Bohinj, in Slovenia, the best secret destination in Europe in 2020
Now more than ever, the secret corners, the lesser known places and the little villages lost in the middle of nowhere They are the destinations that fill our traveling desires.
The locations that allow us to experience that sensation of freedom so longed for , away from overcrowding and overtourism, are precisely the protagonists of the list prepared by European Best Destinations with the "hidden gems" of Europe.
Topping the list, the best unknown destination in Europe, a title that this year takes Bohinj, in Slovenia.
Bohinj, in the heart of the Julian Alps
METHODOLOGY
11,440 travelers have participated in the vote for this 2020 edition of the European secret jewels, excluding those that were already awarded in previous years.
"Probably the result would have been different in a few months, but at the moment most travelers seek nature, outdoors, proximity to the sea and more sustainable destinations" , comments from European Best Destinations to Traveler.es
BOHINJ: THE BEST SECRET DESTINATION IN EUROPE
Located in the heart of the Julian Alps, in the Triglav National Park, Bohinj is the perfect destination for those who want to unwind to the fullest.
Bohinj stands for nature, sustainability, relax and local authenticity and also gives its name to the largest lake in Slovenia.
Now, the fact of disconnecting and reconciling with Mother Nature does not mean that there are not a multitude of activities in which to invest time and live thousands of adventures
At Lake Bohinj you can practice paddle surfing, canoeing or kayaking and the Triglav National Park is full of routes of hiking and biking and some areas where climbing.
Lake Bohinj in Slovenia
Do not miss the Vogel cable car, which will take you over 1,500 meters high to contemplate a panoramic view of the lake and the Julian Alps.
Also, 7,000 species of animals and 1,600 species of plants live in the park and all the infrastructure takes into account the highest sustainability standards. In fact, the European Commission awarded Bohinj the EDEN award for the best sustainable tourism destination in Europe.
And for those who travel in winter, Bohinj ski resort is one of the best in Europe.
Lake Bohinj in Slovenia
In the list of the most beautiful secret places in Europe, a Spanish one sneaks in third place: the town of Agüero, in Huesca, guarded by gigantic rock formations 200 meters high, known as the Aguero mallets.
The neighbor Portugal has three destinations on the list of the unknown jewels of Europe: the Ilha das Flores and the islet of Vila Franca do Campo (both in Azores and in second and tenth place in the ranking) and the village of Sistelo, also known as the little Portuguese Tibet (fifth place).
Italy is the European country that houses the most unknown jewels, no less than six: Cefalù (Sicily), Sirmione (Brescia), the island of Procida (near Naples), Portoferraio (in Livorno, Elba Island), Portovenere (on the Ligurian coast) and Sorano (Tuscany).
Aguero (Huesca)
The UK, France and Greece each host two places from the list of the most beautiful and unknown destinations in Europe.
In France we find L'ile Louet (commune of Carantec, Morlaix Valley, in Brittany) and Foix (in the Ariège department, Occitanie region).
The two Greek destinations in the European Best Destinations ranking are Sami (on the Ionian island of Kefalonia) and the island of Skiathos (the westernmost of the Sporades group of islands).
In the UK, the secret gems on the list are Torquay (a town on the south coast of England, belonging to the county of Devon) and Crovie (a small town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland).
You can check the complete list of the most beautiful and unknown places in Europe here.
Cefalù and its famous cliff