Europe
So, while in North America I listed cities off I am going to default to whole countries/regions for the European continent because the locations are generally of a smaller scale. You should still be able to easily visit all of the landscapes within around a half-day drive! Also, it helps me to better generalize costs across the board as well.
When visiting Europe, it is easy to get pulled in to wonderfully expensive destinations in the French/Swiss Alps, Greek islands, Norwegian Fjords, and others like this, but there are still some hidden gems. There still exists a less expensive side of places like the Mediterranean where you can still get sparkling seas and delicious food without the hefty bill.
Croatia
When taking an initial look at European nations that have a large amount of interest without a high-cost Croatia rises to the top quickly! This is a place where if you want to go on your own, the costs are entirely manageable, but if you have loved ones that need a vacation as well it still works! This is to say there is a wonderful small city/beach scene that the rest of your group can enjoy while you head out on trails to capture landscapes only a few hours away.
In the northern part of Croatia, you have Risnjak National Park with incredible white rock mountain ridges sheathed in green vegetation. There are also beautiful meadows and crystal clear streams. Žumberak and Samobor Mountains in the NE part of Croatia also offers more forests to hike through with brilliant colors to immerse yourself in the Fall.
Going south towards the central part of the country you will find Plitvice Lakes National Park with boundless amounts of waterfalls and rivers with emerald colors and incredible white cliffs to plummet from. Directly west from the lakes is Northern Velebit where you can find more brilliant views of jagged ridges breaking up peaceful looking green meadows.
Also nearby is Paklenica National Park where you can find a little bit of everything from beautiful rivers to towering white cliffs to caves for exploring. It is a bit drier of an environment than it is further inland, but that is not to say you can’t find a good forest to walk through! This entire central-northern part of Croatia is a paradise!
Having talked up the northern part of Croatia a bit, I want to cap it all off with a truly majestic southern part of Croatia. The mountainous Biokovo National Park shows off things to a whole new scale. towering mountain peaks climb above the beautiful seas and coastal towns. Enjoying the views from the coast is nice as is, but it keeps getting better as you go higher to the peak of Sveti Jure.
After crossing the border into Bosnia and Herzegovina and back into Croatia you can go into the famed city of Dubrovnik. It is what the famed Kings Landing from Game of Thrones was modeled after and parts were shot in. So, while touristy, it is for good reason it should be included as it makes for a beautiful coastal city with castle walls, historic port, and all being situated on a cliff that juts out into the sea.
The magic doesn’t have to end here though as you can continue to Mljet National park. You have to take a ferry over as it is off the main shores of Croatia, but it may well be a nice relaxing end to a trip. The sea seems to come into the island on the northern tip and makes for a beautiful scene. There are also many caves to visit off the trails that weave around the park. The area also has to offer some beaches as well as ancient ruins to enjoy.
Slovakia
There are few countries as blessed with history and beautiful landscapes that get as overlooked. Slovakia gets sandwiched between Austria, Poland, Czechia Ukraine, and Hungary. For a country that so many tourists overlook, this is one that you definitely shouldn’t.
It is one of the cheapest destinations in Europe, and if you start your visit in Bratislava you will likely wonder why it is such a bargain. Perhaps it is because it lacks the big name or “Hollywood” attention. It does not lack the European feel to the architecture or delicious food! You can have classics like a panini, french fries, pork, etc…, but you should try the fried cheese curds, lemonade, and their potato dumplings with cheese and bacon!
A decent first stop on the way out of Bratislava is the Bojnice Castle just outside of Prievidza. While not exactly a landscape photography location it is beautiful and a great piece of history to visit. Luckily, throughout the trip, you can get a good mix of pure landscape photography locations with castles, caves, and other neat pieces to keep others in your group entertained if they aren’t fully committed to the photography side of the traveling.
As to landscape photography, this country is going to offer mountains primarily, but the range of types is exciting! The biggest name is the High Tatras which sit in the northern part of Slovakia. This park has large jagged peaks that shoot above the skyline and that you can access next to glacial lakes. Plenty of hiking trails are around and the colors turn a radiant orange hue to cap off a trip in the fall season.
The Low Tatras National Park is not exactly a miniature version of the High Tatras. This offers a different type of mountains entirely with less jagged peaks and more rolling ridges and picturesque valleys/meadows. Directly north of the Low Tatras is Orava Castle which dates back to the 13th century! It has survived hundreds of years through wars and more than one fire. Having been restored, it sits beautifully atop a cliff above a river.
Another neat area of Slovakia lies between the Low and High Tatras National Parks. Demanovska Dolina has several caves that you can visit. There is the Cave of Liberty that features an underground stream among various stalactites and stalagmites. There is also an ice cave that is open in the summer through October that is incredibly beautiful!
The National Park of Muranska Planina is directly east from Low Tatras and south of High Tatras. It is one of the younger national parks in Slovakia having been established in the 90’s it still offers some scenic overlooks and plentiful hiking trails. There also are the remains of Muran Castle towards the peak of Ciganka Rock. Traveling east from here you will end up at Slovak Paradise National Park, and it is named like this for a good reason!
Slovak Paradise has been able to differentiate itself from the other parks in the region with many waterfalls that you can access with interesting trails that feature cable bridges, metal ladders, ravine crossings, and platforms built into cliffs. If you are up for a bit of a challenging hike then this will likely pay off for you!
Spis Castle isn’t far away at this point in the adventure. It sits atop a grassy hill with its white walls gleaming above the landscape. This castle was built around 900 years ago and is one of the larger castles in Europe. This UNESCO world heritage site is a must include in your itinerary if you have made it this far east!
Czechia / Czech Republic
Another one of those locations in Europe that is not as respected as it ought to be, but it is one that is well-known today. A big part of this is Prague’s name for a party city as well as the cultural and economic center of Europe as a whole. It has the oldest university in central Europe, many museums, and other attractions. However, as popular as Prague is, most don’t make the trip go too far outside of the city, and I am here to say you should!
Grabbing a rental car, you can make the journey down to Podyji National Park and its protected forests, rivers, and castles. Standing on the border of Austria you can keep the trip cheap by staying in the Czech Republic. This area is beautiful in almost any season you visit in, and you get the benefit of visiting one of Austria’s best views without paying the price.
Heading west in a clockwise fashion around the border of the Czech Republic you will arrive at Cesky Krumlov. This fairytale town is centered around a historic castle and river that runs right through it all. A Rick Steves favorite for recommending to travelers that want something off the beaten path. This is a worthy inclusion for cityscapes as well as appeasing those in the group less inclined to enjoy the nature part of the vacation.
Continuing the road trip to Sumava National Park you will get to enjoy another magnificent forest that is different from Podyji’s. This is more Alpine with sweeping meadows and lakes in a rural setting. Further north, you will also find the Upper Palatine Forest that also gives the opportunity to photograph meadows and rolling hills, but is perhaps a bit more developed.
In the Northwest corner of the country is Slavkovsky Les also known as the Emperor’s Forest. As ancient as the area is, it contains some old-growth forests that transform in fall to a paradise of their own! There are also some interesting rock formations to explore and capture. Not far away, Karlovy Vary is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The multi-colored buildings reminiscent of Denmark set among mountains and a colorful forest and a river running through like in Paris. Not a bad retreat!
The trip takes a turn directly east at this point as we go to Labske Piskovce. The incredible rock formations of northern Czech Republic aren’t something you are likely to forget any time soon. It almost looks as though Arches National Park in Utah grew a forest! Similarly, nearby Kokorinsko is known for bizarre rock formations all around the very scenic views of the medieval castle. The mazes of rocks throughout the forest make for a great adventure for a day while also filling the rest inside the castle walls.
If you can’t get enough of these types of landscapes or if you want to boil it all down to one epic experience you definitely must include Cesky Raj in your visit to the Czech Republic. This is also known as the Bohemian Paradise as its pillars of rock jut up high above the tree canopy. The incredible landscape is difficult to fully comprehend and make sense of similar to the way Bryce Canyon is in North America. In the fall, the trees turn lovely browns, oranges, and reds to add to the beauty of the landscape.
It only keeps getting better though, as you make your way to Krkonose National Park. The stunning views of mountains, meadows, and waterfalls. The forests are also a magnificent piece of this treasured land with peaceful streams running throughout. Once you wrap your visit up to Krkonose, a great place to finish the trip is in Broumovsko. This protected landscape area is similar to the other areas with jagged rock pillars rising out of the ground, but it also has narrows with waterfalls that are really neat in Adršpašské skály.
Sicily
You may think that Italy is far too expensive with prices in line with other major tourist destinations. You would be wrong! The Sicilian island of Italy (known as Sicily) is a far cry from the costs of visiting Rome, but you really don’t sacrifice much in the way of history or cuisine. Flying into Catania or Palermo you get to see either of the two largest cities on the island, and neither are all that big.
I have spent almost 3 full months in Sicily myself and can vouch for how great it is as an inexpensive location to travel to. Making a big loop of the island you can get to most everything by driving. Starting in Catania and driving clockwise you will first arrive in Syracuse and the medieval island of Ortigia.
Ortigia is an island off the coast of Syracuse (which also has some beautiful ruins with a large amphitheater) that is a natural fortress used to protect its population. Along with the speedy shops come some really nice restaurants that you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to get a decent meal. Gelato is never too far away! The best landscape is down on the shore with a little rock beach that you can capture tide pools and the view of the large walls that once guarded the city against attacks. There is also a little castle on the far side.
You can see the sunk pillars in the bottom of the image here!
Cavagrande del Cassibile is a bit further down the coast, and while it is known as a place for swimmers to enjoy relaxing in pools along the river it still offers great views for landscape photography. Getting there early or staying late to capture the stunning waterfalls, majestic cliffs, and wonderful emerald pools of water are key though before/after the crowds of hikers and other vacationers.
The Vendicari Nature Reserve is a place you will likely have to time your visit with. While the beaches are fine, you’ll likely want to visit for seeing and taking images of the pink flamingos as they make their journey north from Africa and back. The best month for this area is December!
Easily one of the most picturesque towns in Sicily is Ragusa. One of those places that you can easily just fall in love with while walking the narrow streets, enjoying a delicious meal, or just soaking up a sunset over the ancient walls, churches, and surrounding landscape. A worthy stay just a short trip away from the coast.
The next location on the journey around the coasts of Sicily is Agrigento. This area actually has two phenomenal locations right next to each other. The ancient Greek ruins of the city of Akragas has some of the best-preserved temples from the Ancient Greeks, and I can vouch for this having been to both this city and all over Greece! The Turkish Steps are on the coast a short distance away. The cliffs have eroded in a way that it seems as though they are steps descending into the Mediterranean Sea. There are also some very nice places to eat 4-5 course meals up on the cliffs above. I dined at Madison with several parts to a 3-4 hour meal that I enjoyed quite a bit!
Driving to Erice is a bit of a drive from Agrigento with around 2.5 hours, but it is well worth making! A Phoenician city with a Greek name located on the Italian island of Sicily. That last sentence goes to show just how much history is on this island and how many different groups of people have existed here at one time or another! Anyways, that has nothing to do with how jaw-droppingly beautiful this city is with a castle atop the cliffs rising above the valley.
Mondello and Palermo are split by a small park that has a large mountain. The park is small because it is just the mountain itself and is surrounded by the two cities. The nicest part is that you can visit the park really easily from Palermo without sacrificing the comfort of a beachside resort town. The views from the top are great, and if you don’t care to hike up the views from the beach at dinner time are great too! Also, there is a crypt in Palermo that has the best-preserved child along with various deceased monks, rulers, and other corpses that now call it home.
The port of Milazzo is a beautiful little town that has easy access from train, boat, and car. The city offers its own castle which is nice, but the most notable thing is the port giving access to the volcanic islands north of Sicily. Lipari, Salina, Vulcano, and Stromboli are all noteworthy inclusions of what you can access from sea-taxi or chartering your own watercraft!
Aci Trezza is one of the last locations to list off. There are some really nice places to eat right nearby for seafood or really whatever you like. This is basically inside the city of Catania, and it has a significant Greek story behind it. The Odyssey by Homer included these rocks jutting out of the sea. The part where the cyclops was throwing the rocks at those fleeing after blinding him. Speaking of the cyclops, he lived under a volcano which we call Mt Etna today.
Mt Etna is the tallest active volcano in Europe. It is constantly venting and every couple of years will have a decent eruption with lava flows. As active as it may be, the area is safe to visit and hike around exploring the various craters. You can also get a lift up to the peak as well as a guide to take you even further towards the summit. Etna is also used as a ski area in the winter for the Sicilians!
North Macedonia
This small landlocked country is the second on my list from the Balkans! The country is also most likely one of the cheapest you can visit in all of Europe, so don’t worry about planning to live it up a bit if you like. Also, if you want historic precedence then you wouldn’t be disappointed about a place that has been inhabited for around 6000 years and has Alexander the Great as one of its historic leaders.
Starting the journey off in the nation’s capital city of Skopje you will find plenty to do to relax after the plane rides in as well as prepare for the rest of your journey. There is also a small fortress within the city, multiple museums, and a nice large city square to enjoy.
Just outside the city, you can immediately begin capturing the beautiful landscapes of North Macedonia. Canyon Matka is only a few miles outside of Skopje and can be reached via car. The canyon can then further be explored on foot or in a boat. With towering canyon walls spotted with beautiful green vegetation during the summer, this is a great location to compose the first few images from your visit.
Next on the list is the Šar Mountains in the country’s northwest. Still, not too far from Skopje and on the border with Kosovo, this area of magical mountains offers stunning views. Panoramic imagery that practically composes itself! You will likely want to be in better than average physical condition though as there is likely to be a significant amount of hiking required. If you can make the trek it is most certainly worth it!
Another section of National parks is in Mavrovo. In the western part of North Macedonia, you will find some small settlements amount the twisting roads. The park has been around since 1949, but it still remains very undeveloped outside of the towns you might be able to find lodging in.
In the southwestern part of North Macedonia, you will end up in the beautiful resort city of Ohrid. The traditional construction set alongside the beautiful waters of Lake Ohrid may make for some really nice cityscapes. Also, this is a great centralized location to base the trips to „Galichitsa“ National Park and „Pelister“ National Park.
Galichitsa sits between Lakes Ohrid and Prespa with some wonderful rolling mountains and views of the surrounding areas. There is plenty of opportunity for some nice woodland photography here as well! Don’t forget to check out the Bay of Bones museum either as it offers a fascinating insight into how people might have lived back when people were just settling the region in fishing villages.
Basing the next part of your trip out of perhaps Bitola, you can access Pelister National Park. This rugged mountain landscape offers plenty of panoramic views of the landscape atop mountains as well as small ponds atop peaks that add to the compositional opportunities. Baba Mountain sits tall among the rest of the peaks here and is a worthy climb any time of the year, but in the winter it gets a wonderful coat of snow!
Rounding out the trip with a bit more of modern history you can visit Kajmakčalan which is the site of a WWI battle on the border of Greece. Today, a memorial stands atop the mountain overlooking a barren landscape that leaves a great opportunity for abstract landscape photography work. Also, the surrounding mountainous terrain makes for uninterrupted views as well!