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Tourists are constantly flocking to major cities and popular tourist destinations, causing these places to become overcrowded and lose their pristine beauty. This is especially common in large countries like those in Europe. If you are a traveler who wants to enjoy the scenery of Europe while avoiding the crowds, then the destinations below are for you.
Barcelona: Sant Pau Recinte Modernista
Although he passed away nearly a century ago, the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi continues to exert a tremendous influence on Barcelona's appearance, artistic heritage, and tourist appeal. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Catalan genius adorned the city with a series of avant-garde buildings.
Recinto Modernista de Sant Pau in Barcelona was designed by Lluis Domenech i Montaner in a style known as Catalan Modernism.
Seven of his most famous architectural works in Barcelona have been recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These include some of Barcelona's most visited attractions: the quirky Guell Park, the art site Casa Mila, and the stunning La Sagrada Familia church.
Sant Pau Recinte Modernista was built in the early 1900s and designed by Lluis Domenech i Montaner in the beautiful yet austere architectural style that he helped pioneer and which Gaudi built upon in Catalan Modernism.
Adorned with intricate mosaics, magnificent stained glass, elaborate stonework, and a vibrant color palette, it now functions as an open-air museum and art gallery, and is incredibly photogenic.
Rome: Maximus Circus
Few tourist attractions are as instantly recognizable as Rome's 1,900-year-old Colosseum. After all these years, that colossal oval structure still stands tall in the heart of the Italian capital. It once attracted frenzied crowds of up to 50,000 people who came to watch bloody gladiatorial contests and public executions.
Rome's Circus Maximus is one of the largest sports stadiums ever built.
However, in ancient times, the Colosseum wasn't even the largest venue in Rome. Designed to hold 250,000 spectators, the Circus Maximus was one of the largest sports stadiums that ever existed.
Although a few of the original structures remain intact, its sunken shape and surrounding banks still retain, easily evoking mental images of chariot races and other sporting events that once took place here.
Paris: Saint-Merri Cathedral
Notre Dame Cathedral is currently only partially accessible to tourists, due to ongoing restoration efforts following the devastating 2019 fire that caused significant damage to the iconic building.
Yet, upon arriving in Paris, it's not uncommon to see thousands of tourists posing for photos in the cathedral's square. The outdoor space, the only part of Notre Dame currently accessible, is expected to fully reopen in 2024.
A great alternative to Notre Dame Cathedral is Saint-Merri Church, located just 700 meters to the north. Built nearly 500 years ago, Saint-Merri Church boasts a classic Gothic style.
The cathedral boasts an intricate window system, a ribbed dome, and some of the city's most impressive stained-glass windows.
Saint-Merri shares many interior design features with Notre Dame Cathedral, including intricate window lines, domes, and some of the city's most impressive stained-glass windows. However, Saint-Merri's most famous feature is its 14th-century bell, the oldest bell in Paris, which still resonates throughout the city every day.
London: Holland Park
Located in the heart of London, Hyde Park is not only one of the city's most beautiful green spaces but also attracts tourists due to its royal connections. It is the site of Kensington Palace – the former home of the late Princess Diana. Thousands of tourists can be seen outside the park.
London's Holland Park is a quieter option compared to Hyde Park.
Compared to Hyde Park, which is adorned with wide, open lawns, Holland Park has more vegetation. This means there are more intimate nooks where visitors can picnic or take a nap while feeling truly secluded.
However, the most impressive aspect of Holland Park is its two main gardens. Its traditional English-style garden is covered in colorful carnations and tulips. Meanwhile, its classic Japanese garden is more refined but no less captivating thanks to its carefully arranged ponds, waterfalls, bridges, and cobblestone beds.
Amsterdam: Amsterdam Museum
Amsterdam's most visited attraction, the Rijksmuseum, is a renowned institution boasting a vast collection of artwork by Dutch masters such as Van Gogh and Rembrandt. Therefore, the only way to gain entry is to book tickets online in advance for a specific date and time.
The Amsterdam Museum is a modern facility housing 100,000 artifacts and works of art.
If you want to stumble straight into a museum, head to the Amsterdam museum, which is less crowded. In particular, the museum displays Dutch royal artifacts, including vibrant artwork that was once painted on royal carriages.
