Of course all of these Euro Summer spots below are beautiful and some draw crowds, but we generally found them all to be quite peaceful and LESS crowded than other parts of Europe. I don’t think any of them are reached by cruise ship. This is a huge benefit and can keep crowds down. Many are a bit smaller so I do recommend making reservations before you visit.
Sperlonga, Italy
Just a train ride away from Rome, Sperlonga is a wonderful hidden gem escape from the heat and the Euro Summer crowds. This town is so special as it is on a cliff up overlooking the sea. This allows for incredible views at all hours of the day, especially at sunset! Down below, there are beautiful beaches you can relax on and spend the day. The alleys of the town are colorful and beautifully decorated. It feels like walking through a living art gallery! There is excellent food here, very kind locals, great places for wine and aperitivo. I recommend spending a day or two here as a break from the heat of Rome!
I also listed Sperlonga in my blog post: 7 Underrated Places in Italy
If you’re looking for tours in Sperlonga you can click here —–> Sperlonga Tours
Orebic, Croatia
This town in Croatia can so easily be overlooked. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone else say they’ve visited here during their Euro Summer. We visited for a night after staying on the Island of Korcula. It was only a 15 minute ferry ride away. Orebic is stunning and it sits right on the beach below the mountains. It is small but has a lot to offer. We enjoyed spending our day alongside the beach, visiting the winery in town for some delicious wines, and then hiking up to an amazing restaurant in the hills for “octopus under the bell”. Octopus under the bell is a Croatian specialty. The octopus is slow cooked with veggies and potatoes for hours under a bell shaped lid. We were absolutely thrilled that we got to have this experience and I highly recommend it!
If you’re interested in our road trip itinerary through Croatia, I have a blog post here —> Croatia: Road Trip!
Naxos, Greece
I am aware that Naxos is gaining in popularity. But you’re still not going to find the type of crowds here that you’d find in Santorini, Mykonos, or some of the other popular Euro Summer spots. Naxos is HUGE and has a number of less visited villages. Hiking might not always come to mind when you think of Greece, but Naxos has Mount Zas! You can hike to the top and have 360 views of the whole island. We visited some of the most incredible beaches we’ve ever seen here, watched stunning sunsets over the Temple of Apollo, had amazing dinners, and simply enjoyed the Greek life. I highly recommend this island on your next visit to Greece!
If you’re interested in more about Naxos I wrote a mini guide, you can find it here —-> Naxos, Greece: A Mini Guide
If you’re looking for tours in Naxos you can check them out here —–> Naxos Tours
Parnu, Estonia
This is not your typical Euro Summer stop! We wanted to see what a beach town was like in Estonia, and Parnu was so charming! You don’t need a ton of time here, but we spent a lovely day enjoying the area. We walked out onto the seawall, which is a 2 km long jetty out into the sea. It was a fun adventure and they say if you kiss at the end of it you’ll stay together forever. We enjoyed walking the long and lovely beach here, and exploring the small town vibes. We tried treats, visited some bars, had a nice dinner, and headed out the next day. If you wanted a really peaceful and relaxing trip you could easily spend a few days here. We also recommend renting bikes and riding around the area for some extra fun and exploring.
If you’re interested in the road trip we took through Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania: I wrote a post about it here —–> Road Trip Baltics
Bogliasco, Italy
I am forever in love with the Liguria region of Italy, and I think every Ligurian town is perfect. Bogliasco is no exception. Liguria is Euro Summer perfection! It is a very tiny town, but very stunning. We loved how relaxed and local it was compared to some of the neighboring towns. The sunset here was absolutely gorgeous and we loved having dinner at “Just Peruzzi” with views over the sea and village for dinner. This is another town where you could base yourself to town hop along the train-line. Or just take it nice and slow and soak it all in. You can relax on the beach, taste Ligurian specialties, have gelato, watch sunrises and sunsets, and just enjoy the peace & quiet. It is neighbors with my favorite town in Liguria, Camogli. It is easy to go between the two by train and I do recommend seeing both.
I have a blog post all about Camogli as well (that includes some of Bogliasco), you can find it here —-> Camogli, Your next Favorite Spot in Italy
Trogir, Croatia
Trogir really surprised me and was an unplanned stop for us. We wanted to try something new on this trip and book a few places last minute, this was one of them. We’ve never done this on. Euro Summer trip before. The Old Town was so charming and unique. We also loved that the beach was in a separate area over a little hill from the town. The beach had a lovely promenade you could stroll, eat, and chill on. We explored the market here and got to try some amazing Croatian cheese, specifically cheese from the island of Pag. Our hotel had a balcony overlooking the old town and we had the most lovely cheese picnic with a view. This place is very relaxed and you could easily see it in a day, but I recommend staying at least a night to enjoy the good vibes, good food, beaches, and town at an easy pace.
Bastia, Corsica
I wasn’t sure to expect when visiting Bastia. I figured we’d spend a quick day there before hopping on our plane back to mainland France. Boy was I wrong. I ADORED this city! I loved how local and authentic it felt. It didn’t seem like they were catering to any sort of tourists (in the best way). The views over the port were so lovely. The pastel colored buildings were as beautiful as any you’d see in the South of France. The food was absolutely fantastic! We were able to shop for charcuterie and cheese in town and have a picnic in our apartment. We also had an amazing dinner with a view. We enjoyed the sunset down on the port so much. We LOVED how LIVELY the streets were during apertif time. Bastia had excellent Euro summer vibes and I highly recommend you do not skip if you’re visiting Corsica, even if you only spend a day.
If you’re interested in more about the amazing island of Corsica, I have a few posts, you can find them here —-> Corsica Posts
Ventimiglia, Italy
I have written an entire blog post about the often overlooked city of Ventimiglia, Italy. It is the last stop before you head over the border and into France. On Fridays, it is known for being the location of Italys largest street market, and it is really impressive to see. It also has lovely beaches, a small but beautiful port, a vibrant local community, an aperitivo hour in both the old and new town that can’t be beat, and so much more! Ventimiglia also has a stunning and long promenade for walking, biking, running, or just enjoying the beautiful scene. You can see all the way into Menton, France when the weather is clear! This is a more authentic town in Liguria where you’re not going to find them catering to Euro Summer tourists, but if you just jump right in and get involved, you will be welcomed, and you will love it!
If you’re interested in more info about Ventimiglia I have a whole post here —-> Ventimiglia: Mini Guide
Ljublijana, Slovenia
Truth be told, we visited Ljubljana in the winter. But I would LOVE to visit in the summer and I know that Slovenia is still an overlooked country by many. Ljubljana is such a fun city, it has a river running through it, a castle you can explore, an amazing food scene, and is actually quite artsy too! Even in the winter, we loved strolling the streets, trying local foods, taking a romantic boat ride down the river, and so much more! I am certain this would be amazing in the summer with people in the streets, music, and all those good Euro summer Vibes. It is also very close to Lake Bled which is another destination you should NOT overlook. Although, I do believed Bled would not necessarily fit the list of “less crowded” in the summer.
If you’re interested in more info about Slovenia, I have a detailed post here —-> Visiting Ljubljana & Lake Bled
If you’re looking for fun tours in Ljubljana you can click here! ——> Ljubljana Tours
Santa Luzia, Portugal
This tiny town is known as the “octopus town” and you will see why as soon as you go! It is a fishing village where the fisherman focus on octopus and IT SHOWS. The octopus here are known to eat small sweet shrimp and it impacts their taste and makes them so delicious as well. The most famous spot to eat here is “Casa Do Polvo” and I can tell you from first hand experience it is one of my favorite place we’ve ever eaten. They cook octopus in literally countless ways and we tried as many different ways as we could fit in our bodies! I am sure you could not go wrong eating anywhere in this charming village. If you wanted to spend a day here you could also take the ferry to the “Ilha de Tavira” and enjoy the beaches for the day and then return for a delightful diner at night. This is a major Euro summer hidden gem and I highly recommend it!
If you’re interested in more posts about Portugal and the road trip we took you can find them here —–> Portugal Posts
If you’re looking for more Euro Summer recommendations I also have two other posts with more spots! You can find them here —-> Euro Summer Part 2 & Euro Summer Part 1
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