8 Must-Visit Destinations in Europe

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What we talk about in this article

Travel in Europe is popular as ever, and it’s not hard to see why. Europe has all you could want: different climates, cultures and natural treasures, old towns and modern metropolis, nature, and wildlife.

Even though Europe tends to be a little more expensive than some other regions in the world, there are still quite a few budget options in Europe as well.

On top of all that, Europe is easy to navigate by train, car, airplane or even by bicycle.

These are 8 must-visit destinations in Europe!

1. Tromsø – Norway

Tromsø is the largest European city north of the Arctic circle and it is still growing. Mostly known for viewing the northern lights. It has a lot more to offer than that!

September to March are the best months to see the northern lights, while May to July offers the experience of the midnight sun.

Also called ‘the gateway to the Arctic, Tromsø is surrounded by nature and a vast, icy wilderness. The city is surrounded by water and islands.

Whale watching, kayaking and dog sledding are popular activities to combine with your trip to Tromsø.

For LGBT travelers: the Tromsø Arctic Pride takes place 9 November 2019. The Clarion Hotel the Edge is an LGBT friendly accommodation option in Tromsø.

Tromso
Tromso - Photo by Jackmac34 on Pixabay

2. Riga – Latvia

Riga is a beautiful city on the Baltic Sea with characteristic architecture in the charming old part of town. You’ll find plenty of cozy bars and restaurants in Riga. The good part is that it’s not too expensive!

From Riga, you can easily go on day trips to Sigulda, where you can practice bobsledding, visit ruins and castles or you can plan a day at the beach in Jurmala.

Find accommodation in Riga with Airbnb. If you use our link to book your first AirBnB, you get a 35€ discount and we will get a discount too.

Latvia
Riga - Photo by 680451 on Pixabay

3. Valletta – Malta

The archipelago of Malta lies in the Mediterranean sea and is known for its rich history. In Malta, you can find traces of the Roman empire, the Moors, the French and the British occupancy.

Since the island is so tiny, you can easily visit the entire island using the small capital as a hub. Visit Malta if you like hot weather, ancient towns, beaches and a rich culture.

Malta is a very LGBT friendly destination and there are a lot of cool AirBnB accommodation possibilities.

For LGBT travelers: each year in September, the Malta Pride Day takes place in Valletta. In 2019, the parade takes place the 14th of September! Check out the Malta Pride website to find out more.

Malta
Malta - Photo by Kirkandmimi on Pixabay

4. Brasov – Romania

The Transylvanian city of Brasov is a gem in the center of Romania. Surrounded by mountains, this town is very charming and beautiful. 

Bran Castle is the fortress where count Dracula spent most of his life and where the vampire stories originate. The castle has a rich history and is very close to Brasov.

From Brasov, it’s easy to plan day trips to the ancient towns of Sibiu and Sighisoara. In fact, all of Romania has an ancient and charming vibe and if you have the time, it would be a great idea to take a few extra days to visit other places in the country.

Brasov has a lot of hotels and budget Airbnb hosts.

Brasov
Brasov - Photo by Andreimagnea on Pixabay

5. Piran – Slovenia

Piran lies in one of the most idyllic settings of the country. Located on the Mediterranean coast, Piran boasts a Venetian feel. The coastal town is very photogenic and some would call it a very Instagrammable destination.

The Slovenian coastline is wedged between Italy and Croatia, which makes it very easy to include on a memorable road trip. The city has a lot of interesting Airbnb accommodation options.

For LGBT travelers: Slovenia isn’t known as a major LGBT travel destination, but there is no reason why you shouldn’t travel there. Read this post by Two Bad Tourists about gay travel in Slovenia.

Piran doesn’t host a pride, but the capital Ljubljana does the 22nd June in 2019.

Piran
Piran - Photo by MemoryCatcher on Pixabay

6. Bergamo – Italy

The mountain town of Bergamo can be found in the north of Italy in the region of Lombardy. The city is located on top of a hill and overlooks the surrounding area.

The ancient city walls and gate are quite impressive. Thanks to its Roman history, there are still a few Roman cobblestone roads you can walk.

Bergamo offers a few gay-friendly hotels and guesthouses, but we couldn’t find specific lesbian owned or lesbian-friendly hotels.

Booking an Airbnb in Bergamo is easy and convenient. 

Bergamo
Bergamo

7. Innsbruck – Austria

Innsbruck in Austria is surrounded by the impressive Tiroler mountain region. Everywhere in the city, you can glance up and see the snow-capped peaks of the Alps.

This city is a perfect stopover for architecture lovers and hikers to explore the area! Innsbruck is a conservative city, but it does have a self-guided LGBT city night walk.

For LGBT travelers: Innsbruck hosts the annual Christopher Street Day, which equals LGBT pride day.

Inssbruck
Inssbruck - Photo by Waldo93 on Pixabay

8. Tel Aviv – Israel

Technically and geographically, Israel is located in Asia, but since it’s on the border of three continents, we’re going to include it on our list for multiple reasons.

An important reason for us is that Tel Aviv is very LGBT friendly, so we can only encourage travel to this modern Mediterranean city.

Tel Aviv is hip and metropolitan. The city itself has a lot of interesting places to visit, but you can also do day trips to the city of Jerusalem or the Petra Unesco Site.

If you’re looking for LGBT friendly accommodation in Tel Aviv, Ben Yehuda Apts is a good pick.

For LGBT travelers: Check the Gay Tel Aviv website for more LGBT party dates.

Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv - Photo by Glavo on Pixabay

Of course, there are many more interesting and must-visit destinations in Europe. This list is just the tip of the iceberg.

If you are looking for an awesome idea for your next city trip, than you must take a look at these 25 dazzling Airbnb listings in Europe!

Most of the must-visit destinations in Europe we listed are LGBT friendly and some of them even host an LGBT pride this year.

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8 Must visit destinations in Europe
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