Travel Guide
5 Truly Laid-Back Mediterranean Destinations With Smaller Crowds For 2025
Feb
Last Updated
Ahhh, the Mediterranean 😌.
That historical sea bordering a number of the most stunning locations on the planet: the sun-drenched Costa Del Sol in Spain, France’s turquoise Côte d’Azur, Italy’s idyllic Cinque Terre, the whitewashed Santorini and neighboring Cycladic islands in Greece…
The checklist is countless, and it may simply take up a complete web page.
If you are planning on crossing the pond this yr, significantly over summer time, the ‘Med’ is more likely to be on the high of your wishlist, however the place to go now that all the most well-known spots are crumbling underneath the load of mass tourism, and anticipating even bigger crowds in 2025?
Despair not: we’re right here to assist.
Here are 5 actually laid-back Mediterranean gems but to be spoiled that provide balmy temps, cultural sights, and, in some circumstances, less expensive costs:
5. Folegandros, Greece
Santorini stands out as the worst place to go when you’re eager on a stress-free vacay, what with the lengthy traces of individuals ready to take the proper image at the very same spot and the booked-out eating places, however there is a silver lining solely 40 nautical miles northwest:
Largely ignored by island-hoppers and retaining a lot of that unique character, with a restricted variety of motels and no large cruise liners, Folegandros is the quintessential Greek island escape, with a floor space of solely 12.4 sq. miles and packed with Cycladic attraction.
Its compact capital (Chora) bestrides a rugged hill, with a signature Church of Panagia standing proudly on the highest peak. Every mountain climbing path appears to result in breathtaking viewpoints, and there are blanche townscapes, seashores, and secret coves galore, with out the Instagrammers.
In sum, Folegandros is all the things you could possibly hope for when you worth exclusivity and authenticity––for sure, there aren’t that many motels on the island, however the few that there are cost just prices ($83-95), and your dinners on the wonderful To Zimaraki will come low-cost as properly.
4. Brindisi, Italy
The Italian Adriatic could also be finest recognized for the floating city of Venice and the resort-lined Rimini, however additional south, on the heel of the Italian boot, lies Brindisi, a less-famous different usually skipped by vacationers.
A port metropolis courting again over two millennia, it’s dominated by a red-stone Aragonese Castle, perched on the harbor’s entrance, whereas the Old Town is a maze of pastel edifices, Roman ruins, and family-owned trattorias serving recent seafood and pasta.
A brief 29-minute drive from Brindisi, Lido Morelli is a postcardy white-sand seashore hugged by teal waters that may make you consider the Caribbean, and a good shorter 20 minutes away, Lido Specchiolla is an uncrowded sandy strip excellent for unwinding after an extended day of exploring.
Looking for an genuine restaurant to attempt native pugliana meals? Don’t neglect so as to add La Locanda del Porto to your bucket checklist: not solely does it provide breathtaking views of Brindisi’s busy port, it in all probability serves one of the best swordfish spaghetti on the town!
3. Himarë, Albania
Albania might not be everybody’s first decide for a Mediterranean getaway when it is within the neighborhood of Italy, Croatia, Greece, Montenegro, and the like, however you should not discard it as an possibility so shortly when it’s residence to a stunning Himarë:
A conglomeration of small villages lining the Ionian Sea, one of many most underrated subdivisions of the Med, and backed by the imposing Ceraunian Mountains, it oozes Old World attract with its Albanian-Greek heritage, historic settlements perched atop cliffs, and ruined castles.
The most photogenic spot within the space is undoubtedly Dhërmi, a sleepy Greek-majority city that includes whitewashed homes and a blue-dome church, although you should not bypass the tremendous, pearly-sand Gjipe Beach nor a paradisiacal Palasë, with its gin-colored seas and a plethora of eating choices.
Whilst we’re at it, we must always in all probability point out the Albanian Riviera is among the many most cost-effective seashore locations in Europe, with meals in native eating places costing as little as $10, and renovated, fashionable beachfront villas beginning at $57 (Hercules Sea View).
2. Korčula, Croatia
If the surging crowds in Dubrovnik and the staggeringly excessive costs in Split have made these no-go zones for you in 2025, how about escaping to a distant island off the Croatian coast, distant from all of the mainland mess?
At 29 miles lengthy and roughly 5 miles vast, Korčula could be tiny, however it’s stuffed with wonders, from Marco Polo’s House (rumor has it the legendary explorer hails from this island, not Venice) to the half-moon-shaped Pupnatska Luka, a serene bay edged by a crystal-clear Adriatic.
Other sights on the island embrace Korčula Town, a walled coastal settlement, and Korčula’s largest, crisscrossed with cobbled lanes and dotted with centuries-old homes, and the fishing village of Vela Luka, the island’s foodie hotspot:
Konoba Bata is one among Vela Luka’s strongest gives––attempting their Dalmatian prosciutto and home made paški cheese is a should––and do not underestimate the ability of Croatian gelato, stated to rival Italy’s (you possibly can all the time swing by Diana Gelato on the waterfront and be the choose of that).
1. Porto-Vecchio, France
A hidden treasure of Corsica, an already seriously overlooked Mediterranean island belonging to France, Porto-Vecchio is one other a kind of Instagrammable harbor-side cities traversed with slender streets and topped with a medieval citadel.
The important sq., Place de la République, is flanked by memento outlets, French bistros, and Italian-style osterie––in case you did not know, that of the neighboring nation closely influences Corsican tradition––and the buzzing marina is full of eye-catching yachts.
Visitors should not miss out on exploring the magnificent Genoese fort sitting on a hill overlooking Porto-Vecchio or taking a break day to chill out on the beautiful Palombaggia Beach, the place an alabaster shore meets seas of the brightest blue.
Last however not least, you would be stunned at how really reasonably priced it may be in comparison with different locations within the South of France: Hotel Alcyon has single rooms for $89, or you could possibly keep as an alternative on the 3-star Hôtel Le Mistral, solely a 6-minute stroll from the middle of city, for $79-a-night.
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