From Pompeii to Bratislava: Europe’s top sightseeing stops this summer

Travel days are increasingly becoming part of the holiday rather than the administrative gap between destinations, as more travellers stop in smaller cities and at landmarks between major centres.

Booking data from Daytrip, a platform specialising in city-to-city car transfers, ranks the top 10 European stops chosen in summer bookings made mostly by American tourists visiting the continent.

“The rankings reflect a growing preference for making the transfer itself part of the vacation,” Daytrip said. “Rather than spending hours simply getting from one destination to the next, travellers are choosing to break up long transfers with visits to historic towns, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and iconic landmarks along the way.”

These are the destinations leading the ranking this summer.

Daytrip's top 10 European sightseeing stops

Pompeii, Italy

Obidos, Portugal

Český Krumlov, Czechia

Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Coimbra, Portugal

Aveiro, Portugal

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

Ston, Croatia

Stonehenge, England

Bratislava, Slovakia

A short or long stay in Pompeii?

Topping the list is the preserved Roman city of Pompeii. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is just less than an hour by road from cities such as Naples, Sorrento and Ravello.

As the summer temperatures continue to swelter in Italy, as with the rest of Europe, Daytrip recommends braving the outdoors with sun protection, comfortable walking shoes and plenty of water, as there is limited shade. However, it also advises venturing out earlier in the morning to not only beat the heat, but the tourist crowds.

Although the platform said that no more than four hours is needed to see Pompeii’s main sites, for the traveller with more time on their hands, a combined visit with the nearby Mount Vesuvius, where a hike leads to the crater rim, rewards visitors with panoramic views of the Bay of Naples.