yeah i wouldn't really call Burano hidden either. Or Murano. Both are wonderful though!

Cinque Terre: I live there and I can say that is one of the best places in Italy. But don't come during summer but in march, april, september, when the crowd has gone and you'll find 5 jems!! <BR>Levanto, where I live is 5 minutes from the 5 villages and is known less than the 5 terre, while it is a very nice town (5000 inhabitants). 5 Terre and Levanto are in the northern part of Italy, between Genova and La Spezia. Search on www.cinqueterreonline.com more info. <BR>Ciao from Italy a great ciao to all american people and excuse me for my bad american!!!

Thanks about Cinque Terre. I figured it had become less of a hidden treasure since so many people have been traveling there recently, but some of my friends who went there really loved it. other good italian beach towns? have you been to Sirolo? I loved that beach.

I don't know what qualifies as best. There are beach towns, hill towns, and countryside villages troughout Europe, each with unique charm. For a charming out of the way day trip from Helsinki, we loved Porvoo.

My favourites are the Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera. <BR>Visit the following websites: <BR>www.villamargherita.net <BR>www.ciaotraveler.com <BR>www.cinqueterreonline.com

Anyone been to Copenhagen? would this qualify as out of the way?

Well, we need to mention one in Holland-its the Frisian Islands- both Texel and Terschelling are wonderful- only been to Terschelling so far- see www.terschelling.net for photos and Info. Beautiful 400 year old Lighthouse - many painting of it are made- its still operational- there is a windmill/pub, there are black Frisian horses you can rent and ride on the beach, there are bike trails through a pine tree forest taking you out onto a white sand beach looking Northward on the North Sea. The town is darling, and quaint with great food and darling stores! Stay in a Nazi bunker turned into rooms to rent!

Topping for Jackie... (I thought I did this last night, but I guess that I didn't). <BR>

For those interested in Orvieto, it has wonderful little wine shops, ceramics, (Orvieto wines are especially good), and an underground tour of the caves carved out of the tufa - wine or oil used to be produced in these caves - the tourist office has tours info. There's a wonderful procession on Corpus Domini too with medieval costumes... the huge black and white church has a special location for the miracle of the wafer that bled for the doubting priest...Civitavecchia is not far away - a wonderful tiny town on an eroding bluff...read Rick Steve's for more...

If you're visiting Normandy, try Port-en-Bessin. A fishing village on the coast with a quiet ambiance and wonderful camembert. Interesting remains of german coastal batteries too.

This is a really neat thread. I hope you travelers will add your selections and keep it going. It is great information for planning further trips. <BR>My selections: <BR> <BR>Glorenza/Glurns, Italy: As close to seeing how people lived in a little medival, walled village as you will find. Very little has changed. Probably BEACAUSE it is off the beaten path. <BR> <BR>Asolo, Italy: Charming! Just charming. <BR> <BR>Muggia, Italy: Delightful ancient little fishing village 12 Kilometers from Trieste. <BR> <BR>Brancion, France: A tiny Romanesque, Hillside Village in Burgandy. The frescoes in the little twelfth-century church are just beautiful. Chances are, are you will have the place to yourself. Beautiful countryside getting there. <BR> <BR>Paimpol, France (Brittany): Another charming ancient fishing village. Wander the streets/shops; take a boat to Ile de Brehat for a picnic. <BR> <BR>Koszeg, Hungary: Intact little, walled medieval village. Go down into the wine coop and have a glass of local red from the ancient stone recepticle from which it is poured. <BR> <BR>Telc, Czek Republic: Another vote for this quaint village with its historic, false-front center. <BR> <BR>Viseby, Sweden (Gotland Island): Walled village, medival architecture, fun harbor scene, Roman ruins, great restaurants and cafes; total enjoyment. <BR> <BR>Burg Eltz, Germany (Above the Mosel River): My favorite Castle in Europe. <BR> <BR>Ambleside, England (Lake District): Not strictly "out-of-the-way", but I love this little lakeside village. Stay at the B&B, The Old Vickerage; have the trout at the Ambleside Bistro. <BR> <BR>The Antrim Coast in Northern Ireland: One of the most beautiful drives in the world. <BR> <BR>Pluscarden Abbey, Scotland (Highlands, near Elgin): The serenity of this wonderous place is unbelievable. Take in the nearby Whisky Trail if you go. <BR> <BR>Pisac, Peru: Not european, I know, but the perfect example of what I always imagined a "Market" should look like. In the Urabamba Valley an easy drive from Cuszco. <BR> <BR>Merida, Mexico (Yucatan Penninsula): A marvelous, small, Mayan City. Quaint, great restaurants, lovely plazas, markets, continuous music and festivity, and wonderful colonial hotels to enjoy. Easy access to Uxmal and Chichen Itza from here. <BR> <BR>There are more, but I better quit. I am really looking forward to your entries. <BR> <BR>

my favorite thus far from this last <BR>year is a place called TAORMINA <BR>in sicily...anyone else been there? <BR>thanks sue <BR>

I'd have to agree with the last poster--Taormina is beautiful, but is probably the most visited area in Sicily. We stayed in a little town called Enna on our way to Palermo--very rich in Sicilian history and breath-taking views since it is located on a mountain-top. We did not see any tourists here.

Planfoy France. My daughter stayed with a family there as an exchange student for a year. It looked very much like the town in the movie "Chocolate". When I visited, her host mother was gracious enough to take me on a drive thru the Parc Pilat, just full of those tiny towns. Each one as charming as the next.

BRIGADOON, Lassie!

I really find it hard to believe that someone mentioned Hallstatt, Austria as being "out of the way" or "off the beaten path". It is one of my favorite places, but VERY touristy.Someone else mentioned the place I thought of, and that is Landshut, Germany. Great village with very few tourists, and close to my favorite tiny,tiny village of Oberkollnbach. Staying at my friends Gasthof in Oberkollnbach is always the highlight of our trips to Europe. Say "hello" to Herr Josef Lehner at the familie Gasthof Lehner in Oberkollnbach.

Bomarzo, Italy near Viterbo. Loved the Park of the Monsters & was very surprised to see NO North Americans & very few non-Italians at all. <BR>BC

I was going to say Merano and Asolo, but Alan and Joe beat me to it. Oh well. <BR> <BR>Number 3 on the hidden hit parade is Chinon, in the Loire valley. Not well known outside Europe. Gigantic ruined castle broods over the town. Medieval town with all the modern conveniences. Great area to bike thru vineyards, see old chateaux, and hang out with friendly locals. Good food, too.

I havenot travelled many countries because of time and finances, but i will mention Beaudec in the camargue in France. The wild white horses, the black bulls, the pink plamingos, all things I have not sen in Boston and itssurrounding area. <BR>Wales, Snowdonia, watching all those climbers looking like specks of color dotting those black mountains.But for me the thrill was going to the sheep dog trails with the famous pooch, Jaffrey that year

Great thread! <BR> <BR>It's not exactly "hidden," but St. Gallen, Switzerland, one hour by train from Zurich, is a lovely mid-sized town with fabulous baroque cathedral and library, interesting early medieval history, great restaurants and pretty architecture. <BR> <BR>It makes a good base for exploring the Apfenzell area, and is a welcome change from the bigger touristy cities.

My favorite little European town is St. Cirque La Popie in France. It's on a bluff overlooking a river and surrounded by fields. The buildings are all stone with red tile roofs. You have to park just outside the town and walk in, but that's easy to do because it only comprises a few blocks.

1.Lanciano, Abruzze, Italy-the Adriatic in front, the mountains of the Abruzzo National Park behind <BR>2. Blue Hill, Maine- still quaint, in a genuine way, good bookstores, restuarants and ocean views <BR>3. Dunoon, Scotland (offseason only) -across from Glasgow on the ferry-if Brigadoon really existed it migh look something like this... all misty ocean views and real fish and chip shops and bakeries with all those brightly coloured, genuine Scottish baked goods from my childhood, try the Paul Jones Pub, too, for a real pint. <BR>

One of the highlights of my last trip to the UK was the little town of Rye - there are tourists, but we didn't meet any American tourists. A very quaint, interesting town.

Dear Jacks: There is a little seaside resort on the coast of Portugal called Nazare that I think is both out of the way and enchanting. Many Portugese come here on vacation, so it is not isolated. But when I was there I met not one American tourist. Cheers!

Fodors <BR> <BR>Readers of this forum tend to think of west Europe -- almost as if their travel agents have read no further since the Cold War ended. Central Europe lies a few hours by train from Berlin and Vienna, and has much to offer: detail is scattered around http://www.lonelyplanet.com, then Thorn Tree, then Eastern and Central Europe. <BR> <BR>So I congratulate people here who have listed good spots in central Europe, and agree with them. <BR>Poland Zakopane (but it's well known) and Kazimierz Dolny <BR>Czech Republic Cesky Krumlov, Kutna Hora, and Telc <BR>Hungary Koszeg <BR>Slovenia Pirano. <BR> <BR>I'll have a go myself. Each city is well known in its own country <BR>The medieval walled city, home of Copernicus, Torun, Poland <BR>Ceske Budejovice, both for itself and as base for a week's trips an hour away to medieval, baroque and ninettenth century cities (including Cesky Krumlov), towns, art galleries, hills, and a carp lake. <BR>Keszthely on Lake Balaton in Hungary: Baroque town with two good museums and street music at open air restaurant tables <BR>Levoca in Slovakia. Gothic church and baroque city centre in walled town <BR>Sibiu in Transylvania, Romania, a sleeping car night away from Vienna. Walled baroque city, fine buildings and art gallery, splendid hotel, the Roman Emperor. <BR> <BR>Please write if I can help further. <BR> <BR>Ben Haines, London

Lynn, I am with you regarding Rye. What a lovely place. I had the chance to discover it years ago, when I lived in London for a year. We stayed at a small B&B and the early morning tea was served to the room. I really enjoyed that. Does that still exist?

Hi Ursula, <BR> <BR>We stayed in a B&B in Dover and were served early morning tea in our room, too. What a lovely way to start the day, isn't it? We also have visited Rye (several times)...there is a little restaurant in the middle of the High Street that serves yummy donuts with caramel on top...mmmmmmmmm! And the antique stores.....I could spend hours in each one. Rye was also one of our favorite towns.

We stayed at Jeakes House Hotel - a lovely B&B right in the center of town. I highly recommend it!

Budapest is not out of the way, but it and Prague are my favorites. San Marino is a small country atop a hill in Tuscany. Worth the trip.

When we were in Europe last year we stayed six days in Couliere, France. Down on the southern Med. about 25 miles from Spanish border. Very laid back. Lovely little town

We also enjoyed Colliere France (Southeast coast of France about 1 hour from the Spanish border and Pyrennes). It has a charming setting on the water, beaches, and an interesting old walled town. Many of the early french impressionists came to paint in this idyll setting and it is also a home to alot of present day artists. <BR> <BR>Also liked Soglio in southern Switzerland, near the Italian border. Small narrow streets with wonderful mountains in the background. Ideal for hiking.

Barbara and Karen, not to be snotty or play "spelling police," but just in case someone wants to look it up, I think you mean Collioure.

Puigcerda, Ripoll, Seu d'Urgell, other villages in the Pyrenees in Catalonia (Spain).

a few beautiful places I've been to (without seeing any Americans) and are accessible include Cadiz Spain (great archeological museum), Costa Brava on the Mediterranean near Barcelona, Capadoccia Turkey, and Brugge Belguim.

I don't know how "out of the way" this is but I and my wife absolutely loved Bruges, Belgium. We have spent approx. 50 days travelling Europe and this has been the most charming city we have seen.

Found great old thread.

My vote would be for Vienna.

Briancon, France, located in the Hautes Alpes, close to the Italian border, about 75 mi. from Turin and ~80 mi. from Grenoble. Population of about 10,000 and has a fortified old town section that dates from medieval times. There are charming facades, churches, shops and restaurants. It is part of the Serre Chevalier ski domaine and is equally known for its summer sports. My family and I spent a week there in winter, 2000; it is one of the few traditional ski areas in France and has much to recommend it, a contrast to the concrete monolith purpose-built ski resorts elsewhere in the Fr.Alps. The hearty mountain food could not be more different from "nouvelle cuisine"! And to top it all, it boasts over 300 days of sunshine per year! A real gem in the Alps! (Olympics trivia: former skier, Luc Alphand, comes from a nearby village and now runs a microbrewery there with his family)

Comments on some of the above: We found Gaeta, Italy to be full of lots of high-rise hotels on the beach. Continue North, up the coast a few more miles to Sperlonga. Very low-key beach resort, too cold to swim last May (though there were some swimmers) but great sun and uncrowded. Also there's an Old Town up on the hill. <BR><BR>Taormina (2 yrs ago April) we also found crowded and our tiny car got stuck on a tiny street. Instead we high=tailed out to Mt Etna and stayed at a hotel/hostel at the volcano (which has since been lava'd over.) Busloads of tourists come during the day but at night it was quiet and beautiful. There is another hotel up there.

I visit a friend in northern Italy as often as I can. Not nearly as often as I would like. We visit with her friends and family who take great joy in showing us new places. We also visit some on our own. One favorite that for some reason does not seem to be on the tour bus route is the beautiful city of Mosaics, Ravenna. Mosaics from 4th and 5th centuries. It seems to have mostly European tourists. <BR><BR>Another gem is the city of Oderzo. It is northeast of Venice. Lots of frescoes on the outsides of buildings. Charming city for walking. At one time this was the crossroads of north-south and east-west trading routes.<BR>Two very special places for me and I hope for you.