2020 Travel Guide to Europe

Europe never goes out of style.

According to the UNWTO World Tourism Highlights, the continent is still far-and-away the world's favorite place to visit, receiving approximately half of all international arrivals. Some of us are drawn here by historical sights like ancient ruins, castles or battlefields. Others dream about diving into their favorite food & drink in its ancestral home, reveling at a famous folk festival or seeing where their favorite movie or TV show was filmed. You can do it all in Europe.

While the popularity of Mediterranean destinations like Portugal, Croatia, Spain and Italy (and other hotspots) continues to grow at a torrid pace, bringing with it concerns about overtourism , there are many lesser-known corners of Europe still waiting to be discovered. The following guide will show you the best of Europe in 2020, charting a path through both beloved and more under-the-radar destinations.

While nearly every swath of the continent contains a combination of sights, cities, charming small towns and landscapes that could serve as the Europe of your dreams, Austria, Sweden and the Spanish region of Andalucia will be hard to beat in 2020.

Hills all over Austria will be alive with the sound of music this year as the nation celebrates the 250th birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven. Even though Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany he lived most of his adult life in Vienna and the grand city will commemorate the occasion with a full calendar of activities. While in snowglobe Salzburg, the city will mark the 100th anniversary of its Salzburg Festival (July 18 - August 30), which is the creme de la creme of classical music gatherings. The country is also arguably the best place to experience the magic of European Christmas markets.

You won't have to worry about battling overbearing crowds in Sweden, as this stylish Scandinavian nation has enough room for everyone. The green capital of Stockholm offers modern pleasures (cutting-edge dining alongside craft brewing and artisan coffee roasting and baking) next to timeless and quintessentially European sights like a charming Old Town, the Skansen open-air cultural museum and a good old-fashioned changing of the guard at the Royal Palace. In Swedish Lapland, a new floating hotel spa called Arctic Bath will offer a unique experience while the country's second-biggest city Gothenburg has been awarded the 2020 European Capital of Smart Tourism award for its effort at sustainable and green tourism.

Many of us gravitate to Barcelona and Madrid on our first visits to Spain, but now is the perfect time to go a little deeper. Andalucia is the Spain of your dreams, as this southern region is the country's second-largest in size and regarded as its most traditional. It is the home of sunny skies, flamenco, sizzling festivals, tasty sherry and historical towns like Cordoba, Granada and Seville.

It's tough to pick favorites among Europe's riches of attractions, but there are a few that consistently stand out. The Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Colosseum in Rome and London's Big Ben (currently undergoing renovation) will never lose their ability to move us, while Barcelona's Sagrada Familia and the canals of Venice & Amsterdam have long produced "pinch me" moments, too.

In 2020, the majestic Metz Cathedral in northeastern France (nicknamed the "Lantern of God" due to its remarkable stained glass) should also be considered an A-list attraction and the city of Metz will mark its 800th birthday with a year full of events.

Europe celebrates all year long, with Carnival kicking things off in the days leading up to Ash Wednesday (February 26). Venice hosts the most famous edition, but riotous pre-lenten parties take place everywhere from Maastricht in the Netherlands to Basel, Switzerland and Patras, Greece. Other must-see events that annually capture the continent's imagination are Oktoberfest in Munich (September 19 - October 4) and the bull-running soiree that is the San Fermin Festival (July 6 - July 14).

This year, you can add the live Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany (May 16th - October 4th) to the list (it is only held once every ten years) in addition to the 2020 edition of the European Football Championship soccer tournament (June 12 - July 12). To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the "Euros", the games will take place across the continent, with the semifinals and finals all being contested in London.

Europe is the perfect place to take the kids for their first trip abroad and while every country will make for a memorable family vacation, the real standouts in this department are the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, France and Germany.

London is the star city of the UK for families as no matter the age of the children there will be attractions to meet their interests. Younger kids will love re-tracing the steps of Paddington throughout the city (the movies are practically a love letter to London) while older kids should enjoy shows in the West End and sights like Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London and Shakespeare's Globe Theater. And those who love Harry Potter will find a host of sights where the movies were filmed or took inspiration from, such as the Highlands of Scotland and Alnwick Castle in Northumberland. Plus, there's no language barrier.

The Netherlands is the perfect country to get your feet wet with continental travel, with a highly-efficient infrastructure making travel here a breeze. Kids will get a kick out of riding a tandem bicycle, taking a canal cruise or seeing windmills in the countryside. The Netherlands is also home to an enchanting amusement park called Efteling.

As far as France is concerned, even the most jaded teenager will take their phone out to Instagram the Eiffel tower and just outside of town is Disneyland Paris. Germany offers the chance to see timber-framed towns that inspired the Brothers Grimm in addition to more fairytale castles than you can wave a wand at.

Portugal is as popular as ever and it makes for a fantastic place for couples. The vineyard-covered Douro Valley might just be the most romantic river cruise location on the continent, while the cities of Porto, Lisbon and Coimbra offer lively nights combined with historic and culinary delights. The beaches of the Algarve are perfect for the couples who just want to drop everything and concentrate on sun worship and beachside dining.

Italy will never lose its allure for couples, but those who remember that romantic "dolce vita" vibes can be found all over the country will have the best trips. Defintely take a gondola ride in Venice and throw a coin into Rome's Trevi Fountain together but also make for the countryside of the Le Marche and Umbria regions to experience the allure of Tuscany without most of the crowds.

The whitewashed islands of Greece's Cyclades make a perfect backdrop to a romantic photo and while the rock stars like Santorini and Mykonos attract duos in droves, lesser-known isles like Sifnos, Folegandros and Naxos have the same appeal.

Often overlooked on the list of romantic places are Belgium and the Czech Republic, but they deserve consideration in this category, too. Belgium is the land of chocolate, beer and fantastic gastronomy, from romantic towns in Flanders like Ghent and Bruges to the riverside and castle-crowned beauties in Wallonia like Bouillon and Durbuy.

When it comes to the Czech Republic, Cesky Krumlov might be one of the best places to hide away and get cozy for a few days while the rolling countryside offers many castle and chateau stays. This is to say nothing of its pretty capital Prague.

When traveling as a group, it's a challenge to balance out the interests of everyone (unless you are traveling for a specific purpose like art appreciation, wine tasting, golfing, etc.), so large, diverse European capitals are often the go-to here.

Cities like London, Paris, Rome, Madrid and Berlin all offer an endless list of things to do no matter what the interests of your group are. From history to the arts and entertainment to restaurants (regional dishes from all over the country combined with international delights), nightlife and shopping, they have it all. Since they are all also major rail hubs, these cities offer the option of taking day trips to more provincial locales.

Foodies used to flock to France and Italy exclusively, but boy how times have changed. While you will still be treated to heavenly eats in the brasseries of Paris and the trattorias of Bologna, there are many other places vying for the attention of your taste buds.

Copenhagen should be atop the list of any self-respecting foodie's must-visit places in 2020. The Danish capital is the home of local and seasonal-focused New Nordic cuisine that has seemingly taken over the dining world. But we're not just talking Michelin stars here; the city's street food can compete with anywhere, with some venues doing better tacos and burgers than you would get back home.

San Sebastian in Spain is another city famous for its culinary traditions, from its humble pintxos (tapas) bars to its multiple award-winning eateries, your taste buds are sure to be delighted.

Other great foodie locales include the Black Forest of Germany, the Istria region of Croatia and London-where you can eat your way around the continent. No matter where you go, you are seemingly never far from a food tour, one of the best ways to get a taste of a destination.

Solo travelers can take solace that no matter where they are in Europe, it is almost guaranteed to be safer than the nearest big city back home. Safety aside, some great destinations where you can experience the best of Europe and possibly meet some other travelers are Berlin, Barcelona, Budapest, Amsterdam and Interlaken, Switzerland. Look to stay in a hip, boutique hotel with a common area or a stylish hostel so you have the opportunity to make travel friends.

When you think adventure, you think mountains and the alpine countries of Switzerland and Austria both provide lots of opportunities for active trips. Don't look past Slovenia, which is home to a section of the Alps and the new Juliana Trail-a long-distance path which takes hikers through some of this country's most beautiful scenery.

Other destinations famed for having access to an array of adventurous outdoor pursuits are Annecy, France the Tatras Mountains (Poland & Slovakia), Durmitor National Park in Montenegro, the Dolomites of Italy and the under-the-radar gem that is Germany's Saxon Switzerland region.

Soccer is no doubt the continent's number one sporting passion and there are a few cities that are in a class all to themselves when it comes to "the beautiful game". Madrid, Milan, Manchester, Liverpool, London and Barcelona are all home to multiple top-flight teams and the Champions League Final will be held in Istanbul this year (May 30).

Basketball is extremely popular in Spain, Italy and Turkey, while cities like Stockholm, Prague, Bern and Helsinki are hotbeds of hockey. This year, the Hockey World Championships will take place in Switzerland (May 8th - May 24th).

Formula One and cycling are very popular in Europe too, with Grand Prix races being held all over the continent, most famously in Monaco (May 22 - 24) and Belgium (August 28 - 30). The most well-known cycle race on the planet, the Tour de France, will start in Nice on June 27th and end in Paris on July 19th.

What makes any Europe trip so special is the fact that so many different cultures, languages and cuisines are located so close together. And they just happen to be threaded together by of the most efficient-and certainly the most enchanting-rail network in the world, which allows you to see a lot in a short amount of time.

One of a kind attractions that you just can't see anywhere else on the planet includes Stonehenge, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum and the myriad of medieval cathedrals and walled cities.

There's nowhere in Europe that you should be running for the hills from, but 2020 is the perfect time to start thinking of alternatives to some of the most crowded places.

While Barcelona buckles under the pressure of its own popularity, maybe give it a break and visit Valencia or the nearby Costa Brava region instead. Amsterdam is amazing, but balance out a trip there with a stop in Leiden, Delft or Alkmaar - you'll see similar canals and waterside gabled homes. Ask your travel advisor what destinations are popular among locals because all countries tend to have a second tier of destinations that are beloved among domestic tourists but often unheard of among international visitors.

The bottom line is though no matter where you go on this great continent, you just can't go wrong.