If you’re drawing blanks when it comes to those place names, it’s time to read up, because chances are you’re about to hear a lot more about these emerging hot spots.

Lonely Planet has just released its Best in Europe 2017 list, revealing the most outstanding, underrated and overlooked places that should be on travellers’ radars right now.
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The Croatian capital, Zagreb, leads the list, with the guidebook gurus describing the booming city as “cosmopolitan and edgy, combining sun-splashed Austro-Hungarian squares brimming with coffee drinkers with a heady mix of Brutalist architecture, thriving street art and urban regeneration”.

It’s followed by the Swedish island of Gotland and Spanish region of Galicia on the top 10 list.

Lonely Planet’s spokesman and editorial director Tom Hall said: “For Lonely Planet’s Best in Europe 2017 we’ve compiled our hotlist of destinations across the continent to visit this summer, all offering something new, exciting or undiscovered that make them worth exploring right now.

“Zagreb tops our list because it ticks all of these boxes. “Croatia is one of Europe’s hottest destinations right now but many people head straight to the coast, meaning they miss out on visiting a city that has a dynamic cultural offering, a thriving food and drink scene, and is now easier to reach than ever before.”

LONELY PLANET’S BEST IN EUROPE 2017

1. Zagreb, Croatia

“The city is home to a blossoming food and craft beer scene, and with the opening of Zagreb’s long-awaited airport terminal, along with a host of new flight routes, it’s never been easier or cheaper to reach the Croatian capital.”

2. Gotland, Sweden

“Boasting the most sunshine and highest density of historical sites in the country and more restaurants per capita in UNESCO-listed Visby than any other Swedish city, this ancient Baltic island also has breathtaking scenery.”

3. Galicia, Spain

“Hundreds of thousands of people stride across Galicia’s rolling green countryside every year, bound for Santiago de Compostela on the world-famous Camino de Santiago. But few are aware that this northwestern corner of Spain is a unique scenic-gastronomic-cultural cocktail that is a dream to explore beyond the Camino.”

4. Northern Montenegro

“The cat is definitely out of the bag for Montenegro’s stunning Adriatic coastline (but) overlooked Northern Montenegro is brimming with off-the-beaten-track adventures — without the crowds.”

5. Leeds, UK

“Manchester’s northern cousin has spent the past decade pulling its studenty socks up, reimagining Leeds as a pilgrimage city for craft beer lovers, a budding arts hub and an edgy destination for night owls.”

6. Alentejo, Portugal

“Looming clifftop castles, rugged coastlines and a treasure chest of culinary wonders: Portugal’s Alentejo has magnetic allure … Yet despite its easy access from Lisbon, the Alentejo has remained largely off the tourist radar until recently.”

7. Northern Germany

“Travellers to Germany tend to be tempted by edgy Berlin or quaint Bavaria, but those keen on exploring a part of the country rarely experienced by international visitors should head north.”

8. Moldova

“Truly Europe’s final frontier: little visited, lost in time and always surprising. In Moldova’s capital city Chisinau, leafy boulevards interlace with looming concrete. Its unexpectedly Parisian-style cafe and bar scenes brim with local wine.”

9. Pafos, Cyprus

“The first capital of Cyprus in Roman times, Pafos once again finds itself with that title: the European Capital of Culture for 2017. What could be better for a travel destination in 2017?”

10. Le Havre, France

“One of the best places to be this summer is the Norman city of Le Havre, which will celebrate its 500th anniversary with a five-month-long, art- and music-filled fete.”

To celebrate the release of its Best in Europe, Lonely Planet is giving away a free Zagreb chapter download from the Croatia guidebook, available from lonelyplanet.com/best-in-europe.