Off The Beaten Path in Popular Places

University of Glasgow pictured above, Photo Credit: Kathi from Watch Me See

I have no shame in visiting places that are very common for tourists. However, each city (or country) have hidden gems waiting to be explored. These are a few places that are popular but have lesser known attractions and sites to experience.

Photo Credit: Victoria from Culture Passport

Biarritz, France 

Place Bellevue is a plaza in Biarritz overlooking a long stretch of beach and the former royal palace, Hotel du Palais. It’s perched atop a steep hill, making it one of the best spots to take in the beautiful views of Biarritz. You can get there by hiking up the pathways from the Grande Plage, or taking the small passage next to Café Miremont.

-Victoria from Culture Passport

Photo Credit: Andrea from Andrea’s Travels

Mostar, Bosnia and Hercegovina

Mostar, Bosnia and Hercegovina is truly a hidden jewel that many people have not discovered yet. Mostar is famous for the Stari Most (Old Bridge) that was built in the 15th century by the Ottoman Turks. Unfortunately the bridge was destroyed in the 1990s but rebuilt in 2004. The bridge is about 73 meters high and holds annual cliff diving competitions. It is said that Mostar is where the east meets the west because of the diversity of the architecture. From the many cafes, turkish coffee, delicious food such as cevapi, friendly locals, and breathtaking views, Mostar is definitely worth exploring.

– Andrea from Andrea’s Travels

Photo Credit: Maria from The Wanderer’s Chronicles

Lisbon, Portugal

Although it is not widely known, Palácio Fronteira is a secret treasure that should be in your Top 10 places to visit in Lisbon. Built in the seventeenth century, possesses an unmatchable beauty due to its outstanding collection of Portuguese tiles (Azulejos) and to the amazing details and design of its gardens. Visit the palace in a sunny morning and be prepared with a camera, for you will want to take a shot at every turn of the way. The contrasting colors and the bright white stone, the secluded places and decorated terraces almost have a magical aura.

Photo Credit: Maria from The Wanderer’s Chronicles

And finally a  word of advice: mind the black swan, for as beautiful as it is, there’s a feisty soul in that animal and it won’t let you mess with its tank. The full post is already on the blog, and you can find it here: http://thewandererschroniclestravelblog.blogspot.pt/2016/10/lisbon-chronicles-palacio-fronteira.html

– Maria from The Wanderer’s Chronicles

Photo Credit: Sarah from Coffee With A Slice of Life

Hong Kong, China

People think Hong Kong is all skyscrapers and people, but for those of us that take the time to see behind the crowds and concrete we know how much beauty there is around the city. This secret waterfall is about 2 hours away from the city centre in a quite village with few peoples and hardly any cars. Locals ride their bikes to the nearby farms and rivers and I’m sure have no idea what craziness is happening in the city as they take their time and enjoy nature. To find out how to get to this secret waterfall read my article here. But shh… don’t tell too many people.

– Sarah from Coffee With A Slice of Life

Photo Credit: Kathi from Watch Me See

Glasgow, Scotland

Many people tend to forget about Glasgow, because in their mind Scotland is all about Edinburgh, Glencoe and the Isle of Skye. Not going to Glasgow, though, would be a mistake if you ask me. It is a bustling city known for its live music and nightlife, but also it’s beautiful Victorian landmarks and free museums. One of my favourite places in Glasgow, however, is the main campus of the University of Glasgow and I’m lucky enough to go to work here every day. Whenever I feel unmotivated I sneak out for a stroll around the main building, where I can pretend to be Hermione Granger walking along the cloisters of Hogwarts, and that my PhD is actually in Muggle Studies!

-Kathi from Watch Me See

Photo Credit: Elisa from World in Paris

Paris, France

LA CHAPELLE EXPIATOIRE (PARIS) http://worldinparis.com/chapelle-expiatoire

Not far from busy Grands Boulevards, this small chapelle expiatoire is a nice and peaceful surprise. It seems like King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were buried in this place, in 1793, before being moved to Saint Denis Basilica, the resting place for the kings of France. Years later Louis XVIII ordered to build a small chapel (the Chapelle Expiatoire) in the place where his ancestors were originally buried. Designed by the architect Fontaine (1816-1826), the Chapelle Expiatoire’s purpose was to ask for pardon on behalf of France. Built in Neoclassical style and full of symbols La Chapelle Expiatoire is a hidden gem that only few Parisian-treasure hunters know.

-Elisa from World in Paris

Photo Credit: Lara from Heart of Everywhere

Salamanca, Spain

Salamanca is located in the autonomous region of Castilla y León. Through the riches of its historical heritage, Salamanca became a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, in 1988. It’s easy to gape at the amount of majestic buildings that the city hosts.

Although Salamanca is known for its fabulous architectural works and university charm, after spending a morning exploring a neighbourhood dedicated to street art, we could not fail to mention it here. This area we mentioned is marked on the maps as “Galeria Urbana“ and you shouldn´t miss it.

– Lara from Heart of Everywhere

Thank you to this wonderful group of travel bloggers for sharing their insider tips on off the beaten path places. I hope this inspires you to get out and discover something new. Happy travels!

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