Head off the beaten track and away from the tourist traps of the world’s big cities and you can uncover some amazing attractions. From little-known markets to hidden museums and secret gardens; look beyond the well-known sights to discover the less-explored side of popular tourist destinations.
Less-explored London
London is one of the world's most touristy cities and for many visitors its emblematic sights are what a holiday here is all about. But there's a whole lot more to the city than kings, queens, palaces and soldiers in silly hats. From pub theatres to small museums, hidden green spaces to myriad markets, and its maritime treasures to its international cuisine, modern London is one of the most extraordinary cities on the planet. As Western Europe's largest and most vibrant city, it is a multi-ethnic cultural hothouse and bastion of the new just waiting to be discovered.
Head off the beaten track in London and try...
Sir John Soane’s Museum King’s Head Theatre & Bar Highgate Cemetery Columbia Road Flower Market
Less-explored New York
Scratch the surface of the world's most iconic city and you'll find another side to this diverse, culture-crammed metropolis. Even for first-time visitors, New York will seem as familiar as an old friend, but it's when you go from the legendary to the lesser known that the city really stirs to life. The arts scene buzzes with off-Broadway independent theatre performances, poetry slams and indie music gigs. Downtown, SoHo, NoHo and NoLita are home to unique boutiques selling fashion with a twist. And when you need a rest, numerous green spaces offer somewhere to stretch out on the grass and forget you're in a concrete jungle.
Head off the beaten track in New York and try...
Public Theater Brooklyn Academy of Music Kirna Zabete Brooklyn Botanic GardenLess-explored Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a vibrant east-meets-west destination with an appeal which reaches far beyond its showpieces. The food scene offers a sumptuous array of cuisines, from Chinese to pan-Asian and global fare, whilst tucked discreetly away from the melee of big names and their insatiable shoppers is a world of more refined retailing. An annual contemporary art fair has been launched and the long-running Hong Kong Arts Festival draws an eclectic mix of creative talents. With all this and much more on offer, it's no wonder that Hong Kong raised its own bar, rebranding itself as "Asia's world city".
Head off the beaten track in Hong Kong and try...
Yung Kee for dim sum Goods of Desire China Art Hong Kong Museum of Art
Less-explored Venice
Who can fail to be impressed by magical Venice? But it's the backwaters where the real soul of the city lies. All it takes is a wrong turn or a detour from the tourist trails and the maddening crowds are left behind, as you wander into the real Venice, where the locals live, work and socialize. Further afield the lagoon islands are far-flung patches of marshy land transformed into fishing villages, monasteries, hospitals and market gardens. Finally, don't forget to stop at a traditional osterie (watering spot); a convivial place for an ombra (house wine) at the end of a long day sightseeing.
Head off the beaten track in Venice and try...
Island San Servolo Osteria alla Botte Trattoria Giorgione San Pietro di Castello
Less-explored San Francisco
San Francisco is everybody's favourite American city and if you did nothing more than ride its cable cars, stroll along the waterfront and watch the fog rolling in around the Golden Gate Bridge, you would come away happy. Explore further however and this free-thinking town will reveal diverse neighbourhoods and vibrant communities, beyond which lie alluring green spaces boasting giant redwoods and impressive vistas. Victorian wooden architecture, immigrant churches and vintage streetcars all add to its historic charm and the city's many peaks provide excellent vantage points to view the beauty which lies below.
Head off the beaten track in San Francisco and try...
Precita Eyes Mural Arts and Visitor Center The Presidio Mission Dolores F-line streetcars
Less-explored Paris
Lauded for its dizzying array of monuments, sweeping boulevards and alluring cafés, the world's most romantic city still has many surprises up its sleeve. Roam Paris’s serpentine backstreets, bustling bridges, quais and handsome boulevards and you'll chance upon the haunts of artists, writers and poets, plus hidden squares and pretty gardens – the lesser-known side of this legendary metropolis. Explore the enchanting mansions of the Marais, the city's richly coloured street markets offering an unrivalled taste of France, and the 19th-century Parisian passages couverts, where to this day people continue to shop and people-watch.
Head off the beaten track in Paris and try...
Atelier d'Artistes de Belleville Hôtel de Retz Passage du Grand Cerf Galerie Vivienne
Less-explored Sydney
Images of Sydney's iconic cityscape and harbour may be imprinted on the mind, but there are lesser-known – yet no less exciting – sides to this amazing city. The natural world is never far away, with miles of white, sandy beaches and national parks rich in astonishing flora and fauna surrounding the city in a vast wilderness of bush, verdant river valleys and magnificent mountains. There are many reminders of the history of the Aboriginal peoples as well as the city's colonial past, and when it comes to partying, Sydney's diverse multicultural identity ensures an array of fabulous festivals.
Head off the beaten track in Sydney and try...
Pittwater Beaches Royal National Park Cockatoo Island Tribal Warrior Association
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