10 Popular European Regions to Visit
People often refer to Europe as a whole but did you know there are many different European regions? Understanding these different European regions and the countries within them can help you to better plan your next trip to Europe!
Not only are the regions geographical but you will often find cultural similarities within a region as well. The Balkans, Baltics and Nordics are good examples of this. Traveling to multiple countries within one of these regions will really give you a taste of the region as whole. Taking free walking tours and talking to locals can help to enhance this picture even more. As you know, I think travel is full of opportunities to learn about other countries, cultures and yourself.
Other regions, such as the Alps will of course have cultural similarities but they also share a mountain range. This can make planning a trip to the Alp region interesting because you can see the mountain villages across a few countries to see how they are similar and unique. It could also help you to venture outside of the most popular destinations in the region, because if you visit a less popular town that is also within the Alps region, for instance, you will still experience the same Alp Mountain Range but potentially without all the crowds and tourist impacts.
Another bonus of traveling within the same region, is that you can often get a rail pass for the trains in that country or region for cheaper than Europe as a whole. If you are a resident of Europe, check out Interrail. For non-European residents, you can find a wide array of different rail passes at Eurail. I have used their passes multiple times and am a big fan of how easy it is to use an Interrail or Eurail pass, especially with their app!
FYI Interrail and Eurail are essentially the same, just different for European vs non-European customers.
First we have four main geographical groups:
- Eastern Europe
- Northern Europe
- Southern Europe
- Western Europe
Next, we have smaller, regional areas:
- Alps
- Balkans
- Baltics
- Mediterranean
- Microstates
- Nordics
Looking for more Europe travel advice?
Check out these related articles:
European Region 1: Eastern Europe
Popular Cities in Eastern Europe:
- Sofia
- Prague
- Budapest
- Krakow
- Warsaw
- Bucharest
- Bratislava
Hidden Gems in Eastern Europe:
- Lake Balaton
- Gdansk
- Timisoara
European Region 2: Northern Europe
Popular Cities in Northern Europe:
- Copenhagen
- Tallinn
- Helsinki
- Reykjavik
- Dublin
- Riga
- Oslo
- Stockholm
- London
- Edinburgh
Hidden Gems in Northern Europe:
- Aalborg
- Ærø Island
- Oulu
- Dingle
- Doolin
- Lofoten Islands
- Kiruna
- Cotswolds
European Region 3: Southern Europe
Countries in Southern Europe:
Hidden Gems in Southern Europe:
- Vlorė
- Mostar
- Krk Island
- Brac Island
- Hvar Island
- Milos Island
- Paros Island
- Paxos Island
- Crete Island
- Giglio Island
- Porto Ercole
- Greve in Chianti
- Skadar Lake
- Budva
- Kotor Bay
- Ohrid
- Sagres
- Cascais
- Algrave Region
- Lake Bled
- Sitges
- Costa Brava
European Region 4: Western Europe
Countries in Western Europe:
Popular Cities in Western Europe:
- Vienna
- Brussels
- Paris
- Nice
- Berlin
- Munich
- Cologne
- Amsterdam
- Zurich
Hidden Gems in Western Europe:
- Sankt Anton am Arlberg
- Kitzbühel
- Innsbruck
- Wolfgangsee
- Alsace Region
- Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferat
- Villefranche-sur-Mer
- Verdon Gorge
- Baden Baden
- Bad Wimpfen
- Wengen
- Mürren
European Region 5: Alps
Countries in the Alps:
Popular Cities in the Alps:
- Vienna
- Paris
- Nice
- Berlin
- Cologne
- Munich
- Florence
- Rome
- Venice
- Naples
- Zurich
Hidden Gems in the Alps:
- Wolfgangsee
- Kitzbühel
- Sankt Anton am Arlberg
- Chamonix
- Verdon Gorge
- Dolomites
- Lake Bled
- Mürren
- Wengen
European Region 6: Balkans
Countries in the Balkans:
Popular Cities in the Balkans:
- Mostar
- Dubrovnik
- Split
- Belgrade
Hidden Gems in the Balkans:
- Vlorė
- Krk Island
- Hvar Island
- Brac Island
- Budva
- Kotor Bay
- Lake Skadar
- Ohrid
European Region 7: Baltics
Popular Cities in the Baltics:
- Tallinn
- Riga
- Kaunas
Hidden Gems in the Baltics:
- Tallinn, yes it‘s a popular city but it is also such a gem!
- Countryside—I know that‘s vague but driving through these countries you will stumble upon so many hidden gems, especially along the Baltic Sea coast
European Region 8: Mediterranean
Mediterranean Countries:
- Albania
- Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- France
- Greece
- Italy
- Monaco
- Malta
- Montenegro
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Turkey
Popular Cities in the Mediterranean:
- Dubrovnik
- Split
- Nice
- Paris
- Athens
- Mykonos
- Santorini
- Florence
- Rome
- Naples
- Venice
- Porto
- Lagos
- Barcelona
- Istanbul
Hidden Gems in the Mediterranean:
- Vlorė
- Mostar
- Brac Island
- Krk Island
- Hvar Island
- Villefrance-sur-Mer
- Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferat
- Antibes
- Milos Island
- Paros Island
- Paxos Island
- Crete Island
- Giglio Island
- Porto Ercole
- Valletta
- Budva
- Kotor Bay
- Skadar Lake
- Algrave Region
- Sagres
- Cascais
- Lake Bled
- Sitges
- Costa Brava Region
European Region 9: Microstates
Microstate Countries:
- Andorra
- Liechtenstein
- Malta
- San Marino
- Vatican City
Popular Cities in the Microstates:
- Honestly, these countries are so small that most of the popular cities are by the same name 😉
Hidden Gems in the Microstates:
- Again, these microstates are typically hidden gems within themselves (aside from the Vatican)
- Malta is probably the best hidden gem, especially if you visit the smaller island of Gozo
European Region 10: Nordics
Nordic Countries:
- Denmark
- Finland
- Iceland
- Norway
- Sweden
Popular Cities in the Nordics:
- Copenhagen
- Helsinki
- Reykjavik
- Oslo
- Stokholm
Hidden Gems in the Nordics:
- Aalborg
- Ærø Island
- Oulu
- Lofoten Islands
- Kiruna
Bonus Region: Near Europe
*Note: these are simply a selection of countries nearby Europe that I think could pair well with a trip to Europe. Also, by some accounts a few of these countries are actually considered part of Europe. I only categorized them in this way to make clear-cut geographical regions in terms of travel areas.
Countries Near Europe:
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Cyprus
- Egypt
- Georgia
- Israel
- Jordan
- Morocco
- Turkey
- U.A.E.
Popular Cities Near Europe:
- Cairo
- Tblisi
- Tel Aviv
- Fez
- Marrakesh
- Istanbul
- Dubai
- Abu Dhabi
Hidden Gems Near Europe:
- Most of these place are travelled much less than Europe, which leaves many of them less touristy
- Of course, whenever you leave the main cities and get into the countryside, the mountains or the coast, you will find the true gems
