These European cities are crowded most of the year, but if you go there now, things are different (and cheaper).

Some cities in Europe are so full of visitors that a new word has been coined to describe the phenomenon: “overtourism.”

In places like Barcelona and Venice, which are among the hardest hit areas, holidaymaker fees have even been introduced to reduce the number of holidaymakers at peak times, in the form of hotel taxes or cruise passenger fees. Budget airlines and cruise lines are blamed for the worst overcrowding. Still, there’s a way to avoid the rush: travel in the off-season between now and Easter, when flights and hotels are cheaper. Here is our guide.

FREE FLORENCE

A crowd of tourists taking pictures in Piazza della Signoria in Florence in August

Florence has introduced fines for eating snacks on four central streets – a measure to reduce traffic congestion. In winter, the queues for the Uffizi Gallery with its Renaissance masterpieces are delightfully short. From 10 November to 20 December and 10 January to 20 February entry is also discounted (£10.40, not £22.50). It’s also quieter at the Duomo, the city’s spectacular cathedral.

Cheap hotel: Double rooms from £108 at the modern, centrally located AC Hotel Firenze (marriott.com).

Cheap flight: From £67 return flights from Stansted to Pisa; Pisa is an hour away by bus (ryanair.com).

DRAWN SEVILLA

Temperatures in the capital of Andalusia are around 21 degrees Celsius in November and 22 degrees Celsius in March. Enjoy the city’s beautiful tapas bars near the great Gothic cathedral without the summer crowds. Sights such as the cathedral (home to Christopher Columbus’ tomb), the Moorish Alcazar Palace, flamenco shows and the neo-Moorish Plaza de Espana are much easier to see.

Cheap hotel: Doubles from £59 at artsy little La Casa del Maestro (lacasadelmaestro.com).

Cheap flight: From £60 return flights from Luton to Seville (ryanair.com).

QUIET BARCELONA

Travel to Barcelona in winter to enjoy Parc Güell (photo) without fighting your way

Barcelona’s beautiful beach gets crowded in the summer months

Barcelona, ​​​​with a population of 1.6 million, can attract more than 20 million tourists annually, mainly from June to September. Spend the winter enjoying the Ramblas (the main street), the Basílica de la Sagrada Família (Antoni Gaudí’s spectacular cathedral) and Parc Güell without fighting your way through.

Cheap hotel: Double rooms at the stylish Motel One from £77 (motel-one.com).

Cheap flight: From £64 return from Edinburgh to Barcelona (ryanair.com).

EMPTY IN VENICE

To keep tourist numbers down, the authorities have approved a trial price of £4.30 for day visitors next summer. Large vessels are already banned. Venice attracts up to 13 million tourists and has 49,693 tourist beds, compared to just 49,308 residents. In winter, it is delightfully quiet on the canals near St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge – and booking a gondola is also possible without any problems.

Cheap hotel: Double rooms from £100 at the charming Hotel San Moise (sanmoise.it).

Cheap flight: From £109 return flights from Bristol to Venice (easyjet.com).

DISHES DUBROVNIK

Dubrovnik (see above) is “especially beautiful” in winter. Enjoy return flights from Gatwick with easyJet from £75

When cruise ships arrive, there can be real crowds in the beautiful walled city of Dubrovnik. In winter, when less comes, it is particularly beautiful: a good time for a walk along the ancient battlefields overlooking the turbulent sea.

Take the cable car up the mountain overlooking the city without the usual long wait.

Cheap hotel: Double rooms from £71 at the stylish Scalini Palace Hotel (scalini Palace.com).

Cheap flight: From £75 for return flights to Gatwick-Dubrovnik (easyjet.com).

ROME ONLY

The overcrowding around the famous Spanish Steps became so terrible that Rome imposed a fine of £217 for trespassing. In midsummer, long queues outside the Colosseum and the Vatican have become the norm, and visitors are warned to be wary of pickpockets in the swarms around the Trevi Fountain. Experience the Italian capital at its most relaxing in winter.

Cheap hotel: Double rooms from £115 at the sleek, modern Ibis Styles Roma Eur (ibis.accor.com).

Cheap flight: From £58 return flights to Stansted-Rome (ryanair.com).

NO TRAFFIC IN AMSTERDAM

Plan your trip to Amsterdam during peak times and the canals and museums can be “pleasantly quiet.”

Overtourism is a major problem in the popular “party city” with more than 20 million visitors a year and a population of 800,000: 25 tourists per inhabitant. However, if you plan your trip outside peak times, the canals and museums can be nice and quiet, especially the usually crowded Rijksmuseum (rijksmuseum.nl).

Cheap hotel: Double rooms from £99 at the central Tourist Inn (tourist-inn.com).

Cheap flight: From £122 return flights from Manchester to Amsterdam (easyjet.com).

THE BEST OF BRIDGES

More than eight million holidaymakers come here each year, while the population is just 119,000 and tourism authorities encourage visitors to visit outside the busiest summer months. One advantage of winter is that Bruges looks beautiful after it snows and the canals freeze.

Cheap hotel: Double rooms from £113 at the charming, modern Hotel Marcel (hotelmarcel.be).

Cheap train: From £102 return train fare from London St Pancras to Bruges (eurostar.com).

WALTZ IN VIENNA

Enjoy the capital of Austria away from the summer crowds, with its sleepy cafes serving Sachertorte (a rich chocolate cake) and strong coffee, and relaxing bars serving mulled wine, local beer and schnapps. St Stephen’s Cathedral, Belvedere Palace, the Hofburg and the Ferris wheel in the Prater are wonderfully quiet.

Cheap hotel: Double rooms from £98 at the fun, colorful Max Brown Hotel (maxbrownhotels.com).

Cheap flight: From £87 return flights from Stansted to Vienna (ryanair.com).

PEACEFUL PARIS

Paris is “much quieter and more tolerable” in winter. Above, one of the city’s subway stations

Sights such as the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Montmartre can be enjoyed in the summer in the French capital, which attracts around 37 million tourists every year. Go in winter when it’s much quieter and more tolerable.

Cheap hotel: Double rooms from £100 at Aiden by Best Western (bestwestern.co.uk).

Cheap train: From £78 return from London St Pancras to Paris by train (eurostar.com).

I love Dublin

See the Guinness Storehouse, the Book Of Kells at Trinity College (a 9th-century copy of the Gospels), and Dublin Castle without the summer crowds. Out of season there is a much more relaxed atmosphere on Grafton Street or around St Stephen’s Green.

Cheap hotel: Double rooms from £86 at the comfortable Leonardo Hotel Dublin Parnell Street (leonardohotels.co.uk).

Cheap flight: From £33 return from Manchester to Dublin (ryanair.com).

RETURN

Located on the banks of the Douro River, Porto is a wonderful city to explore. Return flights from Stansted with Ryanair cost from £55

Off-peak perks: Visitors to Porto should try a traditional Portuguese Pastel de Nata cake (above)

With its picturesque old town overlooking the Douro River, Porto is beginning to rival Lisbon in terms of popularity. In winter, however, it is delightfully quiet, because the sidewalks over the famous Dom Luis I bridge are almost empty and there are hardly any crowds in the port wine cellars.

Cheap hotel: Double rooms at the well-run NH Hotel Porto Batalha from £78 (nh-hotels.com).

Cheap flight: From £55 return flights to Stansted-Porto (ryanair.com)

QUIET ATHENS

The number of visitors to the Acropolis, the ancient Greek site in Athens, has been limited to 20,000 a day this year, a plan that is likely to continue. The numbers exceeded 23,000 per day, causing unpleasant overcrowding. In winter you have the Acropolis, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Panathenaic Stadium almost to yourself.

Cheap hotel: Double rooms from £95 at the stylish, fun Moxy Hotel (marriott.com).

Cheap flight: From £60 return flights from Luton to Athens (wizzair.com).