8 Underrated European Cities You Should Visit (& 4 Overrated Ones You Can Skip!)
If you’re as anxious to plan your next European adventure as I am, check out eight underrated European cities you should add to your itinerary – and four of the overrated cities you can go ahead and skip!
To me, an underrated city is a place that is not super well known and not as touristed by everyday travellers. More than that, these underrated European cities are not just under the radar, they’re actually worth exploring. Each of the eight cities listed below is a hidden gem that I think more people should visit (though not everyone at once!).
Of course, this is all just my opinion. And I’m only including cities that I have personally been to; this is by no means all of the underrated European cities you should visit. Plus, I’ve been known to change my mind. I originally had Madrid on my list of overrated cities but after visiting again in Feb 2020, Madrid won me over. I no longer think it’s overrated!
So go ahead and check out my list below and let me know what you think. Do you agree with my picks of overrated European cities? Was I too harsh with my choices for overrated cities? And what did I miss from my list?
8 Underrated European Cities You Should Visit
These cities aren’t as popular as London or Paris but are still well worth the visit!
Annecy, France
I ended up visiting Annecy by mistake. But it turned out to be one of the best travel mistakes ever! Friends and I were in Switzerland in 2014 and had misread our train ticket. So instead of heading to Bern, we hopped on a bus from Geneva and landed in Annecy. As soon as we arrived, we knew we had made the right call. Annecy is incredibly charming and it felt like we had walked into a fairytale. We strolled through cobblestone streets, bought food from the market and ate ice cream by the river. Later we paddle-boated and then hitch-hiked to the top of the mountain to walk around in the snow. We ended our evening with cheese fondue ordered in our broken French. It was perfect!
Dresden, Germany
I first visited Dresden in 2014 and I remember thinking it was pretty cool. But when I visited again in 2019, I was shocked by how awesome this little city is. Just two hours from Berlin (and two hours from Prague), Dresden is an incredible mix of old meets new. In the Old Town, much of which had to be rebuilt after the war, you can walk around for blocks admiring old buildings, churches and murals. As we walked along the river, I almost regretted choosing Prague as our expat city instead of Dresden. And in the New Town you’ll find hip cafes, great shopping and the coolest street art.
Utrecht, Netherlands
When I was studying abroad in Amsterdam in 2014, I got to visit nearby Utrecht two or three times and it never disappointed. Just 30 minutes from Amsterdam, this Dutch city is like a mini Amsterdam. There are canals, adorable cafes and sky high churches. It’s definitely worth a visit if you’re spending time in Amsterdam and want a little break from the big city.
Lake Como, Italy
Among the glitterati, Lake Como certainly isn’t underrated. But I think most visitors to Italy don’t have Lake Como or the lake district on their itinerary. And that’s a shame because this place is awesome! The natural beauty when you’re out on the lake in gorgeous weather is unbeatable. Plus, there are a number of small towns in and around the lakes that are perfect for exploring.
Seville, Spain
Is Seville an underrated European city? Maybe not. It’s not an unknown or un-touristed city, but I do think it gets less hype than it deserves. Seville is amazing! When we visited in Feb 2020 I was so blown away by how beautiful it is, how much there is to do and how rich the culture is. I’m already planning for when we can go back. If you love beautiful architecture, old towns, great food, music and rich culture, you need to visit Seville.
Lake Bohinj, Slovenia
Slovenia itself is pretty underrated when it comes to European travels. But if you’re going to Slovenia, you’re probably going to the postcard-perfect Lake Bled and/or the capital, Ljubljana. And while both of those places are amazing, there’s one more place that deserves your attention: Lake Bohinj. Just 30 minutes away from Lake Bled, Lake Bohinj is the less crowded and, in my opinion, more beautiful lake. It’s a stunning place to base yourself if you want to enjoy scenic walks around the lakeshore, hikes up the mountains and views of waterfalls.
Nuremberg, Germany
Before visiting Nuremberg in 2019, I only knew it as the city where the Nuremberg Trials took place. But there’s so much more to Nuremberg and I definitely think it’s an underrated European city worth visiting! There’s a ton of Nazi history to learn about at the courthouse, the documentation centre and the rallying grounds. And the rest of Nuremberg has a charming medieval vibe with beautiful churches, streets and a castle.
Antwerp, Belgium
Antwerp is the perfect place if you’re looking for a cute little city to spend a weekend. I last visited in 2018 for a very rainy three days. And I loved just walking around and checking out the old buildings, walking through the cute shops and buying a lot of Belgium chocolate. There’s also an awesome zoo (which I checked out on my first visit to Antwerp in 2014) and diamonds, if you’re into those. And don’t miss the train station – one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen!
Honourable mentions: Budapest, Stockholm & Bratislava
Three honourable mentions that didn’t quite make the cut but are still worth a visit:
- Budapest: Is Budapest underrated? Probably not. Most people know about it. But if visiting Europe just means London, Paris and Rome to you, I encourage you to head east and check out Budapest. There’s so much to see and do, and it’s way more affordable.
- Stockholm: While Stockholm isn’t affordable or unknown, I do think it’s so worth a visit. I don’t see it on many European itineraries but I think it’s the perfect place to spend a few days in the summer. Enjoy great museums, sightseeing and food!
- Bratislava: Most people say Bratislava is boring and you should skip it. Me? I say it deserves at least a day or two. You shouldn’t go out of your way to visit but if you’re in the area, it’s certainly worth a stop.
Plus 4 Overrated European Cities You Can Skip!
In my opinion, these four cities are way overhyped and don’t really need to be included in your European itinerary. But hey, that’s just me! You might find yourself totally in love with these places.
Nice, France
I visited Nice in 2012 on my very first trip to Europe. And it was…fine. You could even say it was nice. Honestly, Nice was a bit of a letdown. I remember sipping wine on the beach (in an overpriced beach chair I had to rent) and thinking, “Is this it?” If you want beautiful beaches or stunning coastlines, you won’t find the best in Nice. And if you want a charming small town or a glittery rich spot, you won’t find the best of those in Nice either. Nice is just okay. But I would head elsewhere in the south of France.
Milan, Italy
Milan is touted as the fashion capital of the world and often comes up on lists of international destinations you must visit amongst Tokyo and London. But my question is…why? Milan is kind of boring. There’s not actually a lot of fashion to enjoy, unless you have a big budget for shopping or meeting with designers. The Duomo is kind of cool and seeing the Last Supper painting is a good bucket list item. But besides that, get out of Milan and head to nearby Lake Como instead.
Geneva, Switzerland
Sadly, Geneva is the only place I’ve been to in Switzerland and I was not impressed. Geneva is just another city. It’s not that pretty, it’s not that historic and there isn’t a lot to do. It’s also incredibly expensive! I know Switzerland is an expensive place to be but usually you can justify the cost with beautiful scenery. Not the case in Geneva. We checked out the big fountain in the lake and visited the UN building and then we were bored (and broke).
Vienna, Austria
This one might be a bit controversial but I’m going to say it: Vienna is not worth the hype! I’m not saying don’t go (or maybe I am?). But I am saying you should lower your expectations. We first visited Vienna in July 2019 and it was kind of a letdown. I enjoyed the grounds of Schonbrunn Palace but that was about it. Since we were there in the summer we couldn’t check out the famous opera, choir or horse show. When we went back in December, I found the Christmas markets crowded and not nearly as charming as ones we’d see later in Salzburg. In my opinion, Salzburg over Vienna any day.
Honourable mentions: Dublin, Copenhagen & Munich
Three honourable mentions you might want to think twice about before visiting:
- Dublin: Most people who love Ireland love it for the charming small towns, friendly people and beautiful natural landscapes. You won’t find much of those in the capital city, Dublin. We enjoyed our time there but it wasn’t the best of Ireland by a long shot.
- Copenhagen: We didn’t have the best time in Copenhagen and felt let down by the food, the overhyped Nyhavn area and the sightseeing options. In fairness, we were there for about 12 hours so I’d be happy to give it another try.
- Munich: I’ve been to Munich twice and both times were pleasant enough, but I wouldn’t add it to an itinerary. There’s not a ton to see or do in Munich. It’s a nice enough place to admire the history, and a must for Oktoberfest, but other than that, I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit.
What about London, Paris and Rome?
You might be wondering where big cities like London, Paris, Rome, Prague or Barcelona are on my list. They’re not here! And that’s because while these cities definitely get a lot of hype, I actually think it’s warranted.
London is one of my favourite cities in the world. It’s easy to travel through, has amazing food and sights, and there’s so much to do (especially for West End theatre lovers like me!). Paris is a beautiful place to discover with some must-see sights. Is it crowded? For sure. Is it the perfect romantic destination? Not really. But it’s still worth the hype.
Rome is amazing! I know it’s busy but there truly is so much to see, do and eat. Barcelona, while also crowded, is home to some of the most incredible sights (hello, Gaudi!). And of course, I can’t say a bad word about Prague, my home for almost a year.
All of these places get a ton of hype and are certainly not underrated European cities. But I don’t think they’re overrated either! I think they live up to the hype and if you can travel in the shoulder season, find some hidden gems to discover and leave your huge expectations at the door, I think these places are worth visiting.
All right, who did I offend? Did I put your favourite on the overhyped list? Or did I miss a good candidate for the underrated list? Let me know in the comments below!
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Utrecht is sippose to be lovely I have heard very relaxed and friendly city.
Slovenia is somewhere I would love to go 👍
Hope you enjoy those spots when you get to them!
Thank you for your suggestions! Dresden really is a hidden gem. But we disagree on Vienna. The architecture is lovely, the food is tasty and there is so much to see and do that one trip was not enough for us. It’s great to see how preferences differ 🙂
Fair! I know my Vienna pick is pretty controversial!
Well, I definitely would like to check out your recommendations for underrated cites (I’ve only been to Nurmberg for the Christmas market decades ago), but I don’t agree that Vienna, Munich and Dublin are overrated at all. Everyone has their favorites. I absolutely love Madrid, and though Barcelona was just nice.
Hope you enjoy some of those underrated cities when you get to them! Love that everyone has different favourites!
I’ve just returned from Budapest and loved it.
Thinking of visiting Holland next so thanks for the tip on visiting Utrecht. 😀
Hope you have the best time!
When I saw Dublin I was thinking ooooh controversial, but then I agreed with you. The best of Ireland is outside cities. Not sure I agree on Vienna though. Loved it. But other than that I can’t fault your selection.
Thanks so much, John! Totally fair about Vienna!
Love an underrated destination! All of these look gorgeous too – Annecy has been on my radar for a while because it seems like a really pretty place.
It’s so beautiful – hope you enjoy it when you get there!
I will definitely be adding some of these to my list to visit, particularly Lake Como. I’ll probably have to wait until COVID calms down bit and my toddler is old enough to appreciate it. Thank you for a great post!
Thanks so much! I hope you and your family enjoy Lake Como one day!
I personally love visiting the underrated places as opposed to the bigger, more attracted areas. It is so incredible when misreading a ticket takes you somewhere new and beautiful and amazing; that is a memory. I like to travel for the memories and experience so thank you for sharing some lovely places to one day visit! Those vibrant fruits outside the Seville Cathedral are making hearts in my eyes. 💓
Thanks so much, Jaya! Always appreciate your heartfelt comments. I hope you get to see those Seville oranges in person one day!
I love this post. First of all, I haven’t been to enough of these fabulous cities. But that said I really want to visit a lot of them, especially Bratislava, Budapest and Nuremberg. Of your overrated cities I’ve been to Copenhagen which I liked but it was also many years ago in a school trip at age 18 so maybe that wasn’t the time to be appreciating travel. Agree on London and Paris, jury’s still out with me and Rome but I think that’s more down to bad experiences
Thanks so much for weighing in, Emma! I do want to give Copenhagen another try as we weren’t there for long enough. And I hear you on Rome. I’ve enjoyed it the two times I’ve been but I can see how it’s not for everyone.
Dublin yes right with you there. I’m surprised Prague didn’t make the ‘overrated’ list. An interesting read though and some places I’d like to go to on your recommendation.
Thanks, Glyn! I lived in Prague for about a year in 2019/2020 so it’s much too close to my heart to be overrated. I will say, the Old Town and touristy parts are not my favourite. But I’m certainly not writing off the city.
I would like to add a shout out for Thessaloniki, Greece. Definately underrated and not on most radars.
Ah, I haven’t visited Greece yet but can’t wait to and will put Thessaloniki on my list!
I agree with the underrated cities and having been to Nuremberg and Budapest, they deserve way more attention and visitors.
As for the overrated cities, we find the usual suspects but there are several more that were tourist traps and frankly, I regret going to them.
Those are European cities but will keep them anonymous so that no one gets offended!
Hope to go back to the Old Continent as soon as international travel is possible for us!
All the best
K 🙋♀️😉
Thanks so much for weighing in Karla! I’m curious about your picks for overrated cities but respect your choice not to name names 🙂
I absolutely love Nuremberg and Seeing all the history come to life. It is one of my favorite European cities. We have traveled through most of Austria but not Vienna yet. We hope to visit this corner along with Slovenia, Hungary and Slovakia.
Yes, Nuremberg is awesome! Hope you enjoy that corner of Europe when you make it there!
Ooh, it’s always tough for me to share my REAL perspective of cities – as I realize that ones that I love might not be someone’s cup of tea, and vice versa. So I applaud you for sharing yours. I’ve been to about half of the places on your list. And the other half are on my list. I think time of year and when you go has something to do with it too. If I went to some of these cities in peak travel season my experience would be completely different and likely change my perspective too. Shoulder or off-season is the only way I travel through Europe.
Oh yes, time of year is super critical! Most of these I did visit in shoulder or off-season, with the exception of Dresden, Stockholm and Vienna, I think. My favourite time to travel in Europe is probably fall!
I’ve been to Seville. Very beautiful city. Wish to visit the others in the future.
Absolutely love Seville!
Not sure I agree about Vienna – I was absolutely enchanted by it as a city.
But I am glad to see Utretcht on this list. It’s my favourite of the Dutch cities and a totally different vibe than the popular capital of Amsterdam.
Yes, Vienna is proving my most controversial pick. Glad you’re a fan of Utrecht too!
Antwerp and Utrecth are so underrated but by far two of my favorite European cities! We actually would love to move to Utrecth in the near future. Love the other mentions and maybe one day when we can travel again it will happen.
Aw living in Utrecht would be amazing! Hope that can happen for you one day!
Wow, I knew you were well-traveled, but I didn’t realize how many different countries you’ve been. I don’t think I’ve even been to as many restaurants, let alone countries. xD
Haha I’m in my mid-40s for countries – living in Europe for a year definitely helped!
I think with some of these places it’s best to get off the beaten track and away from the touristy stuff, experience what the locals see.
Absolutely!
I totally agree with you on Lake Como and Antwerp! And Geneva… I need to go back to Switzerland so I can visit some better destinations. It’s the only place I’ve been in Switzerland too because it was closest to Paris (where I lived at the time) but I didn’t realize how underwhelming it would be!
Same! Need to see another side of Switzerland!
Riana,
So many great places have been mentioned, I have been to most of them. I think that you hit a good one with Dresden that was a really fun 4 day weekend, lots to see and do. Stockholm is amazing, the Vasa museum is truly incredible; the coffee and cakes are to die for! I think that I had a much better time in Copenhagen than you did but we had a family member that lived there and took us to some great places. I think that some other good ones to mention would be Bergen, Norway; Bergen Auf Rugen, Germany, Thessaloniki, Greece; Dubrovnic, Croatia; Skopje, Macedonia; Sofia, Bulgaria; Strasbourg, France; Ciqua Terra, Italy. I feel like I could go on with so many amazing places that we have been fortunate to visit but those are some really good ones to look into. I was pretty unimpressed with Vienna as well, we went there for New Years’ and everything was pretty much shut down or open only for private parties. Completely let down and drove 9 hours through a blizzard to get there lol. P.S, lived in Germany for 3 years and Italy for 5 years. Been really fortunate to see all European countries except 5 or 6, can’t remember. Live life and wishing you the best travels!
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment, Doug! I really love hearing your perspective. I love your picks too! I haven’t been to all of them but will say that Dubrovnik and Cinque Terre definitely feel pretty over-touristed in the high season, so not sure if they’re as underrated anymore. And glad I wasn’t the only one who didn’t love Vienna! Happy travels to you too!
Seville! Top of our European To Do list that, somehow, we have not crossed off yet. 🙁 Big fans of Barcelona, though. Totally agree with everyone who disagrees on Vienna, but we also love Nice and Dublin. We find all those cities have plenty of interesting history and culture, a bit of adventure, good food, and connections to other notable cities, both under- and overrated.
Thanks, Rob & Ann! Seville is the best and I hope you make it there when you can. And totally fair about Vienna, Nice & Dublin. I would like to give some of those spots a second chance.
Seville, Nuremberg and Geneva were the ones on my list! I’ve always heard that Geneva is costly too so thanks for sharing that it’s been a little underwhelming, I would’ve been quite disappointed as I had high hopes 🙁
Thanks for sharing this.
Amy Jane x
Thanks for checking out the post! I hope you have a better time in Geneva than I did!
I agree with most of your list! However, I will defend Nice. 🙂
It’s all about the Old Town, obviously, which has tons of great eating and drinking options. Plus it’s so close to the promenade to walk off your beer & pasta.
But what I love most is that it’s the perfect Riviera base. Villefranche-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, Vence, St. Paul-en-Vence, Cannes, Monaco, and Menton are all short train rides, bus rides, or even reasonable walks away. So while I might eat a late dinner and sleep in Nice, I actually explore the entire Riviera throughout the day. That’s my key to Nice. 🙂
Ah, you paint a beautiful picture of a vacation on the French Riviera. I admit, I do need to give Nice and that region another chance!
Hi, what an amazing article! It perfectly illustrates how diverse and multifaceted travel can be. In my opinion, the key to enjoying any destination is knowing what you want to see or do. For instance, I absolutely love Vienna for its incredible museums, like the Albertina. However, Dublin was one of my biggest disappointments. A few weeks ago, we returned from Seoul, South Korea. While the city isn’t known for its architecture, which can feel a bit underwhelming, its cafes more than make up for it. There are countless adorable spots to explore, and visiting them was our main goal. We couldn’t be happier with the experience! That said, anyone traveling there with the intention of marveling at architectural wonders might be disappointed. For the past few years, we’ve been seeking out less well-known destinations. It’s definitely time-consuming to research these hidden gems, but it’s so worth it—no crowds, excellent value for money, and each place has its own unique charm. In contrast, I feel many of the more popular destinations have lost that special something.
Great travel philosophy! Definitely agree that destinations will appeal to different people based on their unique interests – beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so to speak. Glad you’ve been finding lots of under the radar spots to enjoy!