Beyond London, Paris and Rome: Underrated but Equally Stunning European Destinations

If you're working on your travel bucket list for the next year, there's a good chance that at least one European city features in it.

Europe is the ultimate travel destination as it is packed with history, culture, art, great activities, gorgeous sights ... and the list sure goes on and on!

While there are some obviously famous European cities to visit, how about we tread off the beaten track, and think about traveling to these 5 incredible places instead?

Why You Should Consider Visiting These Europe Destinations:

- Because there's so much more to Europe than London, Paris and Rome. (the title of this article gives that away)

- While these cities aren't exceedingly popular, they aren't ghost towns either.

- These European cities are on the radar of a lot of travelers but are not full-blown bustling with tourists just yet though.

- Each of these cities has its own distinct charm, quite different from the others.

Without further ado, here are 5 cities you should consider adding to your Europe travel list for 2020:

1. Malta

So this is technically a country, but Malta is a pretty small island and absolutely qualifies for this list!

Malta has, of late, suddenly ascended to fame, thanks to Game of Thrones (a big chunk of the show's earlier seasons was shot here in various locations). But the island country has SO much more to its credit.

Think beautiful waterfronts, stunning lagoons, remarkable ruins, and incredibly friendly people. Malta has it all going pretty well!

It's incredible to imagine that a very Moorish country like itself could be a part of the EU. And the contrast is extremely conspicuous! With the megalithic architecture, gilded honey-hued houses, and hard to miss colorful doors and balcony railings, the second you land in Malta, you'll be transported to another era.

Then you'll chance upon a classic Baroque cathedral in the middle of this Mediterranean land, and you'll be like WHOA.

I have a full blown 3 day itinerary for Malta, and if you read it, you'll know I'm a fan!

2. Strasbourg

At first blush, you might mistake the picture above to be a click from Amsterdam. Right, with the canals and bridges?

Well, yeah, it's like Amsterdam but not the one in the Netherlands - the French one!

You guys, I'm not exaggerating by any means - Strasbourg is full of beautiful canals and bridges. You'll chance upon a bridge around every turn, with perhaps a boat casually passing through the water below.

If you've been following me along for a while on Instagram, you probably already know that I'm not a big fan of Amsterdam. Strasbourg, that way, is reminiscent of the Dutch capital, but minus the eccentric crowds and livid bikers. So it's a win!

What makes Strasbourg different, though, is that it has a very conspicuous German influence (in the architecture, food, the way people dress, everything). Because of its strategic location at the border of Germany, the city is an amalgamation of Riesling and Sauerkraut. (They even have a local variant of the sauerkraut, called 'Choucroute', no kidding!)

Besides being a stunner of a city, Strasbourg is a major cultural center and also houses the European Parliament!

3. Milan

Often overshadowed by its celebrated neighbors like Rome and Venice, Milan is a city that's a great blend of business and leisure. Besides, the unique setting and stunning architecture don't hurt either. 🙂

Trust me when I say that if you haven't been already, you must consider adding Milan to your list of European cities to visit in the next year. I mean, you wouldn't expect an underrated city like it to have one of the oldest shopping malls in the world, a giant middle finger in a busy area, and a chapel housing real skeletons!

4. Warsaw

It bums me out how so many millions upon millions of tourists visit Europe every year, but completely ignore Poland as a destination. While Poland has a stirring history and played such a crucial part in WW2, the present-day country continues to induce an equal amount of awe.

Poland is largely conservative, but its capital is way ahead of the other cities. 90% of Warsaw was burned to the ground during Nazi bombings. There are tons of great movies and documentaries that encapsulate the absolute horror from the time. People lost their lives, their homes, there were uncountable deaths.

But when you visit Warsaw, you'll know that it's nothing like what it used to be. After the war, the citizens contributed towards rebuilding Warsaw from the ground up to match the pre-war architecture and layout. This was done based on archival documents, and just plain memory. And every sight in the city bears testament to the spirit of the Polish people and their illustrious tale of rising from the ashes.

5. Nuremberg

Saving the best for the end!

Because I live here, you'd reckon I have a clear bias towards Nuremberg. But that doesn't take away from the fact that this is, perhaps, one of the most underrated cities in Germany!

Known for the WW2 war trials, Nuremberg was actually the city where the Nazi propaganda came to be established. Its history, though, runs back to over a thousand years! The city has borne witness to several empires, regimes, and uprisings. It is also at the helm of some of Germany's greatest architecture, the exalted Franconian/Bavarian cuisine, and of course, the world-famous Christmas market.

It is the second largest city in Bavaria, and with a population of 500,000 inhabitants, the 14th largest city in Germany.

A true gem; and one of my most recommended cities in Europe to visit! It'll be so worth it, I tell ya!

And I HAVE to mention this: Nuremberg people are beer guzzlers. The average beer consumption is 137 liters per person per year. This should be reason enough to add Nuremberg to your Europe travel list! And I can vouch for the beer. It's AWESOME.

Oh, and, hit me up if and when you're here! I'd love to see you (and I can take you to secret hideouts for a very local experience!)

Have you visited any of these cities? If not, what are you waiting for, Christmas? (Actually, Christmas is a brilliant time to be in Europe, so yeah, plan already!) ;)

P.S. New to my very lame jokes? Join me on Instagram and my blog to know that I can often be surprisingly hilarious.