It's a cliché, but one of the best things about doing
a Year Abroad was that I discovered a lot about myself, including how I like to travel! Although I enjoyed visiting places like Venice, I found the relentless crowds of tourists a bit stressful to deal with. I also realised that lesser-known places can be just as interesting as the tourist hotspots, as well as being a lot more authentic!
So, this is my list of my favourite travel destinations off the tourist trail...
1) Sète, France
Close to Montpellier in
the Occitanie region of France, Sète is known as the French version of Venice, as it is a beautiful town with a network of canals. For this reason, it's not exactly tourist free, but it's not crowded either. You can take a boat trip around its main sites, and take in the great views from the top of Mont Saint-Clair.
In fact, I would recommend
the region of Occitanie as a whole for those looking for a less touristy holiday in the south of France. I have spent a lot of time around the Nice/Cannes area of France, and while I liked those places, I must say that the Occitanie area feels much less extravagant and much more relaxed.
Read more here!
2) Le Havre, France
An interesting destination in
Normandy is Le Havre. This port city with artistic attractions and a funicular railway reminded me a bit of
Valparaíso in Chile. The highlight is the art gallery Musée Malraux, where you can see impressionist paintings by some of the most famous artists in history, without the crowds of the Louvre or the Musée d'Orsay.
Read more here!
3) Kärnten, Austria
Kärnten, or
Carinthia as it's sometimes known in English, is the region where I lived when I spent a semester teaching English in
Austria. It's not as well known as the
Tyrol and
Salzburg regions, but it's a beautiful place with plenty of lakes, mountains and fairytale castles! It's also very close to both
Italy and
Slovenia, so it's an ideal place to go to if you're planning a multi country trip.
Read more here!
4) Vaduz, Liechtenstein
This is a European capital city quite unlike the others I've visited. For one, it's very small, just like the country it's a part of. It's also pretty much devoid of people! Well, at least it was when I visited in November 2017. In this charming city overlooked by a castle (pictured above), you can visit both the national museum and a fantastic art gallery in total peace and quiet!
Read more here!
5) Udine, Italy
I first heard of Udine when looking at train timetables in
Austria. I'm surprised that it's not more well known, as it's a beautiful city with plenty of attractions. The most memorable part for me was Piazza della Libertà (pictured above), but I also loved the art gallery in the castle, and the cathedral, which has an amazing painted ceiling. Although I've been to
Florence and
Venice, I have to say that Udine is my favourite Italian city. It has a very authentic and relaxed vibe. I could imagine living there!
Read more here!
6) Maule, Chile
The Maule region in south-central
Chile is not totally off the tourist radar.
The Siete Tazas national park is already quite well known. (It's on my list of places to visit when I go back to Chile!) However, in May last year, I went on a group tour to some parts of Maule that are not so frequently visited. My favourite places were Mirador Monjes Blancos (pictured above), Cascada Invertida (an inverted waterfall) and Laguna del Maule. This region of Chile has so much amazing nature to see.
Read more here!
7) Huilo Huilo and Siete Lagos, Chile
Another group tour I took in
Chile was to Huilo Huilo biological reserve and Siete Lagos (seven lakes) in the south of the country. I've yet to visit the far south, but I've heard it can get very busy. This place, however, was so peaceful. I went in winter, so it was very cold, although maybe that was why it was so quiet. It was worth braving the weather to see beautiful sceneries of lakes, waterfalls, forests and volcanoes. The picture above is of me in front of the famous Montaña Mágica (magic mountain) hotel!
Read more here!
Check out the rest of my Travel Tips here!
