Hidden Gems You Need to Visit in Europe
Travelling is one of life’s great pleasures—something many of us are lucky enough to rediscover each year with our annual ‘big holiday’. After a few years of economic and societal strife, holidaymaking is very much back on the menu for more of us, meaning that more of us get to enjoy the many and varied ways that international exploration can nourish.
Of course, being afforded the opportunity to travel abroad is still a great privilege, and one that should not be squandered by any old trip. Why go to the same old tourist trap beachside resort when there’s a wider continent of amazing destinations to explore? With so much to see, it’s hard to know which less-travelled destinations are worth your time. Treat this as your primer to Europe’s hidden gems, with three suggestions that each have their own incredible USP.
- Matera, Italy
Italy is an entire nation of hidden gems, in and around the destinations for which most make the effort to visit. One such hidden gem is Matera, the capital of the province that takes its name. Matera is nestled on the bank of the Gravina River and defined for the city dwellings hewn into the face of the canyon formed by said river.
This is one of those places that really has to be seen to be believed, given the sublime majesty of the ancient dwellings carved into rock. The Sassi is the old (read: ancient) town region of Matera and the most picturesque for its variously-aged buildings and settlements. This is also the region that ultimately won Matera its place as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Hallstatt, Austria
Of the many Europe tours available to expectant travellers, it is those that take in the unassuming delights of alpine Austria that often leave the biggest impression. Hallstatt is the very best of Austria’s mountainside offerings, being a uniquely picturesque village in the Gmunden district of Upper Austria.
Hallstatt’s provincial beauty and the incredible sights that surround it seem lifted straight from the frames of a Wes Anderson film—right down to the funicular railway that bridges the village with its adjacent salt mine. The village’s architecture is colourful and deeply inspiring besides, to say nothing of the grandeur held in the lake upon which Hallstatt is built.
- Sintra, Portugal
For warmer climes, common choices amongst travellers centre on Spain, whether the beachy beauty of the Costa del Sol or the urban excitement of Madrid. However, the best-kept secrets of the Iberian Peninsula are found across a border—on the stunning mainland of Portugal.
Sintra is a particularly outstanding hidden gem, being a leafy town ensconced in the Sintra mountains. Though not far from Lisbon (Portugal’s rightfully popular tourist destination capital), Sintra feels like a portal into an altogether different world—one of dreamlike palaces and incredible artistry. Come for the architecture, and stay for the winning local hospitality.
