7 Places to Visit This Summer Instead of Crowded Paris
A curated guide for travelers who know the difference between a destination and an experience.
Paris will always be Paris. But this summer, the city of light is also the city of lines, overcrowded terraces, and the particular fatigue that comes from sharing a sacred place with everyone who had the same idea.
The travelers I work with have a different orientation. They are not looking for the most obvious answer. They are looking for the right one, for them, at this moment in their lives.
What follows are seven destinations I am actively recommending this summer to clients who want Europe at its finest without the friction that comes with following the masses.
01. Montenegro
The Adriatic before the crowds arrived.
This is what Croatia felt like twenty years ago, before the world caught on. Montenegro delivers everything a discerning traveler seeks in the Mediterranean: crystalline water, ancient walled towns, dramatic mountain backdrops, and almost none of the infrastructure that brings crowds. The Bay of Kotor reads like a fjord masquerading as an Adriatic village. Durmitor National Park remains one of Europe's genuinely untouched landscapes. The clients I place here do not go back to Dubrovnik.
Where to Stay
Aman Sveti Stefan. There is no equivalent. A 15th-century fishing village converted into a private island resort. Reserve early.
One&Only Portonovi, a chic luxury retreat on Boka Bay, is a celebration of its breathtaking natural environment and rich local heritage.
Perks at One&Only Portonovi: $100 food / beverage credit, breakfast daily, upgrade & extended check-in/out whenever possible.
02. Salzburg, Austria
Europe's most underestimated luxury capital.
Salzburg rewards travelers who have already done Vienna and are ready for something with more depth. The lakeland region surrounding the city, from Wolfgangsee to Hallstatt, is among the most beautiful terrain on the continent. The culinary scene is serious, the opera culture is world-class, and the new hotel openings here are attracting the kind of attention that means you want to go now, before the rates reflect the reputation.
Where to Stay
Schloss Fuschl, a Luxury Collection Resort. Set on a private lake estate, it remains one of Central Europe's most quietly exceptional properties.
What's Included When You Book Through Me
Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability. Daily breakfast for two, served in the restaurant. A $100 hotel credit applied during your stay — and for stays of seven nights or more, that increases to $300. Early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability. Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout.
These are the access points that come with working with an advisor who knows where to place you.
03. Florence, Italy
The real Italy still lives here, if you know where to look.
Florence in summer is not for the faint-hearted, unless you know how to move through it. The Uffizi queue is not your itinerary. The real experience is found in the early morning streets of Oltrarno, in a private palazzo aperitivo, in day trips through Chianti that most travelers never attempt. For the client who has done Rome and wants something with more texture, Florence remains the answer. The city is best experienced with time, intention, and the right accommodations.
Where to Stay
La Gemma for boutique intimacy in the historic center, or Four Seasons Hotel Firenze for those who want a full estate experience with garden access and absolute privacy.
La Gemma
EUR 85 resort credit applied during your stay. Complimentary soft drinks from the minibar. Early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability. Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability.
Four Seasons Hotel Firenze
Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability. Daily buffet breakfast for two, served in the restaurant. A $100 Food & Beverage credit applied during your stay. Early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability. Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout.
These are the two properties I recommend for Florence — and these are the access points that come with booking through me.
04. Budapest, Hungary
The most beautiful city in Europe that most Americans consistently overlook.
Budapest is what happens when grand architecture, thermal culture, serious food, and genuine local life exist in a city that has not yet been fully claimed by mass tourism. The Danube splits Buda and Pest into two entirely different experiences. The ruin bars are legendary. The thermal baths are a daily ritual, not a tourist attraction. The palace district at night is something I encourage every sophisticated client to witness before it becomes what Prague has become.
Where to Stay
Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest, housed in a 20th-century Art Nouveau palace on the Danube. The view from the bridge-facing rooms requires no filter.
TSS Perks: Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability. Daily full breakfast for two, served in the restaurant. A $100 hotel credit applied during your stay. Early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability. Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout.
05. Croatia
Go deeper than Dubrovnik.
The clients who come back from Croatia raving are never the ones who stayed in Dubrovnik. The Dalmatian islands, particularly Hvar and Vis, offer a combination of pristine coastline, serious cuisine, and a pace of life that feels earned rather than manufactured. Croatia's culinary identity has become one of the strongest in the Mediterranean: local olive oil, fresh-caught seafood, indigenous wine varietals, and a farm-to-table ethos that predates the trend. This is the Adriatic without apology.
Where to Stay
Aminess Grand Azur or a curated private villa rental through a specialist contact. The villa experience on the islands is unmatched for families or small groups.
06. Prague, Czech Republic
One of Europe's most beautiful cities, and still underpriced for what it delivers.
Prague's Gothic and Baroque architecture is the most intact in Central Europe, and the city's scale makes it walkable in a way that Rome and Paris cannot match. Charles Bridge, Prague Castle, and the Old Town Square are well-known for good reason. What separates a surface-level visit from a real one is the accommodation choice, the timing, and knowing which neighborhoods hold the authentic city beneath the postcard version. My clients leave with the conviction that they have seen something most people missed.
Where to Stay
Four Seasons Hotel Prague, directly on the Old Town Square. The position here is simply unbeatable.
TSS Perks: Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability. Daily buffet breakfast for two, served in the restaurant. A $100 hotel credit applied during your stay. Early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability. Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout.
07. Costa Navarino, Greece
Greece for travelers who are done with Santorini.
The Peloponnese is Greece before the Instagram era: authentic fishing villages, Byzantine ruins, olive groves, and coastline that has not been converted into a hospitality corridor. Costa Navarino is the exception to every rule about over-touristed Mediterranean destinations. The development here was done with a long view toward preservation and quality, and it shows in every detail. The surrounding region offers genuine archaeological depth, a coastline that rivals anything in the Aegean, and an experience that rewards travelers who value substance over scenery.
Where to Stay
The Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino. Ultra-sleek suites, a luxury beach club, and one of the most beautifully positioned properties in the Mediterranean.
TSS Perks: Upgrade on arrival, subject to availability. Daily full breakfast for two, served in the restaurant or via in-room dining. A $100 credit applied during your stay, applicable toward Food & Beverage or Spa treatments. Three-bedroom villa bookings receive an additional $100 Spa credit. Early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability. Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout.
Upgrade applies Suite to Suite and Villa to Villa, excluding Mandarin Pool Villa and Three Bedroom Pool Villa.
The Difference Between Knowing and Booking
Any of these destinations can be booked. What cannot be replicated through a search engine is the layer of access, context, and placement that turns a good trip into a defining one.
The hotel perks, the timing, the room category, the private connections, the understanding of what a specific client actually needs from an experience. That is what I provide.
If one of these destinations is calling you, I invite you to begin the conversation.
