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Want to know why places like Frankfurt aren’t on Americans’ radar?
Because they lack that age-old wow factor we typically imagine when we dream of trips across the pond.
That’s why this summer, instead of following the crowds to Paris, Barcelona and Athens, our expert team took a deep dive to put together an overview of 5 destinations in the Old World where hustle and bustle is the furthest thing from your mind and cookie-cutter experiences are nowhere to be found.
These are the kind of places where you can pack your best walking boots for well-worn cobbled streets that you can walk around all day, and clear out your phone storage space for color wheel facades and medieval wonders.
Here are 5 Old World destinations everyone should visit at least once:
Sighisoara, Romania 🇷🇴
Tucked away in Transylvania, Sighișoara (pronounced see-ghee-SHWAH-rah) exudes the charm of a bygone era that most places could only dream of preserving.
This colorful hilltop citadel feels like you’re stuck in time with cobbled alleys, fortified towers, pastel facades and medieval walls still surrounding one of the continent’s best-preserved inhabited old towns – the exact image of the Old World we probably imagine when planning a Euro trip.
Unlike other postcard charmers rising up the ranks, such as Bruges, there’s virtually no hype for Sighișoara, making it one of Europe’s most underrated escapes in another underrated country.
Better yet, travelers claim Romania is one of the safest countries in Europewhich currently scores an impressive score of 90/100 on our safety index:
Visby, Sweden 🇸🇪
Sweden might not normally be on your bingo card, but I can tell you that even the country’s largest urban sprawl, Stockholm, is one of my favorite old town areas in Europe.
However, if I had the chance to do my trip again, I would skip Copenhagen and spend more time in Sweden in the quiet hideaways that the locals keep close to their chest, like Visby.
The atmosphere in Visby is ridiculously enchantingwith a UNESCO-protected medieval dreamscape resplendent with rose-covered cottages, stone walkways and ancient ruins that draw ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ at every turn – and what’s more, it’s on an island.
This former Hanseatic trading post does not only consist of beautiful old buildings; It was once an important medieval trading center and has remarkably retained its legendary structure as perhaps Scandinavia’s best-kept secret.
Fellow travelers currently rate Sweden’s safety at 75/100 on our safety index:
Košice, Slovakia 🇸🇰
Not to hijack my own article, but Košice has long been on my ever-changing bucket list.
When I visited the much more popular Bratislava on a whim a few years ago, I realized that I had been sleeping in Slovakia for far too long.
Then I discovered Košice, a city in eastern Slovakia that almost hugs Ukraine feels worlds away from the overly touristy version of Europe which we can easily become disappointed by.
While Košice is a historic stunner no matter what time of year you visit, I know we’re getting ahead of ourselves here: in winter, this virtually unknown city transforms into one of Europe’s most unsung wonderlands, taking on a whole new glow that makes you feel like you’ve clicked your heels and landed inside a snow globe.
Not to mention Košice’s castle ruins and UNESCO-listed caves will take your trip even further.
Fellow travelers currently rate the safety of Slovakia at 95/100 on our safety index:
Vianden, Luxembourg 🇱🇺
If you thought Luxembourg City was the only worthwhile destination in one of Europe’s smallest countries, you were mistaken.
There is a wonderful wine country bordering Germany along the Moselle River, and perhaps the country’s most beloved hideaway is little-known Vianden, a castle-topped village that feels ripped from another century.
Yes, Luxembourg may be on the expensive side, but that’s why we say you can only go there once.
Furthermore, one of the most unique aspects of the entire country is that Luxembourg has been offering free transportation from start to finish since 2020, no questions asked.
Fellow travelers currently rate the safety of Slovakia at 85/100 on our safety index:
Gazientep, Turkiye 🇹🇷
Travelers love to visit the origins of a particular place. For example, did you know that my hometown of San Diego is the “Birthplace of California”?
The next time you grab a kebab after a night out, think about Gaziantep, Türkiye – the country’s UNESCO-recognized culinary capital, said to be the OG of both kebab and baklava.
But it’s not just the drool-worthy cuisine that’s worth a visit this deep into the world – as fitting as it is to gobble up Türkiye – it’s the beautifully preserved old town, bustling bazaars, historic mosques and castle tours that ensure Gaziantep goes beyond filling your gut.
Now that Türkiye has become Eurasia’s undeniable new hotspot, Gaziantep doesn’t quite feel part of that mix because it’s so close to Syria – a country with its own war-torn timeline, even as it tries to do so. renew its image as a hospitable tourist destination.
So don’t let safety concerns deter you from visiting, even if travelers don’t seem to have caught up yet…
Fellow travelers currently rate Türkiye’s safety at 71/100 on our safety index:
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