Alternative European holidays revealed

Are you sick and tired of the same holidays over and over again? Provence, the Algarve, the Costa Brava … Are they all a bit old hat?

Never fear! Europe is incredibly diverse, and full of secret delights that will means avoiding the typical tourist traps is fairly easy.

Here is our list of secret, alternative destinations.

Basel, Switzerland

Well, we say Switzerland, but Basel is actually perched on the borders of Germany and France as well as Switzerland. You can thus expect it to have a rich mix of all three cultures.

The picturesque, historic city has a staggering 19 individual quarters, giving it its own individual flavour. It also hosts Zoo Basel, Switzerland’s oldest zoo. It is highly popular with the locals and has had several successes in breeding endangered animals.

Delft, Holland

Tucked in between Rotterdam and The Hague, the city of Delft is often overlooked by those who go to Amsterdam. Delft can hold its own against its rival cities, however. Hosting a plethora of historical buildings and various interesting sights, it also has gorgeous canals snaking right through the city.

The canals and ancient buildings give Delft the feel of a smaller Amsterdam, and it retains much of the atmosphere of the capital. In fact, Delft was the first capital of the Netherlands and it remains an ideal location from which to explore the country, thanks to its central location.

Brussels, Belgium

With regular Eurostar connections from London, holidays to Brussels are a breeze. Disembark in Brussels’ Midi Station and find yourself in the heart of a dynamic, creative city. Despite the corridors of European power to be found here, the lifeblood of the place is arts, from live music to the Grand Masters to Tintin. Belgium is deservedly famous for its beer and anyone wanting to taste the local tipple will be spoiled by bars which stock hundreds of different varieties.

Brussels is also the perfect place to explore the rest of Belgium, with the historic trio of Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp particularly worthwhile.

Dijon, France

With such a fine selection of churches, crypts, gorgeous old houses and galleries with art dating back to Roman times, one wonders why on earth mustard is what the city got its name for, even if it is delicious.

Try and visit in Autumn, in fact. This is when Dijon hosts its International Gastronomic Fair which is reason enough to make a visit. Finally, be sure to travel along the Route des Grands Crus, or, ‘the road of the great wines’, a path that takes you through 30 villages and towns with vineyards!

Avignon, France

Once called the ‘City of Popes’, Avignon is one of the only French cities to have preserved and renovated all its ramparts, palaces and so on. The annual Festival of Avignon is a major celebration of theatre, cinema, dance, music, and much, much more.

There are also many modern, undiscovered plays and other art at the festival, which is so popular that it has transcended Avignon’s borders in recent history. Festival time is when this beautiful part of France comes into its own. Shun the regular tourist haunts for an unforgettable experience!