Geopolitics and travel intersect often.
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In 2026, conflict in the Middle East has thrown a wrench into travel operations in places like Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, and beyond. After years of meteoric growth in their travel sectors, countries like the UAE, Qatar, and even Saudi Arabia are quietly shuttering many hotspots once frequented by tourists.
This has led to a surplus of travelers who were planning to visit the Middle East but are now looking for more reliable destinations.
And many are heading to Western and Southern Europe instead. In fact, some reports have found that Portugal and Spain are already receiving 30% more travelers compared to the first quarter of 2025. Other countries like Ireland, Hungary, and Iceland are also showing steadily rising numbers. Even Turkiye, despite its proximity to the Middle East in terms of geography and culture, has already earned $26 billion from travel in 2026.
In short, if you’re visiting Europe this year, you might want to avoid the hubs if you don’t like rubbing elbows with thousands of other tourists.
If that’s the case, I have tips. Here are three quiet European vacation spots that give me peace as someone who lives way too close to Barcelona’s Picasso Museum.
3 quiet European vacation spots that I love
Midi Pyrenees (French Pyrenees)
I recently spent three weeks in the teeny-tiny village of Le Mas-d’Azil. It’s located in the Pyrenees close to gorgeous hideaways like the Grotte du Mas Azil, multiple dolmen sites, and… not much else. The area livens up during summer when visitors and locals seek out hiking trails.
During my stay in March and April, I enjoyed near-empty hiking trails in impressive, quiet forests. I also had quite a few wide-open fields at my disposal, perfect for lazing away the afternoons and sunsets. The only catch is that you might want to speak French or Spanish to get by. English isn’t widely spoken in this region.
If you enjoy this type of scenic, rural getaway, you can set up shop in Toulouse. (Toulouse is the capital of the Midi-Pyrenees region.) From there, you can explore wineries, small towns like Mas d’Azil, and unique landmarks like the Grotte. If you enjoy ancient history, you’ll be pleased with the number of side quests. Like I mentioned above, the area where I stayed was home to multiple dolmens, which are ancient rock structures similar to Stonehenge.
Northern Sweden & Norway
If you like a slow pace, you’ll do well in central and northern Sweden and Norway. (The capitals of Oslo and Stockholm are also great for slow travel, but they still have some big-city hustle to them.)
In Sweden, I recommend heading to Umea. It’s a small university city near the Arctic Circle. From Umea, you can rent a car or take a bus further out into the boonies—the good kind of boonies. There are scenic resorts dotting the region, which operate through winter, and even offer tours. Check out Grano Beckasin and Epic Nature Sweden (for photographers). You’ll be thoroughly surprised by what you learn.
In Norway, Bergen is a great starting point for quieter adventures. It’s ideal for reaching popular fjords, like Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord. You can reach them via car rentals or on cruises. Both will cost you a pretty penny, but the sites are well worth it. The only landmarks I’ve seen on a comparable scale to the fjords are the Himalayas and the Swiss Alps, if that paints a better picture of what to expect.
If you’re feeling especially intrepid, you can visit the Lofoten Islands, as well. You can reach Lofoten via flights or even via ferry, if you’ll be as far north as Bodø.
Sicily
If you’ve read my articles before, you probably know that Sicily is one of my favorite quiet-time getaways. While large cities like Catania and Palermo aren’t exactly relaxing, nor are the highways that lead away from them, Sicily is dotted with peaceful enclaves where not much happens.
If you enjoy an eat, sunbathe, swim, sleep, and repeat type of vacation, you’ve got options in Sicily. You can set up shop at one of the island’s top resorts, like UNA Hotels Naxos or UNA Hotels Capotaormina. If you like to get off the tourist path, you can also put together a DIY-style vacation. Sicily has an abundance of villa-style rentals where multiple guests can stay. They’re often framed around a scenic pool.
If you’re looking for places to stay, I recommend looking at Ortigia (in the south) or Cefalu (in the north). From either location, you can venture out to explore uncrowded beaches and small villages with hidden-away restaurants where Nonna is whipping up the best dishes you’ve never heard of.
