10 Insanely Gorgeous, Under-the-Radar European Destinations

The only thing better than seeing Goreme's stunning rock formations (into which enormous, beautiful churches have been built)? Experiencing them from ahot-air balloon, hundreds of feet overhead.

This riverfront Gothic city is way less crowded than Warsaw and Kraków, has a thriving theater scene and--fun fact--was the birthplace of Copernicus. Another must-see? Thegingerbread museum. (Which, weirdly, Torun isfamous for.)

Go to Manarola, the oldest and secondsmallest of the Cinque Terre towns, for freshseafood from the Ligurian Sea, sweet Sciacchetrà wine and some peace and quiet (no cars are allowed). To get there, take thePisa Centrale trainfrom any of the Cinque Terre towns, which costs less than $10 and runs multiple times per day.

There must be something in the water on this Grecian island, where residents typicallylive to 100. Visit during the summer forpanagiria,huge festivals celebrating various religious holidays, which happen once or twicea weekbetween May and October.

Sometimes called "the pearl of Austria," this picturesque village is essentially car-free and surrounded by salt mines, which make for fascinating tours.

While in Alesund, visit the Atlantic Sea Park at Tueneset, the biggest saltwater aquarium in northern Europe. Visit in Decemberfor next-level skiing in theSunnmore alps.

The coastal town of Kotor is actually a submerged river canyon. It's super-secluded, surrounded by limestone cliffs and has one of the best-preserved medieval old towns in the world.This little guidebookcan help you navigate the local Austro-Hungarian fortresses.

Narrow streets and Gothic alleyways wind throughthis historical Slovenian townsitting at the tip of a thin peninsula. Pack your flats: The town is so tiny,you'll want to make the30-minute walk from end to end.

Located on the Adriatic Sea, Rovinjis an active fishing port (hello, amazingly fresh meals) and boasts incredible Mediterranean weather. Also nearby is the Brijuni Island National Park, where you can see ancient Roman villas and the remains of a Byzantine Palace.

Though it's the second largest city in Portugal, Porto is often overshadowed, tourism-wise, by Lisbon. Alively cultural scene and even livelier-colored buildings should make you reconsider. Check out theMercado do Bolhão, a massive indoor market where you can pick up culinary delights from freshly-baked breads to fish that were probably swimming in the Atlantic hours earlier.