So many places to visit, so little time. What should you visit next? Should you, visit a country you’ve already visited and liked a lot? Or should you try and experience something completely new and unique? The following question is even more logical – should you visit a popular touristic destination or perhaps try to find the hidden jewels of a country and thus be your own version of a travel influencer? Be as it may, we really hope that 2019 is and will continue to be a great traveling year, and if you’re looking for an underdog place to visit in the remaining months of this year, take a look at our 5 choices. All of the following cities are special in their own way, and you will feel very welcome and comfortable in all of them. The choice is yours:
Siófok, Hungary
In the middle of Europe, there’s a country that’s popular tourism-wise, but only thanks to its capital, Budapest. However, Hungary has so much more to offer, and if you want to explore the authentic life in this country, then you should make Siófok your next destination. Why is this place special? Mostly because it could be an amazingly interesting summer destination due to the fact that it’s located on the southern side of the beautiful Lake Balaton. Not only will you be able to enjoy the great water of the lake while swimming, but you can also use the perks of a plethora of great hotels, sports facilities and organized programs. You probably want to know whether you could easily reach this place, and the answer is yes, you can. It’s located only about 100km away from Budapest, so you can easily get to Siófok using the motorway. Siófok is not a big city, but it’s full of authenticity and vivacity.
Novi Sad, Serbia
touristic attraction, and many people from Europe choose this destination for a bachelor party due to the fact that you can always find a great club to go out to. However, Serbia has an even more beautiful city, Novi Sad. Novi Sad is the second largest city in Serbia (well, it’s mostly a big town), yet it’s really mesmerizing, and at the same time, the European Youth City of 2019. It’s incredibly flat and very green, with examples of great Austro-Hungarian architecture in the city center. This city is not only perhaps the most beautiful town in Serbia, but it’s also a place where you can eat the most amazing food at very affordable prices. Apart from that, you can take a walk to the Petrovaradin Fortress, enjoy the splendid view over the city and visit craft concept stores like Werkstat for the amazing handmade arts and designs made by local artists. It’s definitely a place that can be both quiet and quite vivacious, so make sure you include it on your must-visit list.
Gothenburg, Sweden
If you want to take a break from visiting the Balkans, or perhaps you want your own taste of Nordic, you can always opt for Sweden. However, since Stockholm is quite a cliché option, why not try something less known, such as the beautiful Gothenburg? Apart from being popular because of the Gothenburg Film Festival which is Scandinavia’s largest such event, Gothenburg is a great place for taking a walk. Namely, you can begin your stroll at the Museum of Gothenburg, pass the bones of a Viking longship that sank in the 10th century, and then head north to Torggatan and admire the amazing opera house. Apart from walking and seeing some spectacular things (such as the old Viking ship – how cool is that?), you can drink, shop and sleep there at very reasonable prices for Sweden.
Kaunas, Lithuania
Lithuania is probably one of the lesser known countries in Europe, and if you’ve ever planned to visit it, you would probably visit Vilnius, the beautiful capital. However, Kaunas is the second biggest city in this country and perhaps the coolest one. First of all, you might find the oldest Lithuanian castle there (the oldest building in the city and the first stone castle in Lithuania) which is located on the confluence of Nemunas and Neris. The old part of the city is also spectacular, and it’s even more spectacular if you visit it in the grey, cold months as the snow can really paint an even more beautiful picture. You can also get to the Aleksotas Hill where you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the city.
Gdansk, Poland
And the last European hidden gem would be the city of Gdansk, in Poland. Gdansk is a port city, which means that you can also get to it if you opt for a cruise that has Gdansk as a stop. This place will definitely surprise you, especially because the two main streets are filled with narrow and colorful houses that really create a specific atmosphere. It has very elegant architecture and beautiful streets, and apart from that, it’s home to some very good restaurants and bars.
As you can see, you don’t have to aim for the capitals in order to experience a country. You can always go to the second biggest cities and experience the country in a more authentic way. You will definitely love all of these options, so make sure to put at least one on your bucket list!
