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If you’re thinking of heading across the pond this summer, and you’re not exactly sold on the idea of driving the crowds crazy in Barcelona, or paying upwards of $1,000 a night in Amalfi, then we might just have the perfect alternative for you.
Good, Tripadvisor do.
Budget Italy
The $95 Amalfi?
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The secret
Tropea offers dramatic cliffs and blue water with 90% less water than Positano. Local bars serve full aperitivos under $10.
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Spain Turn
Basque discovery
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The culture
The unique green zone of Northern Spain. World-class food (pintxos) and art without the tourist chaos of Barcelona.
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According to their latest Summer Travel Indextwo European destinations have grown in popularity faster than any other. This doesn’t mean they’re packed with the usual power-hungry Instagrammers, but they are do mean this is perhaps your last chance to tick them off the list before they get really big.
Think of it as the perfect window to visit a place that isn’t necessarily a hidden gem anymore, but still has an exciting social scene and cultural appeal, without being completely succumbed to mass tourism:
Tropea, Italy
Probably the trendiest summer spot in Italy right now, Tropea a bit like Amalfi before the star-studded beach clubs and cruise ships came along.
As the latest statistics from Tripadvisor show, Tropea is currently the second fastest rising destination in Europe. Considering that more and more travelers are looking for more authentic experiences off the beaten track, away from the tourist hotspots and crowds, we can’t say we’re too surprised.
For starters, the setting is quite stunning.
The town literally sits on a coastal cliff overlooking a long stretch of sandy beach and the clearest blue water. Your classic Southern European postcardminus the hefty price tag.
Sit for one aperitif in Tropea will cost you less than $10 if it’s a chill, local bar, and we’re talking a full charcuterie board presentation and a Campari soft drink, while an overnight stay costs an average of $95 in most mid-range hotels.
It’s not cheap in Albania, if you know what we mean, but compared to the average Italian tourist town it’s a pretty good deal.
Now, Tropea Beach itself is not exactly public-free.
In summer it’s actually overrun with sunbathers and swimmers, but there’s an important difference here: while Positano’s beach clubs are largely frequented by American show-offs, Tropea’s Spiaggia della Rotonda and the relaxed waterfront bars largely provide that local rush.
Let’s face it: even if you wander far off the map somewhere like Bosnia this season, it probably won’t be completely quiet and untouched.
The real step is to go where the locals actually hang out, where you have no choice but to fire up Google Translate or dust off your Italian, and order pasta with a twist cipolla rossa (their surprisingly sweet red onion) randomly trattoriabecause at least it will feel lawful Italian.
And doesn’t that little church on a rocky outcrop, overlooking the cityscape, look straight out of a postcard?
Bilbao, Spain
According to Tripadvisor’s rating, Bilbao is the trendiest European city this summer and has been the hot topic for a few months now.
As places like Barcelona, Madrid and Mallorca crumbled under the weight of mass tourism, United Airlines decided earlier this year to boldly expand into the often overlooked northern Spain market, adding Bilbao flights to spread demand beyond the usual hotspots.
It turns out to be the right decision, as Bilbao is now on the radar of hundreds of thousands of Americans booking direct flights from Newark.
Although Bilbao is not a beach cityIn itself it is located a little further inland from the Basque coast and has that southern European, Basque flair, with a picture-perfect old town dotted with skinny town houses and their graceful balconies, a host of tapas bars serving delicious food. pintxos And txakoliand a summer feeling that’s hard to beat.
Barcelona may have the Sagrada Família, but Bilbao is home to the monumental Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, a steel-and-titanium-clad masterpiece housing works by famous artists such as Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol, and it has a good, easy-going atmosphere without the added chaos of La Rambla.
No, it’s not in the Mediterranean, but it is a short drive from some of the most bbeautiful seaside resorts on the Atlantic side of Europesuch as Donostia (also called San Sebastián) and Hondarribia, where colorful seaside buildings and beautiful golden sandy beaches await.
Make sure you test the waters before diving right in, because again, this is the Atlantic Ocean. It’s always, ahem, a tad fresher than the Mediterranean.
