Europe’s Best-Kept Secrets
Menorca, Spain
Quieter than Mallorca or Ibiza, Menorca is the unsung Balearic Island for those who love their sunshine with a side of serenity. It’s all about hidden turquoise coves, white-sand beaches and tiny villages where time moves deliciously slow.
Hike coastal trails, linger over seafood by the harbor or simply relax with family or friends.
Bonn, Germany
Germany’s trendsetting capital of Berlin usually hogs the spotlight. But Bonn? It totally surprised us!
What did we enjoy?
- Strolling the Rhine’s leafy riverside paths
- Peeking inside Beethoven’s birthplace
- Cruising the Rhine on a paddle steamer
- Riding the fun cogwheel train up Drachenfels hill
- Ogling a fairytale 19th century castle (Schloss Drachenburg)
- Sipping Riesling in cozy taverns
Puglia region, Italy
Last November, we explored Puglia (home to some of the most beautiful places in Italy), before joining a quiet season Med cruise with Viking. This sun-kissed heel of Italy’s boot brims with whitewashed villages, idyllic Adriatic beaches and ancient olive groves.
We wandered Alberobello’s quirky trulli houses, bicycled to Galatina for their famous custard pastries and marveled at the Baroque splendor of Lecce (nicknamed the “Florence of the South”).
➡️ See this fabulous private day tour of Otranto (a charming seaside town) and the dramatic Torre Sant’Andrea cliffs-and-sea-caves coastline that we did.
🏨 If you can snag a room at this lovely boutique hotel gem in Monopoli, do it!
The Azores, Portugal
We love Porto, with its cobblestone streets and riverside wine bars, and the Douro Valley, famous for wine and Port tastings.
But for something truly off the beaten path, head to the Azores – an archipelago of nine Portuguese islands in the Atlantic.
We hiked crater lakes, watched whales, soaked in geothermal springs and feasted on ultra-fresh local cuisine – all without the tourist crush. (To put it in perspective, Greece welcomed almost 41 million visitors last year; the Azores sees fewer than one million.)
Albania
We keep returning to Croatia for its stunning medieval towns and beaches lapped by unbelievably blue waters.
But its southern European cousin, Albania, is starting to steal the spotlight. Still considered a developing country (so bring a sense of adventure), it rewards travelers with unspoiled Ionian coastline, sapphire seas and charming villages.
Add in ancient ruins, Ottoman bazaars and hearty Mediterranean cuisine, and you’ve got an under-the-radar European country that’s definitely caught our attention!
You’ll find surprising luxury (for a relative song) at hotels like:
