It happens quite often. You visit a city praised in superlatives, and somehow it doesn't really work. Yes, the famous landmarks are there, just like in the pictures, but something is missing. The atmosphere.

Maybe it's because atmosphere is a rare commodity. And rare things usually require effort. Finding a truly interesting place is a bit like looking for a hidden treasure – you have to be willing to search for it.

Learning to Look Differently

The person who probably shaped my love for travel the most was my grandfather. He had far fewer options than we do today, yet he was a true explorer at heart. He understood a simple truth: the most fascinating places are often much closer than we think. You just have to know how to look.

One summer, during holidays spent with my grandparents, he took us to a small, overlooked town in northern Czechia called Úštěk. I had never heard of it before, yet I was immediately fascinated.

Years passed. My grandparents are no longer with us, and for a long time I forgot about Úštěk. When I finally returned many years later, I was even more impressed. I later brought friends there – experienced travelers, some of whom had seen large parts of the world. They were all enthusiastic. And yet, almost none of them had ever heard of the town before.

How is that possible? In a relatively small country, right in the heart of Europe?

Truly interesting cities are rarely found by following lists — they are discovered by learning how to look differently.

Why Travel Lists Keep Repeating the Same Places

Just like radio stations keep playing the same hits and gradually shape our musical taste, travel recommendations work in a very similar way. Ask friends, browse social media, or search online, and you will usually receive the same familiar suggestions. People recommend what was recommended to them before.

This time, however, we are not traveling according to a playlist. We want to visit cities that are genuinely interesting, but not overcrowded. That means stepping out of the recommendation machinery and starting to think differently about how we choose our destinations.

What Usually Makes the "Must-See" Lists

Most travel lists are dominated by large capitals and global icons: Paris, London, Rome, Prague, Amsterdam, along with undeniable classics like Venice or Florence. Alongside them, the lists often include visually striking landmarks – places that impressed someone at a certain point and have been repeated ever since.

Castles such as Neuschwanstein in Bavaria or Pena Palace in Sintra appear in almost every guidebook. Both are impressive 19th-century creations, visually stunning and instantly recognisable.

Yet in their shadow remain many other places – quieter, less promoted, but often far more rewarding.

Do Hidden Cities Have Anything in Common?

So how do you find underrated cities? Are there any shared characteristics?

It is difficult to generalise, but certain patterns do appear – especially in Europe. European history is turbulent. Wars, political upheavals, industrial revolutions and ideological shifts have repeatedly reshaped the continent. The places we are looking for often share one thing: they managed to surf these historical waves without being completely rewritten.

Continuity: The Quiet Power of Time

One of the key qualities of truly interesting cities is continuity. A simple but telling joke illustrates this perfectly. An American farmer admires the flawless lawn surrounding an English manor and asks how it is done. The owner replies: water it, fertilise it, mow it regularly – and do so for about 300 years.

That is exactly how great cities are formed. Continuity may seem ordinary, but over time it produces extraordinary results.

In the 13th century, large numbers of towns were founded in what is now Czechia. Even small towns were designed generously, with spacious squares, churches and town halls. Their builders understood that progress might be slow. Prosperity alternated with wars and epidemics. St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague took almost 600 years to complete. It took time – but the result speaks for itself.

Organic Development vs. Sudden Transformation

History is not a peaceful boat ride on a lake; it is more like crossing a stormy ocean. For a hidden gem, it matters whether a city was able to respond to historical shocks organically.

A town that was entirely rebuilt in the 19th century due to coal mining, whose population multiplied within a few decades, may still exist under the same name – but with a completely different identity.

Similarly, places that suffered a deep decline and were later "revived" primarily for tourism can feel more like stage sets than living cities.

A Simple Test That Often Works

There is one surprisingly reliable sign that you are in a city worth visiting.

As you walk through it, you catch yourself thinking: I could live here. It feels pleasant and natural. The city functions as a place for everyday life, not as a performance for visitors. Locals seem connected to it. There is no exaggerated show for tourists, no forced attractions, no neglected no-go zones. Things simply work.

A Quiet Conclusion

Finding such cities is not impossible – but it requires time, experience and sensitivity. Lists alone are not enough. You need to read between the lines, understand historical context and sense how a place actually lives.

This is how I approach travel. I don't look for attractions; I look for places where life makes sense. Places shaped by continuity, context and everyday reality. These are the places that create journeys you remember – because they are not built around "must-see", but around genuine experience.

If this way of thinking resonates with you, you may already understand why some journeys are best planned together with someone who sees travel through the same lens.