This Is Europe’s Best Ci ty You’ve Never Heard Of

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Hello all,

Andrew Kirell here filling in this week for our globe-trotting travel editor William O’Connor. I’m a senior editor at The Daily Beast overseeing our media coverage, but I often write about two of my biggest pastimes: traveling and eating.

When I travel, I like to find the underrated or under-discussed—at least by American standards—places that exist in the shadows of more famous destinations. It’s why I love reading our It’s Still a Big World series.

Earlier this year, for example, during a trip to Barcelona I spent a few days out on the Costa Brava, finding something special among the sunflower fields and myriad tiny beaches tucked far away from town centers. I didn’t get the chance to write about it, but I did have the more recent opportunity to visit and write about a European city that a friend pitched to me as an under-heralded “food gem.” As it turns out, after visiting Aarhus, Denmark, I can safely say it’s more than just that: It’s the best European city you’ve never heard of. The food scene is, indeed, outstanding, but the small city of 350,000 and its surrounding region offers a tantalizing smorgasbord for art, design, and history lovers. It’s a fantastic city to pair with its big sister Copenhagen or visit on its own. I know I’ll be back one day.

Speaking of lesser-known destinations, check out Adrienne Jordan’s dispatch from St. Eustatius, an off-the-map Caribbean island that is a secret diving and hiking mecca.

For years, the D.C. restaurant scene was unfairly stereotyped as being mostly dull power lunch spots and steakhouses, but the city has completely shed that reputation and proven itself a formidable food destination. Nevin Martell has the authoritative “Eat Sheet” on where to dine in the District.

And of course, you cannot have “underrated” without “overrated,” and Stacey Lastoe boldly writes what may come as a surprise to many readers: Machu Picchu isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be.

–Andrew Kirell, Senior Editor

P.S.—I plan to travel to Japan in December. Drop me a note with some tips on the more underrated things I need to see or eat!

This Is Europe’s Best City You’ve Never Heard Of

Don’t sleep on this European destination, which has a population of 350,000 but packs a major cultural punch—whether its food, art, history, or design.

This Little-Known Caribbean Island Is a Diver’s Paradise

Most people I spoke with before my trip had never heard of the off-the-map island, but it is fantastic for the adventurous.

Our Tips on Where to Eat in Washington, D.C.

The capital city may be the center of the political world, but it wasn’t for food. Now, it’s full of delicious offerings.

Peru’s Most Popular Attraction Isn’t Always Its Best

I’ve always felt guilty admitting that I found Machu Picchu itself underwhelming.

“[W]hat I was left with after we’d journeyed back down to the tourist town at the base, where I had roughly four hours to reflect on the experience before boarding the train back, was the stunning realization that my initial impression hadn’t been wrong, immature, or lacking. It had simply been honest.”

— Stacey Lastoe on feeling guilty at being underwhelmed by Peru’s most famous attraction.

General Lachlan McIntosh House, Savannah, GA (Vrbo): People say not to judge a book by its cover, but we all know this maxim isn’t entirely realistic. Who can resist the pull of first impressions? Most things in life are like Christmas presents: unless your family really gets you wrong—and that’s on you if you forgot to send “Santa” your list—the gift inside will be just what you wanted. But it’s even sweeter when it comes wrapped in beautiful paper and a flurry of ribbons and bows.

Our feelings on this very important matter of judging things at first sight definitely extends to vacation rentals, and may we just say, what a pretty package this chic Georgia peach comes in. The black and white scheme, the wrought-iron wrapped balcony, the feeling of the French countryside—::chef’s kiss::—we can’t get enough.

Book Your Stay: General Lachlan McIntosh House, Savannah, GA: $1,150/night via Vrbo

Don’t miss previous OMG, I Want to Rent This House posts, which spotlight the most spectacular and unique homes that you can actually stay in. Check out the full archives.

See the Coolest New Buildings From Japanese Architects

To say that contemporary Japanese architecture is cool would be an understatement—it might just be the world’s coolest. The face of the country’s building designs is Tadao Ando, one of the world’s most sought after starchitects. A total of seven of its architects have won the Pritzker and its architects’ designs, both at home and abroad, remain some of the most cutting edge, creative, and beautiful globally. It’s no surprise, then, we'd like to highlight Contemporary Japanese Architecture for Just Booked, our series on exciting travel-related coffee table books.

Edited by Philip Jodidio, the extra-large tome hops around Japan and around the globe, from France to the U.S. to China, to introduce readers to some of the more spectacular recent buildings from Japanese architects. There’s the Mount Fuji World Heritage Center by Sigeru Ban, with its mesmerizing wood lattice inverted cone that graces the book’s cover, or the totally unexpected Mosaic Tile Museum from Terunobu Fujimori that looks like a giant earthwork with an almost giggle-inducing fringe of pine trees running along its edges.

Don’t miss our other selections for our series on gorgeous travel-related coffee table books, Just Booked.

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