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Planning a trip can be equal parts exhausting and exhilarating. It can feel like there are so many possibilities and options to choose from that it feels hard to pick. Do you go with the time-honored classics? Or do you branch out and head off the beaten path and discover something new?
Someone asked “What are some underrated places that really surprised you?” and travelers shared their best stories. From truly hidden gems to locations that have really improved lately, get comfortable as you read through, perhaps take some notes, upvote your favorite examples and be sure to share your own thoughts in the comments below.

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#1

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Plovdiv, Bulgaria, the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe at 8000 years old, it's got so many Roman ruins that half of them aren't even marked on the tourist map.

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RedPepper
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also in Plovdiv: a historic district of 18th century traditional houses, an Art Deco city center. Beautiful and coulourful.

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#2

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) My answer always is Vilnius, Lithuania. A storybook of a place. The city and its inhabitants were beautifully presented and people were so nice to me.

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#3

Trier in Germany! It’s the oldest town in Germany and has several UNESCO sites. It’s got a bridge that dates to the 2nd century AD, a LOT of Roman ruins and the Karl Marx museum in the house he was born in. It’s also incredibly safe and easy to walk around with an attractive town centre, and gorgeous scenery around the River Mosel. There’s also great, cheap local wines.

It’s very popular with German tourists I think, but less so international ones. I don’t see people talk about it much. If you like history or wine or both, go.

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#4

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Turin. I went there bc I needed to travel due to a painful breakup. I lived near Italy and was craving Italian food but I did not like Milan so I gave it a try.

I instantly loved that city. Food was amazing, I had loootssss of focaccia di recco, wine and gianduja. The city center is beautiful and so are the men there lol and so nice people too. Exactly what I needed. I truly have a space for Turin in my heart and much gratitude.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The one in the photo is not a church as someone may expect. It's the Mole Antonelliana, initially conceived as a synagogue and converted to a public building when the Jewish community retracted funding during the construction. Currently it's housing the Museum of Cinematography, that holds the record for the tallest museum in the world.

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#5

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Underrated for me because I never planned on going there but Scotland and the towns surrounding Edinburgh. It was so incredibly storybook beautiful and the mix of castles and pastures and legit mountain ranges were so much to take in.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you can, I highly recommend a visit to the some of the Outer and Inner Hebrides. If you’re traveling to Norway I highly recommend visiting Orkney and Shetland along the way.

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#6

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Lucca Italy.

Old renaissance town center surrounded by original fort walls, which are a public walkway now. Met incredibly nice local restaurant owners who’s food was amazing. Surrounding country is Tuscany. Old City in the modern age.

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4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lucca is lovely and generally not very crowded. It's a great base for visiting the countryside. Avoid the first weekend of November since the local version of ComiCon takes over the place, it becomes impossible to visit and really expensive.

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#7

Slovenia. Currently here and half way through my 2 week trip. I’m at 30 countries and this is hands down the most picturesque place I’ve ever been.

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#8

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Pretty much all of Portugal. I went because I got cheap tickets and enjoyed it more than anywhere else in Europe that I have been.
Kenai penninsula Alaska. Seward and Homer are both fantastic sea towns with stunning scenery and wildlife. I have been other places in Alaska, but flying into Anchorage in doing those two towns makes a fabulous trip.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Braganca in the North is a smaller place with less international visitors. But very pretty with a nice castle and some great restaurants.

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#9

Malta is off the beaten track for most. small islands, beautiful landscape. fascinating history.

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#10

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Helsinki was beautiful but I will say make sure you pack sunscreen if you go there in the summer time. I got sunburned at 9 o'clock at night!

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Šimon Špaček
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Finland is amazing. You are walking through a forest, you notice a house from time to time and after 20 minutes of walking you realize that the forest is a city :D Also, pretty much everybody has an amazing accent (like a Sith lord, just not saying "my young padawan") and will gladly help you find where you need to go (maybe because they want you to leave ASAP :D). BTW, if you want to travel there by bike, go for it, Earth is round, but Finland is flat.

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#11

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Dalyan in Turkey - up there in my top 3 destinations I’ve visited. Scenic, good restaurants, close to the beach, close to hiking, friendly solo place where you don’t need to worry about walking home alone in the dark as a female. I had the best 8 days there.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love Turkiye. Favorite place to visit but haven't been to Dalyan yet.

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#12

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Zagreb, Croatia!

Foggy, humid and cold in December, but so fun to walk around — lovely ppl, amazing food, interesting shops and little museums and things to duck into 😊.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Easy to do a daytrip to Plitvice National Park from Zagreb. Hiking trails all over, and it's a UNESCO World Heritage Place. I left a piece of my heart at Plitvice. At times you are hiking over waterfalls, and seeing the 16 (!) waterfalls at once was just amazing. You can drink from the rivers; it's been protected since 1954. Super clean water.

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#13

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Ireland blew me away. Not exactly under-rated, except I found the smaller towns rather than the tourist spots so much more charming. Lovely people, scenery, history everywhere I went. I was just enchanted.

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#14

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Albuquerque, NM. Only place I've ever visited that immediately felt like home, even more than my hometown.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thank you for this! Albuquerque, and New Mexico in general, are hidden gems yet somehow manage to get a lot of bad press. ABQ has a long, storied history (founded in 1706), a multicultural vibe (Native/Hispanic/Anglo), lots of opportunities for outdoor activity (hiking, bike trails, the Balloon Fiesta as pictured here), wonderfully curated museums, amazing food, and so much more to be proud of. Glad to see my beautiful city on this list!

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#15

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Trieste, Italy. I fell in love with the city instantly. I loved the history, the food, and the weather!

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#16

Peloponnese peninsula in Greece.

Fantastic coastline, rugged mountains and loads of history. A great spot for a road trip!

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Shush, don't tell people this, otherwise it will get too full. It's my favourite part of Greece.

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#17

Turin, Italy. Gorgeous town in the foothills of the Alps with amazing food and a regional coffee specialty - bicerin- which involves chocolate & hazelnut cream. I don’t think it gets enough attention, maybe because Italy has so many great places.

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#18

Saving this thread for future travel ideas!

Not sure if underrated, but mine is Sarajevo. Interesting mix of architecture, fascinating history from ancient times to the tragedies of the war, beautiful nature walking distance from the city and the thing I liked most of: friendly and welcoming people. Had many interesting conversations, my airbrb neighbor chatted with me like I was an old friend and store personel telling jokes like I was a regural. Also felt really safe as solo travelling woman, much safer than western cities like Rome or Amsterdam.

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#19

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) The Hague, Netherlands. Another boring European city? Perhaps. But the architecture, both old and new, museums, the food, and the cleanliness of the city blew me away.

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Robert T
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was working there for a month. Some nice places to eat. Very very cold in February though - the lake at the palace was frozen solid. By far my favourite place I visited whilst I was there was Delft, which I was able to get to on my tram pass.

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#20

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Coba, in quintana roo, Mexico. Just over an hour away from tulum, but a whole other world. Gorgeous Mayan ruins with almost no tourists, all the community extremely friendly and polite, all of them speaking yucatec Mayan. In the middle of the jungle, really. Good traditional food like tacos and cochinita pibil. I really wish I'd stayed longer, though there's not so much to do there besides the ruins. Would go back in a heartbeat, really felt like community.

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#21

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Taipei is grossly under-rated. It's a fascinating city, with lots to see and do. The National Palace Museum, for instance, is one of the world's great museums but is fairly obscure. The food is excellent, and there's a great local arts and creative scene. Taipei also has excellent public transport, so it's easy to get around.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

lots of Museums because the ROC government when they lost the civil war, saw how Mao's forces were destroying museums and archeological sites (after the cultural revolution in the 60s did the PRC change that, and start saving their heritage), so the ROC emptied as many museums as they could and brought the stuff to Taiwan with them

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#22

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Southern Colombia (Nariño, Putumayo, Cauca, Huila, etc.). Everyone goes to Medellin and the Caribbean, but there are a lot of beautiful places to go and interesting things to do in the less touristy parts of the country. You're also less likely to be harassed or scammed for being a foreigner; in my experience people tend to be a little more genuine. In particular I recommend San Agustín, Pasto, Popayán, Tierradentro, the Sibundoy Valley, and Mocoa.

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#23

Genoa, was just a place I added due to the location and had an extra couple days. I really enjoyed it, There was so much history and character in that city.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Great museums also. The Museum of the Sea host a lot of interactive stuff for kids, including a visit to a Cold war era submarine (of a type that is still in service, that is quite unusual!), the reconstruction of a XVII century war galley, and several interesting collections related to transatlantic travels and ancient shipbuilding. The Aquarium is among the largest in Europe. At the Docks there is the tall ship used for filming a bunch of pirate movies (don't pay for the visit, not worth it). And many more...

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#24

Cadiz, Spain was such a pleasant surprise for me. It’s so pretty with fascinating history - a Roman amphitheatre that had been buried under buildings for centuries. Plus a beautiful beach in the old town!

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pep Ito
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4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Havana is a clone of Cadiz. It is said that the Spanish city of Cadiz has a twin on the other side of the Atlantic, Havana. This is because they share architectural styles, so their streets and squares have a strong resemblance to each other. Even in a James Bond movie, Cadiz played Havana.

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#25

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Xi'an, China. It's on most tourists itinerary for the terracotta warriors as a 1-night stop, but Xi'an has so much more! Unlike most other Chinese cities, the center is completely walkable, lots of temples and many hidden gems. My absolute favorite place in China, Xi'an people are also super chill.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Absolutely! One of the most beautiful cities I've been to! Great food, great people and a lot of historic buildings!

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#26

Mine is Budapest. It’s such a stag do place but it’s actually super duper sophisticated. Going back again in sept. Perfect time
To go.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Budapest has everything, IMO. Great hot springs. Beautiful architecture. Great museums. Friendly people.

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#27

Killarney, Ireland. May not be underrated but I hadn’t heard of it until I started looking into traveling around Ireland. It’s a small town right on the border of a stunning national park with mountains and lakes. You can walk into the park from town.

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#28

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Nikko, Japan. I felt so at peace in a way I didn’t expect, but maybe all the shrines will do that.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not sure that Nikko is underrated given it's a major tourist destination for Japanese & foreign tourists

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#29

Never though I was going to see my city Curitiba mentioned here. I would not change it to move to any other city in Brazil. I have no idea how aware foreigners are of Curitiba as a city that exists and as a foreign tourist destination. I'm glad you liked it!

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#30

Have probably been mentioned here, both sounds similar. Torino, Italy and Toruń Poland.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's three mentions for Torino, quite an endorsement but crowds other possible places out

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#31

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Baja Sur. I was expecting it to be a party scene which Cabo is but you can seek out cool snorkeling and water activities (La Paz, Cabo Pulmo), cute towns (Todos Santos, San Jose) and hikes.

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Jessica Bertram
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4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

La Paz has some fantastic sealife viewing at certain times of the year, and fabulous diving. ETA i also felt completely safe there, safer than my hometown as a matter of fact.

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#32

Siem Reap, Cambodia! Gateway to the amazing Angkor Wat temple complex. Lovely people, great food, and budget friendly accommodations with one of the world’s greatest historical sites.

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Lyzzy Hanjina
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hardly underrated. We found it a very sad place with extreme poverty and too many people missing limbs from land mines. Angkor Wat is amazing, yes, but there’s lots of these temples, even in the little village we stayed in and which wasn’t over run with tourists.

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#33

Grenada (Caribbean culture and landscapes) and Curacao (unique culture, history and blue water) are underrated Caribbean islands.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I second Grenada. The whole island smells like nutmeg, the food is wonderful (slight difference from tobago, where i have been many times). Also good diving!

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#34

Watkins Glen State Park in Upstate NY. Went for an afternoon hike, ended up staying for 2 full days. Wept openly in amazement at several points on the trail. Easily one of the most breathtaking waterfall hikes I’ve ever been on.

On the first day, I hiked through the park and took a break for a late lunch about a half an hour away. A quick thunderstorm rolled through and I realized that it meant there was probably no one left at the park. I had a few hours before sunset & I returned for my second hike. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Not only was it completely empty, the intense rain had transformed the park into a landscape of misty gorge trails, rushing waters and sparkling plant life. It was like walking through a natural history exhibit. Plus, with no one else on the trail, it gave me endless opportunities to pause & take as many photos of whatever I wanted, and to play in the waterfalls that flowed over the trail itself. It was a truly unforgettable experience.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. We stayed in a cabin on one of the Finger Lakes and it was a fantastic trip. Picture1-6...04672e.jpg Picture1-667c30104672e.jpg

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#35

I'm going to throw in Tasmania, Australia. I lived there for 10 years and it's a beautiful place and very easy to get around by Australian standards as long as you have a car. The National Parks are stunning and Hobart is a cute little waterfront town. Lots of Australian colonial history.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Include Cradle Mountain in the middle of the island. Magnificent place.

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#36

Hopkins Belize.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I haven't been to Hopkins, but my wife and I spent a week near Placencia, Belize earlier this year. For people from the US who are unaccustomed to international travel (like me), it's a great place. The people are friendly, English is the official language, and they accept US currency (though you will likely get Belize currency as change, and the exchange rate is set at one US dollar = two Belize dollars).

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#37

Skopje, North Macedonia and Vilnius, Lithuania.

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#38

I've been trying to do some deeper Brazil travel, and Curitiba was pretty under my radar, but the capybara park has me sold now. I think my favorite city in Brazil so far is Belem, which is another underrated gem.

In general I find that Latin American and Eastern European capitals tend to have the crowd here actively encourage other tourists to avoid them, and it's a bummer, since the food, history, architecture, markets, and just simple nuances of daily life all varies so much between each place. I find most of them super underrated from a travel perspective.

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#39

Antofagasta, Chile. Absolutely beautiful place next to the ocean, especially next La Portada.

Lukachukai Mountains between Arizona and New Mexico has some incredible sunsets that are out of this world.

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#40

I really love Bruges, Belgium! Quick train from Brussels. Was there for work but made a little trip out of it. Friendly people, good food, old charm.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a famous tourist city, with a severe over-tourism problem, how can it be called "underrated" or "surprising"? They have 8 million tourists in a year -a number roughly comparable with Berlin and larger than Lisbon- on a city center that is barely 8 sq.km.

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#41

Brussels, Belgium

Fairbanks, Alaska

Lisbon, Portugal

Laos

China - all over

Guatemala.

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4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Brussels is an interesting city and also bloody cold in winter. Found some great restaurants, but beware of any that employ hawkers to get you to go in. Had about 3 months there, so I got to finding my way around quite well.

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#42

One of mine is Curitiba, Brazil. The centre of the city is beautiful. They also have some amazing parks. Plus there’s a park with capybaras literally everywhere! The foods great as well

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#43

Tirana, Albania. The colorful houses, good food, and some amazing hiking right at the edge of town.

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#44

India. Specifically the Dharamshala area in Himachal Pradesh. It’s a melting pot of culture and the scenery is beautiful. Had some of the best Tibetan, Italian, Indian & Thai food here and it’s very inexpensive.

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#45

San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas 😋

Originally only planned to pass through on the way from Oaxaca to Guatemala, loved it so much I decided to stay and build a community 🤩.

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#46

Algarvae Portugal.

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pep Ito
pep Ito
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Algarve? Really? . if it is one of the most famous seaside resorts in Southern Europe.

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#47

Honestly? Chicago surprised me a lot. I’ve been to New York a bunch, and was only going to Chicago for a concert so I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it much, but wow! Easily had more fun there than New York. Such a charming city, can’t wait to go back!

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JayWantsACat
JayWantsACat
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Before I got my current job, my plan was to move to chicago sight unseen. I know I'd love it.

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#48

Isfahan, Iran is apparently magical.

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#49

Vienna. Lots more to see than I thought there would be. Great cafés.

Izmir province, Turkey. Ephesus is great, but so are Izmir, Bergama and Kusadasi.

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#50

Kas Turkey.

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#51

I'm not sure if it is underrated, but Lugano, Switzerland, surprised me. It's a fantastic place.

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Peet
Peet
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do not mess up with Locarno. I could also recommend Ascona or Brissago, especially the island of Brissago. And for more pitoresque scenery; Valle Maggia or Valle Verzasca

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#52

Cascade Head, Oregon. My favorite place in the world. My personal #1 wonder of the world.

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#53

Bagan, Myanmar.

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#54

Tombstone, Arizona.

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Upstaged75
Upstaged75
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Personally I found Tucson incredibly gorgeous. I got to do a sunset horseback ride through the desert and mountains. It was magical!

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#55

“What Are Some Underrated Places That Really Surprised You?” (30 Answers) Might sound strange, but Hong Kong. I was expecting pollution and a busy and stressful metropolitan city. But it has a lot of green lungs and I really enjoyed taking the ferry/boat to the islands.

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#56

Sri Lanka.

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Jrog
Jrog
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4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

MAJOR NOPE. They had a political and financial collapse in 2022, and there are still occasional riots that turn violent, local blackouts and gas purchase is limited. Dengue, Chikungunya and Yellow fever ares endemic, the latter currently raging in the countryside, with the public health system being basically nonexistent.. Two terrorist groups are currently active: Thowheeth Jama'ath -the local ISIL Branch- and the leftovers of the separatist Tamil Tigers, both considering tourism a high-prize target. The northern regions (Vavuniya, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu) are under military police control, police violence is quite frequent. Displaying religious symbols or "disrespecting buddha" is ground for expulsion from the country: this gives pretext for regular and military police to detain tourists in order to extract bribes. Cherry on top, in those regions there are several leftover minefields that are a pressing security concern.

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#57

Florence, oregon. beautiful little ocean town where the woods touch the sea.

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#58

Kansas! Friendliest state i have ever lived in.

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CJK
CJK
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4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And the beauty of the mountain views is almost impossible to describe! :)

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#59

Traverse city in Michigan (if you're not from US).

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#60

Walmart. They have EVERYTHING.

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TMMITW
TMMITW
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Including occasionally bizarre entertainment by the locals.

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