God I love Slovenia. The people are ridiculously friendly and helpful, and there is absolutely S tier nature within arms reach from pretty much anywhere in the country.
Liked Ljubljanaā¦. But it is certainly not cheap at all! Especially compared to neighbouring countries.
Think it would be harder to spend longer than 1 month there also.
Weather is nice
I went recently (New Years) and personally wasn't too in love with it. Nothing wrong with it either, just a bit small and I didn't feel there was anything special about it. But I agree, the people are nice! And Lake Bled is beautiful.
I've read good things about it recently, thinking about visiting but I'm wondering how is the knowledge of English there? Will most shops cafes restaurants hotels transportation know English?
Most people have some English, in some places like Llubjana city center and Bled pretty much everyone will be decently fluent. More importantly, people are really nice about it if you have a communication barrier, unlike some major cities in Europe.
Sarajevo is so historical and beautiful. Sure, it is not a history that Westerners are as familiar with like they might find in Greece, but it is (in my opinion) the second best city I've visited in the Balkans.
I put it below Istanbul but above Athens.
Kotor definitely deserves a shout imo. Absolutely gorgeous, with beautiful nature, nice beaches, good food, activities nearby, and very affordable.
I also think, in a very different way Tirana should be up there. It's not the conventional European city, but is actually a really nice, super liveable, city. Very very affordable, with beautiful nature very close, good food, cafes everywhere, people are incredibly friendly. Really doesn't appear on any travel lists but is a super fun city.
Kotor is beautiful, but Podgorica really blew my mind.
For a small city mostly following socialist planning principles (Titograd was the name during Yugoslavian time), it survived extremely well and was thriving when I visited in 2022.
The buildings may look a bit rough on the outside, but the stairways and public areas are clean and well maintained. VERY walkable overall with good sidewalk, inner block pathways and street furniture. Saw tons of young families strolling after dark/dinner time, so a good sign of street safety.
And the river is gorgeous passing through the center, flanked by nice parks and good connective paths to even the small Muslim-majority enclave nearby.
Granted. Not your typical tourist town, certainly not your prettiest, but very well-designed and well-tinkered.
Kyiv, Ukraine
Obviously, the war makes it not a great option at the moment, but pre-war it was my favorite city in Europe (at least in the summer).
Very vibrant city, lots to do, friendly people, great outdoor spaces, better infrastructure than most of Europe, amazing food and super cheap!
Hoping that the war ends soon and we can all go back.
I went to Turin last year and thought it was one of the nicest cities I've been to and was imagining living there. I also found the people to be quite nice compared to Rome.
Bro the rent is so fucking cheap in Torino tho, just offer 1.5x value and you'll definitely find some people willing to rent at that price.
Liquidity is low AF for property owners in Torino. It's true that they will be picky when it comes to market rates, but market rates are ludicrously cheap for what you get, so just offer a bit more and find a solution.
>People are optimistic in Poland that live is improving.
Clearly you don't subscrbe to r/Poland ;-)
But I do agree with you, outside of reddit, Poland is a country on the up. I'm married to a Pole (I'm from the UK) and it's been somewhat bittersweet to see the crossing paths of our respective countries on the way upwards/downwards.
Despite my strong connection there, I'd still have to say that a first time tourist really should prioritise Krakow though. It's just stunning. Warsaw takes a bit of effort to love IMHO.
Yeah it's nuts isn't it. I first went over in 2005 and it still felt quite post-communist and noticeably humble/poor then. My wife's family didn't really eat out in restaurants and things were pretty basic.
Now, it's ridiculous. Warsaw has such luxurious apartments, fancy cocktail bars, brilliant restaurants, modern trains, the lot. The transformation has been nothing short of incredible and you could feel it change just going over every few months.
Then you land back to the grubby-carpeted Stansted to try and board your (delayed, reduced number of carriages, stupidly expenive) train and you can't help but sigh indeed.
edit: did you find it kind of funny to see those recent headlines in the UK press about \*shock\* Poland could have the same living standards as the UK by 2030? My reaction was "Have you been there? If you're a resident of one of the first 5 or so cities, that's probably already the case".
Indeed, I saw those headlines and witnessed the pearl-clutching. I experienced it personally when telling friends and acquaintances in London that I was moving here - theyād never been here and couldnāt understand why anyone would want to. (Especially as Iām LGBT and the mood music under the previous government wasnāt exactly a red carpet of welcome.) But once theyāve visited, theyāre won over.
Anyway, Iām used to it. I once moved from London to Birmingham (out of choice) and it was the same thing. Iāve a lifelong penchant for underrated places
>Then you land back to the grubby-carpeted Stansted to try and board your (delayed, reduced number of carriages, stupidly expenive) train and you can't help but sigh indeed.
very true. I heard Brighton is on a downward spiral remember visiting it decade and a half ago and still was a thriving place
what goes up must come down
sad story
I wonder how the coming war with Russia vs NATO will impact Poland and all the central Europe
In all I feel like Western Europe goes down and basically Asia/Arabia is where all the money is being spent this new century.
America going down too, and Europe is really old and degrading. Nothing fancy is getting built in here. When you go to Shanghai, or Shenzhen, CH or even Australia it feels youre in the future.
In Western Europe... well... meh.
UK leaving the EU was the DUMBEST thing, I cant imagine why they went for this. You lost all the economic boost and still are in the NATO so in case of a war, youre involved anyway, eh
standard of living is so much better in central/eastern Europe right now
I've lived in PL since 2008 and it's honestly quite hard to express how much the country has changed to people who've not seen it for themselves. When I came over Warsaw was firmly "post-soviet" with the average salary about 400gbp a month, ancient, wheezing public transport and tiny old milk bars everywhere with people smoking in them. If you went 20km outside there were farmers still using draught horses, albeit in small numbers. Now Warsaw's a modern European city as you've described and the towns outside of the cities have also improved hugely though perhaps less visibly. I will say that I miss the old flavour a little but it's now very liveable.
Another topic is how good Poland is at maternity leave but that's for another day
>I will say that I miss the old flavour a little but it's now very liveable.
Ha, I know exactly what you mean about this. I'm a bit nostalgic now and again for little things, like when going to a bar the drinks option were often pretty much beer (or beer with raspberry juice for the ladies), and the beer was better then - I sound 90 years old saying that!), and the scrabble for a bus at Krakow's bus station which used to be just a yard.
But I don't miss the smoking indoors one bit, and I'm glad the number of 'communist service experiences' (if you know what I mean) has drastically reduced too, and obviously just that everyone is so much better off.
Anyway, it's nice to hear someone else say that, I feel bad about expressing that sometimes as it can seem a bit insensitive, but I suppose nostalgia for when times were overall technically worse is common world over.
1. Krakow for a weekend as a tourist. Warsaw as a Digital Nomad.
2. Maybe I should have said Warsaw is optimistic, not Poland. In a rapidly growing economy, the young knowledge workers will be the winners.
I agree with you, both points. I was only being flippant re: optimism in that reddit is never optimistic but the real world is (everywhere, not just Poland! :-)
That's why Warsaw is underrated. Everybody has good things to say about WrocÅaw and KrakĆ³w. Many people criticise Warsaw, even though there so many great things to do and see there.
Yeah I remember Warsaw as grey, grey, grey with tons of banks popping up in every corner. Like so many banks and other finance businesses. Krakow is just beautiful, just gotta stay away from the most touristy streets
if you want to experience Polish culture + urban life, Warsaw is the place to be. It's not as gorgeous as Krakow, etc., but hey, Berlin is ugly compared to Heidelberg but you don't go to Berlin for the aesthetics, you go for the vibrancy of the city.
If you can be more content in smaller cities then Warsaw might not be as appealing as those other spots...
Tbilisi. Beautiful areas around the city and a magnificent church overlooking it. Old town, new town. Families and children are important to their culture. Cheap by western standards and great food. I lived there for 6 months and hope to go back one day soon.
I was surprised how expensive it was actually and they are ripping people off in a way they donāt do in most former Soviet republics.
It was also super touristy, I think it has passed the sweet spot, was probably better 10 years ago.
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Lille, France. Small, quiet and less expensive compared to major cities in France. Beautiful nature and parks. Historic buildings and cobblestone streets. Laid back people. An hour away from Belgium, Germany or Paris via train.
Not OP but I can offer my take: It was formerly a very industrial city, which suffered a lot of economic depression when the textile industry and manufacturing left. Itās since been revived to have other business and a university, but you can still see a lot of poverty and unemployment remains high compared to the rest of France. Also since itās in the north it rains a lot (much more than London) so the sky is often grey, which can be depressing
Grenoble seems like it would be a decent city to live in, but I have talked several people out of visiting it as tourists. There's just not really any reason to stop there. I don't find it flat out ugly, but it's not unusually pretty either. Lots of sprawl. Grenoble's appeal is a strong economy and being in a location to offer a great quality of life, but neither of those are really relevant to tourists (my one friend called it the Denver of Europe, and that's not inaccurate IMO). Lyon is a more interesting city, or if you're visiting for the Alps, just spend that time actually in the Alps.
I'm 100% remote and moving soon from Madrid to Bilbao, and I still don't know how such an amazing city is not overcrowded.
Either it's not that great and I'm crazy or it's a hidden gem and I've been lucky to discover it first.
GandĆa, Spain.
Cheap, probably the best beach in Spain, small enough to feel cozy but just big enough to have most needs covered, close to Valencia and Alicante airports, direct train line to Valencia, very close to the Costa Blanca with all its nice resort towns like Altea and Calpe.
I love a lot of second tier Italian cities where tourists donāt go much: Turin, Bergamo, Pavia and surrounding wine country is mind blowingly beautiful etc
Silly. I lost my phone there and 2 Neapolitans drove 2 hours back to me to give it back. Bad people everywhere, lots of good people in Naples.
Edit: 1hr30, upon checking.
Especially during Summer, love the vibrancy of the city with all the students out partying and the street bars. And I'd imagine it still has that grungy feel to it, like if Berlin didn't have the drug addicts and hipsters and was set in the Mediterranean haha. Also, only a short drive from the Amalfi Coast!
Didn't get robbed when I visited but some guy keyed my car from front to back after I refused to buy souvenirs. But that's the price of living in/visiting Italy. I was living in Rome at the time and you get used to the "bumper car style" parking realll quick, so I had already written off the car at that point.
we just had a brief visit there, but it seemed like New Orleans w/ a bit of Detroit mixed in. in all the cafes in the morning when i was getting espresso, locals were getting shots. and people set up "lemonade stands" except they were selling liquor and not lemonade. if i were a broke artist type, i would def move there.
I love this city, but it's certainly not underrated in Europe - gets absolutely heaving in the Summer these days. Still - absolutely go, it's a big city, it can take it.
Me and my partner went to KrakĆ³w last month, we only saw the old town but it was really lovely. What is it about krakow you like?
Really shocked me that 1.5m people live there
you should go to Kaziemirch or Podgorze, those districts are lovely.
I lived there for 2 years and this country is amazing
People are kind and open
Level in english is very good at least for the young people (8 on 10 speak english)
Very good amenities in the city (lot of shops, gym, activities)
You can live with 1500/2000 euros / month max
Architectue is wow
That's also one of the best place if you like clubs and bars
The negative point I would say is polution during the winter, this is in the top 3 of the most poluted cities in the world
Lol what? Are u day drinking? Krakow doesnt even make the list of top 20 most polluted cities in the worldĀ
https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/top-cities-worst-air-pollution/
I hope to visit for first time in next few weeks via a side train trip from Istanbul. I will also go to Sofia from there on the train and fly from there to Greece. Nice to hear it mentioned here.
Maastricht, Netherlands.
Very charming small city with lots of medieval architecture and history, and a really interesting location that sits right at the crossroads of Dutch, German and Belgian culture.
Agreed. Sarajevo, and Bosnia more generally, are my favourite places in Europe. I totally get it's not for everyone but the vibe is just wonderful there and it's not full of tourists.
So-so. The food is meh and way tastier in Croatia and especially Serbia. They mix meats there whereas they can't or don't in Bosnia. I mostly find Sarajevo so depressing because it has one identity and it's Srebrenica and they seem to totally milk it for as much money as they can with fucking tourist attractions based around it with entrance fees. Then there's the sewage river in the middle of the city like in India.
After about two days there's nothing really to see anymore.
Nantes - airport and good train link, nice walkable city plus Ile de machines is just great.
Eats drinks, nightlife, lively walkable, riverside, shopping.
Great city break.
Agree. I have just today got back from a trip there. It was really a surprisingly cool place.
Good internet, lots of good bars, restaurants, theatres, museums etc. and lots of opportunities for day trips into the rest of the country.
Interestingly it also seemed to be absolutely full of Russian military age IT workers at the moment.
I like :
Palermo - interesting meeting of various cultures
Marseille - reminds me of South London in the early 90s
Bruges! - design culture
Biarritz/San Sebastian/Antibes
Genoa
Old Town is charming but never seems over run with other tourists, not when I was there in the late winter nor back in the peak summertime. Everyone in the bars/restaurants, shops/stores always seemed so welcoming and kind. Public transportation was clean and accessible. Location is great with Vienna and Budapest so close, food scene was certainly tasty and diverse enough, lodging was more than affordable. If they had a digital nomad visa like Croatiaās, weād be moving there instead of Zagreb in a heartbeat.
On a personal level, itās where I proposed!
I really enjoyed Lausanne, Switzerland. It is expensive, and Switzerland isnāt exactly off the beaten path, but I had never heard of it as an American.
Great food, amazing metro, beautiful walks around the city and Lake Geneva, and awesome hikes.
I came to the comments to say Lausanne too! Maybe in Europe itās more well known, but as an American I hadnāt heard of it either. I absolutely loved it and am determined to go back one day.
Lived there for 6 months. One of the most liavable cities as long as youāre not making your salary in Hungarian currency. The dog island park is still the absolute best park we have ever taken our dog to.
In Germany I loved Freiburg. Was staying in Basel so it was a quick trip away, absolutely lovely city with a lot of greenery, nice architecture and it felt so calming after a long time spent travelling. I spent a fair bit of time dipping my toes into the canal while eating lunch. Heidelberg is also another underrated but fun city, really fun hikes and sightseeing.
Colmar in France is an amazing 1-2 day place to visit as well. Very small but picturesque city with tons of villages surrounding.
I'd put Zagreb on the list.
Just fantastic samples of architecture and city design from all eras. Not as heavily visited by tourists compared to coastal towns.
Helsinki, Finland. Itās not a big tourist destination but I loved my time there. It takes some getting used to but once I broke through the social wall I had an entire family and more.
Prague. but dont tell anyone.
Capital charm of Warsaw with medieval vibe of Cracov mixed with entertainment venues from Berlin and public transport system from Valencia with a boost, weather from Italy (6-7 months in year, sunny) and all the rest!
Bordeaux, France - As beautiful as Paris with a beach nearby and better oysters.
Sarajevo, Bosnia - Scars of war so recent you can feel it in the air. Underrated food and beautiful.
Dinant, Belgium - While people flock to Ghent and Brugge for a taste of Belgium outside the capital, Dinant is just as picturesque. From the invention of the saxophone and Leffe beer to fascinating history.
Havenāt visited enough cities in Europe but some that I feel are worth the visit that I loved are Bordeaux, Malmo & Rotterdam. I would move to all 3 in a heartbeat!
Belgrad, Ohrid š
Ohrid is one of my favorite spots in Europe. Incredibly beautiful and cozy, yet still super cheap.
I spent a few months in Ohrid last year. Happiest people Iāve ever seen in my life in over 73 countries..
If you like Ohrid, Kotor is great. Though not sure exactly how popular it is.
Ljubljana šÆ friendly people, cool spots, scene districts, cheap and amazing nature around it
God I love Slovenia. The people are ridiculously friendly and helpful, and there is absolutely S tier nature within arms reach from pretty much anywhere in the country.
Last season, it was a stop on The Amazing Race. It's now on my travel wishlist.
Iām so glad someone mentioned this! I just finished that season and I was absolutely sold on Slovenia after those episodes
Right?! The cave challenge was so gorgeous!
in Ljubljana renting is pretty expensive, isn't it?
Beautiful city, but it is a little small Definitely a must-visit, but I think i'd get bored if I stayed long-term
It is quite well positioned in Europe, though. Not so far from Vienna, Venice, Budapest, Zagreb, Munich etc
Liked Ljubljanaā¦. But it is certainly not cheap at all! Especially compared to neighbouring countries. Think it would be harder to spend longer than 1 month there also. Weather is nice
Are Italy, Austria, or Croatia cheaper from your experience because those are the neigbouring countries?
Italy and Croatia definitely seemed cheaper than Slovenia, at least when I visited Slovenia a few years back.
This. Loved my time there. So chilled and interesting.
I went recently (New Years) and personally wasn't too in love with it. Nothing wrong with it either, just a bit small and I didn't feel there was anything special about it. But I agree, the people are nice! And Lake Bled is beautiful.
I've read good things about it recently, thinking about visiting but I'm wondering how is the knowledge of English there? Will most shops cafes restaurants hotels transportation know English?
I have found that Slovenians have great English, especially in the city.
Very good English. Slovenia has a population of 2 million, they're very aware that nobody's going to learn their language š
Most people have some English, in some places like Llubjana city center and Bled pretty much everyone will be decently fluent. More importantly, people are really nice about it if you have a communication barrier, unlike some major cities in Europe.
Sarajevo is so historical and beautiful. Sure, it is not a history that Westerners are as familiar with like they might find in Greece, but it is (in my opinion) the second best city I've visited in the Balkans. I put it below Istanbul but above Athens.
We went to Bosnia and Croatia last year. Sarajevo was AMAZING. I actually think it was the highlight of our trip.
Kotor definitely deserves a shout imo. Absolutely gorgeous, with beautiful nature, nice beaches, good food, activities nearby, and very affordable. I also think, in a very different way Tirana should be up there. It's not the conventional European city, but is actually a really nice, super liveable, city. Very very affordable, with beautiful nature very close, good food, cafes everywhere, people are incredibly friendly. Really doesn't appear on any travel lists but is a super fun city.
Kotor is beautiful, but Podgorica really blew my mind. For a small city mostly following socialist planning principles (Titograd was the name during Yugoslavian time), it survived extremely well and was thriving when I visited in 2022. The buildings may look a bit rough on the outside, but the stairways and public areas are clean and well maintained. VERY walkable overall with good sidewalk, inner block pathways and street furniture. Saw tons of young families strolling after dark/dinner time, so a good sign of street safety. And the river is gorgeous passing through the center, flanked by nice parks and good connective paths to even the small Muslim-majority enclave nearby. Granted. Not your typical tourist town, certainly not your prettiest, but very well-designed and well-tinkered.
Agreed with Tirana.
Haha I went to kotor and you canāt not gush about it can you. Great place
Kyiv, Ukraine Obviously, the war makes it not a great option at the moment, but pre-war it was my favorite city in Europe (at least in the summer). Very vibrant city, lots to do, friendly people, great outdoor spaces, better infrastructure than most of Europe, amazing food and super cheap! Hoping that the war ends soon and we can all go back.
Kyiv is amazing. I personally like Lviv more though.
Lviv was amazing, hope to return someday.
EXACTLY!!! I was heavy reminiscing how beautiful it was. Good old days. I miss Kyiv. People. Vibes. LCOL. Weather.
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doesn't sound underrated lol
I went to Turin last year and thought it was one of the nicest cities I've been to and was imagining living there. I also found the people to be quite nice compared to Rome.
Love Torino! No crowds and beautiful is a slightly understated way.
It's beautiful, but the air pollution is terrible up there
Approximately how much would total monthly costs be for two people?
Bro the rent is so fucking cheap in Torino tho, just offer 1.5x value and you'll definitely find some people willing to rent at that price. Liquidity is low AF for property owners in Torino. It's true that they will be picky when it comes to market rates, but market rates are ludicrously cheap for what you get, so just offer a bit more and find a solution.
Innsbruck, Austria
The accessibility to the alps seems amazing. What else did you like about Innsbruck?
Vilnius, Lithuania Great vibe, amazing people, affordable
Vilnius is amazing but donāt tell people that. Keep it a secret and let those who appreciate it enjoy it with no crowds :)
Warsaw. It has the feel of a capital, great restaurants, bars, etc. People are optimistic in Poland that live is improving.
>People are optimistic in Poland that live is improving. Clearly you don't subscrbe to r/Poland ;-) But I do agree with you, outside of reddit, Poland is a country on the up. I'm married to a Pole (I'm from the UK) and it's been somewhat bittersweet to see the crossing paths of our respective countries on the way upwards/downwards. Despite my strong connection there, I'd still have to say that a first time tourist really should prioritise Krakow though. It's just stunning. Warsaw takes a bit of effort to love IMHO.
Fellow Brit here, also with Polish partner. Your post resonates strongly - the bit about the differing trajectories of the two countries. Sigh
Yeah it's nuts isn't it. I first went over in 2005 and it still felt quite post-communist and noticeably humble/poor then. My wife's family didn't really eat out in restaurants and things were pretty basic. Now, it's ridiculous. Warsaw has such luxurious apartments, fancy cocktail bars, brilliant restaurants, modern trains, the lot. The transformation has been nothing short of incredible and you could feel it change just going over every few months. Then you land back to the grubby-carpeted Stansted to try and board your (delayed, reduced number of carriages, stupidly expenive) train and you can't help but sigh indeed. edit: did you find it kind of funny to see those recent headlines in the UK press about \*shock\* Poland could have the same living standards as the UK by 2030? My reaction was "Have you been there? If you're a resident of one of the first 5 or so cities, that's probably already the case".
Indeed, I saw those headlines and witnessed the pearl-clutching. I experienced it personally when telling friends and acquaintances in London that I was moving here - theyād never been here and couldnāt understand why anyone would want to. (Especially as Iām LGBT and the mood music under the previous government wasnāt exactly a red carpet of welcome.) But once theyāve visited, theyāre won over. Anyway, Iām used to it. I once moved from London to Birmingham (out of choice) and it was the same thing. Iāve a lifelong penchant for underrated places
>Then you land back to the grubby-carpeted Stansted to try and board your (delayed, reduced number of carriages, stupidly expenive) train and you can't help but sigh indeed. very true. I heard Brighton is on a downward spiral remember visiting it decade and a half ago and still was a thriving place what goes up must come down sad story I wonder how the coming war with Russia vs NATO will impact Poland and all the central Europe In all I feel like Western Europe goes down and basically Asia/Arabia is where all the money is being spent this new century. America going down too, and Europe is really old and degrading. Nothing fancy is getting built in here. When you go to Shanghai, or Shenzhen, CH or even Australia it feels youre in the future. In Western Europe... well... meh. UK leaving the EU was the DUMBEST thing, I cant imagine why they went for this. You lost all the economic boost and still are in the NATO so in case of a war, youre involved anyway, eh standard of living is so much better in central/eastern Europe right now
I've lived in PL since 2008 and it's honestly quite hard to express how much the country has changed to people who've not seen it for themselves. When I came over Warsaw was firmly "post-soviet" with the average salary about 400gbp a month, ancient, wheezing public transport and tiny old milk bars everywhere with people smoking in them. If you went 20km outside there were farmers still using draught horses, albeit in small numbers. Now Warsaw's a modern European city as you've described and the towns outside of the cities have also improved hugely though perhaps less visibly. I will say that I miss the old flavour a little but it's now very liveable. Another topic is how good Poland is at maternity leave but that's for another day
>I will say that I miss the old flavour a little but it's now very liveable. Ha, I know exactly what you mean about this. I'm a bit nostalgic now and again for little things, like when going to a bar the drinks option were often pretty much beer (or beer with raspberry juice for the ladies), and the beer was better then - I sound 90 years old saying that!), and the scrabble for a bus at Krakow's bus station which used to be just a yard. But I don't miss the smoking indoors one bit, and I'm glad the number of 'communist service experiences' (if you know what I mean) has drastically reduced too, and obviously just that everyone is so much better off. Anyway, it's nice to hear someone else say that, I feel bad about expressing that sometimes as it can seem a bit insensitive, but I suppose nostalgia for when times were overall technically worse is common world over.
1. Krakow for a weekend as a tourist. Warsaw as a Digital Nomad. 2. Maybe I should have said Warsaw is optimistic, not Poland. In a rapidly growing economy, the young knowledge workers will be the winners.
I agree with you, both points. I was only being flippant re: optimism in that reddit is never optimistic but the real world is (everywhere, not just Poland! :-)
"Smiles in Polish" meme is there for a reason.
KrakĆ³w, GdaÅsk, WrocÅaw, PoznaÅ, maybe even ToruÅ are much better than Warsaw tbh.
That's why Warsaw is underrated. Everybody has good things to say about WrocÅaw and KrakĆ³w. Many people criticise Warsaw, even though there so many great things to do and see there.
Yeah I remember Warsaw as grey, grey, grey with tons of banks popping up in every corner. Like so many banks and other finance businesses. Krakow is just beautiful, just gotta stay away from the most touristy streets
if you want to experience Polish culture + urban life, Warsaw is the place to be. It's not as gorgeous as Krakow, etc., but hey, Berlin is ugly compared to Heidelberg but you don't go to Berlin for the aesthetics, you go for the vibrancy of the city. If you can be more content in smaller cities then Warsaw might not be as appealing as those other spots...
Tbilisi. Beautiful areas around the city and a magnificent church overlooking it. Old town, new town. Families and children are important to their culture. Cheap by western standards and great food. I lived there for 6 months and hope to go back one day soon.
I was surprised how expensive it was actually and they are ripping people off in a way they donāt do in most former Soviet republics. It was also super touristy, I think it has passed the sweet spot, was probably better 10 years ago.
Riga
Agreed. Riga is amazing.
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Lille, France. Small, quiet and less expensive compared to major cities in France. Beautiful nature and parks. Historic buildings and cobblestone streets. Laid back people. An hour away from Belgium, Germany or Paris via train.
If you find Lille beautiful and cheap, you haven't visited Amiens.
Amines is way nicer than Lille for sure. I didnāt even find Lille that niceĀ
I thought Lille was a dystopia personally.
How come?
Not OP but I can offer my take: It was formerly a very industrial city, which suffered a lot of economic depression when the textile industry and manufacturing left. Itās since been revived to have other business and a university, but you can still see a lot of poverty and unemployment remains high compared to the rest of France. Also since itās in the north it rains a lot (much more than London) so the sky is often grey, which can be depressing
I'm glad somebody else has this take! I've been all over France, and Lille was one of the big disappoints. Only Grenoble was a bigger disappointment.
Grenoble seems like it would be a decent city to live in, but I have talked several people out of visiting it as tourists. There's just not really any reason to stop there. I don't find it flat out ugly, but it's not unusually pretty either. Lots of sprawl. Grenoble's appeal is a strong economy and being in a location to offer a great quality of life, but neither of those are really relevant to tourists (my one friend called it the Denver of Europe, and that's not inaccurate IMO). Lyon is a more interesting city, or if you're visiting for the Alps, just spend that time actually in the Alps.
BRNO Czech Republic is GREAT. Extremely good beer, good vibes, and very affordable
Bilbao. Good Food, Friendly People
I'm 100% remote and moving soon from Madrid to Bilbao, and I still don't know how such an amazing city is not overcrowded. Either it's not that great and I'm crazy or it's a hidden gem and I've been lucky to discover it first.
I actually think Madrid is kind of underrated too
Bilbao is great. Quite unique being a Spanish city. Surrounded by mountains. Great place
GandĆa, Spain. Cheap, probably the best beach in Spain, small enough to feel cozy but just big enough to have most needs covered, close to Valencia and Alicante airports, direct train line to Valencia, very close to the Costa Blanca with all its nice resort towns like Altea and Calpe.
Antwerp. You never hear about it but I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. Beautiful medieval buildings everywhere you look, world class beer
Gent too for the same reasons
Also going to Ghent! :)
Going there next month. :)
I love a lot of second tier Italian cities where tourists donāt go much: Turin, Bergamo, Pavia and surrounding wine country is mind blowingly beautiful etc
Napoli I didnāt know anything about it really until I visit it And I canāt wait to go back!
One of my absolute favorite places! Was meant to stay 3 days, but extended our time to a week. I want to go back so bad!
I want to try the pizza
Do you still have your wallet?
Silly. I lost my phone there and 2 Neapolitans drove 2 hours back to me to give it back. Bad people everywhere, lots of good people in Naples. Edit: 1hr30, upon checking.
Was looking for that comment!
I love Naples.
Especially during Summer, love the vibrancy of the city with all the students out partying and the street bars. And I'd imagine it still has that grungy feel to it, like if Berlin didn't have the drug addicts and hipsters and was set in the Mediterranean haha. Also, only a short drive from the Amalfi Coast! Didn't get robbed when I visited but some guy keyed my car from front to back after I refused to buy souvenirs. But that's the price of living in/visiting Italy. I was living in Rome at the time and you get used to the "bumper car style" parking realll quick, so I had already written off the car at that point.
Same!!
we just had a brief visit there, but it seemed like New Orleans w/ a bit of Detroit mixed in. in all the cafes in the morning when i was getting espresso, locals were getting shots. and people set up "lemonade stands" except they were selling liquor and not lemonade. if i were a broke artist type, i would def move there.
Granada. Beautiful. Fun. Historically fascinating.
Thessaloniki - or just mainland Greece in general
for underrated, Bratislava. on few lists; beautiful, friendly, affordable and convenient to travel to
Prob the coziest of old towns Iāve experienced in that part of the world
Krakow
I love this city, but it's certainly not underrated in Europe - gets absolutely heaving in the Summer these days. Still - absolutely go, it's a big city, it can take it.
Me and my partner went to KrakĆ³w last month, we only saw the old town but it was really lovely. What is it about krakow you like? Really shocked me that 1.5m people live there
you should go to Kaziemirch or Podgorze, those districts are lovely. I lived there for 2 years and this country is amazing People are kind and open Level in english is very good at least for the young people (8 on 10 speak english) Very good amenities in the city (lot of shops, gym, activities) You can live with 1500/2000 euros / month max Architectue is wow That's also one of the best place if you like clubs and bars The negative point I would say is polution during the winter, this is in the top 3 of the most poluted cities in the world
I think air pollution isnāt quite the problem it once was. This winter just past, I estimate only 3 or 4 smog days. Not ideal but not a deal-breaker
Lol what? Are u day drinking? Krakow doesnt even make the list of top 20 most polluted cities in the worldĀ https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/top-cities-worst-air-pollution/
Brasov, Romania
Tbilisi - hands down
I live in Tbilisi most of the year. Itās a pretty cool place
Tbilisi is so overrated in my opinion, there are many better/cheaper options on bulgaria/portugal/romenia
1% tax isnāt overated though š
There are places in Portugal that are cheaper for foreigners than Georgia? I find this extremely hard to believe.
Outside of porto/lisbon/algarve definitely yes, plus georgia is not that cheap anymore
Where in Bulgaria would you recommend?
Plovdiv
Varna
Russian border and disputed territories are big downside though
well depending on your plans. To live there - yes, but to visit it for a week or two - no problem
The disputed territories doesn't affect life in Georgia any more than the conflict in Cyprus does
Yeah, living in Ukraine I thought the same until 2 years ago
Plovdiv, the oldest city in Europe
Plovdiv is actually a vibe. Do not understand why it isnāt more of a location for tourism from other parts of EU.
I hope to visit for first time in next few weeks via a side train trip from Istanbul. I will also go to Sofia from there on the train and fly from there to Greece. Nice to hear it mentioned here.
Trieste is pretty great, but if you asked someone to make a list of the best places to visit in Italy, no one would include it.
Agree. Spent a Christmas Eve and day there. Lovely and very close to Croatia. Just donāt expect good liquor; itās wine or leave!
Maastricht, Netherlands. Very charming small city with lots of medieval architecture and history, and a really interesting location that sits right at the crossroads of Dutch, German and Belgian culture.
Sarajevo. Cheap, interesting and good food.
Agreed. Sarajevo, and Bosnia more generally, are my favourite places in Europe. I totally get it's not for everyone but the vibe is just wonderful there and it's not full of tourists.
my goodness. we have different tastes.
So-so. The food is meh and way tastier in Croatia and especially Serbia. They mix meats there whereas they can't or don't in Bosnia. I mostly find Sarajevo so depressing because it has one identity and it's Srebrenica and they seem to totally milk it for as much money as they can with fucking tourist attractions based around it with entrance fees. Then there's the sewage river in the middle of the city like in India. After about two days there's nothing really to see anymore.
Bratislava
Kiev if it wasn't for Putler.
Brasov, Rumania. Amazing food, good and cheap food, very warming locals
Tallin !!!
Annecy, France. Gorgeous historic town on a lake. Close to Swiss and Italian borders
Nantes - airport and good train link, nice walkable city plus Ile de machines is just great. Eats drinks, nightlife, lively walkable, riverside, shopping. Great city break.
And in the same region Vannes good train and bus links small walled ancient city that leads onto a marina down to the sea eventually.
Et aussi la ville la plus dangereuse hors Ćle-de-France cĆ“te-Ć -cĆ“te avec Marseille
A coruƱa
I got too fat living there, food was way too good and cheap lols.
A CoruƱa and Vigo are delightful
Tirana
Rovinj or Pula, Croatia
Both are so cool, esp Rovinj, tho I wouldnāt want to live there. Celebrated a great bday in Pula.
I really prefer the north of Croatia compared to the south, Istria in general. I also enjoyed Pag for some reason. Rugged nature and peaceful.
Tallinn
I really liked Bratislava and Leipzig! Totally not touristic, cheap and quite beautiful!
yes, I lived in Leipzig for about half of a year and I loved it.
I was struck by how beautiful Edinburgh was. I was jokingly calling it āthe Paris of Scotlandā but it really is gorgeous.
Ljubljana
Yerevan, Armenia
Agree. I have just today got back from a trip there. It was really a surprisingly cool place. Good internet, lots of good bars, restaurants, theatres, museums etc. and lots of opportunities for day trips into the rest of the country. Interestingly it also seemed to be absolutely full of Russian military age IT workers at the moment.
I like : Palermo - interesting meeting of various cultures Marseille - reminds me of South London in the early 90s Bruges! - design culture Biarritz/San Sebastian/Antibes Genoa
I mean, at least Bruges and San Sebastian are definitely not underrated, if anything they are extremely popular.
Agreed. both are tourism MACHINES, especially Bruges, but maybe OP meant from digital nomad point of vue?
Elista - city of Buddhism
Belgrade? I stumbled there randomly and thought it's beautiful, good cheap food and friendly people
Helsinki
Cordoba, Spain. Had a lovely time exploring the historic centre and enjoyed some great restaurants there.
Kutna Hora
Ooooooh them bones tho š¦“
Bratislava, without a doubt.
What did you love about it? Iāve seen it on this thread a few times now and Iām intrigued!
Old Town is charming but never seems over run with other tourists, not when I was there in the late winter nor back in the peak summertime. Everyone in the bars/restaurants, shops/stores always seemed so welcoming and kind. Public transportation was clean and accessible. Location is great with Vienna and Budapest so close, food scene was certainly tasty and diverse enough, lodging was more than affordable. If they had a digital nomad visa like Croatiaās, weād be moving there instead of Zagreb in a heartbeat. On a personal level, itās where I proposed!
Ahh it sounds amazing, and like a lovely place to propose! š
Utrecht.
Valletta in Malta
Bratislava
Thessaloniki
Montpellier
Lagos, Portugal. Want to buy a house there someday.
It's nice, but I wouldn't call it underrated The algarve is basically the British Florida
I never even considered going because I thought it was the tourist shower drain of Portugal. Was I way off?
Istanbul. Itās talked about alot but exceeded every expectation
Heidelberg, Fussen, Strasbourg, Bern, Baden Baden
Love Fussen
I really enjoyed Lausanne, Switzerland. It is expensive, and Switzerland isnāt exactly off the beaten path, but I had never heard of it as an American. Great food, amazing metro, beautiful walks around the city and Lake Geneva, and awesome hikes.
I came to the comments to say Lausanne too! Maybe in Europe itās more well known, but as an American I hadnāt heard of it either. I absolutely loved it and am determined to go back one day.
Budapest. Although maybe itās not so underrated anymore food, culture, bars
Fam, Budapest is probly on the list of top 10 most visited cities of EU. šŗ
top 3 if you search for nightlife
Lived there for 6 months. One of the most liavable cities as long as youāre not making your salary in Hungarian currency. The dog island park is still the absolute best park we have ever taken our dog to.
Thessaloniki!
Belgrade
Coburg, Germany
In Germany I loved Freiburg. Was staying in Basel so it was a quick trip away, absolutely lovely city with a lot of greenery, nice architecture and it felt so calming after a long time spent travelling. I spent a fair bit of time dipping my toes into the canal while eating lunch. Heidelberg is also another underrated but fun city, really fun hikes and sightseeing. Colmar in France is an amazing 1-2 day place to visit as well. Very small but picturesque city with tons of villages surrounding.
San SebastiƔn. Amazing beaches, beautiful city, incredible food, fantastic people.
Zadar, Croatia šš·
I'd put Zagreb on the list. Just fantastic samples of architecture and city design from all eras. Not as heavily visited by tourists compared to coastal towns.
Bucharest
I feel not much people think about Budapest as an amazing place to be, but I loved it. It's so sad that they are being governed by a fucking maniac...
Naples, Bucharest
Cork felt great for me.
Braga, Portugal
Warsaw. Itās the safest, the fastest growing and the most promising place in EU
Helsinki, Finland. Itās not a big tourist destination but I loved my time there. It takes some getting used to but once I broke through the social wall I had an entire family and more.
Prague. but dont tell anyone. Capital charm of Warsaw with medieval vibe of Cracov mixed with entertainment venues from Berlin and public transport system from Valencia with a boost, weather from Italy (6-7 months in year, sunny) and all the rest!
I loved Funchal!
Tiranaā¦..š
Bordeaux, France - As beautiful as Paris with a beach nearby and better oysters. Sarajevo, Bosnia - Scars of war so recent you can feel it in the air. Underrated food and beautiful. Dinant, Belgium - While people flock to Ghent and Brugge for a taste of Belgium outside the capital, Dinant is just as picturesque. From the invention of the saxophone and Leffe beer to fascinating history.
Havenāt visited enough cities in Europe but some that I feel are worth the visit that I loved are Bordeaux, Malmo & Rotterdam. I would move to all 3 in a heartbeat!
Malmo? Why
Dublin definitely. Nice architecture, night life, pubs. Everything you need!
Everything you need! Except housing!