Europe's secrets for holidays off the beaten track

Going off the beaten track is the hottest new way to see Europe and travel companies are seeing a huge increase in demand from British holidaymakers visiting unusual and exciting locations on the Continent, from discovering hidden villages in Greece, to exploring the unsung islands off Sicily.

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Adventure tour operator Exodus Travels, for instance, tells us that it recently had to add extra departures to many of its European adventure holidays, including walking in Italy and Spain's Camino de Santiago trek, while many tourists are eager to visit the less-trodden Eastern European destinations to escape the crowds and see untouched Europe.

It's not just lesser-known locations that are attracting intrepid travellers but the types of holidays they take, too. Active, solo and wildlife holidays are bigger than ever, and you don't have to fly as far as Asia or Africa to get the best of these holidays.

Europe offers a wealth of opportunities for travellers in search of unforgettable animal encounters, such as the Biebrza Marshes and Bialowieza Forest in north-eastern Poland, where you can come face-to-face with bison, elk and wolves.

For us, there's nowhere better than Europe for a city break and we're over Copenhagen and Rome as there are lesser-known cities in the likes of Denmark and Italy just waiting to welcome visitors to their foodie, social and art scenes.

Explore our pick of the best off-the-beaten-path holidays to experience Europe at its very best...

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