10 underrated European travel destinations to visit in 2026 (before everyone finds out)

If you have already done the typical Paris, Rome and Barcelona must-see trips in Europe allow me to introduce some lesser known, but equally incredible locations across Europe. These places offer similar or even better cultural experiences, often for the fraction of the price you would pay at more touristy areas. As always, I highly recommend visiting these places even in off season, as you may end up getting better service and prices too. Locals are also less likely to face over-tourism issues this way, so it is a more sustainable way to travel in 2026. Now let's see my list of underrated European destinations to visit in 2026.

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Perugia, Italy

If Florence is getting too touristy for your liking, but you are still craving that tranquil, sun-kissed atmosphere, may I interest you in checking Perugia out! This charming and welcoming city is located a little bit further down South from Florence, but has its own airport making it easily accessible. Budget airlines like Ryanair or Wizz Air offer flights to this destination, often making the capital of the Umbria region of Italy a budget-friendly option. In my opinion, in Italy that the food scenes especially, or even just experiencing the actual la dolce vita, is so much better in lesser known cities and areas these days. Places like Rome and Venice are so overly touristy that you get worse options and service for your money. If you want to see the real Italy, I would recommend you leave from major cities behind.

Bay of Kotor, Montenegro

If I had to pick one location that this place reminds me of, it would have to be Lake Como, Although this is a bay and not a lake, the atmosphere is very similar, Beautiful water-side surrounded by serene mountains, but this one without the tourists and crazy prices. You can take different boat tours around the lake, spend time at different viewpoints that offer incredible views of the bay and explore the charming town of Kotor. It has gained more attention in the part year or so, so I would definitely check this one out before everyone else does.

Meteora

When it comes to Greece most people do the typical island hopping + Athens for a day combo, leaving magical places like Meteora out of the equation. But this incredible place deserves a spot on everyone's bucket list. It can be easily done as a day trip from Athens (I would definitely opt for the organised one, and not on your own with a rental car as that would be pretty exhausting). You can also find trips that will allow you to stay overnight, which I highly recommend if you have the time.

Velden am Wörthersee, Austria

If you are from Central Europe you may be surprised by this location ending up on a list of underrated destinations, but if you are not, chances are you haven't heard much about this place. Located by a lake, this wonderful Austrian town is what summer slow travel dreams are made of. Wörthersee is stunning — we're talking turquoise water, forested hills, pastel villas and cozy restaurants. You can take long morning walk enjoying the view, bring a good book to get lost in, do some shopping on the main street and enjoy delicious dinners by the lake in the evening.

Lake Ohrid

I recently visited this tranquil corner of Europe and I am already dreaming about going back there. Lake Ohrid is another slow travel destination. This beautiful lake gets way less attention compared to Lake Geneva, Como or even Bled, so you may want to check it out before it steals the spotlight. If you want to learn and see more, I have written a whole post about it, you can read it here.

Grado

This year I re-visited Venice after 9 years and explored Grado for the first time. As I said above, Italy is definitely experiencing issues regarding over-tourism and Venice is no exception. I was actually sad to see the difference 9 years made to the quality of a holiday in Venice. Of course, nothing really compares to Venice as it's so unique, but if you are looking for a similar vibe, but with less crowds and more budget-friendly prices, give Grado a chance. This small water-side city also has some canals to give you that Venice feel, you can wander around in its tiny, quintessential Italian allies and enjoy amazing Italian food. It is worth a day or two to enjoy the Italian way of living.

Albania, beyond the beaches

This country has gained international attention in the past few years because of its beaches, but I would like to bring your attention to its other amazing offerings like the food scene of Tirana and the beautiful mountain views of of the North of the country. I have already written a post about 3 reasons to visit Albania, check it out here, and a lengthy post on how to spend a day in Tirana as a solo female traveller, you can read it here.

Riga, Latvia

The Baltics have left a very positive impression in me, beautiful architecture, safe streets, amazing food and budget friendly prices. Riga is no exception, and out of the three Baltic capitals, this may be my personal favourite. Riga is the European fairytale a lot of people are looking for when visiting the continent, but without the crowds and high prices. It is definitely worth adding to your 2026 bucket list. It is known to be the capital of Art Nouveau, so if you appreciate beautiful architecture, this is a must!

Lake Bohinj, Slovenia

Slovenia has gained popularity among travellers in recent years, but it's mainly Lake Bled that most people have heard about. But just 30 minutes away, there is another beautiful lake to enjoy, this is Lake Bohinj. It is actually bigger and quieter, yet cheaper than Lake Bled, even in the peak summer months you will be able to find a spot by the lake to sunbathe or swim. If you are looking for another slow travel option, you will love this part of Slovenia.

Segovia, Spain

Most people who travel to Madrid miss this spot, which is a mistake if you are craving more of an authentic and real Spanish experience. Segovia is only a train journey away from Madrid and can easily be done in a day. It has one of Europe’s best-preserved Roman aqueducts and a fairytale castle that inspired the original Snow-white Disney movie and cozy little streets to wonder around. The atmosphere is more authentic than in Madrid, so you can taste the slower, Spanish lifestyle through this beautiful city. I wrote a detailed post about it, you can read it here.

This bring me to the end of this blog post, I hope you enjoyed this mix of European travel destinations to look out for in 2026. I think it has a good variation of destinations across the continent, so everyone will find something that fits their travel style.