by Last month cruise giant Royal Caribbean got into hot water by announcing a cruise “departing from Venice (Ravenna)” – when the most junior geography student is sure to know that the city is historic, although it is beautiful, also two and a half hours of driving. from the Italian swimming masterpiece.
The Advertising Standards Authority has warned against any further misleading campaigns, but it could be argued that a greater crime than reducing areas on a map has been committed. If Ravenna is reduced to a place of parentheses – a way to reach a more famous destination – a beautiful destination in itself is sorely missed.
And Ravenna wasn’t the only city that lagged behind its neighbor on the bucket list. For years, low-cost airlines have lured unaffordable travelers to cities miles away from their advertised destinations, reducing the least loved stars to a sad supporting role.
Deserving of greater recognition, it’s time for these cities to break free from the brackets that have held them back for so long.
Bergamo (instead of Milan)
Italy’s fashion capital may have a monopoly on haute couture hangers and designer hotels, but it is by no means the best city in the region. Bergamo looks much better than the classic hilltop town in style and has been going on for centuries.
Relive layers of history by exploring the many levels. A funicular tram ascends to the older upper district, Citta Alta, where cobblestone streets are surrounded by Venetian walls and bling basilicas with gilded interiors. Milan may have Leonardo’s Last Supper, but there are equally impressive works to admire on the gallery and church walls of its (not so close) neighbour. See masterpieces by Botticelli, Bellini and Raphael at the Accademia Carrara art gallery, one of the finest collections of Italian Renaissance art.
Surrounded by lakes and mountains, this is a city dedicated to good views. Climb 230 steps to the top of the 52 meter Torre del Campanone, where a bell tolls at 10pm every night as a reminder of the ancient city’s curfew.
Wait: Doubles from £186 per night at the lavish Relais San Vigilio al Castello, with breakfast (00 39 035 265 0987)
Beauvais (instead of Paris)
Monet, Degas and Renoir may have found inspiration on the streets of Paris – but 80km away and more than 150 years later, painter André Van Beek can be found creating brush strokes among dahlias, water lilies and hydrangeas of his poetic garden in Saint-Paul, a ten-minute drive from Beauvais. This relaxed space is a fitting introduction to the capital of the Oise department, brimming with romance with its big, bright brother.
While Notre Dame is still rising from its ashes, the Gothic Beauvais Cathedral stands starkly against the skyline, beckoning visitors with its sparkling stained glass windows and ornate astronomical clock. Next door, inside the former Bishop’s Palace, the MUDO (Musée de l’Oise) may not be the Louvre, but it still houses an impressive array of archaeological artefacts and bombastic works of art.
In the city centre, the mirrored Place Jeanne Hachette has its fair share of fake facades, fountains and pavement cafes, while riverside walks hugging the beautiful Le Thérain waterway are an alternative to trips on the Seine.
Wait: A short walk from the cathedral, Cathédrale Center Mercure Beauvais Hôtel has doubles from £122, including breakfast (00 33 3 44 04 04 11)
Girona (instead of Barcelona)
Far from being official, slapping a “Barca” label on the Costa Brava gateway airport was a sneaky marketing ploy by truth-bending budget airlines – and it’s not only misleading, it’s downright rude.
Background for scenes in the cult fantasy series Game of thrones, the medieval walls and cobblestone streets of this Catalan city are some of the best preserved in Europe. Pose for pictures on the scenic stone steps of Sant Domènech’s Baroque staircase, see the perfectly symmetrical bell tower of Sant Pere de Galligants Monastery, and walk through exceptional Arab baths (which make our own West Country look like a wading pool. ).
When you’re done with winding paths and walking the porticoed streets of the Jewish Quarter, focus on the crested facades of the houses along the Onyar River. An Art Nouveau showpiece of carved wood furniture and etched glass, architect Rafael Maso’s former family home is open for a potluck.
Sitting along the golden edge of the Costa Brava and forest-hugging Pyrenees, there’s plenty of scope to explore nearby nature too.
Wait: A boutique hotel run by the gastronomic Roca family, Casa Cacao has doubles from £186 per night with breakfast (00 34 972 28 28 28)
Vasteras (instead of Stockholm)
Sweden’s capital isn’t the only city that loves the water – there’s plenty of waterside action 100km away in this little-known archipelago on the shores of Lake Mälaren. Beaches and paths are clearly an attraction in the summer; and when the water freezes, the area becomes a giant ice skating rink.
As you’d expect from a Scandi town, there’s no shortage of attractions. Watch fish swim past the window at the underwater Utter Inn, designed by artist Mikael Genberg, hunt for ghosts at Engsö Castle (a female figure is up at 8pm), or crawl through the stones of Sweden’s largest burial mound Anundshögen . Wild water swimming can also be taken at several points along the shore, but if tales of sea monsters give you the shivers, soak in hot tubs and zoom down the slides at the eight-floor Kokpunkten water park.
Wait: A lakeside hotel in a former power station, Steam Hotel has doubles from £217 with breakfast (00 46 21 475 99 00)
Memmingen (instead of Munich)
This is a small thing to miss for Bavaria’s beer-swinging capital – a 115km stretch, in fact. Before you leave, spend some time getting to know one of the best-preserved medieval old towns in Germany. Step over the 700-year-old stones of the covered city wall of Kohlschanze, stopping at a prison tower named Witches, Beggers and Adulterers – which gives you an idea of the shenanigans that once took place there.
Throughout the town, colorful, intricate faces create the backdrop for a fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm. Stop at the Fishermen’s Day fountain, built in honor of the annual July celebration when a watercourse is drained and local men compete with large nets to catch the biggest trout.
Beyond the churches, castles, palaces and St. Patrick’s houses, there are a large number of breweries on tap. Try Barfüßer Hausbrauerei for sipping pints with Maultaschen – a kind of meat-filled ravioli – or make a pilgrimage out of town to Ursberg Abbey, where monks have been brewing bottom-fermented beer since 1623.
Wait: Equipped with its own brauhaus, Hotel Joesepp has doubles from £85, one room (00 9 8331 9278104)
