Rick Steves' Protege Offers Less-Crowded Alternatives To Europe's Most Popular Destinations

If you've ever been to Europe in the summer and had the thought that crowd sizes have gotten out of hand, you're not alone. Overtourism has long been a problem in Europe's most popular cities. So much so that every year, Fodor's puts out a list of destinations you should not visit. While some cities are just unbearable to navigate during peak travel seasons, Venice is quite literally sinking under the weight of tourism. As Rick Steves himself has said about that magical city, "the water seems to be winning."

Whether you've been hoping to get to Greece, Italy, or another hotspot this year, Rick Steves' protege has some ideas for less-crowded alternatives to Europe's most popular destinations. As a part of Rick Steves' 2026 Travel Festival, Cameron Hewitt gave a talk on the State of European Travel in which he shared his suggestions. Below we've laid out the less-visited destinations that Hewitt loves. On top of Rick Steves' best tips for planning a European vacation itinerary, we've also included tips from Hewitt for making visiting big cities in Europe more enjoyable.

The first location that Cameron Hewitt recommends circumventing is Santorini, Greece. One of the most popular islands in the country for tourists, Santorini is often described as being overrun with visitors. As Hewitt harps on a few times during his talk, the problem isn't necessarily that there are too many tourists visiting Europe, but that they're all choosing to visit one destination simultaneously. When planning your next summer vacation to Greece, instead of Santorini, Hewitt recommends heading to nearby Naxos.

If you're hoping to visit an island in the Cyclades, Naxos is larger than Santorini and doesn't get all of the foot traffic from cruise ships that other islands do, making it far less crowded. Naxos also has the most greenery of any of these islands, making it suitable for activities like hiking as well as sightseeing or lying on the beach. Another option about 45 minutes away from Santorini by boat is Folegandros, which Hewitt describes as perfect if you want to "melt into a Greek Island escape." Both of these options are beautiful alternatives to Santorini, or good breaks from the crowds should you decide to visit Santorini anyway.

Venice, Italy, is a timeless destination. It will unfortunately also probably be in crisis for the foreseeable future as sea levels rise. The Soviet poet Joseph Brodsky, who visited the city every winter for almost 20 years, wrote, "Venice is eternity itself." Venice is a city that most travelers dream of visiting in their lifetime. It's also famously overcrowded. The small archipelago, which is made up of narrow streets and bridges, has been described as overwhelming to visit during peak travel times in the warmer months. Cameron Hewitt has two alternatives that are conveniently located nearby.

About 15-20 minutes away from Venice by train is Padua, which is described by Hewitt as a historic Italian city that houses a university where Galileo, Copernicus, and Dante all studied, and a fantastic market. Rick Steves, in his assessment of Padua, also said, "Its museums and churches hold their own in Italy's artistic big league, its hotels are reasonably priced, and the city doesn't feel too touristy." The town of Treviso is also nearby, and Hewitt describes parts of it as being "like a mini Venice." He notes that not only are these two destinations far less crowded than Venice, but they're also less expensive because they're catering to fewer tourists.

Next up, Prague is a popular destination in Europe that tourists flock to in the summer and around Christmas time, when the city's Christmas markets and decorations go up. While the city is historic and absolutely beautiful, American tourists often don't venture into other parts of Czechia. Cameron Hewitt shared that when he visits Prague, he also loves venturing into the Czech countryside, where towns and cities don't see nearly as many, if any, American tourists.

One of his top recommendations for visitors looking to avoid crowds is the town of Mikulov, which is located in one of the country's most prolific wine regions. This town can be found just a few hours south of Prague, right near the Austrian border. If you're traveling from Vienna to Prague, this would be an easy spot to hit on your way. Nearby, you can take part in wine tastings or visit Lednice Castle (which is home to the Czech national wine cellar), as well as other historic sites.

Budapest, Hungary has the same over-tourism problem as the other spots we've mentioned. Cameron Hewitt says in his presentation on the current state of European travel that "whenever I talk to somebody who goes to the most crowded places in Europe at the most crowded times of the year, and then comes home and complains about the crowds, I just shake my head and I think of Pécs."

Pécs, Hungary, is a smaller town than Budapest, is less touristy, and, according to Rick Steves' protege, has all the things one is looking for in a visit to Hungary. Great food, beautiful architecture on par with Budapest, and, like Mikulov, it's conveniently located near a wine region. The destination is less crowded and less expensive than Budapest, and Hewitt has found that in all of his visits, he rarely runs into another American tourist. If you still want to visit a larger city like Budapest, timing will affect your experience. Look into the best times to visit Budapest's famous baths before planning a trip.

As Cameron Hewitt says, there are two ways to go about avoiding crowds at Europe's most popular destinations: You can change where you visit, or you can visit during the off-season. While the options we've presented above are great ways to circumvent crowds and to see beautiful destinations in these countries that you may not have heard of before, most travelers will want to visit cities like Prague and Venice in their lifetimes. Visiting popular destinations in the off-season can be a truly fantastic way to experience a city.

For example, Cameron Hewitt discusses how one of his most memorable family trips to the region of Tuscany occurred in the late fall, well past when most tourists choose to do so. While visiting in the off-season may limit what's open and how much daylight and warm weather you have to work with, you're likely to have a much more peaceful and authentic experience. The same is true of any major tourist destination. If you're able to visit during a quieter time of the year, you'll not only have a better experience, but you will help combat over-tourism in destinations where locals are fed up.