Unusual/off the beaten track European holidays

[Andoutcomethewolves]

Hello! We would usually have one longer (two week) holiday somewhere long haul plus a couple of shorter breaks - one a sunny beach type holiday for a week or so primarily to visit family, and one or two city breaks in Europe. For various reasons we are now going to have our longer break somewhere in Europe over the summer and are looking for inspiration! Ideally a bit unusual with plenty to do over a two week period, including some culture/history etc plus ideally a bit of beach (or lake?) time and somewhere that'll be relatively reliably warm. So not asking a lot haha.

Countries we've been to recently and really enjoyed but wouldn't want to go again are Poland, Czech, Malta, Netherlands, Denmark, Hungary, Germany. Not Portugal as that is our annual holiday to see family and not Spain/France/Italy/Greece/Turkey. I'm considering maybe Bulgaria? Slovenia? Romania? Any suggestions or experiences welcome!

For an adult couple so no need for kiddy type attractions.

Thank you 😊

I was going to suggest Naples/Sorrento/Pompeii until you said no Italy.

I was also going to suggest Zaragoza/Bilbao/San Sebastian, but that is northern Spain.

I'm afraid I can't help, but a hopeful bump to someone that can.

You said no Italy, but have you been to Sicily? Lovely mix of culture / archeology / beach / food. You've ruled out a huge chunk of Europe. Slovenia is lovely but not very big. Austria / Switzerland? Salzburg or Innsbruck or Vienna and some time in the mountains? Budapest and Lake Balaton?

What about Serbia? The Danube, water sports, national parks, history/museums etc.

Or Switzerland?

Budapest and Lake Balaton
Bulgaria - black sea Coast, varna down to Bourgas, we also went to Shumen

The Makarska region of Croatia unforgettablecroatia.co.uk/discover/guide-to-the-makarska-riviera/

Ohrid in north Macedonia
Albania?

Bulgaria has a lot to offer and I was also going to suggest Romania. Very loosely anecdotally I have heard Bulgaria is the friendlier place of the two. My friends loved their Croatian holiday.

Montenegro could be good. For example you could go to to Zabljak for a few days for hiking (the hike up Bobotov Kuk is long but enjoyable), rowing on the lake, rafting type activities. Then down to Kotor with potential excursions to places like lake Skadar. I really enjoyed it there. Kotor especially is lovely.

Ljubljana, lake Bled and the Julian Alps could be a nice trip too for a mix of culture and various activities. The weather might be more changeable than some of the other suggested destinations though.

Thanks everyone! @Darkclothes I love Northern Spain but have lived there and really want to go somewhere new (and a bit different). I will be honest - I have only been to Italy a couple of times when younger and not to any of the areas you mention, but for some reason it just doesn't really appeal.

I'm liking the sound of Bulgaria, Romania and Albania - lots to look at!

Croatia is amazing and meets your brief.
Amazing scenery and mind-blowing cultural stuff.
I flew into Split one night Split, then went down through the islands (Hvar/Korcula/Mljet etc.) by ferry to then 2 nights Dubrovnik.

How about a road trip from Vienna to Athens? The roads are ok and the scenery is amazing with lots of lakes, beaches and amazing weather

How about Sweden/Finland. They have lovely lakes and you can take a boat between the 2 countries.

We are going to Slovenia this year but we are seriously firming up on Albania for next. Simon Calder is bigging it up as the next big destination to get to before the hoardes.

Definitely Slovenia! Lljbiana is gorgeous. Then head to lake Bled and Bohinj (a few days here for walking and kayaking). Then down to the coast. Or do some rafting on the way. Trains aren’t great so you might need a car for second half or try the cheap buses.

I know you’ve said no to Greece, but island hopping the lesser known islands is a great way to spend a few weeks in summer. We do it every year!

Any top tips for this?

Check the ferry schedules before booking accommodation, to ensure that your journey is feasible. The TripAdvisor forums are a great place to learn more about the islands and get suggestions for itineraries.

Northern Ireland? or Ireland? Admit the weather is a little unreliable.

Channel Islands? still in the UK but a bit different.

Montenegro

Lithuania

Poland

Germany