It’s been several summers since the pandemic, but it seems like Europe’s wave of “quarantine revenge travel” is still cresting. Whether it’s on Croatia’s photogenic Adriatic isles, in Prague’s fairy-tale lanes or along Venice’s canals, Europeans (and Europe-lovers) will tell you without any doubt: we’re feeling the pressure of eager tourist crowds.
We think it’s fabulous that as people reorganize their priorities, seeing the world has risen to the top of so many lists—and stayed there. But what’s a traveler to do? Luckily, we have decades of experience exploring Europe and a diverse Backroads family comprising locals from many European cities. That means countless hidden gems in our back pocket.
While we’ll never stop recommending the classics, there’s something special about having a spectacular place surprise you. Read on, and maybe you’ll find inspiration for your next getaway—or discover one of your new favorite places!
1. Instead of the Colosseum in Rome, try: The Roman Amphitheater of Verona
Ah, fair Verona, where we lay our scene. It may not be one of Italy’s A-listers like Florence or Venice. But it’s one of our favorite European cities thanks to its foodie scene, sidewalk cafés and what should be an A-list site: the Roman Amphitheater, which stretches in a complete circle around a ring of piazzas in the city center. Unlike the Colosseum, Verona’s amphitheater is still used for concerts and other events. And the streets surrounding it are scattered with other Roman remnants, including archaeological digs visible through glass windows in the pavement below your feet. Get your history fix and discover this Italian gateway city after being dropped off at the end of our Dolomites to Lake Garda Multi-Adventure Tour.
2. Instead of the Mona Lisa in Paris, try: The Clos Lucé in Amboise
This one is for the kids. We know you want them to soak up some culture. And yes, elbowing through throngs in the halls of the Louvre to get a glimpse at that enigmatic painted smile is a rite of passage. But how about seeing the room where Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa in his Loire Valley castle? At the Clos Lucé, you (and your kids) can go behind the scenes of Leonardo’s time in France. Then stroll the extravagant gardens, which feature interactive life-size replicas of some of his outlandish inventions. The sleepy town of Amboise is a bit out of the way, but never fear—it’s a built-in stop on our Loire Valley Family Bike Tour for Kids & Teens. Talk about life imitating art.
3. Instead of Santorini, try: Therasia
Whitewashed walls shaded with bowers of bougainvillea and vertiginous views to the deep blue sea far below: we all know that Greek island paradise looks like Santorini. We love this irreplaceable island so much, we gladly take you there on our Santorini & Crete Multi-Adventure Tour. But one full day of our time on Santorini is spent leaving Santorini behind for its tiny sister isle, Therasia. Therasia is part of the same caldera (or extinct mega-volcano) that makes up Santorini, and from its black crags you get views not just of the sea, but of Santorini’s cliffs across the water. It’s barely inhabited; its main town has white-and-blue perched cottages like Santorini’s, but they’re limited to a single winding lane. Seeing Santorini through our eyes means also seeing Therasia. Because sometimes getting off the beaten path isn’t about replacing a travel icon—it’s about complementing it.
4. Instead of cruising the canals of Amsterdam, try: kayaking the canals of Utrecht
Amsterdam’s lively, leafy, canal-lined center is a must-visit. There’s no denying that. But there’s also no denying that the most beautiful parts of its Old Town revolve around tourists and expats. Sure, the crowds are colorful and fun—but nearby Utrecht is still quiet enough to make one of our favorite canal-going experiences possible: a kayaking trip! As hiking and biking experts, we’re probably biased, but we’d be the first to tell you that the mode of travel is half the fun. Just wait until you’re afloat on the tranquil water of the Dutch canals, gliding beneath the shade of leafy trees and waving up at the windows of the tall canal houses. You’ll see what we mean. It’s part of the itinerary on our Netherlands & Belgium Multi-Adventure Tour.
5. Instead of Norway’s Trolltunga hike, try: these other highlight Norwegian hikes
We couldn’t pick just one! Norway is such a powerhouse of natural beauty that there’s no reason to settle for waiting in line with influencers atop that famous tongue of rock. Not far from Trolltunga lie the Monk Steps, also called the Queen’s Hike, which we tackle on our Norwegian Fjords Multi-Adventure Tour to take us high above the Hardangerfjord. Further off the beaten path, on our Norway's Alesund Multi-Adventure Tour, get your floating-in-the-sky moment atop Hoven Mountain, where the view will have you seeing a dramatic double: the twin water-filled valleys of the Nordfjorden and the Lovatnet. Or if you’re a serious hiker looking for truly remarkable landscapes, perhaps our Norway Lofoten Islands Hiking & Trekking Tour is for you. Chase a classic Lofoten vista of twisted vertical mountains interwoven with a maze of water when you summit Mannen Peak. The bonus: from the top you gaze down at the white sand and turquoise water of Haukland Beach.
6. Instead of Port wine in Porto, try: Madeira wine on Madeira
Port wine, with its accessible sweetness and rich flavors, is a legion unto its own in the wine world. But have you heard of Madeira? Another fortified red wine, it comes from a place that has been part of Portugal in 1409 but is far from part of mainland Europe. In our opinion, Madeira is one of the most fascinating islands in the world. It’s also a paradise for hiking, with its sinuous mountains and lush native plants. We’re thrilled to take guests there for the first time next year on our new Portugal's Madeira Walking & Hiking Tour. Hit the trails of an exotic subtropical isle by day, and by night open a bottle of Madeira and be immersed in a true Old World wine culture. Cheers to the best of both worlds.
7. Instead of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, try: The Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres
Look, we know there’s no replacing the Sagrada Familia. But if it’s Spanish surrealism you hunger for, you sure can replace one wacky artist with another. Enter the Dalí Theatre-Museum. Built into a former 19th-century theater, it’s been remodeled with architecture that pays homage to Dalí’s works. Every room of this interactive museum is a phantasmagorical experience. Immersive and colorful, it’s perfect for kids and teens, which is why we built it into our Spanish Pyrenees-Costa Brava Family Adventure with Older Teens & 20s. Since your adventure starts and ends in Barcelona, maybe you can also give your regards to the Familia itself.
8. Instead of Interlaken, Switzerland, try: Kitzbühel, Austria
Being lovers of the outdoors, there’s not a single square mile of the Alps we could throw under the bus. Take iconic Interlaken. With its base-camp energy and renowned lakeside promenades, it’s a wonderful jumping-off point to some of Switzerland’s most remote (and spectacular) corners on our Swiss Alps Hiking Tour and our Switzerland Multi-Adventure Tour. But if you’re allergic to souvenir tchotchke shops, luxury watch retailers and big tour buses, Interlaken will make you hunger for the strollable Alpine base camp it might have been 50 years ago. Enter Kitzbühel, which plays a similar role in the Austrian region of Tyrol. The only difference? The clientele is less tourists from off-continent, and more mountaineers, skiers and hikers from other parts of Austria and from its flatter neighboring countries. Kitzbühel’s Old Town was a gilded urban center under the Hapsburgs; today, its pastel-colored buildings trimmed with shutters and painted with poems in Gothic lettering are eye-poppingly cute. A local guide takes us strolling in the town center, accompanied with storytelling, on our German & Austrian Alps Hiking Tour. Later on the same trip, we hit the trails of the Wilder Kaiser Mountains which have put Kitzbühel on the outdoor sports map. Rocky mountain high, here you come.
