<p class="ingestion featured-caption">Lee Abbamonte has visited every country in the world, plus the North and South Poles.Courtesy of Lee Abbamonte</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Travel blogger Lee Abbamonte has visited all 50 sovereign countries in Europe.</li><li>As Americans gear up for summer travel, Abbamonte recommends avoiding certain travel hot spots.</li></ul><p>If you're an American planning to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-european-cities-according-to-frequent-traveler-2024-4">visit Europe</a> this summer, you'll be one of millions of other <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-tourists-behaving-badly-at-us-national-parks-2023-8">US tourists</a> heading across the pond.</p><p>With the start of summer around the corner, many have already booked trips to what <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/leeabbamonte/">travel blogger</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ex-wall-streeter-visited-every-state-would-not-live-there-2024-4">Lee Abbamonte</a> dubs the Big Four — Spain, Italy, Greece, and France.</p><p>Abbamonte, 45, is about as well-traveled as it gets. He told Business Insider he was inspired to travel as much as he could after <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/september-11-21st-anniversary-9-incredible-survivor-stories-2021-9">9/11</a>, when many of his colleagues at a Wall Street firm owned by financial services giant <a target="_blank" rel href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cantor-fitzgerald-9-11-story-howard-lutnick-2011-9"><u>Cantor Fitzgerald</u></a> died during <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/financial-district-transformation-since-2001-photos-2018-9">the collapse of the Twin Towers</a>.</p><p>After 2001, Abbamonte went on to visit every country in the world, the North and South Poles, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/visited-all-50-states-ranked-best-and-worst-2024-3">every state in the US</a>.</p><p>Abbamonte said his preferred method of travel — taking a road trip — has allowed him to visit enchanting parts of Europe that the typical American tourists may completely miss.</p><p>"You're on your own schedule," he said. "The roads are good, it's easy to drive, a rental car is relatively cheap, and you have ultimate freedom."</p><p>One of Abbamonte's favorite regions to explore by car is Eastern Europe, which is struggling to attract international tourists due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. In 2023, <a target="_blank" href="https://etc-corporate.org/news/europes-tourism-displays-a-strong-rebound-but-remains-uneven-across-the-regions/">the European Travel Commission</a> reported that after the outbreak of COVID-19 brought tourism to a halt, countries closest to Russia and Ukraine, particularly those in the Baltic region, have been the slowest to recover pre-pandemic tourism levels.</p><p>Nevertheless, here are five European countries that Abbamonte said offer fewer crowds and more perks, including yummy food, beautiful architecture, and stunning scenery.</p><p>Plus, if you've already booked your trip to Spain, Italy, Greece, and France, he highlighted some hidden gem spots off the beaten path.</p>