Tired of the crowds? These 15 hidden gems are even better
Sick of the crowds in Paris, Mykonos, Kyoto or San Sebastian? We have found other cities, towns and islands that may be even better than the originals.
Banning Airbnbs and cruise ships. Taxing visitor stays. Capping attendance figures. Has tourism become a dirty word in 2025? According to the UN World Tourism Organisation, there were 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals in 2024, equivalent to pre-pandemic levels. All predictions are that our wanderlust will only increase this year and beyond.
While destinations around the globe grapple with the many-headed hydra of overtourism, for travellers there’s an easy way to avoid the crowds and ease the burden on those living in the world’s most-loved destinations. Take the path less travelled, or forge your own. Tourism is a two-way street – but if the traffic gets bad, take a detour.
1. Paris
Substitute: Lyon
The post-Olympics buzz and a reborn Notre-Dame cathedral are just two of many compelling reasons why Paris is unlikely to fall out of favour any time soon. Given the City of Light already welcomes 50 million visitors a year, a fair chunk of whom flock to see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, perhaps it’s time to set your sights elsewhere. Take a two-hour fast train south to Lyon for Roman ruins, an impeccably preserved Renaissance old town and renowned gastronomy (local hero Paul Bocuse looms large). It’s a wonderful city to wander, making serendipitous discoveries such as finding flamingoes in the Tete d’Or parklands and secret traboule passageways in the Old Quarter. Gourmands should not miss the International City of Gastronomy and Wine museum, devoted to all things food-related.
Stay:La Villa Florentine on Fourviere Hill is a 17th-century Renaissance convent reborn as a 29-room Relais & Chateaux hotel.
2. Kyoto
Substitute: Kanazawa
Japan’s old imperial capital is straining under the weight of its history and beauty. Annual visitation to Kyoto has increased eight-fold since 2000 and the ancient city’s shrines and temples, geishas and gardens are now so overrun with admirers that local agency Japan Holidays reportedly paused bookings in December because, in the words of the agency’s general manager, Judy Luxton, “the numbers are hideous”. A speedy bullet train away lies Kanazawa, nicknamed Little Kyoto for its temples and teahouses where outsiders can watch geisha rituals. Once a great power to rival Kyoto and Tokyo, Kanazawa’s golden age is recalled in its castle ruins, samurai quarter and the exquisite Kenrokuen Garden.
Stay: Chaya Ryokan has Western-style rooms with traditional wooden baths and a lauded restaurant serving regional Kaga cuisine.
3. Mykonos, Santorini
Substitute: Milos
Mykonos and Santorini in high summer have become a battleground of bodies surging to the most popular sights and beaches. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who’s pledged to cap cruise-ship visits this year, says both islands are “clearly suffering”. A short hop across the Aegean lies Milos – hardly undiscovered but with more than 70 beaches, diverse villages and its own archipelago of uninhabited islands, there’s space to spread out even in the silly season. Highlights include the colourful fishing villages of Klima and Mandrakia, hilltop Plaka and remote Thiorichia Beach beside an abandoned sulphur mine.
Stay: Skinopi Lodge’s seven stone villas, modelled on traditional syrmata fishermen’s homes, cling to a secluded hillside amid olives and wild herbs.
4. Kruger National Park
Substitute: Sabi Sands or Thornybush
It’s no wonder Kruger is the most visited national park on the African continent. Its two million hectares of savannah, bushveld and mountains harbour more species than any other African national park. Hardly surprising then that entrance figures have doubled this century and scrums of safari vehicles are now common at kill sites. Base yourself instead in the neighbouring game reserves of Sabi Sands and Thornybush. There are no fences between them and Kruger, so guests at these private reserves get to see all the animals without the human onlookers. Both Thornybush and Sabi offer world-leading conservation programs, crack anti-poaching squads and some of Africa’s top guides.
Stay: All the Royal Malewane properties at Thornybush are renowned for bold designer furnishings, gastronomic dining and expert safari staff.
5. Byron Bay
Substitute: Norfolk Island
Byron’s laid-back, bohemian vibe is more myth than reality since the money moved in, sending prices sky-high and worsening congestion in the idyllic NSW beach town. But those halcyon memories endure 1400km due east of Cape Byron on Norfolk Island, where a free-spirited community of some 2000 folk lead self-sufficient lives on a breathtaking Pacific paradise. Arriving at the island’s airport, where locals greet every flight, is like stepping back to a simpler, artless time when life was unhurried and focused on the important things – eating well, enjoying nature, and swimming and surfing all year round.
Stay: The self-catering apartments at Endeavour Lodge are cantilevered over a forested gully with ocean views below and incredibly starry skies above.
6. Florence
Substitute: Bologna
Bologna offers visitors the best of both worlds. This ancient university city is just 30 minutes by train from Florence, so it couldn’t be more convenient for daytrips to the cradle of the Renaissance period and all its rich artistic and cultural history. Marvel at the glories of the Uffizi and Duomo by day, then spend evenings among the medieval towers and elegant porticos of Bologna by night, indulging in some of Italy’s finest cuisine. As the capital of Emilia-Romagna, Bologna lays claim to delicacies such as Parmigiano Reggiano, balsamic vinegar, tagliatelle al ragu (the forerunner to our spaghetti Bolognese) and arguably the country’s best gelati. Hence its nickname, La Grassa – The Fat One.
Stay: The family-run Art Hotel Orologio has individually decorated rooms with views over the central Piazza Maggiore.
7. Yellowstone
Substitute: Lassen Volcanic National Park
The summer tourism bottlenecks of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming are notorious, as is the fight to find a parking spot. If you want to be wowed by seismic wonders without the shoulder-to-shoulder shuffle, consider Lassen Volcanic National Park in northern California. Besides alpine forests, wildflower meadows and glacial canyons it offers the same thrill of hot springs, boiling mud pits and steaming fumaroles but with a fraction of Yellowstone’s crowds. Geology buffs will blow their top when they find out all four types of volcano occur here, including the world’s largest plug dome.
Stay: The seven cottages at Highlands Ranch Resort overlook meadows and mountains outside the park.
8. Amsterdam
Substitute: Antwerp
As Amsterdam authorities weigh measures to curb its plague of partygoers, nearby cultural centres are gaining attention. Over the border in Belgium, Antwerp was once Europe’s richest city, a heritage reflected in the Gothic grandeur of its 16th-century stock exchange and the marble temple of Saint Charles Borromeo Church, partly designed by Peter Paul Rubens. Antwerp’s other strong suits are art galleries, fashion and curiosities such as the wooden escalator of St Anna’s Tunnel and the World Heritage-listed Plantin-Moretus Museum tracing the history of printing. Mix in chocolate, beer and jenever (gin) bars for a vibrant city break.
Stay:De Witte Lelie’s 11 guestrooms are spread across three townhouses in the medieval centre, handy to all of Antwerp’s attractions.
9. Taj Mahal
Substitute: Kolkata’s Raj-era architecture
Every visitor to India must see the Taj Mahal, the Mughal monument of love mobbed by 50,000 admirers a day and many more at weekends. It’s the star attraction of the wildly popular Golden Triangle itinerary taking in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Overlooked but equally impressive is the faded majesty of Kolkata’s colonial architecture – including the marble confection of the Victoria and Albert Museum and Gothic masterpieces such as St Paul’s Cathedral and the High Court (where you’ll find the city’s best street food out front). Kolkata rises late, so go early for tranquil strolls around this teeming metropolis.
Stay: The gorgeous Glenburn Penthouse has grandstand views over Kolkata and an erudite owner, Husna-Tara Prakash, who leads private city excursions.
10. San Sebastian
Substitute: Pamplona
Few places take gastronomy as seriously as Spain’s Basque Country and none more so than the multi-Michelin-starred resort town of San Sebastian, famed for its high-concept pintxos (tapas) and, more recently, for the tourist-clogged streets of its Parte Vieja, or old town. Just an hour south, Pamplona takes its pintxos just as seriously (there’s even an annual festival) but still flies under the radar of many food lovers. Start in Estafeta street and follow the Spanish revellers around the traps for a more authentic taste of the Basque txikiteo, or tapas crawl. For local insights, book a foodie tour.
Stay: The riverside Hotel Alma is an oasis of modern art and architecture serving outstanding Navarran cuisine on the city’s leafy outskirts.
11. Dubai
Substitute: Muscat
Dubai’s heady mix of glitz and excess is not everyone’s cup of mint tea but that didn’t stop the desert state luring a record 17 million tourists in 2024. For a more genuine introduction to Arabian hospitality and culture, opt for Oman and the whitewashed whimsy of its capital Muscat. This skyscraper-free city is a fantasy of cubes, domes and minarets tucked into mountain folds beside the Arabian Sea. Wander the perfumed labyrinth of Mutrah Souq, sample dishes from across the Indian Ocean region and dive deeper into this fascinating country on camel safaris and dhow rides with dolphins on the Musandam Peninsula.
Stay:The Chedi Muscat, one of the capital’s pioneering five-star hotels, has its own beach club and 103m pool.
12. Iceland
Substitute: Greenland
Iceland is the victim of its own successful campaign to encourage stopovers on transatlantic flights. The tiny Nordic nation of 400,000 now sees more than two million annual arrivals and neither the airport and roads nor the attractions are fit for the onslaught. Arctic enthusiasts should head next door to Greenland. Iceland is impressively beautiful but Greenland is like visiting another world. Besides polar bears, calving glaciers, crayon-coloured coastal towns and mind-boggling icebergs, it offers whale watching, hiking and rich insights into Inuit culture.
Stay: Book a week-long voyage aboard Sarfaq Ittuk, Greenland’s passenger ferry connecting isolated west-coast communities between Ilulissat and Qaqortoq.
13. Bali
Substitute: Sumba
The island of the gods has gone to the dogs since Australians first heeded its siren call in the 1970s. Temple serenity has given way to traffic gridlock, rice paddies to rampant development, and that first trickle of travellers has swelled to more than a million Australian holidaymakers annually. No place can replicate Bali but you can find sun, surf and the sort of low-key island vibes it once offered on Sumba, an hour’s flight east. This untouched island has its own intriguing religious practices, empty beaches, untamed nature and cultural touchpoints in everything from houses to horses.
Stay: The ultra-luxury resort NIHI almost singlehandedly put Sumba on the map. Guest stays support the NIHI Foundation’s work improving local health, education and employment.
14. Mexico City
Substitute: Guadalajara
The Mexican capital is a carnival of attractions ranging from precolonial history to a thriving arts scene and sophisticated cuisine, but its once-hip barrios like Roma and Condesa no longer feel like undiscovered gems. For an untarnished experience of Mexico – minus the hordes of Americans – put Guadalajara on the list. The birthplace of mariachi music, sombreros and tequila, the capital of Jalisco state is quintessentially Mexican. Its historic centre brims with impressive colonial buildings and lively restaurants serving local specialities such as birria stew and tortas ahogadas, slow-cooked pork rolls drenched in spicy sauce. Nearby, the tiered pyramids of Guachimontones are unique in the world.
Stay: The 37-room Casa Habita in up-and-coming Lafayette offers a restaurant and rooftop spa in a converted Art Deco mansion and contemporary extension.
15. Istanbul
Substitute: Nowhere else is worthy
Glorious Istanbul, the glittering prize of empires, is irreplaceable. Nowhere can rival its kaleidoscope of wonders, its cultural richness or the exhilarating energy of standing at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. By all means visit blockbuster attractions such as Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and Basilica Cistern but make time, too, to roam the streets collecting vignettes of Istanbul life.
Stay:The Peninsula recently opened on the Bosphorus, part of a transformation of what was the city’s red light district into shops, art galleries and a new luxury 177-guestroom hotel.
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