10 secret European summer getaways

(Departures.com) -- As travelers continue to swarm Europe every summer -- crowding the Michelin-starred restaurants of Paris and Copenhagen, stuffing into Tuscan villas for gnocchi-making classes and partying on the beaches of Saint-Tropez, Capri and Ibiza -- many locals have found secret hideaways that allow them to avoid the crowds at all costs. Unlike Americans (and, increasingly, Asians and South Americans), many Europeans don't view sightseeing, culture and history as essential components of a summer holiday, since they often have those experiences year-round in their hometowns and cities. "Europeans are usually more concerned with quality hotel accommodations, good food and one-of-a-kind shopping," says Chrismar Kuhn, a Basel-based luxury travel agent and fan of Sylt, a German North Sea island. And those in the Mediterranean have been dodging tourists for centuries. Many chic Romans travel to the breezy hush-hush island of Panarea, the smallest and poshest of the Aeolian Islands, off the coast of Sicily; the French -- who try harder than anyone to avoid tourists -- hike in the Drôme, sail in Vannes or go "glamping" in Loire-Atlantique. Follow their lead and pay a visit to one of these 10 lesser-known European destinations.