh language is impossible to speak, but it’s fascinating.

Vanna, I’d like to buy a vowel!

I was really struck by the beauty of the landscapes and seascapes and the intriguing historical sites.

And because of its small size, you can actually experience quite a bit of this country on a short trip.

So there are my 10 underrated destinations in Europe.

I really believe there are so many underrated destinations in Europe.

And under visited countries, regions, cities and towns.

So why not forgo some of the über popular and über visited (over touristed?) destinations?

Think outside the box a bit.

I promise that the destinations on this list are equally as impressive as some of the big names.

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