TRAVEL | ONLINE SPECIAL

In Europe, 63 destinations
off the beaten path
Considering a trip to Europe? Look past the crowds and hefty price tag of Europe's usual suspects and venture onto a road less traveled.

Beyond Rome, Paris, London and the like, Europe offers a vast and varied cache of history, beauty and culture. The landscapes of France's Barbizon inspired 19th century artists. Cappadocia's rock-hewn monasteries, a UNESCO World Heritage site, blend Turkey's natural history with religious lore. Zagreb, past Croatia's decades of conflict, is blossoming into a vibrant and colorful capital city.

FEATURED SPOTS

Slovenia
Barbizon, France
Lipari, Italy
Iceland's countryside
A rich Balkan resource of Roman, Greek and Byzantine culture.


Culturally flavored by Spain, it's a place where people stay up late and know how to party.

Vibrant music and museums emerge as the capital tests its wings as a modern metropolis.

A picturesque Western European crossroads that beckons travelers in all seasons.

Hay on Wye
A place where bibliophiles flock each year to celebrate the written word.

Giant's Causeway
A formation made of 40,000 black basalt columns jutting out of the ocean.

Come here for the good exchange rate; stay for the shopska salad.


Zagreb
After decades of conflict, the capital of Croatia shows off its colors and vibrancy.

Hvar
Locals feel like they're on a permanent vacation and relaxation rules.

This quaint Bohemian village is barely more than a handful of houses on a bend in the road.

While the Baltic city's modern quarters may be lacking in charm, Old Tallinn makes up for it.

For fans of Alvar Aalto, Marimekko, the Saarinens and other design icons, this is the place.

Barbizon
Prominent 19th century artists were drawn to this village by its beauty.

Verdun
The city is famous for sugar-coated almonds and for its World War I battlefield.

The city has been rebuilt since the war, but remnants of its Nazi past linger.

Most visitors think Reykjavik is Iceland's hottest ticket, but it's the countryside many visitors find bracing.

Galway City
A compelling metropolis that hugs the immense bay celebrated in song.

Skibbereen
Here, the buildings are as colorful as the flowers crowded into every window box.

Campania region
Here you'll find real mozzarella: silky-soft cheese from buffalo milk.

Siena
It stretches over three steep hills in the heart of the Chianti region of Tuscany.

Riga
It's the largest of the Baltic capitals. In many ways, it's also the prettiest.

Jurmala
It's a 20-mile chain of beaches on the Gulf of Riga not far from the Latvian capital.

A little German-speaking principality tucked into the Alps between Switzerland and Austria.

Now a member of the European Union, Vilnius is rewriting its modern history.

It looks so much like its neighbors that you'd miss it altogether if you didn't know it was there.

Drive-through wine caves and a countryside full of grapevines in the former Soviet republic.

This luxurious and lovely principality has hosted the Grand Prix since 1929 (block your ears).

It may lack polish, but its serene setting and prices make a trip to the Balkans well worth it.

Known for its Nobel ceremony, skiing and 'Scream,' it's a cosmopolitan city of contradictions.

The city is nuts about Chopin, who died in Paris but left instructions for his heart to be returned to Warsaw.

Transylvania
In a land of such vast beauty, darkness can come in shades of gray.

Danube River
The majestic, meandering river ends in a lush Romanian delta.

The city has 316 bridges, 42 islands, 93 rivers and canals, 126 museums and 65 theaters.

It's the world's oldest republic, based on its founding in the early part of the 4th century.

The city's past is visible in bombed-out buildings left unrepaired, but the vibe is hip, not tragic.

With idiosyncratic vintners and their experimental methods, the region is getting hotter by the minute.

Barcelona
It's a city of friendly people, great food, museums and xocolata.

Catalonia
Wild hunts, tasting menus, a museum and a festival -- they're all devoted to Catalonia.

While it may not be comfortable, sleeping in an ice room is an unforgettable experience.

Zurich
Every April, the people of Zurich send winter packing with Sechseläuten.

Vals
High in the Swiss Alps, Vals focuses on the natural in its bathhouse.

Cappadocia is known for the unusual fairy-tale-like rock formations that bespeckle the region.

The World Heritage Site is home to more than half of Ukraine's architectural treasures.

The home of the Vatican Museum is filled with Renaissance treasures.