City corners — hidden gems — page 3

Matera in February: the Sassi without crowds, tufa in winter, and cave churches

Matera in peak season is packed. In February, the Sassi return to what they've always been: a city carved in tufa, silent and ancient like few places in Europe.

Jul 9, 2026

Korçë

City corners

Korçë, the Little Paris of Albania Where the First Albanian Alphabet Was Born

At 850 metres above sea level among the mountains of south-eastern Albania, Korçë boasts the first school in the Albanian language, French-style boulevards and a bazaar that defies comparison.

Jul 9, 2026

Civitacampomarano

City corners

Civitacampomarano: The Medieval Village Painted by Street Art

In the medieval alleys of Civitacampomarano, in Molise, over 90 murals by international artists dialogue with ancient stones: the CVTà Street Fest has turned a depopulating village into an open-air museum.

Jul 9, 2026

Ghent, Flanders, Belgium

City corners

Instead of Bruges: Ghent, the Flemish City That Lives for Its Own People

The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, medieval canals, and Belgium's liveliest food scene. Ghent is Bruges without the postcard.

Jul 5, 2026

Porto, Portugal

City corners

Beyond Lisbon: Porto, the City That Named Both a Country and a Wine

Azulejos on every wall, the Douro meeting the Atlantic, and centuries-old port wine cellars. The northern rival that Lisbon can't overshadow.

Jul 5, 2026

York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom

City corners

Instead of London: York, the Medieval City Where the Vikings Left Their Mark

Roman walls, the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe and the Shambles — the medieval street that inspired Diagon Alley. York is English history, alive.

Jul 5, 2026

Pistoia, Tuscany, Italy

City corners

Instead of Florence: Pistoia, the Renaissance Without the Uffizi Queue

Medieval squares, Della Robbia ceramics and a cathedral with Giovanni Pisano's pulpit — all just twenty minutes from Florence, without the crowds.

Jul 5, 2026

Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy

City corners

Instead of Florence: Arezzo, the City of Piero della Francesca off the Tourist Circuit

The frescoes of the Legend of the True Cross, Piazza Grande and the antiques market: Arezzo is the Tuscany that doesn't stand in line.

Jul 5, 2026

Girona, Catalonia, Spain

City corners

Instead of Barcelona: Girona, the Medieval Catalan City That Game of Thrones Discovered Late

Colourful houses on the Onyar, the best-preserved Jewish quarter in Europe and a Michelin-starred food scene — one hour from the Rambla, another world entirely.

Jul 5, 2026