European Village – Florida’s Hidden Gem
In between Jacksonville and Daytona Beach is one of the most beautiful spots: Palm Coast’s European Village, Florida’s hidden gem. From the colorful apartments to the charming gift shops, European Village is worth a few hours of your Florida vacation time.
Each time I make it out to this spot, I fall even more in love with the bright colors and European-inspired architecture. I even considered moving into one of these apartments, specifically so that I could decorate my own balcony!
Two of my favorite parts of European Village are actually right next to each other. First, the colorful chairs in front of Cork & Pint. These are so cute to pose in front of to get that Instagram-worthy shot. Next door is a beautiful shop called Sherry’s Art Studio & Fabulous Finds. The items displayed in front of the studio always amaze me and are created by the artist herself, Sherry Waldman. She even hosts workshops where you can create your own art. I highly recommend a stop at this boutique, especially if you are on the hunt for coastal/nautical home decorations.
Every few steps, you are greeted by a new cafe, a photogenic place to sit for a refreshment, or beautiful flowers. A really peaceful spot to sit is next to Cork & Pink, opposite Sherry’s Art Studio.
While there are many different restaurants, I’ve only dined at Mezzaluna Pizzeria. It was absolutely amazing and the portions were HUGE. In fact, my friend and I couldn’t even eat our lunch because we filled up on the delicious garlic knots appetizer. I highly suggest trying out this Italian place – especially if you enjoy bringing home leftovers.
Overall, European Village is a quaint area that not too many people know about…yet. Can you spend an entire day here? Not really. It is actually smaller than one would expect.
However, if you’re looking for a new place to explore or somewhere to spice up your Instagram feed, then a visit to this Palm Coast hidden gem is perfect. I never get tired of those colorful buildings and I can’t wait to try more of their cafes. The photographer in you will thank you for making the stop.
Don’t forget Flagler Beach…
Speaking of hidden gems, if you are vacationing in Palm Coast and need another place – other than European Village – to visit, Flagler Beach is gorgeous. Aside from enjoying the beach, we love to walk along the streets that are lined with the cutest beach gift shops. Flagler Beach is only 20 minutes from European Village, so you could easily plan to see both sites in one day. Sometimes a break from the sand and sun is refreshing.
One of our favorite shops in Flagler Beach was Bahama Mama’s on Ocean Shore Blvd. I mean, who wouldn’t love to play a game of seashell checkers?
Where to stay?
Overall, Palm Coast is a beautiful and relaxing destination. We stayed at Cinnamon Beach and have no regrets! We can’t recommend this location enough. If you do anything, plan a visit to European Village. It truly is a hidden gem of northeast Florida.
Other Florida posts from Yay for Vacay here
