We’re not saying you’ll have the place to yourself, but compared to Europe’s big-name destinations, these contenders offer all of the joys without the jostle, writes Alex Mitcheson.
Hordes of waving camera phones, queues out the door and bustling pavements with little room to walk. Sound familiar? Popular European hubs of culture will always attract crowds of international travellers through the Northern Hemisphere summer. And with good reason. Yet most of these drawcards — Florence, Paris, Athens — will still entice the masses year-round with little respite.
If you’re a dedicated culture vulture, visiting these popular areas is, of course, a feasible undertaking. And with multiple valid reasons you should. But there are locales on the Old-World continent flying steadily under the radar when it comes to their cultural substance. They exude equivalent ancient, classical and contemporary charm — but offer something refreshing for those who have ticked off the timeless locations. Plus, there’s every chance you’ll spend less time standing in a line.
A fashionista’s paradise. Milan needs little introduction to those who admire style and those who generally approve of Italian culture. What’s noteworthy, though, is how the city elegantly collides the old with the new, meaning you can take in one of the world’s best-known Gothic churches (Grand Duomo) and then find yourself learning the history of one of Europe’s most successful football teams at AC Milan’s San Siro Stadium Museum. You may want to hide your credit card because there are fantastic shopping opportunities. Fundamental to the persona of this city is an overriding sense of sophistication; this is Northern Italy, close to the Italian Alps and neighbouring Switzerland and very different to Southern Italy. Located in the Po Valley — also known as the “rice bowl of Italy” — their classic dish of risotto alla Milanese is not to be missed.
The capital of Scotland, Edinburgh’s cobbled streets, dark stained Georgian architecture and often moody weather are romanticism personified. And when the clouds peel back, showing blue skies, you have one of the UK’s most handsome cities with an undeniable sense of history oozing out of every brick. Wandering the narrow laneways, hidden courtyards and manicured green spaces can often eat up your days. Still, there is a trove of creative legacy in this city where the origins of great literature, art and engineering can be found around nearly every corner among prodigious galleries and museums. The centrepiece is, without doubt, Edinburgh Castle, which sits imposingly on an ancient volcanic crag, giving visitors unspoilt views out across the Firth of Forth and even Highland peaks like Ben Lomond. Not far from the border with England, there’s a faintly rebellious yet proud charisma to Edinburgh — one that can’t help but make you smile.
Better known for some of the 20th century’s most defining moments, Berlin accepts its dark past and faces the future with an upbeat and distinctly Euro personality. Visually and architecturally, the German capital is a smorgasbord of periods and styles. It keeps any building enthusiast busy marvelling at the juxtaposition of medieval, baroque and post-war communist designs across its famous landmarks and numerous boulevards. Many young creative talents call The Grey City home, and between more than 300 art galleries and being awarded “City of Design” by Unesco, a thriving nightlife scene spurred on by the collapse of the Soviet Union — and the resulting freedom of the 90s — it is the cherry on the cake. And who could look past the “Down Under Berlin” festival – an Australian and New Zealand celebration of cinematography first founded in 2011, giving European audiences a glimpse into original film-making from Australasia.
If you took a pinch of fairy-tale, mixed in French history and a sprinkling of Mediterranean culture, you’d be looking at a near-close blueprint of Avignon. Founded in the 4th century and positioned at the southern end of the Rhone Valley, the walled township has seen varying history from early Roman occupation before centuries of conquest with regularly changing governance and the French Revolution. If only the walls could talk. The highlights are the Gothic-style Palais des Papes (Palace of Popes), whose thick-walled grandeur housed several popes, and the enigmatic Pont d’Avignon. This broken bridge — which only crosses half of the Rhone River — is an iconic reminder of the harsh history here, becoming victim to collapse from extreme flooding and constant battles. Let’s not forget superb cuisine and an immense theatre offering— providing a backbone to one of the biggest performing arts festivals in the world (Avignon Festival) — leaving most people with nothing but awe for this corner of France.
The Basque Country is an intriguing segment of the cultural fabric found across Europe. It’s one that if you pull on a loose thread, there are more than enough novel things to uncover. Sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and the Cantabrian Mountains, Bilbao has played an essential role in trade and commerce in this part of Spain for centuries and, like its bigger nearby brother, San Sebastian, has slowly emerged as a world-recognised epicentre for gastronomy. Delicious food and Michelin stars aside, one of its most significant claims to fame is the Guggenheim Museum. This striking institution has been drawing crowds since 1997, regularly housing world-class art collections while doing well to complement the city’s traditional identity. After all, this is a place steeped in individuality, meaning you’ll come across language, music, dance, sports, festivals and traditional dress you won’t find anywhere else in the world.
While droves always descend upon the Greek islands, and there are always people scrambling over the Acropolis, Greece’s second city, known in Greek as “the co-capital”, is a sprawling metropolis of curious history. This is a place Greeks, Jews, Ottomans and Armenians called home for more than 500 years, and from humble beginnings in the 4th century BC became one of the most significant port cities in Southeastern Europe. Today, like any contemporary European city, Thessaloniki embraces the old but looks to the future. This is no more evident when you first take notice of the youthful atmosphere and notable verve, alongside incredible eating-out options and a vibrant nocturnal outlook with a multitude of bars and clubs. Purposely get lost in the many alleyways and seek refuge in the array of tavernas but be sure to catch the sunset on the city’s fortress walls, a Unesco World Heritage Site.
There’s something innately urbane about a city that finds itself on the banks of a noteworthy river — and Basel is no different. Perhaps it’s the dreamy selection of ways to cross them; bridges like the quaint medieval-built Mittlere Brucke (Middle Bridge) and recently renovated industrial revolution era Wettsteinbrucke are as aesthetically pleasing as they are functional. This may not be the picture-perfect postcard Switzerland you’ve seen before, but this doesn’t matter when you have innovative art galleries and award-winning avant-garde architecture aplenty. And what other city has a 5km walking trail crossing into another country (Germany in this case), with the opportunity to traverse vineyards with 24 fabulous public art installations on the way? The walk is called Rehberger-Weg and is well worth the exertion. Most of all, be prepared to dust off your little black dress or pull out your bowtie, as this is a city where theatre and ballet are a way of life.
The chef chats to Herald Travel about unforgettable foodie experiences in Aotearoa.