Recent surveys show that young travelers are increasingly choosing quieter and unexplored destinations over popular tourist locations. When planning a vacation in 2025, people are paying attention to calm cities. Find out which tourist destinations in Europe are the most underrated and where young travelers choose to travel

Young tourists tend to explore lesser-known places in Europe, showing less interest in tourist destinations. Although Spain and France remain popular destinations, their tourist attractions are no longer the most popular destinations.

Where do tourists plan to travel in 2025? The ranking of the most popular countries to travel and the top underrated tourist destinations in Europe are further in this article.

The most popular countries for travel in Europe

According to a study by the European Tourist Commission (ETC), it can be said that the younger generation is more interested in traveling than older people. In general, 84% of respondents in the United Kingdom, 79% of respondents in Germany and 78% in France plan to travel in the next 3 months. Compared to the same period in 2023, respondents from these three countries showed an increased interest in travel.

France and Spain remain the most popular countries for travel, Italy, Germany, Austria and Greece also made it to the rating.

In addition, more than half of respondents (51%) said they want to travel to less popular destinations to avoid overcrowded areas.

Top 10 Underrated Travel Destinations in Europe to Travel in 2025

While many places on the European continent struggle with over-tourism, these forgotten destinations await their explorers.

Ulcinj, Montenegro

Montenegro is becoming increasingly popular with international tourists, competing well with the popular Croatia. In the summer, the streets of Kotor and Budva were crowded with tourists, but there are some truly fabulous and underrated cities in this Mediterranean country, and among them is Ulcinj. Located on the southern edge of the country, Ulcinj is the center of Albanian culture in Montenegro and has a different atmosphere to the more famous places in the north. The old town of Ulcinj is perhaps the most distinctive place in the country, and its beaches provide the perfect seaside holiday.

While in Ulcinj, be sure to visit the exciting cinema-cafe to experience an authentic taste of culture.

Jerez, Portugal

The Peneda-Jeres National Park, located in the north of Portugal, impresses visitors with its inviolability. It is part of UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves, an organization that works to protect, enhance and promote the natural heritage of regions around the world.

There is truly something to see in this park, home to thousands of animal species, including roe deer, wild Garrano ponies, wolves and birds of prey. In remote villages you can meet friendly locals and visit some of the best restaurants in the region, where traditional dishes are prepared with local products.

Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Plovlid is a favorite vacation spot among Bulgarians, but not at all known to international travelers. The second largest city in Bulgaria attracts a number of historical monuments and curiosities. Travelers are also fascinated by local cuisine and drinks.

Plovdiv's Old Town is a gorgeous maze of cobbled streets with stories around every corner, but the crown jewel is the immaculately preserved ancient Roman theater of Philippopolis, which towers proudly above the city.

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Tartu, Estonia

Tartu is one of the three cultural capitals of Estonia in 2024. It is a creative and intellectual place in the Baltics, and the main city life here revolves around the prestigious university of the 17th century. During your trip to the city, wander its streets in search of experimental architecture. Highlights of Tartu include the National Archives, which combines Scandinavian and Baltic influences with a postmodern exterior, and the spiraling, Neolithic Snail Tower.

The best time to visit Tartu is winter, because in December it turns into a real "Christmas city", which lights up the dark nights with twinkling glass huts and ice rinks. In the summer, the city is captivated by open-air festivals, including the romantic film festival Tartuff and the IDeeJazz festival.

Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Banja Luka is the least visited Serbian territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The lack of tourist traffic here means you can admire the Orthodox Cathedral of Christ the Savior and the Ferhadiya Mosque at your leisure. Tourists are also attracted by the panoramas of the Roman fortress of Castel and the facades of the Habsburgs.

Many lively terraces in the cafe will impress connoisseurs of gastrotourism and allow them to enjoy delicious Balkan cuisine. Accessibility emphasizes all areas of hospitality, and despite the lack of a large number of foreign visitors, English is well known here.

Dordrecht, Netherlands

Dordrecht is a city that is not inferior to the center of Amsterdam in terms of history and picturesqueness. However, there are not so many tourists here. That is why Dordrecht is an ideal place for a short vacation in the Dutch city. This medieval harbor is located on a wide bend of the river Oude-Meuse. Dordrecht Museum preserves many works of old masters.

Landes, France

Landes is located between Bordeaux in the north and the Basque Country in the south. 65% of Le Land is covered with maritime pines, the smell of which is truly amazing. With more than 100 km of Atlantic coastline and several large lakes, the region is ideal for travelers looking for outdoor activities. You can go surfing, kitesurfing and rowing here. There are also more than 300 km of bicycle paths.

The small town of Dax is famous for its spas, or you can also relax among the vineyards in the east of the region.

Levi, Finnish Lapland

For the cleanest snow and freshest air, head to Levi in ​​Finland. This small arctic town in Finnish Lapland is filled with quaint wooden houses and presides over Finland's most popular ski slopes, which celebrate 20 years of hosting the FIFA World Cup in Leo this winter.

A two-hour drive north of Rovaniemi, the regional capital and home of Santa Claus, Levi has reindeer farms, snowshoeing and dog sledding tours, and the unique Halipuu Forest, where you can swing in a hammock among the trees before enjoying a drink near campfire latte flavored with forest herbs.

You can watch the aurora borealis in Leo in the summer: from August, when the nights are darker, they can be seen as far north.

The world is interesting and unusual, filled with wonderful places even far outside the popular tourist spots, so choose the best destinations and go on interesting trips.

We will remind you! November is one of the least popular months of the year for travel, because it is considered that in many "beach" countries it is already too cold for swimming, and the Christmas markets have not yet opened. However, this is not the case, there are quite a few places in the world to travel in the off-season. We have already told where it is hot in November.

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