Go here, not there: Destination dupes in Europe

21.06.2024 - 13:05 / thepointsguy.com

Heading to Europe for summer vacation? You're certainly not the only one. In 2023, more than 700 million people visited the continent, many of whom booked trips during the peak summer season.

Instead of fighting your way through the hordes at Europe's most popular vacation destinations, you can visit more under-the-radar locales for a less crowded — and likely less expensive — experience.

To help you find some inspiration for your next European adventure, we've put together this list of destination dupes for some of the region's top vacation spots.

Keep in mind that many of these alternative destinations aren't total unknowns. Europeans are savvy travelers, so they're probably already familiar with many of these places. Nor are they perfect copies of the spots they're standing in for.

But if we've encouraged you to take a trip somewhere you might not have been familiar with, we'll consider our job done. Here are 11 great destination dupes in Europe for your trips this summer and beyond.

If you're seeking dramatic coastlines, picturesque villages and a touch of luxury this summer, give Portugal's Alentejo region a try. Located between Lisbon and the Algarve, the Alentejo has breathtaking landscapes both along the sea and inland, and it's dotted with both historic sites and nature preserves.

Visit the capital city of Evora, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to step back in time to the 15th century, when it was home to the Portuguese royal family. (Use points to stay at the Hilton Garden Inn Evora starting at $74 or 22,000 points per night.) Or if wildlife viewing is your vacation activity of choice, make for the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve and bring your binoculars for both birds and dolphins.

The Alentejo is also home to chic Comporta, the Portuguese beach haven known to attract tastemakers from around the world each summer. Consider it akin to the Hamptons, without the overwhelming crowds. Book a stay at the luxe Quinta da Comporta (rates start at $262 per night), a boutique hotel by architect and designer Miguel Cancio Martins on the site of a former rice farm.

Yes, the Dolomites might technically be part of the Alps, but there's still a shift when you cross the border between Switzerland and Italy. First off, vacationing in the Dolomites tends to be cheaper than vacationing in the Swiss Alps. And the culture and geology are different here, too, with the region having its own language (Ladin) and dolomitic limestone rock formations not found elsewhere in the Alps.

In terms of summer mountain activities, hiking trails abound, but you can also take cable cars to the summits of several peaks, including Marmolada, the region's tallest mountain at just shy of 11,000 feet. The ultra-adventurous might be