Europe’s tourist hotspots are popular for good reason, whether they're impressive ancient landmarks, sun-soaked beaches or world-famous galleries and museums. And if you visit at the right time of year – or even the right time of day – you might just be able to beat the crowds too. Here’s how to see the continent’s most popular destinations at their quietest.
The gorgeous walled city of Dubrovnik, famously a filming location for Game of Thrones, has been overwhelmed by travellers in recent years. At peak times up to 10,000 cruise passengers can descend on the city each day – although that number has now been capped at 4,000 as part of a tourism clamp down. To enjoy the destination with minimal crowds, stay in a hotel or B&B outside the city walls and wander the centre in the early morning or late evening, when the cruise passengers have either departed or not yet arrived. Alternatively, base yourself at an alternative destination on the Dalmatian coast, such as Cavtat, Slano or Ston.
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Visitors love London’s crimson buses and telephone boxes, its historic landmarks and its royal residences. But hotspots like Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and Oxford Street can be overrun with visitors at busy times of year, particularly in the height of summer and around Christmas. To enjoy the city with minimal crowds, avoid public transport at rush hour (weekdays from 7-10am and 4-7pm) and opt to walk instead, or visit in November, January or February, which broadly make up the low season.
The Tuscan city of Florence is among Italy's most popular destinations, and boasts an impressive array of Renaissance art and architecture as well as top-notch food and wine. As with many other hotspots, the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn are the best times to visit, while the winter offers lower prices and even fewer crowds – as long as you don’t mind cool temperatures. It’s also worth heading to the Uffizi gallery as soon as it opens, opting for boutique hotels rather than chains and looking out for restaurants frequented by locals.
Between the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre, Paris packs in plenty of stunning sights. Yet the City of Love doesn’t feel quite so romantic when you’re elbowing other tourists out of the way just to catch a glimpse of one of its attractions. To avoid the crowds, it’s best to miss the busy spring and summer periods and opt for a visit between October and March (excluding Christmas). It’s also worth visiting major attractions on weekday mornings, when most of the locals are at work, plus booking your tickets in advance.
Scotland’s capital oozes fairy-tale charm: think cobbled streets, hilltop fortresses and Gothic architecture. But it can be pretty packed around Christmas and New Year (domestic and international tourists alike flock to the city's famous Hogmanay fest in early January) and in the summer, especially in August when the city hosts the beloved Fringe performance festival. Escape the masses by planning a trip between February and April, when chilly temperatures are a worthwhile trade-off for crowd-free sightseeing.
Straddling the continents of Europe and Asia, Istanbul is filled with storied landmarks left behind by the various empires that have ruled the city down the centuries. The lively hub can get overwhelming when crowded, so it’s wisest to explore the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Grand Bazaar early in the mornings or on weekdays. You’d also do well to avoid the high season, which runs from June to September, and visit in spring and autumn instead. Temperatures are still warm during these seasons but visitor numbers are much lower.
Historic, romantic Rome has been popular with travellers for hundreds if not thousands of years – and few fail to be amazed by the frozen-in-time beauty of the Colosseum, Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. To marvel at these wonders without having to fight your way through crowds, it’s best to go between October and April, when you’ll be able to enjoy an emptier city and lower prices in hotels. The Colosseum is best visited first thing in the morning, while the Vatican offers late entry slots on Fridays between April and November, when it stays open until 11pm.
Delivering incredible scenery at every turn, Amsterdam is one of the most visited cities in Europe, which means it can get pretty congested at peak times. Do yourself a favour and visit during the quieter season between September and November, when temperatures still aren’t too chilly but the summer rush has died down. It’s also worth exploring the wider city beyond the centre, as well as making like the locals and travelling by bike when you can.
The Floating City is one of Europe’s most visited hubs, which has resulted in a constant battle with overtourism. Venice has banned cruise ships from docking in the historic centre, enacted a tourist tax and recently announced an online booking system to control the number of day-trippers. Despite these changes, it’s still absolutely rammed during summer. Enjoy a quieter holiday by visiting between October and February, or escape the downtown bustle by exploring nearby islands in the Venetian Lagoon like Burano, Torcello and Mazzorbo.
With its historic architecture, incredible food and Mediterranean climate, Barcelona is a great choice for a sun-splashed getaway. But the Spanish city is becoming a victim of its own success, with hordes of people blocking up major attractions. We recommend paying a visit between March and May, while it's also worth hitting the most popular sites early in the day, or even staying elsewhere in Catalonia and catching the train into the city.
Prague serves up bucketloads of charming medieval architecture, but sadly the stag and hen parties that frequent the city can, at times, taint that charm. The solution? Book a break here in either spring or early autumn, when you can enjoy mild temperatures and lower visitor numbers. It’s also worth looking for accommodation beyond the old town and visiting major attractions between Monday and Thursday to beat the weekend crowds.
Stunning opera houses, grand palaces and world-class galleries make the Austrian capital a firm European city break favourite. While travellers love the sunny weather that Vienna enjoys in the summer months, most don’t love how busy it can be. Avoid peak times by booking a trip in shoulder season – between April and May or September and October. Set your alarm early to reach landmarks before the day-trippers, or opt to go at sunset instead.
Although less overwhelmed by tourists than Venice and Rome, Milan can still feel swamped in the summertime, as well as during Fashion Week in September. It’s also worth bearing in mind that some attractions close for the week of Easter Sunday (9 April 2023) and at Christmas. With that in mind, the quietest time of year is from January to April, when you can also enjoy cut-price rates at hotels.
Some of the world's finest ancient ruins make Athens a history-lover’s dream, but the incredible sites lose a little of their appeal when you have to fight through crowds of other tourists just to snap a photo (and battle with relentless summer heat). To steer clear, it’s best to travel here in September and October, when the weather is still warm but visitor numbers are reduced. You could also check out lesser-known attractions like the National Archaeological Museum, the Kerameikos neighbourhood and the Hymettus mountain.
From the East Side Gallery to the Brandenburg Gate, there’s no shortage of stunning sights in the German capital. The best months to enjoy them are September to November – when the summer crowds have thinned but before winter has fully set in. We’d also recommend exploring underrated sights like the abandoned airport-turned-park at Tempelhofer Feld and the cool neighbourhoods of Kreuzberg and Neukölln.
Home to beautiful hilltop towns, rugged coastlines and plenty of beaches, the Amalfi Coast is high on many travel wish lists. But if battling crowds isn’t your thing, visit in the autumn or spring, when the weather’s still gorgeous (if a little milder). It’s also worth exploring by boat so you can stay away from clogged roads and walkways, or heading to the main towns later in the evening once the day-trippers have dispersed. And don’t just go to Positano – lesser-known towns like Praiano, Tramonti and Nerano are also well worth a visit.
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Known for its long literary tradition, historic architecture and of course the lively Temple Bar, Dublin receives a steady stream of tourists during the summer months, and sometimes creaks under the weight. Avoid the masses by heading to the city in shoulder season – from April to May and September to October – as well as checking out the most popular attractions midweek to skip the weekend crowds.
The Balearic island of Mallorca is a big draw for sun-seekers thanks to its spectacular coastlines, pristine beaches and balmy Mediterranean climate. To steer clear of the crowds while still enjoying the weather, opt to visit between March and May. We’d also recommend staying at one of the island’s lesser-known towns, such as Portocolom, Soller, Valldemossa or Deia, as Palma and other cities can get packed.
Brimming with medieval charm, Bruges attracts plenty of visitors with its cobbled streets and canals – so much so that it's sometimes called 'the Venice of the north'. You’ll want to steer clear of the peak seasons, which fall around summer and Christmas, and go in either May or September instead. Or if you’re desperate to see the city’s famous Christmas markets, go as soon as they open in November for slightly sparser crowds.
With temperatures rarely dipping below 12°C (54°F), Rhodes is pretty warm year-round, and you could happily see all its cultural and historic attractions without the crowds in winter. But if you’re planning to swim and lounge on the Greek island's famous beaches, opt for early autumn when the weather (and the ocean) remain relatively toasty.
Tourism has exploded in Iceland in recent years, bringing unsightly crowds to sites like the Blue Lagoon, Gullfoss waterfall and the capital city of Reykjavik. May and September offer manageable weather conditions, lower prices and reduced crowds compared to high summer, making these shoulder season months the ideal time to visit.
Another Greek island loved (and sometimes overrun) by tourists is Crete, where you can expect popular beaches to be bursting with sun-seekers in July and August. Crete is another destination best visited in shoulder season: you’ll enjoy temperatures ranging from 20°C to 27°C (68°F to 80°F), paired with quieter towns and lower prices. Consider exploring the charming mountain villages and serene bays of Western Crete to avoid the most-trodden bits of the tourist trail.
The Estonian capital is home to one of the best-preserved Hanseatic old towns in the world, making it a popular destination for lovers of history and culture. Yet the Baltic city is also a stop on many cruise routes, meaning it can be overrun with hordes of people in summer. Plan a trip in spring or autumn to beat the crowds, or if you must visit in peak season, head to major attractions as early in the day as you can.
Situated on the French Riviera, Nice has long been beloved by tourists thanks to its stunning beaches, charming old town and swanky bars and restaurants. Visit in the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn to enjoy thinner crowds and still-beach-worthy temperatures, or opt for the even quieter winter period if cultural and historic attractions are your main priority. It’s also worth booking hotels and restaurants in advance, avoiding eateries offering a 'menu touristique' (tourist menu) and exploring other towns along the Cote d’Azur.
Famous the world over for its dazzling blue and white houses cascading down the cliffs, there’s no denying Santorini’s beauty. So it’s only right to do these views justice – and ease the island's overtourism problem – by visiting during the shoulder seasons of September to October and April to May. It might seem counterintuitive, but it’s worth staying in the ultra-popular village of Oia. Go elsewhere during the day and then enjoy the town late at night and early in the morning when the day-trippers have dispersed.
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