14 U.S. Cities That Offer a Taste of Europe Close to Home (2024)

While Europe remains a popular destination for many Americans, a trip across the Atlantic isn't always feasible. Whether you're bound by time or have only budgeted for a domestic trip, there are plenty of domestic options that will make you feel like you're abroad. The most European towns and cities in America evoke the ambience of countries like Italy, France, Germany, and Spain through architecture, topography, and culture.

From multicultural cities like San Francisco to a Bavarian-style mountain village, these U.S. destinations give you a taste of the continent without having to dig out your passport. But if you still want that passport stamp without the transatlantic flight, consider a few of the most European cities in North America like Québec, Canada, or Guanajuato, Mexico.

Boston, Massachusetts

When you walk along the narrow cobblestone streets of Beacon Hill, passing quaint lanterns and Federal-style row houses, you may have to remind yourself Boston is no longer an English colony. Head over to the North End, and you'll have to remind yourself you're not on the streets of Italy. There won't be any trouble finding an Irish pub or two in the city either.

Washington, D.C.

The capital of the U.S. was designed primarily by a Frenchman, Pierre Charles L'Enfant. He set out to build a Paris-like city, with grand, tree-lined boulevards and plentiful gardens and monuments. Today's Washington, D.C. maintains L'Enfant's influence, and not just in the magnificent National Mall or spectacular domes and obelisks. Wide, walkable streets, a low skyline, and ubiquitous green space lend an old-world feel. Of course, many European diplomatic workers bring their cultures with them, too.

San Francisco, California

San Francisco comprises a variety of world cultures, each lending its unique influence. The temperate climate, hilly streets, occasional palm trees, distant mountains, and seaside location give the Bay Area a Mediterranean feel. Known for its Victorian architecture and Spanish culture, the city is given away by one of America's architectural icons — the Golden Gate Bridge.

St. Augustine, Florida

The oldest city in the U.S. is not Boston or New York — or even colonial-era settlements like Williamsburg or Jamestown. That distinction belongs to St. Augustine. It was here, allegedly, that Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon searched for the Fountain of Youth. He left behind a beautiful settlement that today preserves a wealth of Spanish Renaissance architecture. Be sure to visit Castillo de San Marcos and the colonial Spanish quarter for a European feel.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Another old city? Philadelphia. It's even home to the country's oldest continuously inhabited residential street, Elfreth's Alley. There's more than just British colonial history, though: the magnificent City Hall is a French Second Empire masterpiece, the Philadelphia Museum of Art resembles a Greek temple, and a heavy Italian presence has given us a little something called the Philly cheesesteak.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Settled by the French, turned over to the Spanish, and passing back through French hands before landing in America's lap in 1803, New Orleans might be the most outwardly European city in the nation. Its architecture, food, music, language, and even pace of life reflect the immense French and Spanish influence. Places like the Old Ursuline Convent and the iron-railed Upper Pontalba Building give the Big Easy a unique look, while beignets and risqué nightlife call to mind Paris or Amsterdam.

New Ulm, Minnesota

In a state known for its high concentration of Scandinavian Americans, more than half the population of Minnesota's New Ulm claims German ancestry. The city's brewery, Schell's, was founded by a German immigrant and is one of the country's oldest. It hosts cultural celebrations, complete with German-style beer. You'll also find a glockenspiel, the beautiful Hermann Monument, and Turner Hall, a historic gymnastics facility with the state's oldest bar, dating to 1856.

Santa Barbara, California

They call it the “American Riviera,” as its beaches resemble and rival those of coastal France, but to see Santa Barbara is to see colonial Spain. Anchored by Old Mission Santa Barbara, the city's white stucco and red-tiled rooftops might make “Western St. Augustine” an even better nickname. Breathtaking Mediterranean-like landscapes and charming pedestrian malls, such as the Paseo Nuevo, lend an undeniable European air.

Montpelier, Vermont

Vermont's capital manages to be distinctly New England, surprisingly funky, vaguely Western, and subtly European all at once. Though the buildings of State and Main streets bring to mind dusty Denver saloons, Montpelier's name is a nod to early America's strong friendship with France. And the smallest state capital in the U.S. does feel a bit like a provincial French village, with its farmers markets, quaint shops, green hills, and smattering of traditional European architecture. Great locally sourced restaurants and a literary crowd only add to the French ambience.

Leavenworth, Washington

Redesigned in the 1960s to look German, this Washington town is a dead ringer for a Bavarian mountain village — and the millions of annual tourists agree. After Leavenworth became a ghost town by the end of the gold rush, local leaders used this redesign to revitalize the community and encourage tourism. In addition to Oktoberfest celebrations and the Nutcracker Museum, the picturesque destination has a location in the Cascades that feels truly alpine.

Solvang, California

Not far from Santa Barbara lies the charming Danish city of Solvang. After initially being settled by the Spanish, the area was flooded with Danish-Americans at the turn of the 20th century. Looking to start a Danish colony away from the rest of America, they built a Lutheran church and kept going from there. Today, the half-timbered architecture, windmills, odes to Hans Christian Andersen, and visits from Danish royals and authorities make it California's little Denmark.

Tarpon Springs, Florida

If it looks like Greece, feels like Greece, and tastes like Greece, then it must be … Florida? That's certainly the case in Tarpon Springs, the U.S. city with the highest concentration of Greek Americans. Greeks first settled in the area to lend their expertise to the booming sponge-harvesting trade. Today, Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral is a hub for local culture, and Greek restaurants line the sponge docks.

Newport, Rhode Island

Newport has long beckoned the rich and famous. Its mansions (built specifically for families like the Vanderbilts), sailing culture, and famed Cliff Walk could make any visitor feel like they've made their way to the French Riviera. Come here to bask in the summer sun before boarding a chartered catamaran, eat more oysters than you can handle, and sip Champagne as you watch the sun go down for the ultimate chic getaway on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Holland, Michigan

Sure, it's got a little bit of an unfair advantage being named Holland, but the city really does live up to its moniker. It's charming and quaint, comes with cobblestone streets that remind you of its European roots, and even has its own tulip gardens and windmills for visitors to roam. With bulbs blooming throughout three seasons, it's a perfect getaway like no other right here in the U.S.