There is a acquainted sample in tourism. Everybody stampedes in the direction of the largest and best-known metropolis, then that will get overcrowded, so the savvy travellers look to the second metropolis. Alas, that usually will get deluged too, as once-hip Porto, Antwerp and Barcelona can testify. So why not look slightly additional alongside the road to the cool third cities which are eagerly awaiting their second within the highlight?
Valencia
The place? Spain
Photograph: iStock
The religious house of paella has loads of heritage – the central market and cathedral are beautiful. However Valencia is carving out a distinct segment for contemporary structure, with the Metropolis of Arts and Sciences offering daring structure and a sequence of museums and cultural sights. That is additionally a seaside metropolis – the large, large, promenade-backed Playa de la Malvarossa is the perfect spot for swimming, sunbathing and people-watching.
Durban
The place? South Africa
Photograph: iStock
Durban provides one thing that Johannesburg and Cape City cannot – miles and miles of Indian Ocean seashores. There are additionally robust Zulu and Indian influences. If you happen to head downtown, attempt some bunny chow – successfully a curry in a bread bowl. Durban’s fundamental sights – the uShaka Marine World Aquarium and Umgeni River Hen Park are pretty generic wildlife parks. However the Kwa Muhle Museum provides a riveting perception into native historical past, and the way the forerunner of the Apartheid system was trialled in Durban. See visitdurban.journey
Ghent
The place? Belgium
Photograph: iStock
Prettier than each Brussels and Antwerp, Ghent manages to retain a way of realness by the canals. It’s a hotbed of vegan eating, whereas the tenth century Gravensteen Citadel could as nicely have come straight from the kids’s story books. There are additionally good-looking cathedrals and church buildings, however it is a metropolis made for mooching in-between ridiculously potent beers. See go to.gent.be
Chicago
The place? USA
Photograph: iStock
Sorry New York and LA, you simply do not look as cool as Chicago does. Right here, the skyscrapers soar up across the Chicago River because the El trains rattled round overhead on raised tracks.
Chicago additionally retains the large metropolis power whereas ditching the angle. It is merely a enjoyable metropolis to hang around in. Key issues to tick off the checklist embrace a go to to the Second Metropolis Comedy Membership, big dino encounters on the Area Museum, seeing world class outside artwork installations in Millennium Park and ogling the gleaming towers on an structure cruise. See choosechicago.com
Haiphong
The place? Vietnam
Photograph: Alamy
Haiphong feels much more relaxed than Ho Chi Minh Metropolis and Hanoi, and nonetheless has loads of French colonial affect within the boulevards and buildings. There is a robust café tradition, too, which is simply as nicely given it is a metropolis for hanging out in quite than charging round vacationer sights. It is arguably finest used as a gateway to Cat Ba Island, a wildlife-packed nature reserve, nevertheless.
See Vietnam.journey
Vancouver
The place? Canada
Photograph: iStock
Toronto and Montreal could prime Vancouver on inhabitants, however they do not on pure magnificence. Vancouver is famously ‘good’, with a stroll or cycle across the Seawall of Stanley Park the compulsory introduction to town. However that may be adopted up by taking the dinky little ferries to the Granville Island Market, wobbling on the forest-surrounded Capilano Suspension Bridge and tasting craft beers in historic Gastown. See destinationvancouver.com
Lyon
The place? France
Photograph: iStock
Paris and Marseille could also be greater, however Lyon has carved out a distinct segment as France’s culinary capital. That is finest explored within the many, many eating places, however the Cité Worldwide de la Gastronomie is an interactive museum dedicated to all issues meals. In the meantime, the Musée des Confluences majors in anthropology, whereas the Roman theatre is the largest of a number of hints at a Roman previous. See en.lyon-france.com
Fortaleza
The place? Brazil
Photograph: iStock
Few cities are as beach-focused as Fortaleza, Brazil’s third-largest metropolis after Sao Paulo and Rio. 5km lengthy Praia do Futuro is arguably essentially the most spectacular of those seashores, however there are dozens to select from. On the healthful, educative aspect, the Centro Cultural Dragão do Mar brings artwork and insights into conventional life in north-eastern Brazil. See visitbrasil.com
Naples
The place? Italy
Photograph: iStock
Naples would not have the historical past of Rome or the artwork and elegance of Milan, however it greater than makes up for that with fiery character. There is no scarcity of grand, monumental buildings, with the fearsome Castel Novo now internet hosting an artwork gallery and the Royal Palace displaying off lushly-decorated flats. However the persona comes from the meals scene – that is the house of pizza – and the looming volcanic backdrop supplied by Mt Vesuvius. See visitnaples.eu
Brisbane
The place? Queensland
Photo: iStock
Australia’s personal third metropolis is confidently blasting its manner out of Sydney and Melbourne’s shadow – not least by securing the 2032 Olympics. The laneway scene within the CBD and Fortitude Valley brings the cool, however Brisbane is at its finest as an outside metropolis. The person-made seaside on the Southbank, the Botanic Gardens on the tip of the CBD and the strolling route alongside the river make for an ideal introduction. See visitbrisbane.com.au
Disclosure: David Whitley has been the visitor of native vacationer boards in Brisbane, Chicago, Vancouver and Ghent.
See additionally: The ten bizarre capital cities you did not find out about
See additionally: 10 large cities you’ve got by no means heard of
