Travel in Europe 2025

A knee-high ornate crumbling white stone wall was our only barrier between the windswept tree-encircled ancient square and the waters of the Aegean Sea caldera several hundred feet down. Just below us to the right was an Orthodox church perched on an outcrop from the steep wall that seemed too fragile to hold such an impressive building. Further down at the water level was a cruise ship. This view from our spot was spectacular but also seemed to defy the rules of any reasonably safe construction. At the time, my wife and I were the only two people there and such a spot was not easy to find in what is reputably one of the most romantic and popular places in Europe, Santorini in Greece. Over a period of many years, we have returned repeatedly and although it was busier every visit, there were still quiet spots to be found. At the end of the day, after thousands of cruise ship passengers have departed, the island can be enjoyed with greater appreciation of its magic. It is a paradise dotted with small hotels and restaurants built originally on the caldera wall. However, over the last forty years more and more man-made outcrops from the same wall have been added, vying for the most romantic views from the rooms, swimming pools, and restaurants. The towns perched on the cliffs have probably seen more destination weddings for the rich and famous than most other locations in the world. 

Unfortunately, over the last years the island has had to deal with massive overcrowding and has been in the news on a regular basis with different suggestions to prevent the onslaught of tourists.

Lo and behold, nature presented a situation that created a halt in excessive traffic to the destination. Although there is a volcano in the middle of the caldera, which is considered active, the cause of the panic is continuous earthquakes. There have been as many as 18,400 over the last weeks of February with magnitudes up to 5.1. With construction that appears more fairytale romantic than sturdy, this should scare anyone. Frankly, it is a wonder there are no reports of any major collapse. According to Greek top seismologist Costa Papazachos, the end is not in sight; the quakes have slowed down, and in the beginning of this month, schools and official buildings have reopened. Hopefully, the tremors will soon cease altogether, but the threat will continue to impact the tourism flow for some time. 

It is amazing how often we see how tourism problems eventually take care of themselves. Iceland had complaints of the adverse effect of the environment on the island because of too many tourists. The volcanic eruptions have drastically decreased arrivals. 

Continuous eruptions and the world-famous Blue Lagoon’s parking lot being engulfed in lava sure did not help. Some operators are trying to cash in on the disaster by offering volcanic tours for adventure seekers. 

Venice had been bitterly complaining about over-tourism when, on November 12, 2019, it rained 71 inches and 80 percent of the city was flooded. That short-stopped tourism, and then COVID hit. Venetians complained about lack of income, but time makes people forget. More than half of Venetians are employed in tourism. The latest on that front is that many Venetians are against charging the newly proposed daily entry tourism fee because they do not want to be considered an “amusement park.”  The Greek Island of Rhodes is still feeling the strong decline in tourism from the massive wildfires in 2023 when they were just recuperating from the COVID years. Presently, Mt. Etna, on the island of Sicily in Italy, is erupting again. As the highest volcano in Europe at almost 11,000 ft, it is also one of the most active volcanoes. Heat waves, fires and other climate-related changes have caused a decline in tourism in countries like Italy and Portugal, but people forget too soon and complain when it gets busy again. Let it be said that sometimes nature can create a balance.

But don’t worry if you are booked on a trip to Europe this summer. I am confident you will have a marvelous time wherever you go as in many instances, the media blows things out of proportion and Europe will continue to be the most versatile destination one can enjoy. If it gets very busy at your destination, relax and avoid the crowds by changing the time of day of your visit, or look for one of the numerous alternatives. 

There are still European destinations not so well known, offering spectacular sights, food and friendly people. Promotors and tourism boards in most of the former Russian satellite countries have opened their arms to visitors from our country and in many instances have wiped out any Russian influences. There are fifteen such countries most people have never heard of. Armenia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan are some of them. Ukraine is also part of this group but obviously is not a tourist destination currently. Hopefully, the conflict will be resolved soon, and people will be allowed to rebuild and once again enjoy this magnificent country. I have traveled along its spectacular Black Sea Coast and visited the citadel at the historic city of Yalta in what is called Crimea where controversial WW II peace agreements were signed between Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill. Another of the former Russian satellite countries, Belarus, is obviously out of bounds for Americans because of its relationship with Russia and the present political situation. Again, we can only hope peace will prevail because the country is striking with its nature and biodiversity, including one of Europe’s largest lakes. It is also home to a staggering 40 % of the European Bison population. 

Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, was named by CNN as the “weirdest” capital in the world. 

Originally a Russian outpost dating back to 1824, it is hard to believe how fast it changed from an agricultural center during the Soviet era into an ultra-modern and vibrant city. Construction here has progressed with unbelievable speed. A newly built Presidential Palace, the stunning pyramid-style Palace of Peace, mosques maintaining sacred cultures but constructed in astounding modern architecture, and numerous museums defy the imagination. Soviet history has literally been removed almost everywhere, and if you are interested in including this country in your travels, no tourist visas are required. 

At present, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania are probably the easiest to reach and are the most European-like countries that have much to offer without large crowds of tourists. The architecture, friendliness, and atmosphere in Tallinn, capital of Estonia, is something special to enjoy. These countries also do not require visas from US citizens. Russians are not particularly welcome in any of these countries and do need visas! There also is Poland, a magnificent country with many historic sights, nature, and friendly people to visit. The Polish city of Gdansk on the coast of the Baltic Sea has not lost its Dutch history from the 16th century when people from The Netherlands moved here. The Dutch architecture from those days is prevalent and creates a colorful, eclectic atmosphere. The largest castle in the world, Malbork Castle, is twice as large as Buckingham Palace and is only an hour from Gdansk.

And lastly in this group of former Soviet countries is Georgia, situated right on the separation of the European and Asian continents. The country has a long history dating back to the Middle Ages. The Caucasus mountains form a spectacular scenic natural border. The famous 12th century Vardzia cave monastery is another site to behold. Several years ago, the former First Lady of the country explained to me their other natural border on the Black Sea, as well as the capital of Tbilisi with its old town, cobblestone streets lined with excellent restaurants and cafes. 

If you still want to consider Europe’s most popular destinations, such as in Spain, Italy or Greece, there will still be quiet spots to be found. Another extremely interesting country to explore is Türkiye, divided over two continents, a destination where one easily makes new friends over a cup of tea on a street terrace, exciting new historic excavations are made on an almost yearly basis, and shopping is a bargain because of the rate of exchange.

If you are unfortunate enough to be confronted with any form of demonstration anywhere in the world or argument, you do the same as you would do in our country and leave the area.

On a small road in Greece, I came upon a confrontation between two animals that was comical. But even in this case, keep your distance!

When traveling to Europe don’t forget ETIAS, the electronic travel visa for entry into most European Union countries, will most likely be required as of fall of this year but might be delayed again till next year. Ireland and Cyprus are exempt. At the time of this writing, there still is no definite start date for the program, but watch for it, because you would be denied entry without the proper visa. Great Britain has begun their own version of an electronic visa called UK ETA. It was introduced on January 8th, 2025. One can download the app from the App Store. The present cost is ten GBP and normally, approval is instant but can take up to 72 hours. Finally, there also is the new Entry and Exit System or EES. This does not require you to do anything in advance. When entering your first Schengen country, you will get a face scan and be fingerprinted. Expect some delays at the border. This will likely go into effect this fall.

“Traveling – It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller!” (Quote from Ibn Battuta, Moroccan explorer and scholar around the year 1300).