Installment #35 in Monolisticle's Ongoing Campaign Against the "Internet of Endless Listicles."
Nothing against Paris.
Nothing against Prague.
Nothing against Lisbon, Munich, Vienna, Florence, Madrid, London, Dublin, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Budapest, or any of the other many lovely cities in Europe. They’re all amazing places. All wonderfully worthy of a visit. All overflowing with old churches and museums and cultural landmarks and, well,...tourist attractions.
Unfortunately, there’s a reason they are called “tourist attractions.” They attract tourists. Millions and millions of tourists. Locals wouldn’t go anywhere near these places. At least not during peak season.
Whenever the masses are attracted to something, I tend to run the other way. I want unique experiences, not merely be one of millions of people doing the exact same thing in the exact same way at the exact same time.
But most of all, I crave authentic experiences. I want to truly connect with people from other cultures, in a genuine human interaction that has not devolved into a transactional business exchange.
So, my recommendation is this: give that tourist attraction in the big city a quick look, snap a photo, and then go spend the bulk of your time in a small town where you will actually get to experience the true “culture” of that country.
Where locals will be glad to have you. Where you won’t have to wait in long lines at restaurants and cafes and bakeries and cultural attractions. Where they will be infinitely more patient with your awkward attempts at speaking their language. And where there will be far fewer people who look like you, talk like you, and dress like you (that’s a good thing, right?).
I’ve never visited a small town in Europe that didn’t have its own centuries-old church, excellent restaurants, museums, idyllic park, charming cobblestone streets, or other significant cultural attractions. While Notre Dame may be the mother of all cathedrals from an architectural and historical perspective, it’s hard to top the feeling of visiting an old stone church in a small town that isn’t full of people or has its own gift shop.
To get started, hit up the Googler and search “Best small towns in (whatever countries you want to visit).” Compile a list of towns that look promising and then google those specific towns for local attractions, restaurants, and hotels.
If you rent a car, try to mix in some non-interstate travel along scenic routes and through small towns. It will take longer, but it’s worth it. And leave room if you can for spontaneity, in case you see something you want to check out along the way. You never know what you might stumble across. And that’s half the fun of traveling.
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