Skip to Content

Tripadvisor Reveals The Top 5 European Destinations For 2025

Share The Article

Last Updated


Heading back to Europe in 2025 and still unsure which countries to check out this time? We get it; it's a big continent filled with fascinating medieval towns, beautiful alpine scenery, and picture-perfect Mediterranean beaches.

Lucky for you, Tripadvisor has just come to your rescue.

As customary, the U.S.-based travel agency has released its annual list of Best of the Best Places to visit in Europe, and whether you're a culture buff drawn to that Old World allure or a nature enthusiast, you're in for a treat.

Without further ado, here are Europe's top 5 destinations this year according to Tripadvisor:

Agia Galini Town In Crete, Greece

Crete, Greece

The largest island in Greece, as well as the third-largest island in the Mediterranean, Crete is a stand-alone destination in its own right, widely popular for its endless miles of pristine beaches, charming coastal towns, and lush inland nature.

Its capital, Heraklion, is a bustling city with a rich history spanning thousands of years and a medieval castle guarding the entrance to its yacht-lined port, while Chania is the more laid-back alternative, with Venetian-inspired architecture, narrow streets, and family-owned restaurants.

Pink Sand At Falassarna Beach In Crete, Greece

In Elafonisi, on the southwestern coast, tourists will find a pink sand beach lapped by turquoise seas, and if you love long hikes, there are several trails to choose from in the UNESCO-protected Psiloritis Natural Park––and they all lead to either breathtaking viewpoints or natural springs.

Cretan cuisine also plays a huge part in the island's attractiveness to foreigners, and if you're a devoted foodie like us, make sure the offbeat of Rethymnon is on your list (the local sweet cheese pies known as Kalitsounia are to die for).

Rome, Italy

Rome in Spring

There's many a reason why you should add the Eternal City to your bucket list in 2025, regardless of whether you've been on a different occasion already or this will be your first time marveling at ancient wonders like the Colosseum and the ruin-strewn Palatine Hill:

For starters, it is Jubilee Year this year, a months-long celebration that sees millions of pilgrims flocking into Rome, and more specifically, the Vatican at its very core, to reconnect with their faith, and Rome's historic center has been greatly transformed to better accommodate them.

view of the Colosseum, Rome

If you've ever landed in Rome only to be disappointed countless landmarks are covered in scaffolding, this will not be a concern of tourists in the coming months, with iconic places like St. Peter's Square and Trevi Fountain renovated, and walkability improving further.

Only two weeks ago, one of Rome's most famous public squares, Piazza Pia, reopened as the city's largest pedestrianized zone, no longer polluted by traffic, which has now been diverted to tunnels going underneath it.

Paris, France

Woman in Paris, France, looking at the Eiffel Tower

Love it or hate it, you can't say you've done Europe justice without ticking off Paris: the City of Lights has stately 19th-century boulevards bordered by ornate Haussmann edifices, verdant, fountain-dotted city gardens like Tuileries and of course, it is the proud home of the Eiffel Tower.

2025 is also a great year for exploring Paris, as the chaos of the Olympics is already past us, to the best of our knowledge, there are no elections in sight––we know how agitated the French get when politics are involved––and Notre-Dame is once again open.

partially reconstructed Notre Dame, September 2023

You might need to book a slot in advance if you're short on time, and you don't want to waste time waiting in line when Paris has so many more incredible attractions, but in case you can't access Notre Dame due to unavailability, there's a lesser-known, equally-beautiful Saint-Denis Basilica:

It is, in fact, older than Notre-Dame and the first Gothic structure ever built––the rose windows and vaulted ceilings are stunning and even rival the more famous cathedral in beauty, and if you're paying to enter the crypt, you'll be visiting Marie-Antoinette's final resting place.

Sicily, Italy

View of the Levanzo island, smallest of the Aegadian Islands in the Mediterranean Sea in Sicily, province of Trapany, Italy

If you binged White Lotus in the last couple of years, you probably know why this Italian island is featured on here: with endless miles of sun-kissed shores, ancient ruins that offer us rare glimpses into forgotten times past, and postcard-ready cities, Sicily is the ultimate Mediterranean escape.

Regional capital Palermo is a great place to start, with its domed skyline, bustling streets, and a plethora of Baroque churches, though you wouldn't want to miss on many of the smaller Sicilian gems, like Taormina, famous for hosting a 1st-century Roman theater, or the ocher-colored Noto.

View Of The Greek Theater In Taormina With The Snow-Capped Mount Etna In The Background, Sicily, Italy

Sicilian nature is as major a force to be reckoned with as the local culture, with the island's pride and joy, the still-active Etna volcano, and the vast Parco delle Madonie in the vicinity of Palermo offering numerous hiking opportunities and scenic lookouts.

Maybe it's a good time to mention that, as of this year, Americans will be able to fly nonstop from the United States to Catania, Sicily's second-largest city, with Delta Air Lines, with roundtrip flights in June starting from $2,965.

London, United Kingdom

Night View Of Big Ben In London, United Kingdom

Double-decker bus rides, iconic red telephone boxes, 19th-century bascule bridges, and big clock towers glistening gold in the rare event sunlight graces England's shores: it's no wonder London is on the bucket list of millions of Americans this year.

Be it attending the Changing of the Royal Guard, admiring the ornately carved crypts inside Westminster Cathedral, or simply strolling along the monument-strewn Thames, they'll be flocking to the English heartland from all over to experience some of that undeniable British culture.

Tower Bridge In London During Sunset, England, United Kingdom

If you're looking for unique experiences to make your time in London even more memorable, consider joining a walking tour of Camden Townone of the city's most culturally diverse and upbeat districts and the former home of Amy Winehouse.

Oh, and if you're hoping to escape the crowds momentarily, instead of Westminster, make sure you pay a visit to the former royal residence at Hampton Court in Southwest London, which, unlike the world-famous palace, is fully open to the public as a museum, costing around $33 to enter.

↓ Elevate Your Travel↓

Sign Up Now For Travel Off Path Premium! No ads, VIP Content, Personal Travel Concierge, Huge Savings, Daily Deals, Members Forum & More!

✈️Join Our Travel Off Path Community Forum: Where travelers unite, ask questions, share experiences and even find like-minded travel buddies!


SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS

Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path's latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.