Where would you go? What would you recommend? I know this is a very open-ended question. Apologies if this is asking too much. My husband and I are trying to come up with vacation plans for May or late September 2026. We would like to avoid summer crowds as much as possible. We have been spinning in circles trying to figure out where to go.

We have been thinking about Mallorca, Cote d’Azur, or Portugal. We love smaller towns that have great restaurants, shops, art, culture and the ability to mix some coastal vibes and beach. We would like to drive as little as possible. We aren’t really keen on buses but could do trains or taxis or ubers. Thinking 10-12 days and splitting that up between two different bases.

I know I’m asking a lot. I respect all the great advice the Fodors Community provides and really hope someone (or more) will come to our rescue and stop the insanity we’ve been putting ourselves through. HELP 😊
Thank you one and all!

The art in the Cote d'Azur is sensational, though it's hard to explore all the highlights without a car. For me, the Jean Cocteau in Menton, the Fondation Maeght in St Paul de Vence, the Fernand Leger in Biot, and the Chateau Musee Grimaldi in Hauts Cagnes-su-Mer are wondrous,

You have MANY options!

I haven’t been to Mallorca, but can comment on the Cote d’Azur and Portugal … both are delightful! If you decide on May and want to swim, Portugal might not suit particularly well – the water temperatures would still be colder than many would prefer. Check weatherspark.com and scroll down to the “average water temperature” section.

These two areas each offer lots of great restaurants, shops, culture, and art – but they different in TYPES of each. For example, the Cote d’Azur features many impressionist and post-impressionist artists, while Portugal’s artistic wonders center more on Renaissance styles. There are, of course, exceptions!

If you haven’t already done so, I’d urge you to consult the Michelin Green guides for each of the places you are considering. Those guidebooks are oriented to those with cars, but I can assure you that they are also very helpful to those relying on public transportation. And FWIW, I would urge you to keep bus options on the table – buses in these areas can be quite comfortable. At least some of them!

How about the Costa Brava?
https://www.visitacostabrava.com/en

How about Aix-en-Provence and Cassis? Or Rhodes and Symi. The ease, or otherwise, of getting from wherever you live to your preferred destination will be a big factor.

I never heard about summer crowds in June, except on always crowded places like Venice, Florence, 5Terre, Amalfi coast ,Barcelona, Lauterbrunnen, Lucerne, Mallorca, Côte d'Azur, Santorini, Mykonos............
.

I've been to all three, Portugal would be lovely, the trains work well to lots of places the people are some of the friendliest people in Europe

The summer crowd are usually smaller during the winter months.
It is difficult for small towns to support a vibrant art, museum and restaurant scene without crowds, summer or other kind.

I would suggest a bike tour.

https://madrid.bikespain.com/

"It is difficult for small towns to support a vibrant art, museum and restaurant scene without crowds."

In Europe, there are hundreds of such towns, for example:
Fribourg, Neuchatel, Basel, Schaffhausen, Turin, Aosta, Stuttgart, Tuebingen, Mainz, Brno, Bayreuth, Timisoara.....
Art erxhibitions, exceptional museums and outstanduing restaurants are omnipresent all over Europe

Shelemm, thanks so much. We have always wanted to go to the Cote but I think we get sidetracked because of traffic, crowds and the need for a car. We have been to Aix, St. Remy, Gordes, Avignon, and surround area but never further south than Aix. It was February so it wasn’t ideal weather but the crowds were less and driving wasn’t terrible, although my husband hates driving there.

We have always fancied Cap Ferrat, Antibes, Eze, Beaulieu, St. Paul de Vence, and toyed with Marseille or Nice but again we spin in circles. Do you have favorite towns there? Any recommendations for two towns to choose as base locations to travel by train or hired transportation to visit other nearby towns? I know, too many questions, right.



Kja, great guidance. So if we choose Portugal September would probably be best. We tend to link modern and impressionist more than Renaissance but appreciate all art. I would also ask if you have favorite towns/cities in Portugal? Any recommendations for two towns to choose as base locations to travel by train or hired transportation to visit other nearby towns? I will also look into the Green guides as you suggest. I haven’t used those before.

Revulgo, thank you for the link to Costa Brava. I will have to do some research as I’m not very familiar with the towns, landscape, etc. How do you think that compares or differs from Mallorca?

Thank you again for you insight and patience.

Gramat is a great small town in France (accessible by rail from Paris), close to both Rocamadour and the Gouffre de Padirac.

I wouldn't call them "small towns," but Lisbon and Porto are the obvious base cities for Portugal and those are the two cities where you'll find the largest collections of art. That said, with your time frame and preference for smaller towns, it might make sense to spend a week in one of those cities and the rest of your time split between two smaller places. For example: Lisbon for a week with the rest of your time split between Sintra and Evora, or Porto for a week with the rest of your time split between Coimbra and either Guimaraes or Braga. Maybe that will give you some ideas to start your research.

BTW, you can explore options for public transportation using rome2rio.com.

I have only visited the area by car which allows me to stay in villages and move about as I wish. In this case, there really isn't any traffic to deal with. To go from Haut de Cagnes to St Paul de Vence, Tourettes sur Loup, Biot, the Musee Renoir, for example, I am not sure you'd ever run into traffic.

St Jean Cap Ferrat is lovely - I stayed at a friend's house - but otherwise I am not sure it's a good location. Eze is wonderful, though I don't have much experience in getting around via public transport. Menton is a delight.

BTW, buses go to more place more often than trains, so looking into bus routes can be key. Rome2Rio.com is a good resource for public transport and comparing that with taxis.

Well, this is likely to be rejected out of hand (that's called a "prebuttal") but have you thought about a cruise? There are many cruises that call at places on your list - Cote d'Azur, Mallorca, Barcelona, Portugal... or others that run into the Norwegian fjords, others in the Greek islands and Adriatic...

They're not all "booze cruises" and they're ideal for those who want to spend more time touring than fussing with logistics. You could fly into some beach-adjacent departure port (e.g. Barcelona) for a couple of days before sailing, or end there for a couple of days following disembarking. Lots of options.

Hi everyone, I've unfortunately been overwhelmed with work. boohoo. I'm really grateful for all the feedback and will review, digest and report back soon. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Keep it coming, if you are so inclined.

I have done a trip to Portugal and another to Mallorca and the Costa Brava and both were absolutely fabulous! (You can read my 2018 Portugal and 2023 Costa Brava/Mallorca trips reports on this site.) I would relive these trips or return to either of these areas in a heartbeat!

Mallorca isn't great for getting around without a car. We based ourselves in Soller and Valldemossa and just stayed in that northwest corner of the island for about 5 days. I couldn't have been happier there! We covered more ground in the Costa Brava, which has so many cute small towns and villages, but we did use a car to get around. It was my first time driving internationally, and it was fairly low stress (lots of roundabouts means it's easy to backtrack when you take a wrong turn)!

I used only public transit in Portugal, and while I did experience some delayed trains, it was fairly easy to use. I echo the recommendation to spend part of your time in Lisbon and/or Porto - both gorgeous cities.

Have you thought of looking into a Viking cruise, they stop in the regions that you have mentioned. There are many cruises to choose from and different levels of cabins depending on your budget. Their river cruises have about 195 people and their ocean cruises have about 900 people. Very good service and great amenities, the food is top notch and many excursions to choose from, some are included and some are optional.

I think you should go for capitals or big cities if you don't rent a car ad especially if you want to avoid buses. I have only been to Mallorca from these destinations (during early spring) and it's very pretty but you need a car to see all its beauties. My intuition says you should go for Portugal, maybe bc I really want to go hahaha. As for Cote d' azure I have heard mixed impressions so idk. I'm sure you'll make the best choice and you'll have fun no matter what xx

I think I know what you’re looking for! I felt the same way when my friends and I were trying to plan something that balanced culture, food, and relaxation without feeling rushed. We ended up choosing Morocco, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions we’ve made. The mix of small towns, colorful markets, and seaside escapes gave us exactly what we wanted, and it left such a big impression that I did another trip there with my family.

What made it even better was how smooth everything went. Thanks to the local tour company we booked with, we didn’t have to stress about transport or planning every detail. They took care of everything from transfers and accommodations to guiding us to the best spots, so we could just relax and enjoy. It really made the whole trip so much easier and stress-free.

If you enjoy charming towns, amazing food, and a balance of culture with some coastal vibes, Morocco might surprise you in the best way. Places like Chefchaouen, Essaouira, or even Tangier make for wonderful bases. You can explore art, culture, and history while also taking it slow and soaking up the atmosphere.

Hey, so I actually just checked in with the travel guide I had the tour with in Morocco and told him about your situation: wanting smaller towns, culture, great food, and some coastal time without too much driving. He suggested a plan that sounds like it could be perfect for you:

• Days 1–4: Chefchaouen & Fes – Start in Chefchaouen for its calm charm, art, and little cafes, then move on to Fes for history, culture, and lively markets.
  
• Days 5–8: Marrakech – A couple of days here for beautiful gardens, great restaurants, and a real taste of Morocco’s vibrant energy.
  
• Days 9–12: Essaouira – Finish in Essaouira by the coast. It’s walkable, artistic, and relaxed, with great shops and seafood.
  

It’s a nice balance of culture and relaxation, with minimal transfers, and he said it works really well for a 10–12 day trip.