Beyond the usual route
Travel beyond the usual list. These eight cities offer distinct character, rewarding experiences and more room to discover something new.
Find your hidden gem →Eight ideas for your next trip
A hidden gem does not have to be unknown. What matters is that it offers more than expected—and suits the way you like to travel.
#1 · Most surprisingGeorgia
Price level
Affordable
Best suited to
Food, wine, history and a sociable weekend
Old balconies, sulphur baths, wine bars and modern city life sit side by side. Tbilisi feels different from the classic European weekend cities.
Read the full Tbilisi guide →
#2 · Best city-and-nature mixNorth Macedonia
Price level
Very affordable
Best suited to
Mystery trips, local food and a Matka excursion
The Old Bazaar, Brutalist architecture and nearby Matka Canyon make Skopje a distinctive and varied weekend destination.
Read the full Skopje guide →
#3 · Most underratedPoland
Price level
Affordable
Best suited to
Architecture, music and industrial heritage
A former industrial city has become a creative cultural centre. The Culture Zone, Spodek and red-brick Nikiszowiec give it a strong identity.
Read the full Katowice guide →
#4 · Prettiest Old TownPoland
Price level
Great value
Best suited to
History, harbour atmosphere and an easy weekend
Colourful façades, a riverside promenade and powerful historical museums make Gdansk far richer than many visitors expect.
Read the full Gdansk guide →
#5 · Best nearby gemSweden
Price level
Moderate
Best suited to
Fika, seafood, Haga and the archipelago
Haga's cobbled streets and the car-free archipelago offer more than an ordinary city break—without a long journey from Norway.
Read the full Gothenburg guide →
#6 · Best Nordic design cityFinland
Price level
Moderate
Best suited to
Design, sauna, architecture and the sea
Public saunas, modern architecture, islands and market halls give Helsinki a calm, considered and distinctly local weekend feel.
Read the full Helsinki guide →
#7 · Biggest contrastsGermany
Price level
Moderate
Best suited to
Skyscrapers, museums and local apple-wine taverns
Beyond the financial skyline are the Old Town, Museum Embankment and Sachsenhausen's apple-wine taverns. The city deserves more than a stopover.
Read the full Frankfurt guide →
#8 · Best big-city alternativeGermany
Price level
Moderate
Best suited to
Harbour life, music, football and neighbourhoods
Speicherstadt, harbour ferries, St. Pauli and creative neighbourhoods give Hamburg big-city energy without feeling like the obvious choice.
Read the full Hamburg guide →Flyferie's quick picks
Food and wine
Tbilisi
City and nature
Skopje
Best value
Katowice
Nearby coastal life
Gothenburg
Ready for more ideas?
Photo credits
Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Flyferie · Bern1894 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Andrzej Otrębski · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Niera · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0
