Some
places stay persistently off the beaten track, despite their many charms.
Here’s a sampling of places overlooked because of geography, chance and the
presence of more glamorous neighbours.
1. Trieste, Italy.
Why isn’t
this anomalous Italian city top of a must-visit list? It’s a cultural melting
pot, on a sea-thrusting prong of land, almost in Slovenia. It was the key port of
the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and retains an enticing, elegiac sense of the
past. Former resident James Joyce began writing Ulysses not in Dublin, but here. It’s
full of Hapsburg splendour, from its Viennese cafes and central European
cuisine to its sweeping neo-classical waterfront.
2. Arras, France.
With its two Flemish-Spanish
squares, lined by 155 gingerbread-like houses, Arras
is an astonishing surprise in an oft-forgotten corner of northern France. It’s
worth planning to spend the day here, so you can admire the 17th and 18th
architectural confectionery, climb the elegant bell tower for big views, and
wander through the town’s remarkable 22km-long underground tunnels, which were
used by soldiers during WWI.
3. Gujarat, India.
India’s
northwestern state of Gujarat is not on most
travellers’ itineraries, but if you have time it rewards exploration. Besides a
friendly welcome, you’ll experience an off-beat allure: the laid-back
ex-Portuguese island of Diu; the city of Bhuj, with an evocative dilapidated palace
and surrounding craft-rich villages; and the otherworldly salt plains of the
Little Rann of Kutch, populated by flamingos and the Indian wild ass.
4. Chóngqìng, China.
Often bypassed in favour of
neighbouring Sìchuān, Chóngqìng is worthy of more attention, with its imposing
location overlooking the Yangzi
River and
conversation-stalling spicy food. Modern China’s futuristic cityscape
contrasts with the clutter of old steel boats at the docks and the city’s
‘bangbang’ army of porters who suspend goods on stout bamboo poles,
transporting anything and everything over its steep hills.
5. Aberdeen, Scotland.
The granite town of Aberdeen is
home to a stately university centred on the 15th-century King’s Chapel, is
fronted by a long sandy beach, and contains the time-capsule, Hobbit-quaint
fishing village of Footdee. And beyond the stern, glittering city, you can take
a dreamy coastal train trip to see Castle Dunottar, the awe-inspiring
cliff-edge ruin where Franco Zefferelli filmed Hamlet.
6. Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Perhaps it’s the lure of Amsterdam that leads people to forget Utrecht. Whatever the reason, this graceful
city is bizarrely under-visited. Its old town is encircled by a medieval canal,
and you can hop on a boat tour to visit the city’s bustling, vibrant wharves.
Built to connect the canalside with Utrecht’s
impressive townhouses, today these unique spaces are filled with bohemian
cafes, shops, restaurants and bars.
7. Meknès, Morocco.
Everyone knows Marrakesh and Fès, but who takes the time to
stop off in lesser-known Meknès? On a smaller scale than its more famous
siblings, this ancient imperial city has a low key, laid-back feel, yet an
architectural and cultural bounty of 45km of walls, nearly 50 palaces, and
nearby, the plateau-top Roman ruins of Volubilis.
8. Helsinki, Finland.
The small Finnish capital,
continental Europe’s northernmost city, looks
out into the shimmering Baltic, and several of its major sights sit on islands,
such as the 18th-century fortress of Suomenlinna. This unassuming yet
charismatic capital retains glorious art nouveau buildings and 1930s
restaurants, and is notably clean, tidy and well behaved. It also comes alive
when the sun shines – almost all night from June to August.
9. Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.
It’s rarely chilly, usually either
balmy or baking, in this lovely, off-the-track Andalucian town, which is famous
for its sherry production. There are many ornate churches, an imposing citadel,
plus multiple bodegas where you can taste Jerez’s most famous export. This is also the
flamenco heartland, and it’s one of the best places in Spain to
experience authentic performances of this most passionate art.
10. Takayama, Japan.
Locals recommend that you take a
trip to the less-travelled ‘other’ side of the main Honshu island to gain a
sense of old Japan.
Those who make it out here will discover Takayama, a small city dotted by
morning markets, sake breweries, and hillside shrines, and nearby Shirakawa-go,
famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri – farmhouses-on-stilts – and
countryside that looks like a Nihonga (traditional Japanese) painting.
