"The best alternative destinations for your European summer bucket list". Condé Nast Traveller editors share their favourite location swaps

https://www.cntravellerme.com/story/best-alternative-european-summer-destinations (original article)

Conde Naste's "Alternative Europe"

Discover your inner adventurer with this daring dive into some of the world’s most exciting and beautiful national parks.

Thrills guaranteed!

National Parks 

The Italian Riviera, synonymous with Italy's Liguria region, is a crescent-shaped strip of Mediterranean coastline. The Riviera di Levante, is defined by its rugged cliffs, turquoise coves and pastel seaside towns & fishing villages. Bellissima. 

Italian Riviera

I have lived for more than 10 years in Paris, here are my favourite spots!

Best Of Paris From A Local 

most beautiful country in the world! 🤩 see & experience anything your heart desires - city lights 🏙 mountains 🌄 beaches 🏖 desert 🏜 wildlife 🦁🦒🦓🐘🐆🐒  wine 🍷 forests 🌳 rich and vibrant cultures ❤️💙💚💛🖤
experience of a lifetime ✨

Garden Route, South Africa 🇿🇦

Escape the city: Boats, colors, breakfast, views, dolls, snacks. It don’t get better than this. 

Day Trip: Mexico City 👉  Xochimilco 

Beautiful Sayulita. The perfect spot to take a break from travelling and stay a while. Great for surfing, yoga and meeting new people. See full itinerary on Atlas Guru

Sayulita Mexico 

New York City ✌🏻

Japan, ancient land of cherry blossom, tea, snow monkeys and karaoke...and much much more!

🇯🇵🍜⛩️🍣🌸🍵 

Japanese Jaunts. 日本の旅行

Croatia Guide

The island of Britain, consisting of England, Scotland and Wales. Three different identities and cultures rolled into one melting pot of a place to visit. Easy to traverse, with experiences from idyllic Cornish beaches to remote Highland forests

The Best Of British

Embrace the chill with our Winter Sports. From snowboard runs to sled rides, hikes to ice dips - experience the adrenaline and elegance of cold-weather athleticism. Dive into a world where frosty landscapes become playgrounds

Winter Sports 

Founded in the 13th century, Berlin is the EU's most populated city. Following an East/West split post WW2, now reunited Berlin is a powerhouse of creativity - considered by some as the coolest city in Europe. 

Berlin 

Iceland & The Northern Lights

Maybe the trendiest district in Paris with many shops, cafés and historic buildings

Le Marais

The museum of the city of Paris is a superb "hotel particulier" and is free to visit!

Carnavalet Museum

Casual tea room famous for its giant meringue lemon tart

Le Loir dans La Théière (tea room)

A gorgeous square garden surrounded by elegant red building, a great picnic spot

Place des Vosges

The Jewish neighbourhood of Le Marais is the best place to eat fallafel in Paris

L'As du Fallafel

Fountain depicting the Roman god of water, Neptune, & 4 women representing Prussia's main rivers.

Neptunbrunnen

The Monet museum is in a superb hotel particulier of the 16th arrondissement

Marmottan Monet museum

Marmottan Monet museun

French-Japanese pastry shop, as someone who once lived in Tokyo, the taste is exactly the same

Yamazaki Pâtisserie & Café

Wonderful for a stroll at any given weather conditions 

Charlottenburg Palace

The Berlin Cathedral, a beautiful church with unique architecture!

Berliner Dom

Easy slopes and harder ones too, beautiful forest and views in la Molina :)

Estació d'Esquí de La Molina - Sector Roc Blanc

From travel connections to shopping to eating to just wandering around, this is the most touristic place in Berlin.

Alexanderplatz

In need of exercise? Here are the longest & steepest stairs of Montmartre!

Caulaincourt stairs to Montmartre

Rue de l'Abreuvoir

An exquisite café in the hidden garden of Montmartre museum

Café Renoir

Discover the tumultuous history of Montmartre and the art studio of Suzanne Valandon who lived there

Musée de Montmartre

The district of Paris which looks like a rural village

Montmartre

A magnificent white basilica which became the symbol of Montmartre despite an odd story

Sacré-Cœur Basilica

Rooftop with a view of the Eiffel Tower near the Sacré Coeur Basilica

Cœur Sacré rooftop bar & restaurant

Rue Chappe

The statue celebrates the writer of "Le Passe Muraille" (the man who goes through walls)

Place Marcel Aymé

The guinguette featured in the famous Renoir's painting, one of the last windmills of Montmartre

Le Moulin de la Galette restaurant

Boulangerie Alexine

The most instagrammable bistro of Rue des Abesses

Le Vrai Paris bistro

Right below you have the deepest metro station of Paris

Place des Abbesses

Check how to say "I love you" in 250 languages

Wall of Love

A remarkable blend of historical significance and modern architecture, offering a breathtaking experience for visitors. Steeped in history, the stadium retains elements of its original 1936 design, yet has been masterfully updated to meet contemporary standards.

Olympiastadion Berlin

Delightful coffee&cake break in the heart of Palais-Royal garden

Café Kitsune Palais Royal

Literally above the clouds at Lake Louise ski resort! Just look at that cloud shelf!

Lake Louise Ski Resort & Summer Gondola

Paname is the slang surname of Paris, enjoy this fabulous brewery by the canal for a drink or a meal

Paname Brewing Company

Large, lively beach with town views, restaurants & nightlife, plus kayak rentals & boat trips.

Positano Beach

Plage Legzira

Fairytale village often regarded as the most beautiful in Wiltshire

Castle Combe

Get up early and you’ll be rewarded with hot air balloons flying right overhead.

Above It All Balloon Company, Inc

The Minack Theatre in Porthcurno, Cornwall is an open air auditorium with sea views

Minack Theatre

Cute café, hidden down the stairs on the right side of the Sacré-Coeur (facing it)

L'Eté en Pente Douce café

This merry-go-round is a perfect stop if you travel with kids or just want a nice picture

Carrousel de Saint-Pierre

paragliders taking flight on a beautiful sunny day in the swiss alps🏔

Paragliding Kandertal

Incredible to watch these locals jump off the bridge. You can pay them to learn to do it yourself

Old Bridge

One of the best team rooms & pastry shops in Paris, famous for its chestnut "Mont-Blanc" cake

Angelina Tea Room

Brandenburger Tor

Hotel Villa Franca Positano

Berlin Cathedral

Section of the Berlin wall covered in street art.

East Side Gallery

Loch Ness

Festive pub in London,  It’s not just a touristy pub, plenty of locals and history here. Pretty on the outside and very decorated on the inside.

The Churchill Arms

Experience Bali’s safari and marine park, home to wildlife and family-friendly adventures.

Bali Safari and Marine Park

Charming spot surrounded by nature – a peaceful and beautiful place to relax.

Frasdorfer Hütte

Beautiful hiking trails through the arctic circle, east to navigate with great facilities.

Arctic Circle Hiking Area

The most magical reindeer ride through the forest path!

Santa Claus Reindeer

A really great company, we took a ride across a frozen lake! Such a once in a lifetime experience.

Arctic Circle Snowmobile park

Sotkuman Koulu

Lake Bled

Pyramid of Menkaure

Etosha Trading Post Campsite

Visit the estate shown in Pride and Prejudice

Chatsworth House

Enjoying the view on the top of Saas Fee mountain! One of the best ski 🎿 Spot

Pavillon de Glace

Bachalpsee

Laggan Wolftrax Mountain Biking Trail Centre

Glen Etive

Blackcomb Peak

Whistler Mountain

Amazing interactive digital art exhibitions in Tokyo.

teamLab Borderless

Nagoya Castle

Amazing ski resort with lots to do, see and eat aside from ski/snowboarding. Olympic training center

Copper Mountain Resort

A day out on the slopes of Courchevel with fresh snow

Skiing in Courchevel

a rare sight of beautiful red rocks and a magnificent ocean view with beautiful walking trails 🥾

fransmanshoek 🌊

beautiful proudly SA gifts and farmstyle meals. lovely to enjoy a relaxing  beer with friends!

stoepsit restaurant 

incredible seafood 🍣 views of mossel bay point 🌊 excellent service 👌 all with a glass of sa🇿🇦🍷

kingfisher seafood restaurant 🍤

kingfisher seafood restaurant 

A quintessential South African family favorite, serving up legendary burgers and ribs alongside scenic views and a dedicated kids' play area.

spur steak ranches 🍻

Berlins coolest rooftop, located by the East Side Gallery

260 Grad

Lots of different types of fruits and vegetables to pick from including chicken feet😅

Mercado de Xochimilco

Pretty center park to rest and enjoy the surroundings of trees and plants🥰

Xochimilco Centro

Enjoy your ride with ease on this river boat ride. Multiple channels to choose from. ☺️🥰

Xochimilco Embarcaderos

Creepy island full of dolls of over 3000 scary dolls but a great fun experience🥰😌

La Isla de la Munecas

The glass-roofed Levin Iglut offer their guests luxury next to the wilderness: a view of the rugged fell landscape and the northern sky, high-quality accommodation and personalised heartfelt service. The igloo hotel is located on the slope of a fell at a height of 340 metres, and the centre of Levi, one of the most popular holiday destinations in Lapland with diverse services complementing ours, is just 10 km away. The distance from the lights of the centre and the unobstructed view of the northern sky from the slope make us an ideal place for admiring the Northern Lights.

Levin Iglut

The Aurora Cabins at the Northern Lights Village are a magical way to experience the wintry star-filled sky and the Northern Lights, while lying comfortably in the warm bed. The laser-heated glass-roof opens up into the northern sky, directly above the bed.

The Aurora Cabins at the Northern Lights Village

innish Lapland is wonderful place with the cleanest air and the happiest people in the world. Here in Lapland there is just 0.8 people per square kilometre. That means you can really feel that connection with unspoilt nature. When out walking Gooseberry our Parsons Russell Terrier we will often bump in to wildlife such as Reindeer and Moose but as yet we have not seen an Elf... outside Santa's Office that is... It's just 160km away! 

Foxfires Levi

Canoeing on Lake Louise - rent a canoe from the Boathouse at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Boathouse

Another one of Wilderness’s hidden gems, just a stone’s throw from Wilderness Hotel. Live entertainment, super friendly staff and the perfect hangout to go and chill at after a day in the beautiful nature surrounding Wilderness.

The Girls on the Square

Start the hike right next to the Touwsriver and marvel at the green of the old trees, and if you’re lucky you’ll even spot a (very shy) Knysna Loerie bird. The reward at the end of the trail is a refreshing waterfall with pools for relaxing and catching some vitamin D 😊

Half Collared Kingfisher Trail Gate (permit required)

Alta Badia

La Plagne

Don’t miss the cherry blossoms if you are in Tokyo during April - May

Imperial Palace East Imperial Garden

Adlon Kempinski Teststation Behrenstrasse

Amazing 3 hour canoe tour with a very friendly local guide who knows everything about the park

Canoe in the Tortuguero National Park

Trabi museum & tour rental Dir the ultimate DDR experience

TrabiWorld Berlin

Column of Victory memorial weekend located on the Great Star roundabout. Iconic Berlin landmark. Built in 1864 to commemorate the Prussian defeat in the II Salesian War.

Siegessäule

Gorgeous waterfall near Dominical, Costa Rica. There’s a smaller fall you can hike (and swim in) too

Nauyaca Waterfalls/Cataratas Nauyaca

Stunning flower market on Columbia road in East London.

Columbia Road Flower Market

Chill brunch vibe, with special mixes of coffee that is a must!! 🥐☕️

The Merchant Coffee (Town)

For all the pink lovers out there! 💗🎀👛 Try the delectable pink hot chocolate or pink latte, surrounded by some aesthetic fit for your insta 😉 Plus visit the Axara boutique shop next door for special, one of a kind finds!

Axara

Sooo many dishes to recommend, not one bad one!! Even has a lovely playing area outside for the kids 🛝 And to top it all off - a gin tasting area, where even the pickiest drinker will find a cocktail that catches their eye 🍹😉

Salt & Copper / Harmony Distillery

Premier League ground in the heart of bustling Newcastle.  A sight to see packed with over 53,000 supporters.  Plenty food and drink places.  Ground in the city centre with plenty parking nearby

St. James' Park

Enjoy a huge variety of fresh produce, local artisanal products, flowers, eats and treats, a perfect outing on a Saturday morning! Bring the pawsome 🐾 family members along and come and enjoy local cuisine for all taste buds 🍅🍓🧀🥙🍰☕️

Wild Oats Community Farmers' Market

A true gem of Mossel Bay 💙 Whether you come for the views, the fabulous, mouth-watering food and drinks, or a climb up the lighthouse, you won’t be disappointed! Enjoy unmatched views of the ocean, topped with special hosts that are truly the best ✨💙

Cape St Blaize Lighthouse Complex

The most beautiful Loch in all of Scotland! Visit at sunrise for perfect reflections on the still water as the sun lifts over the mountains of the Cairngorms.

Loch Garten

Enjoyable hike with stunning views around. When you reach Bourgeau Lake you get a great sense of achievement as it is a hard hike. There are various lakes along the way you can stop at.

Playlist: Conde Naste's "Alternative Europe"David_Levels · Apr 1, 2024 · 12 clips