5 Hidden European Destinations

Some of the most memorable travel experiences can often be found off the beaten path where you can avoid swarms of tourists and can take in the sights and sounds without interruption. To help you discover some of Europe’s overlooked destinations, we’ve asked expert travelers to recommend the most unique destinations they’ve visited in their travels.

Check out the list of the 5 hidden European destinations you should add to your next road trip itinerary.

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Cap de Creus Natural Park ~ Spain Independent Travel Cat's Pick	Abbazia di San Galgano ~ Italy FTLO Travel's Pick	Oradour Sur Glane ~ France Finding The Universe's Pick
Macocha Abyss ~Czech Republic 1000 Fight's Pick	Villa Aldobrandini ~ Italy Christina Cucina's Pick

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Destination: Cap de Creus Natural Park, Spain

"This natural park is a beautiful windswept place that is the perfect place to connect with nature and get some exercise in the area. The coastal park is full of cliffs, forests, meadows, and coves, offering numerous scenic hiking opportunities. The wind-eroded rocks have been formed into dozens of shapes and were a source of inspiration for Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dalí."

Location: Costa Brava, Spain

Contributor: Laurence and Jessica Norah are the British-American travel blogging couple behind photography & adventure travel blog Finding the Universe and luxury and couples travel blog Independent Travel Cats. Their goal is to inform and inspire their readers through well-written content accompanied by beautiful imagery. They are currently based in beautiful Scotland.

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Destination: Abbazia di San Galgano, Italy

"The Abbazia di San Galgano (Abbey of San Galgano) in the heart of Tuscany is about as hidden-gem like as you can get. Despite being one of the most beautiful, serene places I’ve ever been to, it’s rural location has managed to keep it off the tourist track. In fact, the last time I was there, I was the only visitor in the whole place! As an added bonus, the small church just up the hill claims to house the fabled sword in the stone!"

Location: Tuscany, Italy

Contributor: Tara Cappel is the founder of FTLO Travel, a company that curates unique, adventurous group trips for Millennials. An avid traveler and lover of new experiences, Tara has lived from Boston to Hawaii, to the southernmost tip of Italy, to Paris and Rome. Now based in Los Angeles, she continues to explore the globe and helps others do the same.

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Destination: Macocha Abyss, Czech Republic

"One of our favorite off the beaten path activities is rafting the Macocha Abyss. Located an hour away the town of Brno, Czech Republic, is an incredible cave network that you are able to take a raft to explore. The cave formations and waterfalls are stunning."

Location: Blansko, Czech Republic

Contributor: Mike and Luci are affectionately known as the "Fighting Couple". They encourage couples to get out and explore the world together. They offer tips and tricks for surviving a couple holiday.

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Destination: Oradour Sur Glane, France

"This village isn't that well known, but it is an incredibly moving place to visit in the Limoges region of France. During World War II, it was the site of the worse civilian massacre in war-time France, with 642 of its inhabitants killed by a retreating German SS company. The village has been preserved in exactly the state it was left on that day, as a memorial to those who lost their lives, and is a somber, yet essential, place to visit to get a sense of the devastation of the war in France."

Location: France

Contributor: Laurence and Jessica Norah are the British-American travel blogging couple behind photography & adventure travel blog Finding the Universe and luxury and couples travel blog Independent Travel Cats. Their goal is to inform and inspire their readers through well-written content accompanied by beautiful imagery. They are currently based in beautiful Scotland.

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Destination: Villa Aldobrandini, Italy

"A 16th century villa, still owned by the original family, sits high on a hill overlooking the historic wine-making town of Frascati, and Rome beyond. Gardens are free to explore and well worth the steep walk up to the villa. The mythological statues and detailed features in the once glorious fountains will awe all who gaze upon them. The villa and water features were damaged in World War II and never completely repaired."

Location: Frascati, Italy

Contributor: Christina Conte is a Scottish Italian food and travel writer for Christina's Cucina, based in LA. When she isn't in the kitchen, she loves to travel near and far, as long as there's good food involved. She is on a mission to save authentic Italian dishes from extinction, and is constantly promoting Scottish (and British) food as some of the best cuisine the world has to offer.

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Visit These European Destinations!

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