This Archeological Site on Ancient Lakes Was Just Named the Most Underrated UNESCO Natural Wonder in Europe

• Prehistoric Pile Dwellings Around the Alps was named the most stunning UNESCO hidden gem in a new study by Emerald Cruises.
• Despite being searched for on Google an average of 20 times a month, the historic site is a favorite among travelers who do visit in person.
• Other notable destinations on the list include Portugal’s Sintra-Cascais Natural Park and Loch Ness in Scotland.

Europe is a culture lover’s dream—it’s home to the largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the globe, including 231 natural wonders. But some are arguably … more beautiful than others. Now, a new study by Emerald Cruises has pinpointed which are the most majestic—and most overlooked—of all.

For its study, the cruise company compiled a list of all the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Europe. It analyzed the 100 most recent Google Maps reviews of each destination and honed in on keywords like “beautiful” and “stunning.” It then used Google Search data to determine the popularity of each location, using the text data processor TextBlob to see which places had the highest positive sentiments, as well as the lowest search volumes in order to find the most serene and least-touristed options. Finally, it gave each site a score out of a possible 100.

After crunching the numbers and data, it named the Prehistoric Pile Dwellings Around the Alps the most stunning UNESCO hidden gem in Europe.

“Switzerland is the setting for the top two natural wonders,” Emerald Cruises said in a press release obtained by Travel + Leisure. “Ranking first is the Prehistoric Pile Dwellings, dating back to 5,000 and 500 B.C. Filled with cultural and historical significance, the archaeological site has a positive sentiment score of 83 and 117 mentions of its beauty despite being looked for just 20 times per month on average.”

Second on the list is the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch, the “most glaciated part of the mountain range and the largest glacier in Eurasia,” according to UNESCO. The area’s “grandeur” is mentioned in more than 100 reviews, helping it hit a 73 sentiment score. And rounding out the top three is Portugal’s Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, which travelers often called “charming” and “striking” in their feedback. 

However, there was one UNESCO site in Europe that scored higher than all the rest in terms of visitor interest: Loch Ness. 

“Google’s Search data also reveals the top heritage destinations based on visitor interest,” the report states. “Well-known for its legendary creature and breathtaking landscapes, Loch Ness in Scotland tops the list with over 70,000 average monthly searches. As the U.K.’s largest freshwater body, it’s a must-visit for nature lovers.”

If none of these quite pique your interest, there are 21 other UNESCO-protected and traveler-approved hidden gems to explore, including sites in Ireland, Spain, and Hungary.

See the full list on emeraldcruises.co.uk.