Lonely Planet’s top European destinations 2017

Choosing the best places to visit in Europe is no mean feat. Luckily, Lonely Planet has announced its top 10 best European destinations to visit in 2017. 

Croatia’s capital Zagreb was named the number one destination, with its bustling nightlife and stunning bohemian/Brutalist architecture. The city is quirky, edgy and often overlooked as many flock to the stunning coasts on a Mediterranean cruise. 

The Best in Europe 2017 list by the travel information and inspiration specialists is held in high regard across the travel and tourism sector. With millions of followers across their social media channels, their favoured destinations are often taken as gospel and help to spark interest in places often overlooked before.

Leeds in the United Kingdom also featured on the list. The northern city came in at number five, having undergone a huge transformation in the last few years and being regarded as a go-to city break. 2017 is also a big year for Leeds, with the city celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Leeds Carnival - the longest-running authentic West Indian festival in Europe - and the reopening of its art gallery. 

1. Zagreb, Croatia
2. Gotland, Sweden
3. Galicia, Spain
4. Northern Montenegro
5. Leeds, the United Kingdom
6. Alentejo, Portugal
7. Northern Germany
8. Moldova
9. Paphos, Cyprus
10. Le Havre, France

To recognise their inclusion on the list, let’s take a look at 3 European cruise destinations featured:

The European Capital of Culture 2017, Paphos was the first Cypriot capital in Roman times and fortunately, you can still see many stunning examples of its history today. Cyprus, and Paphos in particular, manage to balance the sun-soaked bliss of a relaxing holiday with the rich and powerful history and culture that has stood here for thousands of years. 

This summer, Le Havre celebrates its 500th anniversary with a five-month-long fête of music and art. The stunning harbour will be transformed to host a number of outdoor installations, concerts, street parades, fireworks and much more. Le Havre has managed to keep pace with Europe’s leading cities for design and modern architecture. Auguste Perret, Othello Zavaroni and Oscar Niemeyer have all created designs following a complete rebuild after World War Two. 

Coming in a close second to Zagreb, Gotland is a special corner of Sweden relatively undiscovered by holidaymakers but bursting with stunning reasons to visit. Not only does this part of Sweden receive the most year-round sunshine in the country, but it also has the highest density of historical sites than anywhere else. Not only that, but the delightful capital of Gotland, Visby, has more restaurants per capita than any other Swedish city. Visby itself is UNESCO listed. Plucked from medieval times, its picturesque setting is lined with picture-perfect sights.