It's even better after dark
 

Apologies for the title (ok, not really). It's sort of like one of those $10,000 Pyramid categories.

I've read a number of posts over the years where a small town is asked about, regarding a planned day trip. Posters respond mentioning how much the place changes after all the day trippers go home. Capri, Bruges, San Gimignano are places I've seen mentioned.

<b>The question:</b> What small places take on a completely different character at night, and are worth staying over instead of day-tripping?

Ok, it's a boredom post, but maybe worth compiling for some future someone, or for each other? Hopefully it beats bickering.

My own case would be Cobh, Ireland.

...because the bused in tourists from all the nations...go away to their &quot;tour&quot; hotels...

that's how I heard it

Venice is so very beautiful during daylight, but it takes on another time and place feeling at night. To me there is nothing to compare to sitting at a table in San Marco with a drink, beautiful music, and stars shining over the church.

Speaking of Venice. What is the name of the restaurant on the water's edge in the film, &quot;The Comfort of Strangers?&quot;

Mont St. Michel comes to minds. When the buses leave and the sun starts to set over the tidal pool. . . . ahhhh.

Brian

Clifton:

My Final Answer: The Fodors Europe Board

Did I win?

Good Night,
Oaktown Traveler

Easy: Sarlat. It's lit up at night with gas lights, as it was during the 17th and 18th centuries, and is SO different from daytime because of that, it's gorgeous.

Many films were made there because of that and the lovely architecture, especially the lauze rooftops.

Ahh cigale, I loved that movie!
But I don't know the answer:)

I think Oaktown might have the winning answer~

Glad to know you know that film, scarllet, like &quot;Dont'look now&quot; shows, the night side of Venice.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

I went there 12 years ago, and spent several hours there around the middle of the day. Despite it being crammed wall to wall (literally - it's a walled town!) with hordes and hordes of coach travellers, I was impressed.

So much so, that I revisited it only a few months ago. This time I stayed overnight. As I sat in a leafy corner of the main square nursing a stein, I became aware that the scene was gradually changing. The coach tourists were melting away and the locals - from schoolkids to shoppers to social gatherers - were coming out. This time I was more than impressed - by the end of the transition Rothenburg had taken on a magically real (does that make sense?) that hadn't been there earlier in the day or 12 years before.

I think that most wonderful cities in this world take on a different look after dark.

However, I have to agree that the Grand Canal in Venice is totally different at night, rather than during the day. Just sit at any quiet spot and watch the lone gondola go gliding by as you see it's reflection in the light on the quiet, calm water. It's certainly different than the daytime traffic of the vaporetto and various merchant traffic.

In addition, sitting on any patio or in most campo's can also afford the silence of hearing a pin drop after 9 p.m. Something which you can be hard pressed to hear in any other major city in this world.

Venice gets my vote, although I'm sure there are many other amazing cities that are far different after dark.

Mont St. Michel, Carcassonne, St. Emilion, Rothenburg a/d Tober, Beynac...almost any site that is over-run by tourists in the daytime is totally different after the tours depart.

Thank you all for your well thought out answers. I enjoy thinking about how a future trip might lay out and how to work around the crowds. Mostly, I just enjoy a discussion from which I can learn something.

After I posted, I guess I did realize that the obvious answer was &quot;everywhere tourists go&quot;. :) But I hadn't thought of applying to question to the forum itself. hehe Clever.

I have to say Venice. A late night run through the city and across the small canal bridges is a truly amazing experience...

San Gimingnano -- because of the daytripping tourists. It's so peaceful when they leave.
((c))

Venice and Vegas off the top of my head. Strange juxtaposition...

Andre

I don't think I've spent too much time at mainly tourist towns or attractions, which is where this would most apply.

One of your mentions, though, Bruges, is a place I stayed at several days. Sure, it's different at night because the day tourists are gone, but there's nothing about it that is so wonderful at night that I can recall where I thought I sure was glad I was there to see it at night.

Paris is enchanting at night....especially walking along the Champs-Elysees with its shops ablaze with lights and shoppers galore. Then out of the blue, the lights start flashing and going up and down the Eiffel Tower. It is truly a spectacular light show! I was mesmerized by the display, as were the group of giggling Japanese tourists behind me. We were all snapping photos as fast as we could! It was a beautiful sight, that unfortunately, couldn't be accurately depicted on film. The Eiffel Tower &quot;show&quot; came on ~ 9:00 pm. I was hoping that this was a nightly occurrence, the same time, every night; however, the next night it came on ~8:15 pm. If you ever happen to be out and about in Paris at night, look towards the Eiffel Tower - you might be surprised with a random light show!

Any of the Greek islands visited by cruise ships.

Trier. Seeing the Porta Nigra in the dead of night in a cold rain turning to a snow flurry - well, that was my idea of &quot;brooding&quot; and &quot;moody&quot;.