Beyond the Capitals: Europe’s Best 10 Second City Destinations for 2025
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A study from Radical Storage has discovered Europe’s best “second cities” by comparing the tourist experience in the most populated city in each European country with the second-most populated city.
The research assessed how each city performed in five categories: accommodation, food, shopping, culture and local attractions, and accessibility (including the destinations and number of airlines served at the nearest major airport). In each category, multiple factors, such as quality, quantity and price, were considered.
The top 10 highest-scoring “second cities” to visit in Europe
| Rank | Second City | Country | Score (Out Of 10) |
| 1 | Novi Sad | Serbia | 5.87 |
| 2 | Barcelona | Spain | 5.75 |
| 3 | Gyumri | Armenia | 5.72 |
| 4 | Cluj-Napoca | Romania | 5.59 |
| 5 | Banja Luka | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5.51 |
| 6 | Kutaisi | Georgia | 5.48 |
| 7 | Kaunas | Lithuania | 5.47 |
| 8 | Brno | Czechia | 5.39 |
| 9 | Porto | Portugal | 5.38 |
| 10 | Graz | Austria | 5.32 |
Novi Sad, Serbia
The research crowned Novi Sad in Serbia as Europe’s best “second city” for travellers wanting to explore destinations off the beaten path.
Visitors to the vibrant city of Novi Sad can expect to find laneway bars in the pretty old town, colourful street art, a 17th-century fortress, and even a 700-metre-long beach. Not only that, but this city already has some impressive credentials: it was the European Youth Capital of 2019, and became a UNESCO Creative City in 2023.
Despite not having a huge variety of four-star and above attractions (102 compared to the study average of 291) or four-star and above eateries (251 compared to the study average of 596), there’s still plenty on offer to keep you busy.
Alongside this, the majority of attractions (62.6%) and eateries (67.1%) are rated four-stars and above, despite the fact that prices are more affordable than the study average. For example, a main meal per person in an inexpensive restaurant will cost you just €8.39 (£7.27), whereas the study average is €13.61 (£11.79).
Barcelona, Spain
Unlike some of the other second cities in the list, Barcelona is probably already on many travellers’ radars and ranked as the second best city to visit.
Barcelona is the ideal holiday destination for architecture enthusiasts, foodies and music lovers, with seven UNESCO-recognised Gaudí buildings, delicious traditional tapas and many music festivals in and around the city (such as the popular Primavera which hosted stars such as Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan in 2025).
After London, Paris, and Rome, Barcelona has the fourth highest number of four-star and above attractions (2,858) and the fifth most four-star and above eateries (5,649). Considering its distance from the city centre, the number of airlines and destinations it serves, Barcelona’s airport ranked the second-best for accessibility (joint with Paris, Zurich, and the Spanish capital, Madrid).
Despite this, Barcelona is one of the more expensive second cities to visit, as the research found that Madrid is a staggering 54.76% cheaper than Barcelona.
Gyumri, Armenia
Following bustling Barcelona is a more low-key location in third position: Gyumri, Armenia. Although the research found there are just 34 attractions with a four-star and above rating, and 52 four-star and above eateries, the quality of the hotels and shops and affordable prices make Gyumri an attractive destination.
For those on the lookout for an affordable history-packed location, entrance fees averaged at €1.73 (£1.50) in Gyumri. Some of the top things to do include a visit to Abovian Street (preserved from the 19th century), Sev Berd (an abandoned Russian imperial fortress), and the museum of National Architecture and Urban Life (which has recreated scenes from Armenia’s history).
Not only are entrance fees cheap in this city, but so is accommodation. The research found that a hotel room here costs €25.40 (£22) (€87.64 / £75.93 below the study average), and a main meal for one person costs around €8.32 / £7.22 (£4.57 / €5.29 below the study average), allowing for plenty to spend at the few but highly-rated shopping locations.
Cluj-Napoca, Romania
About 400 km north of the Romanian capital, Bucharest, lies Cluj-Napoca, Romania’s second most populous city and the historic capital of Transylvania. But due to its affordable prices (among other things), the city can also lay claim to being the fourth best second city in Europe for holidaymakers.
Travellers to Cluj-Napoca can flit between medieval landmarks and urban hotspots, alongside the natural beauty of the Botanical Garden or Cetatuia Park, Apunseni Mountains or the Hoia-Baciu Forest.
The research found that Cluj-Napoca has a decent selection of four-star attractions (155) and four-star eateries (261) at lower-than-average prices (€6.81 / £5.90 for an entrance fee at a top attraction, and €9.74 / £8.44 for an individual main meal at a mid-range restaurant).
Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Again, this smaller city has less variety (for example, just 38 four-star attractions and 74 four-star restaurants). But what Banja Luka lacks in variety, it makes up for in quality. Seven in ten (69.2%) of the eateries are rated as above four stars, the third-highest of any second city. The average meal costs €7.57 (£6.56), 57% below the study average of €13.61 (£11.79). Hotel prices here are also €31.17 (£27), 113.5% below the average of €113.04 (£97.93).
Previous visitors recommend a walk from the centre up the Banj Brdo hill, a visit to the rebuilt Ferhat Pasha Mosque, or the Kastel fortress. Those wanting a taste of Balkan cuisine are advised to try Burek (a pastry often with a savory beef and potato filling) and Cevapi (a grilled dish of mincemeat).
The 10 European countries with superior “second cities”
So, when planning a trip to a new European country, are you really better off beelining to the second-largest rather than the largest city? Although this study helps shine a light on various “hidden gems” for a low-key getaway, larger cities are generally set up better for tourists. However, comparing all of the metrics, the second city performed better than the first city in ten countries.
Below is the complete list of the ten European countries where the second city ranked higher than the first:
Countries where the second-largest city is better for tourists
| Ranking | Country | Second City | Overall Score | First City | Overall Score | Difference Between First and Second City |
| 1 | Romania | Cluj-Napoca | 5.59 | Bucharest | 5.23 | 0.36 |
| 2 | Andorra | Les Escaldes | 4.96 | Andorra la Vella | 4.70 | 0.26 |
| 3 | Liechtenstein | Vaduz | 4.03 | Schaan | 3.78 | 0.25 |
| 4 | Switzerland | Geneva | 4.36 | Zürich | 4.13 | 0.23 |
| 5 | Austria | Graz | 5.32 | Vienna | 5.11 | 0.21 |
| 6 | Norway | Bergen | 4.62 | Oslo | 4.42 | 0.20 |
| 7 | Serbia | Novi Sad | 5.87 | Belgrade | 5.68 | 0.19 |
| 8 | Armenia | Gyumri | 4.70 | Yerevan | 5.72 | 0.15 |
| 9 | Slovenia | Maribor | 5.05 | Ljubljana | 4.96 | 0.09 |
| 10 | Georgia | Kutaisi | 5.48 | Tbilisi | 5.45 | 0.04 |
Methodology
The study compiled a list of the most and second-most populated cities in 44 European countries according to World Population Review. The study excluded Russia due to its involvement in the full-scale conflict in Ukraine. Ukraine’s Kharkiv originally ranked ninth in the “second city” index; regretfully, both Kharkiv and Kyiv had to be excluded from the final rankings due to the ongoing conflict in the country and the barriers this presents to tourism.
Sources are provided on the main study page: https://radicalstorage.com/travel/europes-best-second-cities/
All data was collected in June and July 2025. Currency was converted via Google Finance on 23rd July 2025.
About Radical Storage
Radical Storage are luggage storage experts, providing a network of convenient and safe luggage services for holidaymakers, backpackers, and business travellers in over 600 cities around the world since 2017.
Working with local partners and businesses, Radical Storage helps to make a holiday or business trip lighter and more enjoyable, taking care of travellers’ belongings as they explore their destination.
