Underrated European Cities To Visit Now

First time travelers to Europe choose well-known cities such as Paris, Rome, and Barcelona. However, the continent is full of hidden gems! We have discovered some vibrant cities that you can explore without fighting crowds. If you are planning a Eurotrip, you should consider stopping in some of these underrated European cities!

Slovenia probably isn’t on your radar, and you may have difficulty pronouncing the name of its capital city. However, Ljubljana is one of the nicest cities we have visited in years! 

The “City of Dragons” looks like something out of a fairy tale. It is surrounded by majestic mountains, the Julian Alps. It has a historic castle, a meandering river, and a bridge guarded by bronze dragons. Stroll along pedestrian-only streets, admiring the beautiful architecture and landscapes. Our favorite sites were the Triple Bridge across Ljubljanica River⁩⁦, The (pastel pink!) Franciscan Church of the Annunciation, the Slovenian Philharmonic Building, and The University of Ljubljana. 

If you are a nature lover, Ljubljana is the perfect place. In fact, it has been ranked as one of Europe’s greenest capital cities. You can spend hours in Tivoli Park enjoying the gardens, water features, and picnic areas. It boasts over five square kilometers of green space. 

We love to eat and drink, so we were thrilled to find an active café culture in Ljubljana. There are dozens of coffee shops, bars, and restaurants along the river that offer alfresco dining. The highlight of our trip was our dinner at Tavarneta Bistro, a small wine bar in the old town. We sampled house-made sparkling, white, and red wines while we ate decadent dishes such as escargots, aged Parmesan cheese, and steak tartare. We were amazed by the quality of the food and wine, and really appreciated the personal attention we (and our dog) received from the sommelier and chef. 

While it has a lovely historic zone, we should be clear that Ljubliana is not stuck in the past. The city has lots of modern office buildings, hotels, and transportation systems. You will find everything from fine dining, to hipster fast food joints (we highly recommend SMASH Ljubljana). In addition to delicious Slovenian wines, you will find a craft beer scene rivaling some American cities. 

Even if you are not a seasoned traveler, you will feel welcome in Ljubliana. Almost everyone in the city speaks English, Slovenia uses the Euro, and the weather is pleasant most of the year.

Aware that Albania is one of the poorest countries in Europe, we had fairly low expectations when we visited its capital city. However, we were shocked with how hip and modern Tirana is. The metropolitan city has a youthful energy, a thriving bar scene, and some quirky museums/art spaces. 

The architecture in Tirana is a mixed bag. Obviously, you will encounter stark Soviet buildings from Albania’s Communist era, but you will also see colorful modern structures such as the Air Albania Stadium. Et’hem Bey Mosque is an impressive example of Ottoman architecture. We also recommend sipping tea under the beautiful stained-glass dome at the neoclassical Xheko Imperial hotel. 

A trip to Tirana is more about experiencing the local culture, as opposed to visiting tourist attractions. But one unmissable site is the famous concrete Pyramid of Tirana — where you can climb one of 16 staircases and get great photos of the city. If you are an art lover, you may also want to see Reja “The Cloud,” a modern art installation created by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto. History buffs interested in learning more about Albania’s Communist past, should consider visiting Bunk’Art 1 and 2. These nuclear bunkers built during Enver Hoxha’s dictatorship are now museums open to the public. 

The highlight of our Tirana visit was the meal we had at LIFT Steak & Rooftop Bar. It is a trendy indoor/outdoor space with nice views, delicious food, and a young, well-dressed clientele. If you are a foodie, you should also check out Mullixhiu, which is mentioned by The World’s 50 Best. You will find gourmet farm-to-table dishes in a rustic cabin-like setting. 

Bratislava is a delightful city that you can explore in a day or two. The easily walkable city center has gorgeous historic buildings such as the Slovak National Theatre, Primacial Palace, Slovak Philharmonic, and our personal favorite, The Church of St. Elizabeth AKA The Blue Church. The lovely blue and white house of worship looks like it is made of Wedgwood china! If you feel like a bit of a climb, you should also check out Bratislava Castle. The striking red and white fortress is perched elegantly on a hill overlooking the Danube river. 

Bratislava is also home to a more modern structure called the UFO. A smaller version of the Space Needle in Seattle or the CN Tower in Toronto, it is essentially a circular bar/restaurant with spectacular views of the city. If you have been reading our blog for a while, you will know that we love traveling with our dog. It is rare to find pet-friendly tourist attractions, and we were pleasantly surprised to find that we could bring our pup up to the UFO observation deck and bar! 

Cocktail connoisseurs will also enjoy a night in the Slovakian capital because #90 on The World’s Best Bars list is Mirror Bar in Bratislava. We enjoyed creative cocktails inspired by the city’s history, some of its famous visitors, and the bar’s home-grown herbs and plants. The dog friendly bar is an intimate space, boasting incredible service (including welcome champagne). It serves visually stunning cocktails that taste as good as they look!

Bratislava is a popular stop for river cruises, so it is a very approachable city. With lots of English speakers and easy to navigate roads, it is a great destination for first time travelers. If you are visiting nearby Vienna, we suggest you drive the hour or so to discover the charms of Slovakia’s largest city. 

Architecture enthusiasts may be shocked to learn that the most Art Nouveau buildings in Europe are located not in Paris, Vienna, or Brussels, but in Riga! In the “quiet center” of Riga (specifically along Alberta Street) you will see incredible facades dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. 

Nearby, on the narrow, cobbled-stone streets of its UNESCO World Heritage old town, you will find historic churches alongside modern bars and cafés. Despite its wealth of medieval and Art Nouveau architecture, Riga is a modern tech hub popular with start-ups. This Baltic capital is tranquil compared to other European cities. It is full of parks, pedestrian-friendly squares, picnic areas, and boat tours. 

Its top tourist sites include, the House of the Black Heads, Latvian National Opera, and Latvian National Museum of Art. However, a must-see is the Riga Central Market. It is one of Europe’s largest markets and is housed in former WWII zeppelin hangars. You can shop for fresh fish, fruits, vegetables, spices, honey, nuts, and other local delicacies. 

We visited in the summer, but apparently Riga is especially wonderful during the Christmas season. The city boasts one of the best holiday markets in the Baltics, and even claims to have invented the Christmas tree.

Riga is affordable, easy to get around, and tourist friendly. If you have a chance to visit, make sure to do so!

Sometimes capital cities are the best, but that is not always the case. While we enjoyed our trip to Lisbon, we much preferred Portugal’s second-largest city, Porto. The city straddles the Douro River, and both banks have lovely places to visit. 

One cannot discuss Porto without mentioning Port wine. This sweet fortified wine is the perfect pairing for any dessert, and is delicious on its own. To learn about the fortification process and history of port production, you should visit one of the large houses such as Taylor’s, Sandeman’s, Cockburn’s, or Dow’s. However, Porto has a variety of cellars with impressive dessert wines. Some of our favorites include Ramos Pinto, Porto Cruz, and Kopke. You can start with introductory tours, but once you fall in love with port, you should shell out for a more in-depth tasting experience. For example, at Graham’s, We tried 10, 20, and 30-year aged tawny ports, as well as some vintages favored by Winston Churchill himself.  

Once you have drunk enough Port, spend some time seeing the sites in Porto. The Capela das Almas “Chapel of Souls” is a lovely church with an exterior made entirely of “azulejos” (Portugal’s famous blue and white painted tiles). Those with a green thumb will love walking through the Jardins do Palacio de Cristal to see its rose gardens, fountains, and free-roaming peacocks. Porto is also home to one of the coolest bookshops in the world, Livraria Lello. Its neo-Gothic features allegedly inspired J. K. Rowling while she was writing her Harry Potter books.

If you have had enough site-seeing, simply chill out at a café or restaurant along the Ribeira Waterfront. The city has a great culinary and nightlife scene that will keep you entertained for days.

Europe is a continent with such diverse cultures. It would be a shame to only see its most famous cities. Next time you head to the continent, be sure to check out some of the foregoing lesser-known or underrated European destinations.

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