Underrated Countries in Europe: 5 Hidden Gems to Visit Before the Crowds Arrive
Painted villages, Europe's deepest canyon, Art Nouveau capitals and Ottoman bridges, at a fraction of the price and the queues of Paris or Rome. Here is how Poland, Slovakia, Latvia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina compare, and which one fits your trip.
Tap a stamp to jump to that country.
Why these five, and why now
Europe's most visited cities are straining under their own popularity. Meanwhile, a short flight east or south, you can have a medieval old town to yourself at sunset and pay local prices for dinner.
Every country on this list has at least one landscape or town that would be world famous if it sat in France or Italy. Poland has a village where every cottage is hand painted with flowers. Slovakia has one of the largest castle ruins in Central Europe and a national park you climb with ladders and chains. Latvia has a capital packed with Art Nouveau facades and what is often called the widest waterfall in Europe. Montenegro squeezes a fjord-like bay and Europe's deepest river canyon into a country you can cross in a few hours. Bosnia and Herzegovina has Mostar's Old Bridge, emerald rivers and some of the warmest hospitality on the continent.
This guide is the hub for our full hidden gems series. Use it to compare the five, pick your country, then dive into the in-depth guide for each one.
Underrated European countries at a glance
Relative cost is compared with Western Europe. Crowd levels refer to the country overall, not its single most famous spot in August.
| Country | Best for | Best months | Currency | Schengen | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | Old towns, food, history, primeval forest | May to September | Złoty (PLN) | Yes | Low |
| Slovakia | Mountain hiking, castles, folk villages | June to September | Euro | Yes | Low |
| Latvia | Architecture, beaches, forests, midsummer | May to September | Euro | Yes | Low to medium |
| Montenegro | Coast plus mountains in one small country | May, June, September, October | Euro (not in the EU) | No | Low to medium |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Culture, rivers, value for money | May to September | Convertible mark (BAM) | No | Lowest of the five |
Poland
Most visitors see Kraków and Warsaw and leave. Stay a few days longer and Poland turns into a country of painted villages, Gothic brick towns and one of the last primeval forests in Europe.
Hidden gems not to miss
- Zalipie. A small village in Lesser Poland where cottages, wells and even dog kennels are covered in hand-painted flowers. An easy day trip from Kraków.
- Toruń. A UNESCO-listed Gothic old town on the Vistula, birthplace of Copernicus, and famous for its gingerbread.
- Białowieża Forest. A UNESCO site shared with Belarus, home to Europe's largest free-roaming herd of European bison.
- Kazimierz Dolny. A Renaissance river town beloved by Polish painters, with gorges and hilltop views.
- Wrocław. A canal-laced city with hundreds of small bronze dwarf statues to hunt for around the old town.
Slovakia
Slovakia packs alpine scenery, fairy-tale castles and folk traditions into a country smaller than West Virginia, and most of it is still wonderfully quiet.
Hidden gems not to miss
- Slovak Paradise National Park. Gorge hikes where the trail becomes ladders, footbridges and chains bolted beside waterfalls.
- Spiš Castle. One of the largest castle complexes in Central Europe, a UNESCO site crowning a limestone hill.
- Banská Štiavnica. A former silver mining town built inside an ancient volcanic caldera, with tiered streets and old mining lakes for swimming.
- Čičmany. Log houses decorated with bright white geometric patterns, a living folk-architecture reserve.
- The High Tatras. Glacial lakes like Štrbské Pleso and hut-to-hut hiking in the smallest high mountain range in Europe.
Latvia
Half of Latvia is forest, its coastline is almost all sandy beach, and its capital has some of the finest Art Nouveau architecture anywhere in Europe.
Hidden gems not to miss
- Riga's Art Nouveau district. Alberta iela and Elizabetes iela are lined with facades of screaming masks, sphinxes and peacocks.
- Kuldīga and the Venta Rapid. A storybook town beside Ventas Rumba, often called the widest waterfall in Europe.
- Gauja National Park. Sandstone cliffs, Turaida Castle and a cable car over the valley at Sigulda, about an hour from Riga.
- Rundāle Palace. A baroque palace by Rastrelli, the architect of St Petersburg's Winter Palace, surrounded by formal gardens.
- Cape Kolka. The wild point where the Gulf of Riga meets the open Baltic Sea.
Montenegro
In the morning you can swim in the Adriatic, and by the afternoon you can be standing above a canyon over a kilometer deep. Few countries fit this much drama into so little space.
Hidden gems not to miss
- Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks. A baroque waterfront village facing a church built on a man-made islet in the Bay of Kotor.
- Durmitor and the Tara River Canyon. The deepest river canyon in Europe, with rafting, ziplines and the Đurđevića Tara Bridge.
- Lake Skadar. The largest lake in the Balkans, with water lilies, pelicans and small wine villages along its shore.
- Ostrog Monastery. A white monastery built straight into a vertical cliff face, one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the Balkans.
- Kotor's fortress climb. Go at sunrise, before the cruise ships dock, for the classic view over the bay.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Where East meets West in the Balkans. Minarets and church towers share the skyline, rivers run an impossible shade of green, and coffee is a ritual, not a takeaway.
Hidden gems not to miss
- Mostar's Old Bridge. The 16th-century Ottoman arch over the Neretva, rebuilt after the war and reopened in 2004. Watch the divers jump in summer.
- Kravica Waterfalls. A wide horseshoe of cascades with swimming in the pools below from late spring through summer.
- Blagaj Tekke. A dervish house tucked beneath a cliff at the spring of the Buna River.
- Počitelj. A fortified stone village climbing a hillside above the Neretva, quiet once the day buses leave.
- Jajce. A royal medieval town with a waterfall tumbling right through its center.
Two routes that combine these countries
These five countries fall into two natural clusters. Each route below works well in 10 to 12 days by bus, train or rental car.
The Adriatic and Balkans loop
- Kotor and Perast, 3 nights. Bay views, the fortress climb and a boat to Our Lady of the Rocks.
- Durmitor National Park, 2 nights. Base in Žabljak for the Black Lake and Tara Canyon.
- Sarajevo, 2 to 3 nights. Old bazaar, museums and café culture.
- Mostar, 2 nights. Take the scenic train from Sarajevo, then day trip to Kravica, Blagaj and Počitelj.
- Back to Dubrovnik, about 2.5 to 3 hours by road.
The Carpathian and Baltic trip
- Kraków, 3 nights, with a day trip to Zalipie's painted cottages.
- Zakopane, 1 night, on the Polish side of the Tatras.
- High Tatras and Slovak Paradise, 3 nights, crossing into Slovakia with a stop at Spiš Castle.
- Košice, 1 night, then fly on to Riga.
- Riga plus Gauja National Park, 3 nights.
Which underrated country fits your trip?
You want the best value in Europe
Bosnia and HerzegovinaYou want beaches and mountains in one trip
MontenegroYou're a hiker
SlovakiaYou love architecture and design
LatviaYou want history, cities and great food
PolandPlanning tips and entry rules
Schengen and the 90-day rule
Poland, Slovakia and Latvia are in the Schengen Area, where many non-EU visitors, including US citizens, can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina are outside Schengen, so days there do not count toward that limit.
New EU border checks
The EU's Entry/Exit System now registers non-EU travelers with fingerprints and a photo at Schengen external borders, so allow extra time on your first entry. The ETIAS travel authorization is scheduled to follow, so check the official EU travel site before booking.
When to go
Late May, June and September are the sweet spot for all five: warm, green and far quieter than peak August. Summer is best for Tatra hiking and Baltic beaches, and shoulder season is best for the Montenegrin coast.
Money
Slovakia, Latvia and Montenegro use the euro. Poland uses the złoty and Bosnia and Herzegovina the convertible mark. Cards work widely in cities, but carry some cash for villages, markets and mountain huts.
See these places before you go
Watch our travel videos for hidden gems filmed on the ground across Europe.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most underrated country in Europe?
It depends on what you want, but Bosnia and Herzegovina is a strong pick for many travelers. It combines Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian history, dramatic rivers and waterfalls, and some of the lowest prices in Europe, yet still sees a fraction of the visitors that neighboring Croatia does.
Which underrated European country is the cheapest to visit?
Of the five in this guide, Bosnia and Herzegovina is usually the least expensive, followed closely by Poland and Slovakia outside their capitals. Montenegro's coast is pricier in July and August, but inland areas stay affordable.
Can you visit Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina on the same trip?
Yes. They share a border and pair naturally with Dubrovnik in Croatia. A 10 to 12 day loop through Kotor, Durmitor, Sarajevo and Mostar is one of the best road trips in the Balkans.
Do days in Montenegro and Bosnia count toward the Schengen 90-day limit?
No. Neither country is in the Schengen Area, so time spent there does not count toward the 90 days in 180 rule. Montenegro uses the euro, but it is not an EU member.
When is the best time to visit underrated places in Europe?
Late May, June and September offer the best balance of good weather, open hiking trails and thinner crowds across all five countries in this guide.
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