From secluded Tuscan promontories to under-the-radar Croatian islands, the stylish and discreet elite are sidestepping the crowds this year in favour of low-key destinations with high cultural and culinary appeal.
Here’s where the travel insiders, A-listers and creative tastemakers are booking for their European getaways in 2025.
Monte Argentario, Tuscany
Forget the vineyards and rolling hills — Italy’s in-the-know travellers are heading west to the Monte Argentario peninsula on the southern Tuscan coast. Formerly an island, now connected to the mainland by three thin causeways, this forested headland offers peaceful beaches, private villas and a nostalgic glamour centred around the legendary Il Pellicano hotel.
For a more modern take, newcomers are checking into La Roqqa in Porto Ercole, a boutique design hotel with a rooftop restaurant and beach club vibe. It’s attracting a new generation of Riviera regulars.
Lourmarin, Provence
This laid-back Provençal village in the southern Luberon is quietly stealing the spotlight from its more touristic neighbours. Year-round markets, a thriving arts scene and a local dining renaissance make Lourmarin a rising star among London creatives and Parisian tastemakers.
Stay at Le Moulin, a converted mill with chic interiors, or go all-in with a rental like Mas du Bourg via Le Collectionist. Don’t miss the music and arts festival curated by DJ Laurent Garnier each June.
Ávila, Castilla y León
A medieval walled city just 90 minutes from Madrid, Ávila is emerging as Spain’s next big cultural and culinary destination. The buzz is building with the arrival of a new Six Senses next year, but for now, check into the elegant La Casa del Presidente, former home of Spain’s first post-Franco prime minister.
For fine dining, young chef Diego Sanz is already turning heads with his modern take on regional cuisine. The city is full of promise and without the tourist crowds.
Olhão, Eastern Algarve
Still a working fishing port, Olhão stands apart from the polished Algarve resorts. It’s a magnet for creatives and slow-travel aficionados drawn to its fish markets, waterfront tavernas and Moorish old town. With a new Food at 52 cookery school launching in the autumn, Olhão is fast becoming the Algarve’s culinary capital.
Stay at Casa Rosa, a chic nine-room boutique hotel, or rent a rooftop-pool townhouse through The Luxury Travel Book.
Antiparos, Cyclades
It may require multiple boat rides to get there, but Antiparos is worth every leg of the journey. This Cycladic gem is rustic, beautiful and blissfully low-key — despite being a summer haunt for Tom Hanks, Matthew McConaughey and the international art crowd.
For a soulful stay, check into The Rooster, a 17-suite wellness retreat, or nab one of the eight rooms at The Beach House, a newly restored hideaway on its own cove.
Cres, Kvarner Gulf
Wild, windswept and blissfully underdeveloped, Cres is the largest but least visited of Croatia’s islands. It’s a haven for walkers, birdwatchers and yachties, with Venetian-style Cres Town at its heart.
The big news for 2025 is the debut of the Isolano, Cres, an Autograph Collection hotel just outside town — the island’s first real taste of international luxury, and a game-changer for style-conscious travellers.
Bozburun Peninsula, Turkey
Set on one of Turkey’s most untouched stretches of coastline, the Bozburun Peninsula is where Istanbul’s elite go to disappear — and where international visitors in the know are quietly following. Think pine-covered hills, gulet-dotted harbours and seafood tavernas lapped by the Aegean.
Stay at Losta Sahil Evi in Selimiye, an adults-only waterfront retreat with a devoted local following and its own sunbathing deck.
For summer 2025, Europe’s cultural tastemakers are eschewing the obvious in favour of character-rich destinations that blend history, nature, local food scenes and a little insider flair. Fewer selfies, more soul — and not a beach club DJ in sight.