If Rome is on your bucket list for 2025, we'd urge you to think twice before booking those flights in the next few weeks, especially if you hate the crowds.
As fascinating as it may be, the Eternal City is among the continent's worst destinations for overtourism, with millions of people flocking to the narrow streets of Trastevere and lining up for a picture by Trevi Fountain every year.
2025 will be no different, especially with the advent of the Jubilee, a pilgrimage event set to draw an even higher number of devout Christians to the Vatican at the very heart of Rome throughout the year.

But hey, not all hope is lost just yet for the wanderlust-filled culture buff!
Who said the Italian capital is the only European destination boasting ancient landmarks dating back to the Roman Empire?
If you want to escape the masses and truly take in the sights without the usual distractions, here are 7 lesser-known gems that feel just like Rome:
7. Vienne, France

In the sun-drenched south of France, 307 miles from an elegant Paris, Vienne (not to be mistaken for Vienna in Austria) is a charming small city with a rich history dating back to Roman times––and dare we say, one of the most beautiful:
A secret destination inhabitants of the Isère would prefer kept hidden, it is much loved for its picture-perfect Old Town, what with the cozy bistros and fountain squares bordered by pastel buildings and, of course, a plethora of Roman ruins.

In the very center of town, the Temple d'Auguste et de Livie has stood nearly intact since the 1st century AD, and it's one of the best-preserved of its period; in the lush Cybèle gardens, you can still see the remains of a Roman forum.
There is also an Ancient Theater and a 2nd-century pyramid marking the spot where the circus, which used to host chariot races, would have been.
All in all, Vienne's winding alleys and crowd-free open-air museums are the perfect alternative to the vespa-jammed streets of Rome.
6. Pula, Croatia

Lining the Adriatic Sea, Pula is probably Croatia's most underrated culture hotspot: Dubrovnik, Split, and the like may get all the fame, but they don't have their very own Colosseum.
You read that right: much like Rome, Pula has an amphitheater, with all sides intact, built as far back as 27 BC: it is considered Croatia's best-maintained ancient monument, and even to this day, it hosts live performances and music festivals.
You can check all live events taking place in the arena this year here.
Other historically significant monuments in Pula include the Roman-built city gate (Porta Gemina), the Arch of the Sergii, the Temple of Augustus, and Pula Cathedral, formerly a temple raised in the dedication of Jupiter (the God).
Santipoce, Spain

If you're a Hispanophile, you've probably heard of a colorful, vibrant Seville at this point, but what of Santiponce?
A small community a short 20-minute drive from the bustling Andalusian capital in the south of Spain, it is best known for containing the ruins of the former major Roman city of Italica, where none less than two Roman emperors were born.
That's Trajan and Hadrian for you.
As for Italica, it is a vast archaeological complex comprising villas with mosaic-covered floors, an original Roman road that's remained unchanged for 2,000 years, and most importantly, a large amphitheater that rivals Rome's own in beauty.

Built between the years 117 AD and 138 AD, it was one of the most monumental in the entire Roman Empire, with a capacity of 25,000 spectators––and if you're a Game of Thrones enthusiast, it provided the backdrop for the hit show's Dragonpit scenes.
Verona, Italy
We're back to the Roman heartland for this one: located in the north of Italy, 74 miles west of the floating city of Venice, Verona has been popularized since its feature on a certain 16th-century tragedy going by the title of… Romeo and Juliet.
Besides the Shakespearian allure of it, Verona is packed with millennia-old structures.

The most famous is the huge 1st-century amphitheater, a ring-shaped arena towering over the otherwise-even townscape, but don't miss out on the lesser-visited Porta Borsari, an ornate city gate erected by our galea-clad, spear-thrusting friends, and the hillside Teatro Romano.
Oh, and if it's that classic Verona viewpoint you're after, somebody told us if you climb St. Peter's Hill, and you stand near the tallest point, near San Pietro Castle, you'll get an amazing panorama of the city and its many medieval bridges spanning the clear Adige river.
Nîmes, France

Yet another undiscovered treasure of Southern France, Nîmes is called the French Rome for a reason:
It was once an important outpost of the Roman Empire, and over the centuries, it's done a stellar job at preserving that heritage, from the double-tiered, 70 AD amphitheater that continues to accommodate concerts and bullfights to the nearby tri-level Pont du Gard aqueduct.
Though it once carried water for over 31 miles, from the French hinterlands all the way to Nîmes, it is now a monument you can admire up close, and right at the foot of the aqueduct, there are peaceful pebbly beaches straddling the turquoise-colored Gardon river.

In the center of town, its UNESCO-protected Maison Carrée is a striking white-limestone sight in the form of a 2,000-year-old temple, second only to the Roman Pantheon in preservation, and the romantic, pond-dotted Jardins de la Fontaine are home to ornate fountains and a 1st century Temple of Diana.
Agrigento, Italy
The final Italian addition to this list, Agrigento is an often-overlooked city in Sicily's southwest shore that, unlike Taormina or Noto, did not make White Lotus' final cut.
It is perched on a prominent hilltop overlooking the countryside, and its main attraction is the ruin-littered Valley of the Temples: its largest edifice, the Temple of Concordia, is an emblematic Greek construction often compared to the Athenian Acropolis.

Nearby, as part of the wider archaeological complex of Akragas, the Temple of Heracles dominates the mystical Hill of the Temples, with its reassembled archaic columns in the Doric style––according to Roman statesman Cicero, it formerly sheltered a statue of Heracles (or Hercules).
In Agrigento proper, you can explore ocher-colored streets, discover hidden piazzas revolving around centuries-old olive trees, and stroll along a central Via Atenea, the city's buzzing central avenue, lined with palatial buildings and traditional trattorias.

For the best pizza in Agrigento, make sure you swing by Pizzeria da Mimmo, a little out of town, yet staunchly Sicilian, nonetheless, and laying claim to the yummiest wood-fired pizza from here all the way to Catania.
Trier, Germany
Ha! We bet you didn't expect to find a city north of the Alps on this list.
As always, we've saved the best for last: a stone's throw away from the border with the small nation of Luxembourg, Trier is Germany's oldest city, and at one point, it even became one of the 3 official capitals of the Roman Empire.

The most emblematic symbol of Trier is its aged, darkened-stone Porta Nigra, an eye-catching city gate belonging to a larger system of fortifications that no longer exist and that was raised at some point in the 2nd century AD.
Trier has three Roman baths, with Kaiserthermen (or Imperial Bath), being the most impressive, an amphitheater, that could seat up to 20,000 people––unlike Pula's, however, this one is largely-overgrown––and a 4th century basilica (Aula Palatina), commissioned by Constantine I.

In case the name doesn't ring a bell, that's the first Christian Emperor of Rome.
Trier's manmade wonders are truly numerous, with more noteworthy examples found at Trier Cathedral, a Romanesque effort distinguished for being the oldest cathedral standing in all of Germany, and the Moselle Bridge… you guessed it, the oldest bridge in the country.
Who would have thought Roman Europe would still have so much to offer?
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