Avoid Peak Season in Europe With Spring Travel

You’ve maybe seen the “Instagram vs. Reality” travel meme. The Instagram version shows deserted Mediterranean beaches, quaint medieval towns, or lone travelers against gorgeous backdrops, while the reality shows the same scenes but flooded with tourists. Like a good filter, there’s always a level of fiction in the Instagram version, but you can get much closer to that fantasy by traveling to Europe outside of the peak season.

Springtime in Europe’s most popular destinations doesn’t just mean fewer crowds but in many places also better weather and more genuine experiences than you’ll find in summer. It’s also a way to be a more responsible traveler, by helping to spread out the benefits of tourism for the local community.

The Origin travel team shares their top choices of where they would travel to in Europe this spring.

Greek islands like Mykonos and Santorini are some of the most tourist-trodden destinations in all of Europe once summer comes, but a spring visit is an entirely different story. In the whitewashed villages and postcard-worthy beaches you’ll actually find locals, not just tourists packed like sardines. But you can really make the most of shoulder season by venturing to other islands in the Aegean.

“In the spring, I love heading to the Greek island of Rhodes,” shares Origin curator and Greece expert Dean. “Not only is it incredible for history and beaches, but May is the beginning of the short window when butterflies emerge and take over the Valley of the Butterflies—it’s so beautiful and an amazing experience.” This natural event is complemented by cultural ones, as villages across the island celebrate with local festivals heralding the spring weather.

Head to the folkloric heart of Spain in Andalucia, where the strumming of flamenco music spills out onto the streets and you can fill yourself on generous tapas. Come summer, the heat in southern Spain is unbearable so Spain resident Sarah recommends “traveling to Andalucia in the months of March to May. It’s ideal to avoid scorching summer temperatures but still enjoy that Spanish sunshine.”

Apart from the balmy climate, spring is also when Andalucia’s most important festivals take place. Plan your trip around the processions of Semana Santa, the annual Seville Fair, or the floral-themed Patios Festival of Córdoba for a true cultural immersion you won’t soon forget. In between events, Origin can arrange private and exclusive visits to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Alhambra of Granada or Mezquita of Córdoba.

Portugal is small enough that when summer crowds arrive, the entire country quickly feels saturated with tourists. Thankfully, just a little flexibility with dates can make a huge difference in your trip, as Portugal is at its best when experienced in an intimate setting. There’s a dreamlike quality to the labyrinthine streets of Lisbon’s Alfama neighborhood when there are few tourists around and you stumble upon a tavern with local wine and live fado music.

Origin curator Ioanna says she would then head to Alentejo, the region between Lisbon and the Algarve. “This is the real agricultural area,” she explains, “and in spring there are blooming jacaranda trees, rolling green hills, and entire fields of sunflowers. The area is also perfect for stargazing with its usually clear skies.” Stretching from the Atlantic Coast to the Spanish border, Origin will lead you to the best hidden gems for history, seafood, and wine.

The show “Game of Thrones” turned once under-the-radar destinations in Southeast Europe into popular tourist stops, especially for summer cruise ships with ports of call in the coastal cities of Croatia and Montenegro. Origin travel expert Federico says the spring is the best time to visit because the weather is warming up and there are far fewer crowds in these fantastical cities.

Kotor is one of Montenegro’s most magical towns but can receive multiple cruise ships per day in the summer months. A spring vacation means no big ships blocking the sea views, more locals in the streets, and wildflower hikes in the surrounding foothills. In early spring, the coastal town of Ston, Croatia, celebrates its annual oyster festival, an indulgent event that pairs fresh bivalves with Croatian wine.

France gets more travelers than any other country in the world, “so any chance to avoid the large crowds of tourists is worth it,” according to Origin curator Christian. Shoulder season travel during the spring months is the easiest way to do that, when even a major travel hub like Paris has noticeably fewer tourists. As the days get warmer and sunnier, there’s a palpable energy in the air as Parisians come out of hibernation to enjoy picnics along the Seine, bistro terraces, and the radiant pink of the cherry blossoms.

Down in the southern Provence region, the famous lavender fields burst with life at the start of summer—bringing the hoards of flower tourists with them. Spring is early for lavender, but you’ll find a kaleidoscope of wildflowers that more than make up for it and with a fraction of the crowds. Visiting Provence in the spring is like stepping into a storybook, with fairytale scenery that extends all the way to the azure Riviera coast.

Perhaps nowhere in Europe offers the breadth of options that you can find in the springtime in Italy, which covers every part of the spectrum from ski trips in the Dolomites to beach days in Sicily. But if you haven’t seen the biggest sites in Italy, spring is a time when the obvious choices also make for the greatest destinations. There’s a lull in tourists between the winter holidays and summer vacation in Rome, Florence, and Venice, but without the rainy weather that’s typical of Italy in the autumn.

For something a little further off the beaten path, you can’t beat the lake district of northern Italy. Lakes Como, Maggiore, and Garda are the three largest and each one comes with its own distinct personality. But like siblings, what they share in common is greater than their differences: views of the Alps, crystal clear glacial water, and an abundance of lakeside villages, each one somehow more delectable than the one before it.

Chat with an Origin curator today to start planning a spring vacation that's totally personalized for you. You'll never want to go back to peak season travel again.