by Karen Bryan

Created on: January 12, 2007   Last Updated: November 23, 2009

When I travel in Europe I want to get some flavour of my destination, not just be another tourist among the tourist throng, lurching from one tourist trap to the next. When I say getting off the beaten track I don't mean roughing it half way up a mountain. I mean thinking about a destination that will offer what you want, just not so full of tourists, over priced and over commercialised, I'll give you some examples.

The budget airlines choice of obscure and/or distant airports can sometimes work to your advantage. The low cost carrier Ryanair uses Bergamo Orio al Serio as their Milan airport. Bergamo is lovely city, with a hilltop walled medieval old town, a one euro bus ride from the airport. Also easily reached in under an hour from Bergamo is the less well known Lake Iseo. The largest lake island in Europe, Monte Isola, lies in the middle of the lake. There are pretty towns and villages connected by a ferry service dotted around the lake. It is not so expensive and crowded here as at the better know lakes such as Garda and Como.

Lubeck in northern Germany is a great short break destination, It is a Hanseatic city, encircled by a river and canal. The old town is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The town hall dates from the 13th century. The Puppet Museum is great for kids. The coastal resort of Travemunde lies just north of Lubeck. Ryanair use Lubeck Blankensee as their Hamburg airport.

In the UK Edinburgh is one of the most popular destinations. However I would suggest trying Stirling, situated between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Stirling has a castle, the Wallace Monument and the site of the Wallace Monument. Dundee, around 40 miles north of Edinburgh, is another alternative. Dundee has undergone quite a transformation in the last few years with development of the quayside on the Tay Estuary. There are great shops, the Discovery Centre, home of the ship Discovery used to transport Scott's ill fated Anatartic Expedition and the Verdant Works, an award winning industrial heritage museum. There's also the beach and castle at nearby Broughty Ferry.

I hope that I have illustrated the advantages of choosing a less well known destination in Europe and that you'll think about choosing one for a future trip.

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