All guides
Every destination guide we've published. Use the filters to narrow by category, or browse the full list below.
Why Lyon Often Impresses Travelers More Than Paris
Paris will always be Paris. But travelers returning from Lyon often describe a city that felt easier to love, easier to walk, and far easier on the wallet.
7 European Cities to Visit Instead of the Capital
From Porto to Thessaloniki, the cities you skip on your first trip to a country are often the ones worth returning for.
Beyond Madrid: Spanish Cities Worth Exploring
Madrid and Barcelona dominate the brochures, but Spain's regional capitals are where the food, architecture, and weekend energy actually live.
Alternatives to Athens for History Lovers
The Acropolis is non-negotiable on a first trip. But Greece and the wider region are stacked with cities where ancient history is part of the daily street.
Smaller Cities That Showcase Italy Better Than Rome
Rome is essential once. After that, the smaller Italian cities are where the food is better, the streets are calmer, and the locals haven't been hardened by a million tour groups.
Where to Go Instead of Santorini
Santorini is genuinely beautiful and genuinely overwhelmed. The Cyclades have a dozen alternatives where the views, the swims, and the food are arguably better and the queues simply don't exist.
Alternatives to Venice Without the Crowds
Venice has reached a point where the city itself is asking visitors to think twice. The good news: the upper Adriatic has several cities that scratch the same itch.
Quiet Coastal Alternatives to the Amalfi Coast
Amalfi is sublime, and in July it is also a single very long traffic jam. Italy's other coasts offer the same lemon trees, the same sea, and a fraction of the buses.
Less Crowded Alpine Destinations
Chamonix, Zermatt, and the Dolomite poster towns are spectacular and saturated. The Alps still have entire valleys that haven't been turned into queues.
Peaceful Alternatives to Iceland's Golden Circle
The Golden Circle gets nearly every first-time visitor. Iceland is a big island with a lot more to offer, and most of it is empty.
Budget-Friendly Alternatives to Famous European Cities
The cities that ate everyone's holiday savings in the last few summers have cheaper, equally rewarding neighbours just down the train line.
Coastal Destinations That Cost Less Than the Riviera
The French and Italian Rivieras have priced themselves out of most ordinary holidays. The Mediterranean is large, and most of it is still affordable.
Affordable Mediterranean Islands
Capri, Ibiza, and Mykonos no longer pretend to be affordable. These islands still are.
European Weekend Breaks That Stretch Your Budget
A long weekend doesn't have to mean a small mortgage. These cities deliver three days of food, walking, and atmosphere without the capital-city tax.
Cities That Deliver More Value Than Their Famous Neighbors
Sometimes the cheaper, better trip is one station away from the city you almost booked.
Hidden Mediterranean Coastal Towns
The Mediterranean coast still has hundreds of small towns where the boats are fishing boats, the menus are seasonal, and the rooms are reasonable.
Alternatives to Croatia's Most Visited Destinations
Dubrovnik and Hvar are spectacular and saturated. The Croatian coastline is 1,800 kilometres long. You can do a lot better.
Atlantic Coast Escapes Few Travelers Consider
The Atlantic coast is colder, wider, and infinitely emptier than the Mediterranean. For surfers, hikers, and anyone with a dog, that's the appeal.
Islands Beyond the Tourist Hotspots
If your favourite island has gone the way of Ibiza, there's still a smaller cousin a ferry hop away.
Coastal Towns With Authentic Character
A test for any coastal town: are there boats unloading fish at 6 am? If yes, the rest usually follows.
Best Lesser-Known Weekend Cities in Europe
The European city break has been dominated by the same ten cities for a decade. The next ten are arguably more interesting, and you'll be the first of your friends to go.
Historic Cities Perfect for Three-Day Trips
Some cities take a week. These give you the whole story in three days and send you home satisfied.
Walkable Cities for Slow Travel
Some cities want you to plan. Others want you to drift. These ones reward drifting.
Compact Cultural Destinations
Some small cities punch far above their weight culturally. Here are the ones worth booking a weekend around.
Weekend Escapes Beyond the Tourist Trail
If you've done the standard European weekends and want the next layer down, these are the places to book.
Emerging European Destinations
Some places are obviously on their way up. Go now and you'll be the friend who recommended them first.
Towns Gaining Attention for Good Reasons
Not every emerging destination is hype. Some have done the work, fixed the infrastructure, and earned the attention.
Future Travel Hotspots
A short list of places that are clearly going to be on every recommendation list in three to five years.
Hidden Regions Worth Visiting Now
Not just towns. Entire regions of Europe that haven't yet been packaged for mass tourism.
Destinations Still Flying Under the Radar
Some places have everything: scenery, food, history, accessible flights. And still, somehow, almost nobody goes.
Alternatives to Barcelona Worth a Whole Trip
Barcelona has become difficult to enjoy at peak season. These three Catalan and Valencian cities give you most of what you came for, with breathing room.
Alternatives to Amsterdam: Utrecht, Haarlem, Rotterdam
Amsterdam is brilliant and visibly overstretched. The Netherlands has three other cities, each within 30 minutes of it, that offer different and arguably better experiences.
Alternatives to Dubrovnik on the Croatian Coast
Dubrovnik on a summer cruise day is a slow shuffle through someone else's holiday. Šibenik, Trogir, and Zadar give you walled-city Croatia with breathing room.
Alternatives to Prague: Olomouc, Brno, Český Krumlov
Prague is unreasonably beautiful and increasingly hard to enjoy. The country's other cities deliver similar architecture with actual breathing room.
Alternatives to the French Riviera
The Côte d'Azur prices itself further out of reach every summer. The look, the food, and the swimming exist elsewhere on the same sea at a third of the cost.