5 Cities With Less Crowded Counterparts That You Should Visit Instead.

When planning European vacations most people gravitate to the more well known destinations: London, Rome, Paris, etc. Though these cities deserve the attention that they get, there are often drawbacks that people don’t consider when planning trips there. The biggest issue is just how overflowing with other tourists these cities, and their main attraction, usually are. This becomes doubly true in the peak summer travel months.

Saint Peter’s Basilica, The Sagrada Familia, and the Louvre are all worthwhile attractions. But save these popular destinations for your off peak travels and you will be amazed at just how much better they can be when you don’t have to wait an hour and a half to get in.

For those who want to see, smell and experience new cultures in similar cities to the popular ones seen online – we have devised a list. The Top 5 Cities who have smaller, less touristy, less crowded and less expensive counterparts.

5 Cities With Their Less Crowded Counterparts

Gran Via In Barcelona

Street In Russafa

Barcelona (left) and Valencia (right)

1-Valencia instead of Barcelona.

“Just close your eyes and lets pretend we’re dancing in the streets.” sings Ed Sheeran in his song titled, Barcelona. Along with this worldwide popularity Barcelona has quietly becomes Spain’s most expensive city. It is a city so focused on tourism that in some of Barcelona’s most popular locations landlords are kicking out residents in favor of the short term tourist rental model.

Why should you care?

Because in certain parts of Barcelona you have recently started to hear more non Spanish languages than either Catalan or Spanish, the two local languages.

For those who travel to truly experience new cultures, customs and ways of life but want to escape the crowds at the beaches, the clubs, and even those famed streets Mr. Sheeran talks about – then take the two hour drive down the golden Catalan coast to Valencia.

Valencia is a city that is renowned as the birthplace of Paella and is overflowing with Valencian orange trees, as abundant as palm trees are in Los Angeles. Valencia helps personify what Spanish culture is all about: laid back mornings, California like weather, Gaudi inspired architecture and lively nightlife without the need for mass tourism. Take long walks throughout this walkable city and spend time truly getting to know the Spanish culture in this mini Barcelona.

5 Must Do’s In Valencia

Sip A Coffee or a Beer in Plaza de la Virgen and people Watch
Eat All The Food in Central Market
Get Lost down the winding streets in Valencia’s Old Town
Cafe Hop in Valencias Hip Town Russafa
Dine along the beach in La Pepica famed as the best Paella in Valencia and a Ernest Hemingway Hangout

View from the canals of Amsterdam

View from the canals of Utrecht

Amsterdam (left) and Utrecht (right)

2- Utrecht instead of Amsterdam

Amsterdam, is a dream. Aesthetically, it is very similar to Greenwich Village in Manhattan, but stretched over an entire city. Cobblestone streets, picturesque canals and rich Dutch baroque architecture over sunset skies. Coffee shops for an espresso in the morning and Coffee shops for getting more in touch with your thoughts at night. But go during the peak times and you will get a reality check: overcrowded streets, drunk college kids spilling out of bars and prices as high as anything in the world.

Instead rent a car or take a train and in under 30 mins you will be in Utrecht. While, Utrecht might not have the same name recognition as Amsterdam, it sure does look almost exactly like it. Bike ride through the city like in Amsterdam, and pass lush parks and canals wherever you go. Partake in both types of Coffee shops, but here without the lines or the wait times. Live life surrounded by an authentic dutch experience, meet locals who aren’t sick of foreigners quite yet, and escape concert-like crowds and prices.

5 Must Do’s In Utrecht

Check out sub-terrain cafes, shops and bars in Oudegracht an 800 year old Canal
Head underground to the Museum DOMunder
Learn about Dutch History at Rietveld Schroder House
Check out Culture Boat for a coffee shop high
Dance the night away at Stekker In De Tunnel with some crazy tunes.

Spree River View In Berlin

Elbe River View In Hamburg

Berlin (left) and Hamburg (right)

3- Hamburg instead of Berlin

Since the fall of the wall in 1991 Berlin has come on to represent unencumbered expression, social freedom and unfiltered artistic creativity. Berlin is in many ways a symbol for counter culture throughout the world.

With that being said, Berlin is definitely not for everyone, if you don’t have a tolerance for dirty street, filthy clubs and a penchant for the weird, then Berlin might not be for you.

Instead meet Hamburg, still part of the counterculture but instead a gateway city, rather than a full blown in your face experimental trip. While Berlin is unlike anything else in Germany and even the world for the matter – Hamburg is seen as a bit more traditional in regards to the German experience but with added elements of counter culture.

If you want to experience the resurgence of young exciting new ideas but also experience more of the traditional German pieces of culture such as Neo-Gothic buildings, sausage and steins at large tables with drunk people of all ages – then start your Journey in Hamburg. Hamburg is quickly making a name for itself, in way of street art and especially in the electronic music scene.

5 Must Do’s In Hamburg

Grab Drinks at Reeperbahn Red Light District
Sweat like your on a Berlin dance floor at Logo Club
Enjoy The Portuguese Quarter – the second biggest concentration of Portuguese next to Portugal.
Check Out Schanzenviertel and Karolinenviertel for a taste of real Berlin culture.
Get Lost in The Elbe Tunnel

Streets Of London

Street in Bristol

London (left) and Bristol (right)

4- Bristol instead of London

“London equals British culture” , or so they say. West London is a museum with some of the most beautiful parks and architecture in Europe where you can walk around for hours in love bursts of color, sharp dressed people both familiar and different, until suddenly you are bumped to the side by a tall British gentlemen and who says “Piss Off You American”. This is many way encapsulates London, beautiful charming, but equal parts rude , overcrowded, expensive and passive aggressive. It’s indicative of the area, not so much the British people and UK as a whole.

Substitute London for Bristol and you just might get a true understanding of what is like to live like the British. Quaint and beautiful streets, friendly accents and people alike and home to only 500,000 people vs London 12 million. You will have the chance to slow down and really take everything in without getting yelled at for gawking at your aha – I am in Britain -moment. Bristol has a vibrant cafe and bar culture, an insane street art hub and a true sense of community.

5 Must Do’s In Bristol

Take The Banksy Walking Tour In Harborside
Bar Hop in Millennium Square
Check out a 360 view of Bristol from Clifton Suspension Bridge
Check out Whiteladies Road Farmers’ Market
Go to Basement 45 for an underground music experience unlike anything else.

Ocean Views In Santorini

Folegandros Views

Folegandros (left) and Santorini (right)

5- Folegandros instead of Santorini

In 2018, Santorini was ranked the most popular European vacation destination by the Posts on Instagram – only to be taken over by The Amalfi Coast in 2019. Santorini is one of the appealing destinations in the world: Mediterranean cuisine, white washed buildings on top of mountains, and some of the best sunset on earth – there is no wonder why it is so popular among travelers.

The issue that most travelers don’t seem to grasp until they are on the shores of Aegean sea, is that this small island was never meant to hold this many people. In 2019 two million tourists came to this Island which is less than 30 square miles in size.

When you look at an image on social media of your favorite media blogger, you can’t help but feel a natural pull towards this place. That’s until you actually get there and see a line of people behind the camera waiting to get that very same picture. It’s also hard to imagine a more expensive place to stay, most hotels cost upwards of $500 per night. It truly was made to be a honeymoon destination, just not a very good one.

Luckily for the well read traveler there is an abundance of other Greek islands to plan your trip around – with no island resembling Santorini more than Folegandros. Folegandros ia almost a carbon copy of Santorini in terms of it look and feel. The street are still small but are a bit more spread out. The buildings are all the famous Greek white and blue with the unbelievable architecture you see all over the internet. You will feel like you are on another planet as you sip wine off of a mountain, overlooking some of the best sunsets since, well, Santorini.

Most importantly IT’S NOT PACKED!

5 Must Do’s In Folegandros

Rent a house in Chora
Eat in a private garden at Zefiros Anemos
Spend Days Tanning on Agali Beach without Tourists
Hike the hill to the Church of Panagia
Take a Boat to Chrissospilia Cave and see something out of this world (Google it, it’s worth it, I swear.)