City corners — hidden gems — page 5

Ivrea Beyond Carnival: Adriano Olivetti's Industrial City

Ivrea is famous for its carnival and oranges, but outside February it holds the UNESCO heritage of Adriano Olivetti and an almost intact medieval old town.

Jul 9, 2026

Domodossola

City corners

Domodossola: The Alpine Crossroads Nobody Stops to See

Domodossola is the gateway to the Ossola Valley and Swiss Ticino, but few stop long enough to discover its Renaissance square and medieval lanes.

Jul 9, 2026

Rovereto

City corners

Rovereto and the MART: The Modern Art City That Alpine Tourism Forgot

Forty thousand inhabitants, an internationally acclaimed contemporary art museum, the Peace Bell, and no queues: Rovereto is northeastern Italy's most underrated city.

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

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

Cádiz, Andalusia, Spain

City corners

Instead of Barcelona: Cádiz, the Oldest City in the West Dancing on the Atlantic Shore

Three thousand years of history on a peninsula jutting into the ocean. Unforgettable tapas, urban beaches and Spain's wildest carnival — without the tourist siege.

Jul 5, 2026

Delft, South Holland, Netherlands

City corners

Instead of Amsterdam: Delft, the Blue Pottery City Where Vermeer Painted the Light

Silent canals, the Nieuwe Kerk and workshops where blue porcelain is still hand-painted. The real Netherlands, fifteen minutes from The Hague.

Jul 5, 2026