Rick Steves' Protégé's Sensible Advice For Exploring Popular European Countries Without The Crowds

What does your dream trip to Europe look like? Wandering through quiet, sun-dappled streets toward a piazza devoid of tour groups to enjoy an unhurried (and reasonably priced) cappuccino? Yep, that sounds pretty perfect. Unfortunately, reality looks a lot different in many of Europe's most popular cities, where the crowds are almost as legendary as the buildings. 

But what if you could have Italy, France, or the U.K. almost to yourself? Rick Steves' protégé says you can, as long as you're willing to visit these countries' third-rate destinations. We know, the term third-rate has a distinctly negative ring to it. But for travel expert Cameron Hewitt, Europe's third-rate towns make up some of his favorite destinations. As he puts it on Steves' website, "The experiences I had in Europe's "third-rate" towns were truly first-rate." 

Hewitt explains: "These aren't the top-tier cities (London, Paris, Rome), or even the "next most popular" destinations (York, Nice, Milan). They're the ones much farther down the list ... Dresden or Freiburg, Germany; Albi, Honfleur, or Colmar, France." They're the kind of places where you look around, marvel that no one else has discovered them ... and secretly hope it stays that way.

If you're planning to visit a third-rate town, the trick is to find your own gem, not to follow someone else's recommendations. As Hewitt writes, "Your list [of towns] will certainly differ from mine." So, how can you be sure you've stumbled on a gem and not just a ghost town with one sad pizza place? 

First, let's assume that you still want to visit the big hitters on your trip, but you've decided to mix in some less crowded destinations. One tip is to slow down your travel style. Instead of flying or zipping around on high-speed trains, drive or take regional trains and look for stops between major cities. For example, between Milan and Venice, you'll find the historical, underrated city of Brescia, an easy place to hop off the train. If you're traveling between London and York, detour to gorgeous Lincoln, which isn't far off the beaten path but receives few international visitors. 

Once you think you've found a candidate, go small on the map. Zoom in, look at photos of the town, and take a peek at the street view. If you like what you see (historic buildings, a couple of lively cafes, a market), take the plunge and add a stop there. The key is to adjust your expectations. You're not going to see the Colosseum or Westminster Abbey; you're going to enjoy a slower pace and soak in a truly local atmosphere.

Rather than adding just one off-the-beaten-path town to your itinerary, why not center your entire vacation around a third-rate region? Say you've visited Italy before and adored Tuscany. Just next door, Umbria offers similarly glorious landscapes of vineyard-covered hills with picturesque medieval towns, but with a fraction of the tourists. Or perhaps you adore Greece, with its white-washed towns and sun-soaked beaches? Rather than following the crowds to Athens and Santorini, check out the Peloponnese Peninsula, which Rick Steves calls Greece's most underrated region and an uncrowded paradise.

Another strategy is to follow your interests, not just the must-sees. Passion-led travel naturally draws you toward off-the-beaten-path places that feel more personal. Those who love English literature might skip the big cities and head for Haworth in Yorkshire. Among the many under-the-radar destinations in England, Haworth is the one where the Brontë sisters penned famous novels like "Jane Eyre" and "Wuthering Heights." Meanwhile, wine lovers can forget the crowds of Porto and head to Alentejo, Portugal. This rugged region is home to quiet communities, sweeping, empty beaches, and a long-standing wine-making tradition.

Finding Europe's quieter side isn't about missing out. It's about plotting your own course and following a different path. As Hewitt so simply puts it: "If you want Europe to yourself, go third-rate."