Everyone knows Paris. Everyone knows Rome. And honestly, good for them. But Europe has so many destinations that do not make the standard tourist list and are genuinely better for it. No overwhelming crowds, no hour long queues to see one painting, just beautiful places that actually let you breathe. These five are the ones worth knowing about right now, before everyone else figures it out.
2. Ljubljana, Slovenia: Vander Urbani Resort
Malta is one of those places that surprises people every single time. Valletta is the smallest capital city in the European Union and somehow packs more history, colour, and personality into its streets than cities ten times its size. The Baroque architecture, the harbour views, the tiny cafe balconies overlooking the water, and the food scene which is a genuinely delicious mix of Sicilian and North African influence. It is warm, it is walkable, and it is one of the most photogenic cities in Europe that nobody is talking about enough.
The Phoenicia Malta is a five star property that has been the grandest address on the island since 1947. The gardens, the pool, and the views over the city walls make it one of those hotels where you check in and immediately feel like you made the right call. Hotelusso members who want Mediterranean charm without the crowds of the Amalfi Coast will find Malta handles both effortlessly.
2. Ljubljana, Slovenia: Vander Urbani Resort
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and it is genuinely one of the loveliest cities in Europe that most people could not point to on a map. The old town is car free, the river runs right through the centre, the castle sits on the hill above everything, and the cafe culture along the Ljubljanica river is the kind of thing you sit down for one coffee and four hours later you are still there. The food scene has also quietly become one of the most interesting in Central Europe.
Vander Urbani Resort is a boutique five star property right in the heart of the old town, converted from a row of historic buildings with a rooftop terrace that looks straight up at the castle. Small, personal, and genuinely beautiful. This is the kind of city and the kind of hotel that makes you feel like you discovered something, because you kind of did.
3. Kotor, Montenegro: Regent Porto Montenegro
Montenegro is still massively under the radar for most travellers and Kotor is the jewel of it. The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounded by medieval walls that climb straight up the mountain behind it. The bay it sits on is the only fjord in Southern Europe and the views from the walls at sunrise are the kind that make you stop talking mid sentence. It is dramatic, it is beautiful, and it is still genuinely affordable compared to everywhere else on the Adriatic.
Regent Porto Montenegro is a five star marina resort in the nearby town of Tivat, about 15 minutes from Kotor, and it is one of the most impressive luxury properties on the Adriatic coast. Private beach, world class spa, and a location that gives you easy access to Kotor, Budva, and the rest of the bay. For Hotelusso members who want the Adriatic without the price tag of Croatia, Montenegro is the answer.
4. Sintra, Portugal: Tivoli Palácio de Seteais
Most people who visit Portugal go to Lisbon and maybe Porto. The ones who make it to Sintra about 40 minutes outside Lisbon tend to completely lose their minds about it and book a return trip before they have even left. The town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with fairy tale palaces built into the hills, the most famous being the Pena Palace which is painted in yellow and red and looks like something out of a Disney film, except it is real and it has been there since the 19th century.
Tivoli Palácio de Seteais is an 18th century palace turned five star hotel sitting inside the Sintra hills with formal gardens, frescoed ceilings, and mountain views. Staying here feels genuinely surreal in the best possible way. Portugal already has some of the best value luxury travel in Europe and Sintra through this hotel is the best version of that.
5. Tbilisi, Georgia: Rooms Hotel Tbilisi
Georgia sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and Tbilisi is one of the most fascinating cities on the continent. The old town has a mix of Persian, Russian, and European architecture that exists nowhere else in the world, the natural wine culture goes back 8,000 years making Georgia literally the birthplace of wine, and the food is extraordinary. Khinkali [Georgian dumplings], khachapuri [cheese filled bread], and a hospitality culture that makes you feel welcome before you have even sat down.
Rooms Hotel Tbilisi is a five star design hotel in a converted Soviet printing house with one of the best rooftop bars in the city. Cool, creative, and completely different to anything else on this list. Georgia is the one that will surprise you the most and that is exactly why it is here.
Now Your Turn
We want to know which one of these is going straight to the top of your travel list. Head over to our latest post on Instagram and drop your pick in the comments. Bonus points if you have already been to one of these and have a story to tell. We are reading every single one.
