While destinations like Barcelona, Venice, Dubrovnik and Mykonos will always be popular, if you’re travelling during the peak summer period, the most responsible thing you can do is head elsewhere.
Not only will you be helping places that are battling overtourism, but you’ll also benefit from a lack of crowds wherever you choose to go instead.
Luckily for you, Skyscanner has crunched the numbers and come up with eight top under-the-radar destinations in Europe based on those with the lowest search interest for this summer.
From coolcations in Finland’s lesser-known cities to Greek island escapes outside of the main spots, here’s where you should be headed.
Turku, Finland
While others are flocking to Oulu for its European Capital of Culture programme, or to Finnish Lapland to experience the midnight sun, Skyscanner thinks Turku should be on your radar instead.
Finland’s oldest city, the centre is filled with historical buildings, from the Old Great Square to Turku Cathedral. Every summer, the city goes one step further with the Medieval Turku festival, complete with entertainment, handicrafts and food and drink all from a former age.
Turku also has a thriving foodie scene, with menus that focus on sustainability and sustainability. Choose a spot lining the banks of the River Aura, or head to Kaskis, the first restaurant outside of Helsinki to earn a Michelin star.
Crotone, Italy
Puglia, the heel of Italy, gets plenty of love from tourists – less so its toe, Calabria.
It’s here that you’ll find Crotone, a great historical Greek city whose most famous former resident is the philosopher Pythagoras.
Today, you can explore its layered Greek, Roman, and modern Italian history with visits to Capo Colonna Archaeological Park, where you’ll find the remains of a Doric temple, or National Archaeological Museum of Crotone, home to the city’s most significant finds.
Aside from history, Crotone also boasts gorgeous beaches, and it’s also a good jumping off point for the region’s three national parks of Sila, Aspromonte and Pollino.
Kalymnos, Greece
The Dodecanese island chain in the Aegean sea is well known thanks to the popularity of Kos and Rhodes, but Kalymnos, its third most-populous island, is worth a visit, too.
In recent years, the island has established itself as a top destination for climbers, with nearly 2,500 sport climbing routes, ranging from easy to difficult.
For those who prefer to hike, there are numerous shorter routes as well as the 10-day Kalymnos Trail which covers 100km around the island.
Historically, the island was known for sponge diving, and while that industry has sadly died out due to overfishing, Kalymnos is now popular among scuba divers.
Ioannina, Greece
Away from the islands, mainland Greece has plenty of hidden gems – including Ioannina in the north west.
Set on the shores of Lake Pamvotida, you can take a short boat trip to the island in its centre to visit its monasteries, or kayak around it.
In Ioannina itself, you can explore the castle, which dates back to the Byzantine Empire, as well as the Silversmithing Museum within its walls which details the history of the craft that the wider region is known for.
Pico, Portugal
While the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores as a whole is certainly growing in popularity, some of the islands are getting less attention than others.
One for hikers, Pico Island is home to Portugal’s highest mountain at 2,315 metres above sea level, and you can discover its trails on the Visit Azores website.
The island’s viniculture, which dates back to the 15th century, is UNESCO World Heritage listed, and you can book in for wine tastings or vineyard tours while here.
Clermont-Ferrand, France
Surrounded by the Chaîne des Puys volcanoes chain, geology has left its mark on the city of Clermont-Ferrand in its dark coloured buildings made with local stone including the breathtaking Gothic cathedral in the city centre.
There are lots of hiking trails taking in the 80 volcanoes found here, all of which can be found on the Clermont Auvergne Volcans tourism website.
Clermont-Ferrand is also the home of tyre company Michelin, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that there are four Michelin-starred restaurants here, including Le Pré, which has two.
Kiruna, Sweden
Sweden’s northernmost city Kiruna hit the headlines last year when its iconic church was moved in its entirety over the course of two days.
Aside from visiting said church in its new spot, you can learn more about the world’s largest underground iron-ore mine – and the reason behind the town centre’s move – at LKAB’s Visitor Centre.
Found 200 kilometres above the Arctic Circle, the summer months also mean midnight sun giving you more time to hike in the nearby mountains.
Astypalaia, Greece
Another island in the Dodecanese chain, the butterfly-shaped Astypalaia is postcard-perfect, but without the crowds.
You can wander around the white-washed buildings, head up to the Venetian Castle of Querini, and snap photos of the traditional windmills in Chora, but the main thing to do is just relax on one of the island’s beautiful beaches.
Read the full article here
