Best In Europe

Lonely Planet's travel experts have combed through Europe's remote coastlines, its vibrant metropolitan areas and less-known areas to find the best travel destinations of the year.

From roaming forests to wine-covered towns, these ten destinations are currently the most interesting places on the continent: a mixture of revived favourites and lesser-known jewels, which are made to come into the spotlight in 2019.

Now all you have to do is decide where to go first.

1. High Tatras, Slovakia

There is something mystical about the landscape of the High Tatras in Slovakia: a mountain range full of crooked peaks and rushing waterfalls, in which willows cover the ground and scary beasts roam the forests. While they have been displaced almost all over Europe, brown bears feel really good in this wild, rough area, so it is particularly easy to spot them in the wild. An increasing number of tour operators are taking adventurers on foot to the best sighting spots, through forests that also contain lynxes, wolves and the endemic Tatra chamois.

In addition to game viewing, there are plenty of activities for travelers and for that they require most essential piece of equipment. With an offer of hikes to the highest peak in Slovaukia, the 2655 meter high Gerlach (also known as Gerlachovský Štít), boat trips on the glacial lake of Štrbské Pleso and traditional hospitality in mountain huts, which are called chaty here, you may not want to end up at all return more to the lowlands.

2. Madrid, Spain

Madrid was able to elegantly transform a brief stumble during the country-wide economic crisis into a kind of cha-cha-cha and has regained its rhythm with new energy. The city's nightlife, which has always been one of the best in Europe, is just getting better and better - Calle de Ponzano, a series of tapas standing restaurants and minimalist cocktail bars, even has its own hashtag in the social media trends and is now one the coolest nightlife streets on the continent.

But not only night owls will notice changes. A focus on sustainability has brought pedestrian zones, bike paths and rental bikes, wider sidewalks and stricter emission limits with it, which give the city a new face. Even the historic Museo del Prado is blooming again: As part of the celebrations to mark the museum's 200th anniversary, there will be an abundance of special events in 2019 - from special exhibitions of previously unseen works to performing art demonstrations.

3. Arctic Coast Way, Iceland

Although Iceland has been high on the wish list of many travelers for ten years, it still has an ace up its sleeve. Many of the millions of visitors each year focus on Reykjavík and the famous Golden Circle. Daring people explore the west or even the vast east of the country, but very few make it to the north - so far, one might say.

The Arctic Coast Way stretches for 800 km from Hvammstangi in the west to Bakkafjörður in the east and has just been reopened. It leads over 21 villages and four islands along Iceland's original north coast. He lures with natural wonders for which Iceland is rightly famous: thundering waterfalls, gigantic glaciers, steaming fumaroles - and endless opportunities for winter sports, nature observation and wilderness adventures. In short: the best that Iceland has to offer, just without the crowds.

4. Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina

When you think of Herzegovina - the historical region that geographically piggybacks its counterpart Bosnia - you often have pictures of Mostar's magnificent old bridge in mind. What is mostly forgotten are the crowds that arrive every summer and handle photo filters to take the perfect snapshot of the impressive stone construction.

So expand your focus in 2019 and pay a visit to Herzegovina's other highlights, for example with a trip on the Ćiro bike route, an old Austro-Hungarian railway that winds its way through the landscape from Mostar to Dubrovnik and thereby some of the top sights of the Region scans. Atmospheric accommodations in old train stations offer the chance to store bicycles and further explore the area. Stroll through the medieval streets of Počitelj, explore the windy karst caves of Vjetrenica or hike to Lukomir, a traditional mountain village, and find new perspectives on this beautiful region.

5. Bari, Italy

Bari was never completely out of the window. But after it has long served only as a starting point for tourists on the way to Puglia's major visitor magnet in the south, it suddenly emanates new energy. The once dilapidated port city on Italy's Achilles heel shines in the light of a renaissance that has been announced for ten years.

The revitalized old town sets the tone: boarded-up shutters have given way to family-run restaurants in which grandmothers serve fully loaded plates of ear-shaped orecchiette on pretty piazzas. But the changes are by no means only cosmetic. Cultural sites celebrate their reopening, from the pretty Teatro Piccinni to traditional hotels like the Orient, which were once ready to be torn down - not forgetting the Art Nouveau building of the Teatro Margherita, a former theater that now exhibits art in an impressive location on piles in the sea. With a more interesting nightlife (fancy cocktails in a ticket counter?), Safer streets and cleaner beaches in the area, Bari is back at the forefront.

6. Shetland Islands, Scotland

Not many travelers end up in the northernmost point of the United Kingdom: the Shetland Islands 170 km off the coast of Scotland. The windswept archipelago with its lonely location in the North Sea is therefore reserved for the boldest adventurers. Their daringness rewards them with great coastal hiking trails, exceptional nature observations, fabulous fish and chip shops - and, thanks to the proud, friendly locals, with one or maybe two large sips of whiskey.

You have to earn a visit to Shetland first: The ferry from Aberdeen runs overnight and is itself an adventure. But once you get there, life is wonderfully relaxed: watch otters and orcas from rugged headlands and then enjoy a relaxed evening in one of Lerwick's local pubs. Except, of course, it's January and the Viking Festival Up Helly Aa is breathing life into the city.

7. Lyon, France

For a long time it was in the shadow of the capital in the north, and surely Lyon doesn't have the great reputation (and the crowds) that Paris has. Still, it shares some of its most engaging traits: it's beautiful thanks to its two river promenades (Rhône and Saône), it's obsessed with good food (the city's bistros, boulangeries, and bouchons are legendary), and it's full of culture (the museum mix ranges from the Musée des Confluences to the Musées Gadagne).

But in 2019, Lyon - after all the birthplace of French cinemas - will be in the spotlight when the city hosts the FIFA Women's World Cup finals in July. This major event is joined by an award recently received by the EU for accessible and sustainable tourism. Clear the stage for the new favorite French city for international visitors!

8. Liechtenstein

Ever crossed a whole country on foot on a weekend? This opportunity is available in small, pretty Liechtenstein. As part of the 300th anniversary as a sovereign nation, the Liechtenstein Trail opens there, a promising 75 km long hiking trail that meanders over peaks and pastures and leads through all eleven municipalities in the country.

Even if you leave your hiking shoes at home, a visit to fascinating Liechtenstein is worthwhile: the rural but rich state is governed by a prince who resides in a mountain castle above the capital Vaduz. The anniversary celebration creates additional incentive for a visit, with a series of special exhibitions (including highlights from the Princely Collections in the Liechtenstein Art Museum) and festivals - the biggest celebration takes place on August 15th.

9. Vevey, Switzerland

In 2019, Vevey really popped the corks, the Fête des Vignerons will take place in the city in July . This wine festival has been held once every twenty years since the 18th century, and its three weeks are all about flashy costume shows, folk festival-style parades, alphorn concerts and, if you still have time, the chance at pop-up stands and in open wine cellars to try some divine drops of Pinot and Chasselas from local cultivation.

But the city in Switzerland is not only intoxicating with its wine. The tiny old town on the shores of Lake Geneva is crammed with first-class restaurants that offer everything from 20-course menus to cozy and inexpensive fondue. You can work off the feast with a swim in Lake Geneva or a walk through the surrounding vineyards. On the way, you will need all of your determination to withstand another wine tasting.

10. Istria, Croatia

Is it the picturesque limestone coast of the heart-shaped peninsula, the magnificent monuments or the fondness for delicious food (and a weakness for wine!) That give Istria in northern Croatia something regal? In any case, it was already a place of longing for the Romans, Venetians and Hungarians who fought over this beautiful, fertile country for centuries.

Today you can conquer the peninsula, and expanded flight connections from Europe make it easier than ever. Start with the story (first of all with Pula's imposing Roman amphitheater and the Unesco cultural heritage mosaic in Poreč), then dedicate yourself to the beaches (Mulini with its wonderful atmosphere or the secluded rocky beach) and to top it off with the newer leisure activities: gourmet Bicycle tours in spring, music festivals in summer and truffle excursions in autumn.