Off the beaten track, the infrastructure may be less well developed. Therefore, check the journey there in advance, connections by public transport and the availability of hire cars. Restaurants, supermarkets and places of interest also sometimes have restricted or seasonal opening hours in smaller towns. Anyone visiting a real insider tip should also plan a little more flexibly and be prepared for local conditions. In return, you are often rewarded with more peace and quiet, authentic experiences and food, and fewer tourists.

A good way is to use smaller travel blogs, regional tourism portals and recommendations from locals. Searching for places in the vicinity of well-known travel destinations can also bring up surprising alternatives. Our tip: Take a world map or a map of Europe and go through each country one by one. Perhaps you will come across a country you have never heard of. Or see a country you know, but have never looked into the individual regions. Even touristy countries such as Italy still have corners that hardly anyone knows, and that is precisely why it is worth visiting them.

Not necessarily. Less touristy areas are not automatically less safe than well-known holiday regions. What matters more are the respective country, the region and the local conditions. In smaller or more remote places, however, the tourist infrastructure may be less developed. Before travelling, therefore, find out about the current security situation, travel options and local particularities. This way, you can travel relaxed and safely even away from the well-known tourist routes.

Not necessarily, but it is often possible to have a cheaper holiday there than in heavily visited tourist regions. In particular, accommodation, restaurants and activities can be more affordable in smaller places and less well-known regions. However, getting there and getting around can be more expensive if the transport links are poorer. If you are flexible about travel dates and accommodation, you can therefore benefit from lower prices, especially outside the main season.