Page 154 - Off The Tourist Trail - 1000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives (Part 2 of 2)

322 44 MORE FANTASTIC CITIES

CITIES

ABOVE Pavement cafés along Luzern’s Reuss River, with the Baroque Jesuitenkirche in the background
RIGHT Aerial View of Helsinki, with the prominent Great Church and Senate Square in the foreground

LUZERN, SWITZERLAND A town and a lake, Luzern (Lucerne in French) is quintessential HELSINKI, FINLAND Helsinki seems too quiet, too tranquil to be a capital city. Spread
Switzerland: clean, quaint, and prosperous, with clear fresh air. Half-timbered houses and across bays, peninsulas, and islands, it has one of the lowest population densities of any
ancient bridges on the Reuss River are among the sights you’ll see as you stroll around major European city. Summer is lovely here, with a full 18 hours of daylight and
the town. Visit the Picasso Museum, where most of the works on show date from the temperatures that are moderated by the sea. The city is best known for its Art Nouveau,
latter part of the artist’s life. Plenty of entertainment is laid on, too, with regular music but it’s also strong on contemporary architecture – expect clean lines. Classical
events (the town has its own orchestra) and a thriving nightlife. On Tuesdays and composer Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) is the city’s musical hero and his name is
Saturdays, market stalls line the arcaded streets of the Old Town. everywhere, but expect to hear a lot of jazz, too.

CORK, IRELAND For the independent- LIJIANG, CHINA Up near the Tibetan and TOLEDO, SPAIN There are few cities where getting lost is such a pleasure. The narrow
minded Corkonians, their hometown is a Burmese borders, Lijiang isn’t the easiest twisting streets of medieval Toledo hold delights and surprises around every corner. You
rival to Dublin, rather than standing in place to get to, but China’s best-preserved are never lost for long, however, because the rocky escarpment at the city’s edge drops
second place. A city of more than 20 ancient town repays the effort. Beneath sheer away to a meander in the Tagus River, which acts as a natural moat. Just south of
bridges, Cork has at its center a vibrant its rippling roofs, life goes on as it has for Madrid, Toledo was Spain’s first capital. Romans, Moors, Christians, and Jews have all left
and compact island full of lively pubs, hundreds of years. And the climate here their mark on the city, which is as famous for forging the swords of Latin America’s
excellent restaurants, and artistic venues. is pleasant 365 days a year. conquistadors as it is for the paintings of El Greco.

QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND SPLIT, CROATIA Whether you’re having GRONINGEN, THE NETHERLANDS
Queenstown likes to see itself as the a drink in the Peristyle café or visiting a There’s always something going on in
adventure capital of the world and, with market stall in Diocletian’s Palace, on Groningen, which is maybe why it was
some truly astounding scenery, it’s easy to every side you are surrounded by Roman voted the country’s best city center.
see why: the city lies on deep-blue Lake history. The emperor’s buildings are still Nighttimes are as good as the days –
Wakatipu, and has mountains all around. the focus of Croatia’s second city. They lie there are many romantic spots in the old
It’s popular for skiing in winter and has a beside the palm-tree-lined Riva, a town, with its cozy restaurants and cafés
real buzz in summer, when people flock pedestrianized promenade lapped by and medieval streets and squares. The
here for skidiving and white-water rafting. the Adriatic. On summer evenings, people museums here house everything from
Enjoy the local wines between adventures. gather here to stroll, to sit, and to chat. comics to cutting-edge art.

TARTU, ESTONIA The center of Estonia’s SIDI IFNI, MOROCCO This former SANTIAGO, CUBA Compact and noisy,
second city is cobblestoned, pastel- Spanish colonial outpost brought Art Santiago sizzles with heat and music. It
colored, and peppered with museums Deco to Africa, and the characteristic was here that Castro’s revolution began
and galleries. Tartu has been the country’s tiles and ironwork are on display in in 1953, with a failed attack on the
intellectual and cultural center since a many places around the city. Sidi Ifni is Moncada army barracks. Set on a
university was founded here in the early unexpectedly charming, with a big sandy beautiful bay, with a deep natural harbor,
16th century. It’s a friendly student town beach where the Atlantic pounds (expert it’s a city of narrow streets, crumbling
of inexpensive bars and restaurants, and surfers head here when the waves colonial architecture, and friendly people.
makes a convenient base for exploring really start to roll). The Sunday souk is It’s also the place to hear the most
the rest of the country. authentically African and full of music. vibrant music in Cuba.

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