Mallorca, Spain
https://wildbeeoutdoors.co.uk/mallorca-without-a-car-hiking-the-gr221/
https://exploredbymarta.com/travel/spain/beautiful-places-in-mallorca-spain/
https://bucketlistbums.com/single-post/mallorca/
Zadar, Croatia
From https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/dec/13/travel-writers-top-25-favourite-travel-discoveries-europe-2025 What I discovered was a Croatia without the crowds, a pretty walled city and lots of kid-friendly (and free) things to do. Without spending a bean, we explored the Old Town – wandering along the city walls, enjoying the Sea Organ – an experimental musical instrument on the front that plays notes as the waves move in and out of its underwater pipes – and dancing at sunset on the Greeting to the Sun installation, a 22-metre wide circle of solar panels that harness energy during the daytime, then, when night falls, create an environmentally friendly light show that keeps kids of all ages entertained.
For just a few euros, we took a ferry over to Ugljan Island, where we swam in the sea at Preko and climbed to the summit of the fort, parts of which date back to the sixth century, for views over to Italy. Then, before we left, we ventured to Vrana Lake nature park to kayak amid some of the 260 species of birds that call the place home.
Silba, Croatia
I didn’t know much about Silba before I arrived (on a catamaran from Zadar) – it’s a small, car-free island with no hotels, just family-run guesthouses. You can walk on shaded paths through olive groves, find quiet pebble coves with clear water for swimming and climb the Toreta tower at sunset for great views of the Adriatic. My tip: bring a snorkel, stay at least two nights and be sure to book your return ferry in advance, as schedules are limited.
Mljet, Croatia
It’s only a few miles off the coast of Dubrovnik and its cruise-ship crowds, but Mljet feels like another world. Pine forests dip into turquoise bays, an ancient monastery sits on a tiny islet in the middle of a lake, and there’s hardly a sound beyond cicadas and the wind. I stayed in a simple family-run cottage just outside the national park, where evenings meant grilled fish on the terrace and nights under skies thick with stars. Days were spent kayaking across mirror-still water and walking through pine-scented trails where I rarely met another soul. It felt like stepping into a corner of Europe the 21st century has politely passed by.
Zagreb & Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
Most people who head to Croatia dash straight to the coast, but a step back from the Adriatic is the Unesco World Heritage site Plitvice Lakes national park. Against the backdrop of the karstic Dinaric Alps, the park has mineral-rich springs, cascading falls, caves and lakes that glitter jade, aquamarine, ink-blue and turquoise. Brown bears, wild boar, lynx and wolves prowl the old-growth beech and fir forests, and clouds of blue-winged butterflies bring a fairytale touch in summer. For a true flavour of the park, bring binoculars and follow the 11-mile Route K, a full-day hike that knits together all 16 of the lakes.
How to do it From Zagreb, buses and FlixBus coaches run frequently to Plitvička Jezera in just over two hours. There are lots of traditional stone-and-wood villas where you can spend the night, including Villa Verde (doubles from £93 B&B).
Madeira, Portugal
5h flight from CPH
Cassis, France
From https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/may/04/self-guided-walk-in-france-provence-cassis
30 min drive from Marseille
Behind Cassis beach, the castle-topped cliffs glint red-gold in the late afternoon sun. Couples stroll on the sand, kids play on the carousel, pastel-coloured buildings reflect in the still waters of the old harbour. In the main square, lined by plane trees, a group of elderly men concentrate on a game of petanque. It’s a charming slice of Provençal life, a world away from the Cote D’Azur’s more glitzy hotspots. In summer, tourists flock to the narrow streets and pretty coast, but off season the buzz is gentler, with weekenders feasting on bouillabaisse along the water’s edge.
Calanques National Park
https://www.lelongweekend.com/calanques-national-park-marseille-cassis/
https://www.marseille-tourisme.com/en/discover-marseille/nature/the-calanques-of-marseille/
Gorges du Verdon, France
Camping du Montdenier is an idyllic, isolated spot in the mountains just above the Gorges du Verdon. You can spend days relaxing in the surrounding hills and lavender fields, or take advantage of the mountain biking, horse riding and paragliding on offer near the site. When you fancy a bit more life, take a trip down to one of the restaurants in Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, a beautiful village that sits beneath limestone cliffs and is famous for its pottery. For the more adventurous, Verdon is the birthplace of sport climbing, or you can stay closer to the ground on a day trip canoeing down the gorge.
Avignon, France
From https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2025/sep/28/six-of-the-best-stress-free-european-breaks-by-train
Just 10 minutes in a taxi from Avignon TGV station, Le Moulin d’Aure is a charmingly restored mas (farmhouse) on the edge of the village of Graveson. The best of the 19 bedrooms have balconies or terraces overlooking the olive trees, while in the large garden there’s a pool and plenty of quiet corners. Local bike hire companies can deliver bikes for the 30-minute ride to pretty Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, with its Wednesday morning market. This is where Vincent Van Gogh was a patient in the Saint-Paul de Mausole psychiatric hospital after cutting off part of his left ear. It is where he painted The Starry Night, among other works, and there’s a signposted tour around town, taking in landscapes that inspired the artist.
Back at Le Moulin, its Italian restaurant Tutti Quanti dishes up fresh pasta beneath the pergola, while for more variety Graveson, 15 minutes’ walk away, has a handful of restaurants on its long central square.
Mont Saint-Michel & Saint Malo, France
Explore gourmet boutiques along the cobbled streets, such as the Epices Roellinger, a spice emporium with products sourced from around the world; visit Beurre Bordier for hand-churned butter flavoured with Madagascan vanilla or yuzu; and then dip into Maison du Sarrasin for all things buckwheat, from pasta to beer.
Along the coast at Cancale (there are buses for car-free travellers), the Mont-Saint-Michel is on the horizon and freshly caught oysters are sold at the seafront market; just swig them back and toss the shells on the beach.
Roscoff, France
The history of the Onion Johnnies, Breton farmers and labourers who travelled across the Channel to sell pink onions door-to-door, is told at the small Maison des Johnnies museum. The impressive Roscoff Exotic and Botanical Garden, overlooking Morlaix bay, is home to exotic plants from the southern hemisphere.
For a mini-voyage, take the 15-minute ferry to the Île de Batz, hire a bike on the quayside and cycle across the gentle rolling countryside, stopping at the lighthouse, white-sand beaches and the Georges Delaselle Garden. The Crêperie du Phare makes a good pit stop for refuelling.
Cefalu, Sicily, Italy
Forty miles east of Palermo, the magnificent Sicilian resort town of Cefalù juts out beneath dramatic cliffs. The town has a perfect half-moon beach of golden sands melding into the gorgeous clear turquoise sea. Medieval lanes of stones in a diamond pattern lead up to a lively square offering great Italian food. It’s fronted by a beautiful Norman cathedral with twin towers and Byzantine mosaics inside.
Naples & surroundings, Italy
From: https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2024/oct/28/late-winter-sun-naples-pompeii-italy
Piran, Slovenia
From As I weaved my way through coach-party day trippers, my initial suspicions dissipated. I came to swim, but Piran offered so much more. Venetian squares provided a delicately ornate backdrop, while cobbled passageways housed bustling seafood restaurants, serving the day’s catch. The majestic Adriatic was made manageable by concrete diving platforms, fit for all ages. Naša Pekarna stocked delightfully crisp and filling böreks, and the bar/cafe Pri Starcu – owned by Patrik Ipavec, a former Slovenia international footballer – married warm hospitality with ice-cold beer and delicious early evening refreshments.
Corsica, France
Our favourite beach in Europe is Plage de Péru on Corsica. It can be reached by a pleasant downhill walk from the village of Cargèse, established by descendants of Greek immigrants from the Mani peninsula in the 18th century. However, we were lucky enough to have direct access from the Hotel Thalassa, a sleepy hotel with balconies and a leafy garden facing the turquoise waters. There may be better beaches on Corsica but this one is perfect for swimming and never seems to get busy. You can spend a day walking from the beach to the local Genoese tower, then return and grab a seat at one of the beach pailottes where you can eat and drink while watching the sunset.
Toulouse, France
Eurostar to Paris, then the TGV to Toulouse for saucisse and architectural and historical delights; next, the slow train to Bayonne, gazing at the Pyrenees as the train trundles past Lourdes, and on to the French Basque coast; then the TGV back up to Paris. City, gastronomy, mountains and beach all in one.
Procida, Italy
Procida, in the Bay of Naples, is not as famous as nearby Capri and Ischia, but is all the more appealing for it. Not a tourist trap but an island where people actually live, it’s a delightful slice of unhurried Italian life. It’s small enough to explore on foot or by bicycle, and there is a bus service too. There are many pretty little beaches for swimming, sunbathing and picnicking – our favourite was Il Postino, where scenes from the movie of the same name were filmed. As people still fish for a living, there’s no shortage of wonderfully fresh seafood in the restaurants. Villa Caterina B&B’s orchard of lemon and orange trees provides fresh juice and marmalade for breakfast, and the rooms have views of the island and the bay, with Vesuvius looming in the distance and Naples only 45 minutes away by ferry.
Belgrade, Serbia
Cordoba, Spain
Malaga, Spain
Barcelona, Spain - Parc Natural del Montseny
Just 40 miles from Barcelona lies a Unesco biosphere reserve, its peaks more than a thousand feet higher than Ben Nevis. The Montseny massif’s thick Mediterranean oak forests rise on all sides as you follow the single road threading its way up the horseshoe-shaped valley. About halfway up is the village of Montseny itself. Stop for a hike on any of the trails, followed by an ice-cream at Can Manel, a small bar with a big terrace and enormous views.
Athens, Greece
Craggy coves and sandy bays make up the resplendent mix that is the Athens Riviera. So it was that at the end of an autumn day I found myself with a not unpleasant question: where to head to soothe bones still aching for a last splash of summer sun. For Athens offers something that other European cities cannot: a coastline of more than 40 miles dotted with beaches many a Greek island would covet.
Out of season, the shores of Attica still have a magnetic allure, as I discovered when swimming into a fading sun across the bay of Vouliagmeni. For those seeking rejuvenation in marine blue waters primed to turn orange pink as the sun sets, bathing off one of the Riviera’s public or private beaches does not disappoint.
With sea salt still clinging to my skin, I sat at Sardelaki, a tavern whose Mediterranean fare is as good as the spectacular view of the bay it sits on. In a nod to times past, the meze is served on large wooden trays.
Athens is as celebrated for its hills as its coastline: natural elevations within view of the Acropolis that make it a treasure trove for amblers when temperatures are cooler. For those who want to escape a metropolis that sprawls across almost 200 square miles, these rocky outcrops – bearers of fabulous names such as the Hill of the Nymphs and the Hill of the Muses – are a must.
In my view, this ancient capital is also Europe’s most soulful and sublime. If you reach the top of Mount Lycabettus, the city’s highest point, either by foot or on the funicular rail car, the reward is a spectacular vista of the entire Argo-Saronic Gulf and the islands beyond.
If you want to stay centrally, the ancient Plaka district remains the best base. The old-school Adrian hotel has doubles looking on to the northern face of the Acropolis from about £120 B&B. In the same area, Zorbas is a favourite restaurant with locals and serves the most succulent lamb chops. With views of the Acropolis, Athens’ rooftop restaurants are wonderfully atmospheric and perfect for warm autumn evenings – for a real treat head to Kuzina or the Michelin‑starred Macris.