Welcome back to Underrated Cities, bringing you unexpected (and occasionally controversial) ideas for your next destination.
There's nothing obvious linking this week's destinations – except for a certain joie de vivre that you can almost smell..... oh wait, that's all the delicious food these places have on offer.
Know a city that's criminally underrated and should be featured in a deeply excellent email series? Hit reply and let us know your top tip.
In the meantime, find your next destination below... |
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The traveller to Morocco usually experiences the country in three phases: the honeymoon phase, followed by borderline rage, then finally an almost reluctant love – usually sparked by visiting underrated cities like Tétouan.
After being welcomed by gleaming whitewashed villas nestled between the Rif mountains and Alboran Sea, you'll soon understand that Tétouan's beauty is more than skin-deep.
After the Christian reconquest of Al-Andalus, many of the region's Arabs fled their homes in Granada and resettled in Tétouan – which partly explains the abundance of orange trees and marble fountains, and the similarity to the Pueblos Blancos of Andalusia.
Our tip: head to the UNESCO-listed Medina, and – as we so often suggest – wander without a destination in mind. |
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OK – Vittoriosa, Senglea, and Cospicua are technically multiple cities, but the point is that they're not Valletta.
Somehow, despite being a short dgħajsa ride across Grand Harbour, they've managed to escape the cruise-ship throngs and retain their old-world charm.
At sunrise, as you navigate the labyrinthine streets between the fortifications, you'll notice that all the limestone façades are bathed in a golden light. Leaving you no choice but to kick off your day with a pastizzi and Maltese coffee while watching the world go by.
Rude not to, really.
Our tip: if you like seafood, head to Le Poisson for what some would argue is the most delicious fish in Europe.
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Find Japan on a map. Now head south and slightly west, into the ocean. Keep going, you're only at Toshima! Oh, you finally made it to Okinawa? KEEP GOING.
Eventually, just before you hit Taiwan, you're going to find Ishigaki. You're still in Japan, but this ain't Kyoto – floral shirts, folk music, and golden beaches are the vibe.
You can circumnavigate the island in as little as three hours, but there's enough here to keep you going at least a couple of weeks – and that's before you start taking ferries to smaller islands even further out.
If nothing else, it's worth the flight just for the local wagyu sushi and sweet potato tempura nom nom nom nom nom.
Our tip: at the very westernmost point of Japan, there's a cafe with the unbelievably excellent name " Moist Roll Cafe". Go there and eat a moist roll, even if it means taking the Vomit Ship from Ishigaki.
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Our rec for the Minaal gear best suited to these destinations?
You'll want to leave the heavy stuff in your room, but still have enough space for full-day (and on into the night) trips.
So of course, it's the Crossbody 2.0. |
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"Not only does the bag feel comfortable through full day nature hikes and full day city exploring, and not only does it hold everything I need it to, but I personally value the stylish look of not having loud branding all over my bags, and I also enjoy the hidden compartments.
The price of the bag is not the cheapest, but I don’t think any other crossbody manages to look this classy while not sacrificing any function or comfort.
If you value aesthetics and the price is no personal barrier, I absolutely recommend this bag."
- Zachary H. |
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Got a city you think is underrated? Hit reply!
Let's get planning,
J, D, & the Minaal team |
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