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If you thought every American you know is in Europe this summer (or head there this fall), you might be right.
"For most American travelers, this is the first year they've traveled without restrictions due to COVID restrictions," Dolev Azaria, founder of New York City-based Azaria Travel, said in an email.
“And with this pent-up demand, the most popular destinations in Italy, France and Greece, such as the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Tuscany, the French Riviera, Saint Tropez and Mykonos, are seeing a record high.”
For her discerning European clients, Azaria says her agency recommends them to "take full advantage of places like Indonesia, and especially Bali, in the nascent opening season" as a way to escape the current hordes of tourists in the continent's most famous spots.
Within Europe, clients headed to the French island of Corsica – a “more sober, serene version of its quaint Italian neighbour, Sardinia” – and Montenegro’s 295-kilometre (183 miles) coastline on some of Croatia’s more crushed beaches and islands.
CNN Travel reached out to travel agents, experts, and other locals in Europe about where you should go away from the summer crowds in Italy, Spain, France, and Croatia—among other European countries popular with American travelers—if you're looking to go where not everyone is.
Camargue, France
International tourists are drawn to the waters of the Côte d'Azur, which are dotted with longtime famous yachts and cities with notable names such as St Tropez, Nice and Cannes. But the south of France is much more than a predictable place.
Marianne Fabre-Lanvin, co-founder of the French organic wine line Souleil Vin de Bonté, points to the Camargue—a wild region with wide, empty beaches roamed by white horses—for a quieter getaway to the east of Montpellier. The lodging runs the gamut from a country stay on a traditional bull or horse farm called Manade to a five-star boutique hotel version of a farm stay at Le Mas de Peint.
"The Camargue is not crowded. There are very long beaches in this area, so you're alone on the beach if you want to, even in the height of the summer months," says Faber Lanvin, calling La Plage de l'Espiguette a favourite. During the summer, a sustainable beach club, L'Oyat Plage, pops up on the sand, painting the kitesurfing range.
Alentejo, Portugal
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When Arlindo Serrão wants to spend some time on the Portuguese coast, away from the crowds of tourists in the most popular cities and beach destinations in the far south of the country, he leaves Lisbon for a private stretch of coast in the Alentejo region.
"People describe the Alentejo as 'Europe's best-kept secret,' but I don't know how long it can stay that way," said Serao, founder of Portugal Dive.
Alentejo offers long stretches of uninterrupted seashore and great wine and seafood without the hordes of descending on the Algarve's most popular beach destinations.
Here, south of the Troia Peninsula, the beach stretches for nearly 28 miles, and the outposts of Comporta and Melides are "ideal places to stay and rest from everyday life," says Serao.
For a peaceful stay, Sublime Comporta rooms, suites and villas are surrounded by pine and cork trees and towering wild dunes.
In addition to its gorgeous beaches, the region is known for being Portugal's largest wine producer as well as having the country's most exclusive hiking trails.
"For me, it's a place of peace located in a raw part of Portugal," says Serao.
Costa de la Luz, Spain
Video from (La mochila de Toño) channel
Spain's Costa de la Luz rewards daring travelers who know how to set their sights beyond the Mediterranean.
Spaniards flock from their stifling hot towns in summer to head back to the coast, where everyone (or abuela) seems to own a modest second home or apartment.
The Mediterranean beaches around Barcelona in northwest Spain and the sands along the Costa del Sol in the country's southern bundle sunbathe like sardines, but you'll get more breathing room if you set foot for the Atlantic coast instead, says Andalusian Manny Koo. TOMA & COE based tour operator.
The 121-kilometre south-facing Atlantic coast between Tarifa and the Guadiana River, near the border with Portugal, has "slightly cooler temperatures, less developed, and is a totally hidden gem." Says.
Highlights include the pretty fishing village of El Rompido, Cadiz's great dining scene and the wild beaches around Huelva (between Mazagón and Matalascañas). The area is also a magnet for kitesurfing.
Aeolian Islands, Sicily, Italy
The serene Aeolian archipelago of Sicily beckons with an uncrowded allure that neither the Amalfi Coast nor Capri can match.
Made up of seven major volcanic islands suspended like a necklace in the deep turquoise waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea off the northern coast of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands hardly feel lonely during Italy's hot summer. But their relative distance means they don't get nearly as much of an American audience as Positano or Capri.
“The Aeolians are a far cry from the idea of islands Americans might have,” says Dario Ferrante of Absolute Sicilia, adding that visitors don't come here to enjoy Caribbean-style white sand beaches, but rather for active vacations, including hiking at Stromboli volcano. Evidence.
Ferrante calls Salina Island as his personal vacation favorite, but says the islands of Filicudi and Alicudi offer a very remote rural experience (the latter has no cars - just donkeys to haul your luggage).
It also refers to the north side of the volcano Mount Etna as one of the most beautiful undiscovered areas in Sicily. It is only 40 minutes from Taormina's famous beaches.
"It's perfect for total relaxation, excursions and wellness, and a paradise for wine lovers and food junkies," Ferrante says.
Zadar Archipelago, Croatia
The coastline and islands around Zadar in Croatia offer a "world apart" experience from the busy points south such as Split, Dubrovnik and the island of Hvar, suggests Alan Mandic of Croatian travel agency Secret Dalmatia.
He says the car-free Adriatic islands of Selba and Olympus in the Zadar archipelago have gorgeous beaches almost like the Caribbean Sea. You can even stay at a lighthouse on the western cape of the larger island of Dugi Otok.
"These are the places we go to when we want to avoid crowds in general," Mandyk says. "You're not really going to see any American there."
Pelion Peninsula, Greece
With such a wonderful coastline and mountains to explore, Greeks tend to vacation in their country during the summer, says Andrea Mitsakos, founder of luxury brand Anthologist.
And while in summer international audiences may find it difficult to look beyond the iconic postcards with white and blue backgrounds on crowded islands like Santorini and Mykonos, Mitsakos says they often head to the mountainous Pelion peninsula on the eastern side of the Aegean from mainland Greece. More stay under the radar.
The lush green peninsula, with its Pagasetic Bay flanking its western shores, is dotted with coastal and mountain villages, with fresh seafood at every turn.
There are beaches all over the peninsula, but if you just hit two, Mylopotamos and Fakistra on the Aegean side are two of the unmissable places. They are tucked into natural bays as the waters cascade down the coastal cliffs like turquoise liquefied in the dazzling sun.