Name YOUR list of 5 underrated (on Helpline-RS) European cities

I'll start with my list Namur, Belgium - The city has an impressive Citadele built over 3 centuries on a hill overlooking the city and the river. While hilltop fortresses are not unique to Namur (at all), this one is very well preserved and offers many opportunities to tour (on your own, with guides, underground, panoramic mini-shuttles etc). Modica, Italy - Located on Southwestern Sicily, it is a very overlooked place, though very close to Ragusa, with an interesting culinary and probably the most dramatic looks of "city hanging on mountains". The buildings there make an incredibly mix with the arid light-colored mountains over which the city is placed. Berlin, Germany - While not totally ignored, I feel Berlin is very underrated on this site. It is the European capital that has museum, galleries and other cultural options at par with Paris and London. It has a dynamic evolving cuisine scene, much more refreshed than anywhere else in Western Europe. It has much more to offer than walks through the former Wall or WW2-related memorabilia/cliches. Valencia, Spain - A no-nonsense Spanish city with impressive new art centers, beaches, a lot of history and a refreshing break from crowds that take over Barcelona during summer. Bologna, Italy - Given the general vibe of the Helpline and RS, it is probably the most underlooked Italian city. It has architecture, art (old and new, including a famous modern art museum), an array of contemporary Italian cuisine restaurants that are matched only by Milan's, and by being not dominated by tourists, it escapes some of the issues with other big Italian citizens, notably Firenze, its southern neighbor just 37min away by high-speed train.

Salamanca Spain - Magnificent architecture, steeped in history and one of the most impressive Plazas you will see. Berlin - Loved the feel of this city, the history, the culture, the people. Bologna - For all the reasons mentioned beforehand.

I have yet to go to most of Ralph's picks, but agree that Bad Wimpfen is ignored, as is the entire Neckar River Valley, which is not just lovely but convenient between say, the Black Forest or Munich and the Rhine area. Here's mine: Marseilles, France (and surrounds): What I love about Marseilles is what I love about San Francisco - a touristy yet working harbor, great food, a true international feel, and best of all - within 30 minutes in either direction you can experience a totally different-feeling place (my fave day trips from Marseilles being Aix-en-Provence and Cassis). I don't think any of these three destinations get their due on this board, they're all unique and fantastic. Strasbourg, France - STAY IN COLMAR, they shout. Why? Some of us are city mice and some of us are country mice but Strasbourg's UNESCO-recognized inner city is one of the most charming and beautiful in Western Europe, and while it can be crowded in the middle of day during summer, most times I've visited it's hardly been unpleasant with regard to crowds. It's also a city with amazing food and a lot to do. Like MANY European cities it's not fair to judge it by it's suburbs - park the car, get on public transit, and see the city, and I don't think it will disappoint. Sarajevo, Bosnia - I applaud RS for pushing Mostar, Bosnia, as a great destination if you're in Dubrovnik. What I don't understand is not suggesting people take an easy 2 hour bus ride to the beautiful, historically rich capital of Sarajevo. It was my favorite city on my most recent trip, a very welcoming and friendly place. And the landscape is just lovely. Cont.

Nancy, France - Never gets mentioned. I guess it's a little far off from where most people are visiting in France or Germany, but with the TGV, nothing is far away, and it's a stunningly beautiful city. A real must for Belle Epoque/Art Nouveau, nice countryside nearby, very few tourists. Any old town in Germany that's not Rothenberg odT - self-explanatory. People have already named many, I could name more, you can throw a stone in Germany without hitting a well-preserved altstadt so why does everyone schlep to Rothenburg?

Frankfurt

A couple of years ago, Ghent would have topped my list. But now that the Blue Book includes the city, it seems to have caught on as an alternative to Brugge and Brussels. So, Ghent is no longer underrated. Mr. Steves also recently added Hamburg for the first time. I still don't see too many inquiries about the city on the Helpline. It's actually my favorite city in Germany. Has all (or most of) the energy of Berlin, but it's quite a bit more attractive. The Rathaus alone is bigger than most countries' national houses of parliament. Quedlinburg and nearby Wernigerode are two of the largest preserved historical cities I have seen in Germany. If your trip includes Berlin or other destinations in the north of Germany, give these towns a thorough consideration before blindly following the herd off to Rothenburg. Hasselt in NE Belgium. Most of the area within the central ring consists of pedestrian-only zone of shops, cafes and restaurants. It's a very nice little city, if not particularly spectacular. But I include it here because their annual Christmas market, Winterland, is amazing. Definately make the effort to see it if you're in Belgium during the month of December. Because this one is fresh in my mind (I visited last weekend), Marburg. See the trip report. Basel: Perhaps being the home base of all those large multinational corporations gives Mr. Steves the jitters, but the old town is delightful, and few cities of comparable size have a better collection of museums. But it is very expensive, even for Switzerland. Honorable mention, because they're too small to be considered cities: Oberstdorf, Lindau (interesting, a location that seems to be well known on this website but the Blue Book skips), Fritzlar, Wetzlar, Büdigen, Flumserberg, De Haan, Domburg, Spa, Heppenheim, Bad Wimpfen, Schwäbisch Hall, Bad Dürkheim, and Königstein.

My top 5 (in no particular order) would probably look something like this... Bologna: I hesitate to even include it because I like the fact that RS-ites haven't really discovered it yet but I really think it's the most underrated city in Italy. It's got the best food in the country (they don't call it "Bologna la Grassa" for nothing), the oldest university in Europe which means a great nightlife scene and features plenty of landmarks and interesting tourist sites such as Il Due Torri (The Two Towers) and the Duomo. Gelateria Gianni has a reputation as having the best gelato in all of Italy. Wurzburg, Germany: I've often said that this is one of the best kept secrets in all of Europe. The Residenz and the Marionburg Fortress alone make it worth seeing although there's alot more to it. Nurnberg, Germany: The Altstadt is small enough to explore in a day and maintains a lot of its medieval charm (even if most of it was rebuilt after WW2). Doesn't get much pub as a tourist destination but a very interesting place, especially if you like WW2 history. Salzburg, Austria: Really pleasant city. The tour of the Hohenfortress was very cool and the views from up there are spectacular. Also had a blast at the Augustiner brewery. Never did the Sound of Music tour but I love the movie. I've often wondered why it's not more popular with Euro travelers.
Heidelberg, Germany: It feels strange for me to call Heidelberg "underrated" given the deluge of tourists there but I'll include it because RS inexplicably omits it. It's the perfect city for a day or weekend trip. Sadly, most people miss the highlight which is going up the Philosophenweg across the river. The views there are among my favorite in all of Europe. Easy day trip from Frankfurt.

Thinking of places I've been where I wasn't expecting much but was pleasantly surprised. Verona, Wurtzburg, Killarney, Tarifa, and Schlesswig. I love Salzburg, but it seems to be highly rated by most of us.

Verona is a good one. So would by Gyor.

What was i thinking. Plovdiv!! and Sighisoara!!!

Lisbon? We loved Nurnberg and liked Wurzburg a lot. So excited that we are going to both Verona and Bologna in December.

Brad, how can you say that "Salzburg is highly rated by most of us" but then claim that Verona is somehow underrated? Cripes, reading this site, you'd almost think that Verona is the greatest city in all of Italy. I would actually put Verona in the "overrated" category.

1. Sintra 2. Dinkelsbuhl 3. Killarney 4. Loumarin 5. Wengen

Two categories make up this list of the "underrated, overlooked, or ignored...." the big cities and smaller ones: Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig, Amiens, Gdansk (Danzig), Weimar, Meißen, Potsdam, Marburg an der Lahn, Graz, Schwerin.

Some on my list are covered by RS but I think are under-rated or skipped by most American tourists. 1. Helsinki - This is a great small city with a scenic harbor, very walkable, great museums and restaurants. I had the most fun there walking out-of-the-way neighborhoods - the architecture there is just incredible and as good or better than Brussels or Prague. 2. Stockholm - Less under-appreciated than Helsinki, but still off the beaten path for many. It has the feel of Paris with one of the best old towns in a major city. And great art and food. 3. Durham - Not sure if RS covers it, but a great little cathedral town with perhaps the most dramatic setting of any cathedral. Worth at least a day's visit and perhaps an overnight. 4. Whitby, England - A really scenic seaside town on the North Sea/Channel coast. Great abbey ruin that is often voted the most scenic/romantic in all of the UK. Very popular but off RS's radar. 5. Cordoba - Certainly well known and covered by RS - but most people blow through on their way to Sevilla to only see the Mezquita. It is a fantastic city that is worth at least one night. Some nice small art museums and great Andalusian food. I liked it far more than Grenada. I also agree with the many German towns/cities not covered by RS though I haven't been to many of them myself. I also agree with Bologna even though I haven't spent much time there.

LOVE Bamberg! Great beer.

I'm going for underrated castles (you'd think the Rhineland and Neuschwanstein were the only castles in all of Europe): Hohenwerfen (Austria) Hohenzollern (Germany) Predjama (Slovenia) Vianden (Luxembourg) Stirling (England)
Harlech (Wales) Ok, that's 6. And yes, a few of them have passing mention in the RS books. But they are hardly ever mentioned in this venue and are worth more acclaim, I think!

Oviedo, Spain: pretty university town with lots of history and cultural activities - and you might spot Woody Allen, who has a home there. Salamanca, Spain: gorgeous old town and university area, one of my favorite cities in Spain. The Plaza Mayor at night is amazing.

Fortunately, Berlin is moving up in popularity and is slowly getting closer to receiving the hype it deserves imho. Hamburg and Leipzig are still two of my favourite German cities that are completely underrated here. In France, the Brittany region stands out for me but not for many people here on the helpline. I'd go back any time to discover all those areas that I haven't seen yet and revisit favourite places - and would happily skip Paris for that.

Sarah, I actually stayed in Nancy for 3 months doing some research for my thesis. But to be honest I was not that impressed. It's pleasant enough but I never had the urge to return to this city or the region of Lorraine. I would always recommend Alsace over it. And yes, Strasbourg should definitely be on the list.

Tom, Wernigerode is indeed an extremely nice-looking place, with all half-timbered houses one might want, yet it didn't feel crowded three times I visited there. It is a great places with some interest unpretentious restaurants. I guess the fact it isn't the most convenient "take-a-train-and-stay-just-a-few-hours" destination reduces crowds there somehow. Moreover, since it was on the former evil East Germany, restoration/renovation works are quite recent and, IMHO, nicely d without some of the flaws done in some smaller cities West of that former border.

The beautiful Worthersee area in southern Austria, particularly the appealing towns of Portschach and Klagenfurt.

This is a great question, but it is also an invitation for others to boast of their worldliness and/or use this as another tiresome opportunity to show how much smarter they are than the typical Rick Steves rabble. Rather than mentioning even more cities, I would like to point out that there is a lot of Europe out there NOT a part of ANY city. Frankly, if you want to highlight any part of Europe that is under-represented here, THAT part of Europe should be on the top of the list.

I thought this was a great question. I didn't see it as "boasting" at all, but as a way to learn about out of the way places that might be fun to include on a future trip. I really enjoy learning about new places or things to experience.

In Germany: Quedlinburg/Goslar Schwerin Lübeck/Stralsund "Emperor Spas" Hamburg Basically everything which isn't in Bavaria or along the Rhine (Germanys "comfort zone" for Americans) ;-) is not or badly covered in Rick Steves books. He's constantly looking for a second Rothenburg, but doesn't know Quedlinburg, Goslar or all the other preserved medieval towns of the Harz mountains. The region has so many old towns, it's like a second Romantic Road, just without the mass tourism. Goslar, Qedlinburg, Wernigerode, Stolberg, Celle, Einbeck, Duderstadt, Wolfenbüttel... the list is endless.
And Northern Germany seems totally unknown to him.

I'm afraid to say what is underrated to Rick Stevesites. Whenever RS discovers something, the place ceases to be what it used to be. I still remember my teen age years' summers spent at the Cinque Terre during the Pre-Stevezoic era. That is long gone, and so are the Cinque Terre like I remember them. On the other hand, we have to learn to share with others the beautiful places of this world so that they can enjoy them too. So here is my take: MOST OVERRATED REGION IN ITALY BY AMERICANS: My own, by far, Tuscany. MOST UNDERRATED REGIONS IN ITALY BY AMERICANS: Pretty much everything outside Tuscany, Latium, Veneto and Campania. But especially Sicily, which is consistently rated no. 1 in any survey of Italians. MOST OVERRATED CITY IN ITALY BY AMERICANS: My own, Florence. MOST UNDERRATED CITIES IN ITALY BY AMERICANS: Bologna and Palermo. MOST OVERRATED AREA IN TUSCANY BY AMERICANS: Anywhere between Florence and Siena, especially the Chianti. MOST UNDERRATED AREAS IN TUSCANY BY AMERICANS: Maremma and Casentino valley. MOST OVERRATED SMALL ISLAND IN ITALY BY AMERICANS: Capri. MOST UNDERRATED SMALL ISLANDS IN ITALY BY AMERICANS: Elba MOST OVERRATED BIG ISLAND IN ITALY BY AMERICANS: None.
MOST UNDERRATED BIG ISLAND IN ITALY BY AMERICANS: Sardinia (I already mentioned Sicily)

In terms of RS books, all of Sicily is underrated. Tropea is a great little town on a cliff overlooking the sea. Bologna, definitely. I agree with Rik on Verona being overrated.

"The region has so many old towns, it's like a second Romantic Road, just without the mass tourism. Goslar, Qedlinburg, Wernigerode, Stolberg, Celle, Einbeck, Duderstadt, Wolfenbüttel... the list is endless." Oddly enough, these towns lie along the Straße der Romanik- "Romanesque Road", which ironically, sometimes gets incorrectly translated as "Romantic Road". Quote from the man himself: I long ago gave up looking for the elusive "untouristy Rothenburg." I was once obsessed with the idea, but it hasn't even occurred to me for a decade. Now, suddenly, it's back...because today I found it: Erfurt Seriously, he couldn't have been looking particularly hard if it took him that long, and all he found was Erfurt! PS- No disrespect intended towards Erfurt, which I have not yet visited, but plan to...

My goal creating this thread was not to "boast" about being "smarter" than RS, at all. I just thought of a thread where people present their underrated places so those who are on the early planning stages of their trips can come for "brainstorming" when deciding where to go. Especially if they are not fully committed to visit only RS's "stamp-of-approval" sites but willing to take some "risks" on their itinerary as well :)

I've always been puzzled by that quote that the untouristy Rothenburg doesn't exist (except now it does!) as well. It really makes me think RS doesn't spend much time outside of big cities in Germany except maybe in Bavaria. Even then there are many beautiful options he doesn't mention. I have yet to figure out what it is about Rothenburg that makes it so unique. Schneeballen (RS hates those anyway!)? The Crime & Punishment museum? It's neat but there are many throughout Europe that are similar. Night Watchman's Tour? Ditto. My husband's theory is that Rick has a thing for intact walls (how often are his favorite locales places with intact city walls you can walk along?) I think walls are neat too, but completing a full lap versus just walking along a preserved section is really pretty much the same to me and I suspect most travelers as well.

"Night Watchman's Tour? Ditto." Quedlinburg has one too... although its only in German.

Andre, The very first thing I said was that this is a great question. I meant it, and I'm sure you meant it that way, too. But look at where we are so far. I'll bet that half the posts so far have focused on Germany - as is the case for virtually every thread that leaves any opening for the "why Rick annoys me" crowd. So far (unless I missed it) we have had just one post mentioning anything in Scandinavia, one or two mentioning anything in Spain or Portugal, none (!) mentioning anything in Ireland or GB, and none (except mine) suggesting you might want to spend some time outside cities and towns. You asked a great question, and I am excited to hear more answers that treat us to places we might have heard little about, but that are also located more than an hour's drive from an American military base.

So far (unless I missed it) we have had just one post mentioning anything in Scandinavia If you have more recommendations for Scandinavia, please bring them! I've really found myself increasingly drawn to that part of Europe in the past year, so I would really like to hear about interesting cities outside of the capitals. But as I believe you yourself wrote a few years ago, for a variety of reasons, Scandinavia isn't a big draw for people from the US, so perhaps it isn't surprising that more people on this forum haven't thoroughly explored it and thus, not have more "under-rated" recommendations. You asked a great question, and I am excited to hear more answers that treat us to places we might have heard little about, but that are also located more than an hour's drive from an American military base I see recommendations for Hamburg, Berlin, the towns of the Hartz region, Aachen, Leipzig, Weimar, Meissen, Potsdam, Schwerin, Lubeck, and Marburg, none of which are anywhere near any US military base that I know of. Yes, some people (including myself) mentioned towns around Stuttgart and Heidelberg, but the German suggestions are clearly not limited solely to places near where the military-affiliated posters happen to live.

Tom, Look into the Lofoten Islands area of upper Norway, about 50 miles above the arctic circle. The craggy mountains are dramatic and the fishing villages are charming. The climate, at least in the summer, is surprisingly mild with temps frequently above 60F. It's a bit of a chore to get to. There are a few flight/bus/ferry combos. You can also train up to nearby Bodo, Norway (which is mildly interesting, itself) from Trondheim or Oslo, and then take a ferry, or train up to Narvik, Norway from Stockholm, then take a ferry or bus. Both train trips are long. Driving is possible, but expensive with $10/gal gas. If you want to try a fjord, I highly recommend the Geirangerfjord and the nearby small city of Ålesund over the ones that get most of the attention in the RS book.

Only one of my five picks was in Germany (and was literally anywhere in Germany that's not RodT), everything else was much more than an hour's drive from Kelley Barracks, trust me. Why the grousing over the question? People are giving great suggestions. There may be more for Germany because a) quite a few people on this board live or have lived in Germany and b) Most people seem to agree that the Germany RS book is the most underdeveloped of all the RS books, so it makes sense given the nature of the question. But looking over this thread I seen a ton of recs for places outside Germany so the grousing seems to be stirring it for the sake of stirring it. Which is supposed to be James' job.

The question was for recommendations for CITIES so when I wrote down "Brittany" I felt I was getting ot myself. Just love it so much that I simply had to include it anyways ;-) So go ahead and post another question for underrrated "areas" outside the big cities. I do agree that Scandinavia in general is rather underrated here. I do wonder whether the cost of travelling there has something to do with it. It is definitely quite a bit more expensive than travelling to Germany or France.

Speaking of Portugal, I had Porto in my mind originally but inadvertently left it off. So yeah...Porto. Beautiful city, very underrated. BTW, given that there are American military bases in Germany, Italy, England, Belgium, The Netherlands, Norway and Spain (and technically, Portugal), I don't think it's that strange that alot of the places named are near them. Some people just have to have something to complain about I guess. Personally I am enjoying this thread, thanks Andre.

I've always felt that Stockholm is underrated (not by RS but because lots of people never seem to make it to Scandinavia). On a sunny summer day, I think it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Although not a city, I really like Gotland. I suspect it isn't in the RS Scandinavia book, but don't know. It has nice beaches (yes, I know most people wouldn't consider swimming in the Baltic a top beach vacation) and the town of Visby still has its medieval walls. I've only spent a couple of days there and took some nice bike rides, explored the town, and went to the beach. I'd love to go back with a car and explore more of the island. I also think Warsaw is underrated. I went there mainly because it was a convenient stop en route from Krakow to Berlin. I had extremely low expectations and was pleasantly surprised. It is a vibrant city, has a charming (rebuilt, but still charming) old town, and nice green space.

Currently reading a book called "Schlepping Through The Alps" set in the area of Austria that is near the border with Slovenia. We dipped into that area very briefly this past summer - too briefly to really say we had seen it, but long enough to know I would like to get back and poke around some more. The area here is deeply rural, beautiful and charming. The book, in case you are interested, is a very Woody Allen-like look at the life of a Jewish sheep herder as told by a 20-something Jewish reporter from New York, looking for modern-day remnants of Austria's Nazi past. Often wryly funny. Slovenia, though covered in brief by Rick in his Croatia & Slovenia book, is highly underrated and too seldom visited, in my opinion.

In Germany... the Rhine area, esp the Middle Rhine, and Bavaria as "the comfort zone" of Americans...how true! If you find the RS book on Germany lacking, disagreeable, in whatever aspect, just don't use it. I don't. Consult other guides, works, or sources to come up with your own itinerary for places and cities to visit in Germany.

Great suggestions for Germany that I will explore. On the German theme and in the odd category that I enjoy, I would like to add: Wuppertal and its bizarre 19th century designed Schwebebahn floating tram that crosses the city on top of the Wupper river. It is featured in some of Wim Wenders' road movies. Prora on the island of Rügen is a creepy 4.5km long building built in 1936 and never completed that could house 20,000 tourists.

none (!) mentioning anything in Ireland or GB I mentioned two towns in GB: Durham and Whitby. Durhan might be covered by RS but I'm pretty sure Whitby is not. The other reason to visit Whitby is to travel through the moors, which can be very beautiful in the right season with all the heather fields. So that could count as a non-city option...

middlesbrough aachen basel kandertal
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> "But look at where we are so far. I'll bet that half the posts so far have focused on Germany - as is the case for virtually every thread that leaves any opening for the "why Rick annoys me" crowd." Simply because Germany is very badly covered in his books, that's why it's much easier to name "underrated, overlooked or ignored" towns in Germany than in Czechia for instance. But OK, five overlooked towns and sights in Czechia: Tabor - the Jerusalem of the Hussites is a beautiful, small town full of cute houses, many covered with sgraffiti Kost castle - a mighty castle in the mountains of Bohemian Paradise, which are great for hiking. Just around the corner are the picturesque remains of Valdstejn castle, the ancestral seat of the mighty Waldsteins/Wallensteins. Adrspach-Teplice Rocks - bizarre rock formations, great for climbing and hiking. Marianske Lazne - a spa town less known than Karlovy Vary. Equally beautiful, but more relaxed and cheaper.... and Russian isn't needed.
Holasovice - the quintessential Bohemian village with many houses built in the so called Peasants Baroque.

Underrated in the Swiss alps: The Anniviers valley (Grimentz/Zinal/St.Luc) and the Lötschental (Blatten).
The Lötschental is situated on the other side of the Jungfrau and the Anniviers valley sits in a valley parallel to the Zermatt area. Both areas have unique ancestral local customs.

Hi Andre, Just read all the responses in my November Travel Letter from Rick. But did anyone mention Valencia?? Rick does not even cover Valencia in his guidebooks and it is the 3rd largest city in Spain! It's very old and very new. It is a wonderful treasure and yes, a bit unspoiled...and overlooked. The home of Paella which was, as expected, to die for. Hey Rick, get with the program!

Another thought, Gdansk Poland has a great old center and a short, very cheap train ride to Malbork Castle. If you're into 20th century history, it's also the home of the Solidarity movement.

Didn't get through the whole thread so these may have been mentioned already, but here's my 2 cents: All of Sicily is underrated - loved it all. All of Brittany is underrated, lots of wonderful small towns and villages and history up the wazoo. I enjoyed both Villach and Klagenfurt Austria.

1. Bale, Croatia (between Rovinj & Pula). Small medieval town--very few American tourists. 2. Sibiu, Romania--Nice town with few American tourists, great old town, wonderful open air museum 3. Maramures area of Romania--rural, traditional area of Romania
4. Hvergerdi, Iceland--Nice little town with a geothermal area right in town. Nearby walk up the hot spring valley (Reykjadalur)

Great posts. I will have to do some research on a lot of these places now! Mine, Bamberg, (plus Bischberg next door). Bronwen is right. It's all about the beer there. Woodsmoked beer anyone? Cascais. Clean, great beaches, cheap and the home of Ana Free. Dinan. I have to go with Beatrix on this area of Brittany. Oysters, fish and duck, oh my. Craco. Just because it's really creepy and beautiful. Hard to walk uphill to, but worth it.
The Isles of Skye. Staying at any B and B on the water there is cool. And Randy, we are not rabble, which would show some kind of organization. We are usually called riff-raff ;-)

Belgrade, Serbia. A pretty city on the Danube, and a major stop on one of the old Orient Express routes.

My comments deal with cities/towns in Germany. Several of those mentioned here so far Celle, Bamberg, Erfurt, Coburg, Würzburg, Goslar, Schleswig are ones I am interested in for their cultural and historical significance but have as yet not gotten around to visit them. That applies to a lot of places in Germany.

Büdingen, Idstein, Worms, Speyer, Seligenstadt, Marburg, Michelstadt, Bad Homburg, & Kronberg get no mention. Mainz and Wiesbaden for some unknown reason, are simply dismissed, as well as being lumped in with Rüdesheim. Quote - "These towns are all too big or too famous. They're not worth your time". Seriously? Mainz especially, has some of the loveliest treasures to be found in this area. Frankfurt gets a section but it is poorly written, and the "walk" makes me cringe when I read it. Some of the best sites in Frankfurt aren't even mentioned. The tone of this section is a, well if you have to stay here, ok, but don't go out of your way to see it. Here are a couple of things to see and do to occupy your time. (and yes, I have sent suggestions to change the walk and to add in other historic sites of interest)

Hi, I think this is a great topic. I just had a great trip to England & Scotland. The one area that I visited that didn't make the RS guide to Britain was the Scottish Borders. It was beautiful, especially if you like atmospheric ruins (the Borders Abbeys) and long-distance footpaths (the Borders Abbeys Way; the Southern Upland Way & St. Cuthbert's Way all pass through the area). It's not served by train, but I found it easy to get to by bus. And of course a car would work too. To answer a poster above, RS does cover Durham briefly in his book. He notes correctly that there is no left luggage service at the train station, which makes it a bit difficult to visit. Can be done as a day trip from York (and is very close to Newcastle, about 15 mins by train). I arrived in the early afternoon and stayed at Durham Castle (which is university dorms now, and open to the public when school is not in session). The Cathedral is basically the only thing to see, but my goodness, it is magnificent.

Valletta, Mostar, Mdina, Gozo and Paola, all of Malta. Why, why, why, Rick, do you ignore Malta?? It is one of the most amazing places in Europe, has something for everyone and is so darned convenient to get around in, I'm surprised it isn't first on everyone's list. If you haven't been to Malta, you need to go!

Bergamo in northern Italy. Nineteenth century lower town connected by funicular to medieval upper town--both picturesque and loaded with charming, inexpensive eateries. Wroclaw in Poland is built on a series of islands connected by pedestrian bridges. It's as beautiful as Krakow, minus the crush of visitors. Porto in Portugal. A bit more gritty than Lisbon, but enough architectual interest for a couple of days of sightseeing and then there's the port lodges just across the river. Plenty of very good food and high quality wine by the carafe makes it a good eating destination, too. Devonshire countryside in England. Slow paced, lovely countryside dotted with comfy pubs and B and Bs. Isle of Wight, England. Best laid back bicycle beach vacation we ever took.

Wow, Wurzburg looks really beautiful. I think Germany as a whole is still less discovered than France and Italy. So many hidden gems. My list of underrated cities: 1-Stockholm (wow) 2-Barcelona (underrated on this forum, only.) 3-Istanbul (beautiful) 4-Sarajevo
5-Lisbon And I think it's crazy to call Tuscany "overrated". I think it's one of the most beautiful regions on earth. Overrated places are places that don't live up to expectations.

1. I second Wurzburg! Especially in the summer when the roses are in bloom in the fortress. 2. IMO, the most underrated city in Europe is Kiev, Ukraine. Beautiful architecture, art, great food, not expensive, good transport, nice people. I love it! 3. Eisenstadt, Austria is great. Beautiful palace and cute shops, very laidback. 4. Also think that Brussels very underrated. It is like a tidy package, so clean and neat. The Grand Plais is great! Wonderful lace and tapestries as well. 5. Yorkshire. Okay, it's not really underrated, but I think people don't think of it as often as they "should" when considering a trip to the UK.

Malta....I agree with Dawn. A beautiful island full of history and wonderful people. Also very reasonable and easy to get around. A day trip to Gozo is a must and a day tour of Malta. My favorite memory: sitting at a local cafe overlooking the sea visiting with an elderly gentleman as he told me stories of his grandfather and Malta. He referred to Malta as "the bellybutton of the ancient sea".

1. Europe's National Parks - Lots of beautiful nature that often gets overlooked because people tend to focus on big cities and cultural and historical sites. 2. Hebrides Islands, Scotland - Off the beaten path but a very different and interesting part of Scotland (I've heard the same thing about the Orkney Islands, although I've never been there). 3. Northern Ireland - A very different part of Europe that is definately worth a visit. 4. The French part of Switzerland - Too many people head straight for the Alps and miss this culturally interesting part of the country.
5. Iceland - I haven't actually been there but some of my friends have and it sounds like an interesting place to visit. I'm including it on the list because I haven't seen any mention of Iceland in RS books.

The Heidelberg area including the Neckar River area and the delightful Bad Wimpfen. Rick does not like Heidelberg so this whole area is left out of the Germany book. Bamberg - It has great architectural variety including "medieval" looking a la Rothenburg and Baroque more like Salzburg. Miltenberg - Another cute gingerbready town, a joy to stroll. Rousillon and Gordes(France) - Somewhat dismissed as too touristy. They are great hilltop towns, nothing like each other and they were not overrun with tourists, at least not in September. Orange (France) - Underrated in the France book. The Roman Theater and Arch are covered but the town itself is given short shrift. We found it charming with a series of little squares, some with fountains. Passed over by most tourists. These comments are meant to be constructive. Rick's guidebooks are by far the best out there and have improved our Europe trips tremendously.

Northern Ireland was mentioned, which I second, but to be more specific: Enniskillen (because that is where my grandfather is from, LOL!) Stay outside the town at Dromard House for a wonderful breakfast in a lovely farmstead inn and borrow one of their bicycles to pedal into town, stopping at Castle Coole on the way. Take a boat to one of the islands with ruins, such as Devenish. Sintra was mentioned previously, an excellent choice. However, another part of Portugal that is largely ignored by Americans are the volcanic islands of the Azores. (The isle of Graciosa is another one of my ancestral digs!) Not as much sightseeing as you'd do in Italy or France, but a place for R&R with a charm of its own. Swimming at Biscoitos on Terceira is exhilarating. You would be crazy to swim that close to waves crashing on rocks here in the states, but they don't have the treacherous sleeper waves there. I don't think Collioure, France has been mentioned, a small town on the southern leg of Mediterranean France (home of Patrick O'Brian, for you Aubrey/Maturin buffs). Avoid the crowds of Nice and kick back in Collioure for a couple of days on your way to Barcelona. (Can never get enough of Barcelona!)

I think Vienna is very much under appreciated. It was a crossroads of art and commerce, and the royal palaces are incredible. It's Music City, Europe. Stockholm is overlooked, but it's on the level with a Paris or London. The city is on some 200+ islands, and there are thousands of islands off their east coast. The whole country of Austria is under appreciated. The west looks just like Switzerland, but the people have more spirit. East of Salzburg are the lakes region, and it's rolling hills into Vienna. The whole southern border are major mountains, and the city of Lienz is the most beautiful place I've ever seen. Tirol is close to Italy and Munich/Bavaria, and a great place to do day trips out of.

Gasteintal, Austria: Great hiking trails and interesting spa towns with radon baths. Åland Islands, Finland: Windmills, midsummer poles (like May poles), bicycle-only ferries, a castle, a Russian fort, and the Baltic Sea! These islands are part of Finland, but Swedish is the first language here. Winterthur, Switzerland: An alternative to staying in Zurich at the beginning or end of a trip, with several interesting art museums and a nice pedestrian zone near the train station. Thun, Switzerland: On the west end of the Thunersee (TOON-er-zay), this small city has castles, a nineteenth century panorama painting of the city, a covered bridge, and ferries that go to other towns on the lake shore. The Hague and Scheveningen, The Netherlands: Scheveningen is a seaside resort that is essentially a suburb of The Hague, with casinos, a German-built spa, and a natural zone of dunes with walking/cycling trails. The Hague has canals, art museums, trams to get around easily (though you can walk from Scheveningen), and a nineteenth century panorama painting of Scheveningen (yes, I'm a fan of the panoramas).

My Top 5 underrated places in Germany: 1. Muenster – North Rhine Westphalia. Stunning cathedral, a great vibe and a beautiful city. 2. Hamburg
3. Berchtesgaden

Bolongna Italy boasts an awesome cathedral and a couple of leaning towers of their own, which aren't quite as dramatic as the one in Pisa, but well worth the visit! Mainz Germany has one of the three great romanesque cathedrals in the Rhineland (Worms and Speicher are the others), the St Stephens church with Chagall windows, and the Gutenburg museum. It is also a great town for a last night's stay before a departure from the Frankfurt airport. Leipzig Germany has never gotten its due from RS, compared to the nearby Dresden. It is hard to beat the St Thomas church with its Bach connections and the Nikolai church with its association to the 1989 candlelight services and marches. For Faust fans there is always Aurbach's Keller for dinner.

Underrated: Postdam, Berlin, & Dresden, Germany Dingle & Donnegal, Ireland Padua & Revello, Italy Overrated: Sicily (except Taromina) Milan, Italy
Aix-en-Provence, France

Beaucaire, France. Old city on the Rhone and an easy drive to many interesting places. Marken, NL. A nice little town at the end of a causeway and 45 minutes by bus into Amsterdam. Saint Vallier de Thiey, France. A small market town up the hill from Grasse and on the way to the Gorges du Verdon. Malmedy, Belgium. Beautiful small town. Lots of historical places nearby from WWII and the ancestrial home for the Schruben side of my family.
Hossegor, France. At the beach on the Atlantic. Good walking at the lake and the beach.

Malta. so much history. fascinating place. something for everyone...beautiful beaches, history buffs, nitelife, shopping. and some of the friendliest people i have met on my travels. lisbon. actually all of portugal. beautiful country, tons of history, great weather, colorful town, happening nightlife, very friendly people. and lisbon serves as a great base to other regions of portugal. istanbul. never been as pleasantly surprised on a trip as when i was in istanbul (actually, all of turkey). history, beautiful mosques, shopping, delicious food, the adventure of a turkish bath, just soo much to do here. montenegro. only got to do a day trip here from croatia but never has a place caught my eye so fast and inspired a return trip! the beauy of kotor, the bay and town, budva, the coastline is gorgeous. sandy beaches changed it up from the pebbly ones in croatia. i want to return on my next euro trip. the camino de santiago. it is mentioned in the book but i think Rick should walk the camino! having a rick steves guide to the camino would be awesome!!!

1) Overlooked: Berchestgaden town and area is absolutely inviting & breathtaking scenery. Two hours by train from Munich. > Scenery, Outdoor activities, Historical sites, promixation & travel ease to Salzburg, hospitable to travelers, use buses & train to move around the ares & save on rental car. 2) Underrated: Berlin is fun and upbeat and easy to get around.
>History, Art, Culture, Musuems, City Vibe, Shopping, Easy to use Ground Transportation, openness to travelers.

Kat, I'm surprised that you'd consider Sicily being overrated. It's not even included in RS Italy guide, i.e. he's completely ignoring it.