A European summer is always a good idea. Whether you are inspired by the prose of James Baldwin, or you’re looking for endless nights spent clubbing, there’s a certain pure bliss about the continent’s sunniest season. Though we’d be remiss not to caution you about the reality of packed streets, bars heaving with patrons, and restaurants where scoring a reservation is all but a myth. When it comes to the most popular European destinations, the bane of everyone having the same idea is a scenario we know all too well.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to write off the hotspots altogether, but it is worth considering those B-side destinations where you can clink spritzes with your partner in the privacy of your very own stretch of the beach. Alternative destinations are on the up-and-up—#dupe or #dupes amassed hundreds of thousands of posts on TikTok as part of the surging interest. Below, our editors have put forward their favorite hidden gems and boltholes to escape to for a European summer.
Ourense, Spain
Over 2,000 years ago, Romans set base in Ourense, Galicia where they would plunge into hot springs after gladiatorial combat. Now, the city is a slightly quieter alternative to Spain’s more touristy destinations, and locals recommend those very thermal baths—like Termas a Chavesqueira or Termas Outariz—as a way to unwind. A hike up to Miradoiro de Montealegre brings sprawling views of the city below, where Ourense’s gastronomic scene is mapped out from one tapas bar to another. Amble through the Catedral, sip coffee at Plaza Mayor and feast on steaming-hot croquetas de jamón at the ironically English-sounding Camden restaurant. Although summer months in Ourense beats swathes of tourists elsewhere, return in February for the week-long and much-awaited Carnaval, when streets bustle and beam with dancers, singers, parades—all attendees adorned colorfully in traditional dress. —Anoushka Dutta
Where to stay: Barceló Ourense is a four-star favorite located between Ponte Vella bridge and the old town.
