Been there, done that
Suggests some alternative European destinations for when you’ve tired of the A-list city hordes.
Josh Martin
Much like the Serengeti, there’s something of a Big Five that tourists hunt out on a European adventure – even if they turn out to be less majestic than a lone leopard and more of an elephant stampede.
To me the top tier cities for any introduction to Europe read as Paris, London, Rome, Berlin and Amsterdam. Throw in Barcelona or a Greek island and you’ve got a star-studded Eurotrip. Some city hoppers ditch one of these for something different, but for most it’s a go-to itinerary. However, don’t think (even in the low season) you’ll ever have an uninterrupted view or even an orderly queue.
The sum total of crowds, hawkers, tourist tat, rocketing prices and endless selfie sticks can put a dampener on what were your cherished bucket list cities. And with high expectations, fertilised for years through movies, postcards and Instagram, these places can easily fall into the overrated category.
For something a little different make sure you include a sample of these alternatives in your next European adventure.
Before it was famous for being the homeland of Donald Trump's missus, the Slovenes' best-kept secret was Lake Bled in the Julian Alps.
Love Paris, try Madrid
The Spanish capital is often snubbed for its Catalan cousin Barcelona. Madrid offers something more regally European than its neighbour to the south but with much more pleasant temperatures (and prices) than Paris.
The Prado, the Reina Sofia, and the Thyssen-Bornemizsa museums are home to many of Picasso’s best. The San Miguel and San Anton markets are tapas heaven and the city’s famed calamari sandwiches washed down with a Mahou beats escargot or galettes any day.
Madrid is cosmopolitan and refined without any of Paris’ stuffiness.
The craic is better in Galway
I love Dublin, but (as I’m constantly reminded in London) you need to escape the city to uncover the ‘‘real’’ spirit of Ireland. Galway should do it. The western city boasts Quay St and Salthill, and drives to the Cliffs of Moher more than make up for the Email if you have a travel issue you’d like Josh Martin, a London-based travel journalist, to write about.