No passport, no problem: 8 Florida places that feel like Europe

A trip to Europe a little pricey this year? Or you just don't want to deal with passports and all that travel hassle?

This year, international travelers are jetting off to idyllic destinations such as Gran Canaria in Spain and the Campania region in Italy, according to Expedia'sSummer Travel Outlook. But you can still live the European lifestyle this summer without having to cross an ocean. Just take a drive in the right direction.

Florida is a big state, with a long history of colonists and immigrants from different regions, and they brought their cultures, architecture and cuisines with them. Here's where to go if you want to walk the streets of other counties without leaving this one.

Can't go to Spain? Go to St. Augustine

St. Augustine is old Europe, particularly coastal Spain. The oldest continually inhabited European settlementin the continental United States — it's been around since 1565, predating the United States by more than 200 years — the Spanish-Moorish architecture and 16th century Mediterranean feel is everywhere, and the historic district has cobblestone streets, beautiful courtyards, ancient buildings, horse-drawn carriages, and Spanish-moss-draped oaktrees.

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And that's not counting the actual Spanish fort there, the Castillo de San Marcos.

Looking for a castle near the beach? St. Augustine's historic Pillars Castle is up for sale

Missing Greece? Try Alys Beach or Tarpon Springs

You have a couple of choices if you're looking for that feel of sun-bleached buildings, lush vegetation, a sea breeze and vibrant, clear water.

Alys Beach in Walton County, along the scenic county road 30A in the Panhandle, can satisfy those needs. It has the look and feel of a Greek island because it was planned to be walkable, relaxing, and reminiscent of a Mediterranean village with Moorish and other influences. White buildings with stately courtyards and narrow alleys are arranged along a coast of white sands and sparkling blue water and there's a 20-acre nature preserve with an 1,800-foot trail.

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Architectural Digest has named it one of the top small towns in the U.S. Southern Living named it one of the best beach towns this year. It's also not far from Grayton Beach State Park, which was named as the best beach in the U.S. by Dr. Beach (Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman) in 2020.

Florida destinations: Alys Beach - An architectural feast on Panhandle

Sponge fishermen unload their boats at the Tarpon Springs dock after the storm surge from Hurricane Helene flooded the area Tuesday October 1 2024, in Tarpon Springs Fl.

Tarpon Springs, along Florida's Gulf Coast, is the spitting image of a Greek village with scattered white and blue buildings, boats everywhere on the emerald water, and authentic Greek cuisine from the large Greek community in the area. Be sure to check out the main area at Dodecanese Boulevard for the street market feel.

Can't visit France? Visit Rosemary Beach or Palm Beach instead

If you tire of Greece, you can visit the south of France just a few miles down the coast from Alys Beach.

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Rosemary Beach offers cobblestone streets, architecture influenced by the West Indies and Dutch Colonies, plenty of public spaces and courtyards, and a wide variety of European-inspired cuisine, all within walking distance. And, of course, there's the soft white sand and deep green water to enjoy. Southern Living named it No. 12 in its 2025 Best Beach Towns list.

Palm Beach is the place to go for a French holiday if your tastes aren't quite as bucolic. Celebrities and rich folk have flocked there for years and the opulent mansions, Mediterranean-influenced architecture and high-end beach lifestyle can satisfy your craving for an adventure on the French Riviera. And if you want a calmer moment, nearby Delray Beach was named the No. 1 beach in Florida by USA TODAY'S 10Best rankings in May.

Carribean islands? Just go to Key West

With beautiful beaches, live music and adorable pastel-colored bungalows, it comes as no surprise that Key West was Ernest Hemingway’s muse.

The islands are great for relaxing in a hammock with an adult beverage, listening to music drifting through the air, enjoying fresh seafood and swimming through the bathtub-warm sea. Why get on a cruise ship? Key West has all that. It's practically a Caribbean island anyway.

You'll also be surrounded by European-influenced architecture, but not from any one locale. Key West has had many nationalities on its shores and local buildings reflect hints of Great Britain, Spain, the Netherlands and the African diaspora.

Going to Cuba is tricky. Going to Ybor City is not

It's not easy to visit Cuba anymore, you can get the same feel of red-brick streets, colorful buildings and amazing food at Ybor City. Founded near Tampa in 1885 by cigar manufacturers and filled with Cuban, Spanish and Italian immigrants, Ybor still has some working cigar factories but nowhere near what it had during its heyday.

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But if you want the feel of Havana, Ybor City is the place to be, if for no other reason than to get authentic Cuban food. Also be sure to visit Columbia Restaurant, the oldest continuously operated restaurant in Florida, the oldest Spanish restaurant in the country and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world for some Spanish and Cuban cuisine. (Can't make it over there? There are Columbia locations in Sarasota, Sand Key and Celebration.)

Venice, Italy? Venice, Florida

You can't get much closer to Venice, Italy than its namesake on Florida's Gulf Coast.

Venice, Florida is located in Sarasota County and was modeled after the legendary Italian city due to its series of canals. Our version also has Mediterranean-inspired buildings with red tile roofs and arched windows, along with 14 miles of Gulf Coast sugar-sand beaches and deep blue waters. (Also, like its Italian counterpart, it floods occasionally.)

It's also the "Shark Tooth Capital of the World," a place known for fossilized shark teeth coming up from the 10-million-year-old fossil layer in the area exposed by erosion and time.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Stay in Florida for these European escapes