"I Never Expected To Travel Here, But I'm So Glad I Did": Travelers Are Sharing Low-Key (But Life-Changing) Destinations To Put On Your Bucket List Immediately
"I really never expected to visit this place, but I'm so glad I did."
Everyone knows about the perpetually popular destinations that have a spot on almost every traveler's bucket list, but personally, I love learning about the ~surprisingly delightful~ spots I wouldn't have necessarily thought of visiting. And as it turns out, the world is full of these types of gems. So Redditor u/Atreus-rhhfyf asked, "What are some underrated places that really surprised you?" Here's what people said.
1."Taipei is grossly underrated. It's a fascinating city with lots to see and do. The National Palace Museum, for instance, is one of the world's great museums but is fairly obscure. The food is excellent, and there's a great local arts/creative scene. Taipei also has excellent public transport, so getting around is easy."
2."Trieste, Italy. I fell in love with the city instantly. I loved the history, the food, and the weather!"
3."Coba in Quintana Roo, Mexico. It's just over an hour away from Tulum, but it feels like another world. It's in the middle of the jungle and has gorgeous Mayan ruins where you'll find almost no tourists. The locals are extremely friendly and polite. I loved trying the great traditional food like tacos and cochinita pibil. I'd go back in a heartbeat."
4."Vilnius, Lithuania. It's a storybook of a place. The city itself was so beautiful and the local people were so nice to me."
5."Turin, Italy. I lived near Italy at the time, and I didn't love Milan, so I decided to visit Turin. I instantly loved the city. The food was amazing (I had lots of focaccia di recco, wine, and gianduja). The city center is beautiful, and the people are lovely."
6."The Kenai Peninsula in Alaska. Seward and Homer are both fantastic seaside towns with stunning scenery and wildlife. I have been to other places in Alaska, but flying into Anchorage and visiting these two towns makes for a fabulous trip."
7."Curitiba, Brazil. The center of the city is beautiful. There are also some amazing parks, including one with capybaras everywhere. The food is great as well."
8."Dalyan, Turkey. It's up there in the top three destinations I’ve ever visited. It's scenic, there are good restaurants, it's close to the beach and nice hiking trails, and it's a friendly place for solo travelers, where you don’t need to worry about walking home alone in the dark as a female. I had the best eight days there."
9."Chiapas, Mexico. I'm from Mexico and was shocked by how amazing Chiapas is. It's a lovely colonial town in a forest with amazing waterfalls and Mayan ruins. It's one of the best places for an adventure in Mexico, IMO."
10."Southern Colombia (areas like Nariño, Putumayo, Cauca, and Huila). Everyone goes to Medellín and the Caribbean coast in Cartagena, but there are a lot of beautiful places to see and interesting things to do in the less touristy parts of the country. In my experience, people tend to be a little more genuine in these places, too. In particular, I recommend San Agustín, Pasto, Popayán, Tierradentro, the Sibundoy Valley, and Mocoa."
11."Plovdiv, Bulgaria, which is one of Europe's oldest continuously inhabited cities (it's 8,000 years old!). It has so many Roman ruins that half of them aren't even marked on the tourist map."
12."Edinburgh and the surrounding towns in Scotland. I never really planned on visiting, but then I did, and it was so incredibly storybook-beautiful. The mix of castles and pastures and mountain ranges was so much to take in."
13."Xi'an, China. Many people visit for just one night to see the terracotta warriors, but Xi'an has so much more to offer! Unlike most other Chinese cities, the center is completely walkable. It has lots of temples and many hidden gems. It's my absolute favorite place in China, and the people there are super chill."
14."Lucca, Italy. It's an old Renaissance town center surrounded by original fort walls, which are now a public walkway. I met incredibly nice local restaurant owners who showed me amazing food. The surrounding country is beautiful Tuscany. It's an old city existing in the modern age."
15."Baja California Sur. I was expecting it to be a party scene like Cabo, but you can also seek out cool snorkeling and water activities (in La Paz and Cabo Pulmo), cute towns (like Todos Santos and San Jose), and scenic hikes."
16."Siem Reap, Cambodia. It's the gateway to the amazing Angkor Wat temple complex. It's home to lovely people, great food, and budget-friendly accommodations near one of the world’s greatest historical sites."
17."Florence, Oregon. A beautiful little ocean town where the woods touch the sea."
18."Slovenia. I'm currently here, halfway through my two-week trip. I've visited 30 countries, and this is hands down the most picturesque place I’ve ever been."
19."Grenada and Curaçao are two seriously underrated Caribbean islands. Grenada boasts a unique culture and gorgeous landscapes while Curaçao has great history and very blue water."
20."The Peloponnese Peninsula in Greece. Think: Fantastic coastline with rugged mountains and loads of history. It's a great spot for a road trip!"
What's a destination that many people sleep on that delighted you upon visiting? Tell us in the comments or drop yours into this Google form.
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