Destination: Europe’s Hidden Discoveries
by John Hawks

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A. “I Didn’t Have Any Idea!” Options in Europe

Surprise your Europe-bound clients with unusual trips that don’t seem to fit the tried-and-true stereotypes. For example, in Spain’s Sierra Nevada region sits the Desierto de Tabernas, the only “desert” found on the Continent. With roughly four days of rainfall each year, its dramatic lunar landscapes have served as the backdrop for Western movies like Clint Eastwood’s “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” Your clients can explore mocked-up movie sets near Tabernas, castles in Tabernas and Gergal, and the Calar Alto observatory (Europe’s most important site for studying the night skies).

In Scotland, you can book your clients into accommodations normally associated with the eastern coasts of Canada and the United States: active and retired lighthouses that now welcome overnight guests. The Corsewall Lighthouse Hotel in Stranraer, the Cantick Head Lighthouse in Orkney, and similar sites feature guestrooms in the lighthouses themselves or in nearby keeper’s cottages – and, you can’t beat the sea views!

B. “Same Old Stuff – But Even Better” Options in Europe

If your clients have already savored the culinary delights of France and Italy, send them next to Portugal, which offers “foodies” true bargains. Try the wine-making Douro Valley region for starters, as well as Portugal’s coastal towns, where they’ll discover off-the-beaten-path eateries frequented by the locals.

What if they’ve already seen Europe’s most famous castles? You can easily direct them to Austria for the 1,400-room Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna, with enormous grounds behind the estate that held the world’s first recognized zoo (as well as the greenhouse and a butterfly pavilion). Or, if they’ve already toured Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, send them to Linderhof Castle, King Ludwig’s personal palace – a smaller, more intimate setting with interiors that have been described as more opulent than the halls of Versailles.

The perfect follow-up for your clients who’ve explored the ruins of Pompeii is a daylong stop in Herculaneum. This town was likely destroyed by the same volcanic eruptions that doomed its better-known companion, but its sites were much more well preserved than Pompeii’s (you’ll still see much of the timber used in the buildings, for example). Your clients will find new discoveries every time they visit, because archaeologists continually excavate different sections of Herculaneum.

And, if they’re bored with the usual sights in Scandinavia, send them to more remote areas like the Sarek National Park in Sweden. Your outdoors types will appreciate the chance to roam around more than 100 different glaciers and see lynx and Arctic foxes in their natural habitats.

”The Way It Really Used to Be” Options in Europe

Given the European Union’s continuous expansion, it’s very difficult these days to find corners of Europe that still retain the Old World charm that fuels the travel dreams of many clients. However, that charm still thrives in destinations such as Hungary (prime stops where the locals still value tourists include Eger, Pecs, and the Castle Hill and Old Town districts in Budapest). Another choice is the Dalmatian coast in Croatia, from Zadar and Sibenik in the north to Split and Dubrovnik in the south.

Now, how can you learn about these hidden gems? Try guidebook series like the Rick Steves titles in your local bookstore or library, as well as Web sites other than the national tourism offices (EuropeforVisitors.com is one of my favorites). You’ll find many more ideas than the ones presented in this article – but, they key is to always look for new ideas to present to your clients!

(Photo credits: Bayern Tourismus; Corsewall Lighthouse Hotel; Croatian National Tourist Board; Visit Sweden)