16 Sep, 2024 @ 12:17
2 mins read

‘I’ve visited 44 countries in Europe and these are my top five travel recommendations – including Spain’

AFTER visiting 44 countries, this travel influencer has narrowed his selection down to just five spots, including Spain, Macedonia and Montenegro. 

At just 22-years-old, German travel influencer Luca Pferdmenges has visited more than 44 countries. 

He started his quest to travel the world at 15-years-old and has set his sights on visiting all 195 countries. 

Luca has started strong, covering Europe’s 44 nations from the tiny Vatican City to the vast expanses of Russia. 

READ MORE: Why some holidaying Brits are ditching Spain’s Canary Islands for this Atlantic archipelago

The German spent last Christmas in the Seychelles
Photo: thegermantravelguy/Instagram

Now, he has revealed his top and bottom five destinations in an interview with the Daily Mail. 

After a ‘difficult’ decision, he picked: Portugal, Cyprus, Spain, Austria and Croatia. 

“They are very famous and touristy places, but there’s a reason why,” he said. 

When picking Spain, he explained that he likes ‘warm weather’ and prefers southern Europe to the colder climes of the north.

Luca in Mallorca, Spain where he ‘loves the warm weather’
Photo: thegermantravelguy/Instagram

He also praised Mediterranean cuisine, olive oil, sun dried tomatoes and fresh vegetables. 

“I love the relaxed atmosphere in the Mediterranean and Cyprus is one of my favourite places because they are some of the friendliest people in the world,” he claimed. 

However for Luca, Croatia triumphs for its beaches, while Lisbon is his favourite city in the world. 

He also revealed some ‘hidden gems’ including the ‘incredible’ Montenegrin coast.

The German recommended North Macedonia for the ‘absolutely beautiful’ Lake Ohrid and the ‘city of statues’ Skopje, which ‘feels like an open air museum’. 

Slovenia stands out for its mountains and hiking, with a lower price point than similar places like Switzerland or Austria. 

READ MORE: This charming wine capital boasts unrivalled tapas bars and is the most underrated city in Spain, according to Time Out magazine

For history buffs, he recommends the medieval city of Tallin, Estonia. 

After that, he advises hopping over to Riga, Latvia for the daily market. 

“Give places like Romania and Bulgaria a chance,” he said. 

“They have impressive beaches, great people, fascinating cities, incredible food and they are often cheaper.”

He also recommends Albania, Kosovo and Serbia. 

Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina is also worth a visit for its fascinating history, Luca says.  

It was a ‘hard’ task to choose his least favourite countries, as he claims Europe is his favourite continent and his preferred place to live and travel. 

In his mission to cover the world, Luca has visited overlooked countries like Equitorial Guinea
Photo: thegermantravelguy/Instagram

At the bottom of the pile, is San Marino, a microstate located in northern Italy. 

He called the country ‘disappointing’, citing the lack of things to do and difficult access.  

“It’s magnificent to see and the architecture is impressive but it’s not somewhere to go on holiday. Instead, go to Rimini, Italy and take a day trip,” he recommends. 

He also calls Belgium too ‘grey and cold’ although his mother loves it. 

But Belgium is beaten by the UK when it comes to the worst weather, he says.

Nonetheless, he ‘loves it’ and ‘misses supermarkets like Morrisons.’ 

In third place is Belarus, where he said he had a ‘good time’ but the ‘isolated’ country was a challenge to get to.

Similarly, Luca says Lichentenstein was ‘too isolated and expensive’ but ‘great if you can afford it.’

“Nordic countries are some of the most impressive in the world, but they are very expensive,” he said. 

For travellers on a budget, he recommends avoiding Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden and Ireland. 

If you’re looking for a culture shock, he advises visiting Turkey or Belarus, as they are the ‘least similar’ to other European countries.

READ MORE: The sixth-century monastery in Spain that’s now a stunning Parador hotel surrounded by forest

Yzabelle Bostyn

After spending much of her childhood in Andalucia and adulthood between Barcelona and Latin America, Yzabelle has settled in the Costa del Sol to put her NCTJ & Journalism Masters to good use. She is particularly interested in travel, vegan food and has been leading the Olive Press Nolotil campaign. Have a story? email yzabelle@theolivepress.es

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Previous Story

Spain’s roaring economy sees its credit rating upgraded to the A band: Experts cite strong employment and exports to go with boom in international tourism

Next Story

Spain’s latest border row: Portuguese defence minister tells its neighbour to hand over city that ‘belongs to Portugal’

Latest from Olive Press Travel

Go toTop

More From The Olive Press

‘Disgusting!’: Ryanair changes its hand luggage policy, sparking a backlash

RYANAIR has received criticism online after increasing the potential price
Brit is robbed of his €80,000 Rolex in Spain's Mallorca - police make two arrests

Watch: Brit is robbed of his €80,000 Rolex in Spain’s Mallorca – police make two arrests

TWO Italians who stole a Rolex watch from a British