Want to avoid the crowds? Swap popular tourist spots for these lesser known cities

Thessaloniki instead of Athens

Greece’s second-biggest city sits, like Athens, by the Aegean and was designated the country’s first City of Gastronomy in 2021, thanks to the culinary influences from the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires which once ruled it. Ladadika is the historic, waterfront district where you’ll want to spend most time, an atmospheric area where vibrantly-painted buildings in primrose yellows, dusky pinks and sky blues line narrow, cobbled streets. Tavernas, restaurants and cafes abound, but start with a pit-stop to the covered Modiano market, which dates back to 1922. Sample the best local produce, from kariokes – small, walnut-filled chocolate cakes – to soft manouri cheese from the city’s Arvanitis dairy, and stock up on sesame-topped koulourias, Greece’s answer to the bagel. At lunchtime, make a beeline for the city’s ‘most famous cheese pie’, a golden, feta-stuffed slab of flaky filo pastry, at one of its oldest bakeries, Koukos. You’ll find excellent fresh fish and seafood at 7 Thalasses, which simply grills, fries or steams the likes of sea bream, red mullet and sole within a bright, modern interior, but if you want something a little more creative, book dinner at Mourga. It’s popular with in-the-know Thessalonians, who come for the regularly-changing menu which might feature anything from mackerel with sweet potato, smoked mayonnaise and chargrilled spring onion, to grilled tuna with golden trumpet mushrooms and sea buckthorn in a wine sauce; wash it all down with a crisp Assyrtiko. thessalonikitourism.gr

Where to stay: The elegant ON Residence sits right on the seafront and exudes a slick, art deco vibe, retaining many original features from its 1920s-era construction from chequered black and white floor tiles to intricate ceiling mouldings. The interiors of the 60 rooms are understated but chic, with pearl grey walls and snowy white bed linen contrasting with rich, jewel-coloured velvet furniture. On-site restaurant, Olympos Naoussa, serves up a buffet-style breakfast in tastefully plush surrounds; pile your plate with anything from local cheeses to hot egg dishes and bougatsa, a traditional sweet custard pastry dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon.

Doubles from £150, check availability at booking.com, mrandmrssmith.com or hilton.com

Ghent instead of Brussels

Swerve Belgium’s busy capital for calmer Ghent, which has just as much to offer in terms of medieval architecture, handsome squares, and great food. De Kuip is the city’s walkable historic centre, where you’ll find most of the sights, as well as dozens of shops, restaurants and markets. After you’ve marvelled at Van Eyck’s famous Ghent Altarpiece, aka The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, at St Bavo’s Cathedral, head to nearby Groentenmarkt square. As well as holding regular food and artisan markets, it’s the best place to find the local cuberdons: cone-shaped, raspberry-flavoured sweets. In 2009, Ghent declared Thursdays would be a ‘vegetarian day’ in an attempt to get locals to eat less meat; head to Le Botaniste, a stylish, plant-based restaurant designed like a vintage pharmacy, for lunch, with filling, flavoursome dishes such as vegetable tagine, spicy chilli sin carne, and soy bolognese. Afterwards, treat yourself to a gestreken mastel, a sweet pastry flavoured with cinnamon and caramelised in a waffle iron, from Oud Huis Himshoot, the city’s oldest bakery. For dinner, head to De Witte Leuw on Graslei for delicious local dishes, from homemade shrimp or cheese croquettes to waterzooi – a fish stew – platters of dry-cured Ganda ham, and stoverij, a Belgian dish made with beef, onions, beer and thyme; Ghent’s twist is to serve it with bread accompanied by its acclaimed piquant Tierenteyn mustard. visit.gent.be/en

Where to stay: Located in a prime position on the bustling Graslei, 1898 the Post – a striking, Gothic-looking building – used to be Ghent’s main post office. Converted into a smart, central hotel by the Belgian-run Zannier group, they’ve painted it in matte greens and greys, hung beautifully-framed remnants of its past, like postage stamps and wax seals, on the walls, and filled it with fashionably mismatched furniture. The 38 rooms are all different sizes and fall into cutely-named categories such as Envelope and Postcard. Start your day at The Kitchen, which offers groaning platters of fruit, pastries and breads as well as homemade hot dishes, and end it at The Cobbler, a cosy, speakeasy-style cocktail bar which also features a summer terrace.

Doubles from £178, check availability at booking.com or mrandmrssmith.com

Genoa instead of Venice

Almost directly on the opposite side of Italy, the ancient port city of Genoa is also endowed with a series of canals, though not as many as Venice. Its most atmospheric district is the Centro Storico, particularly the area known as Caruggi, a maze of narrow, cobblestoned alleyways lined with dark-green shuttered buildings in warm shades of terracotta, ochre and coral. Here you’re surrounded by medieval arcades, museums, churches and monumental landmarks – don’t miss the imposing Palazzo Ducale, the former residence of the Doge – as well as a collection of traditional and historic shops. Then make a beeline for authentic drogherie and negozi di alimentari, such as Torielli, Arbanella Alimentari e Gastronomia, or Coloniali Viganego, which sell some of Genoa’s most traditional foods, such as panissa – a chickpea flour polenta – and Taggiasca olives. Head to Panificio Mario for fresh-from-the-oven foccacia, and to Pestobene for the best examples of Genovese pesto, made with local basil and pine nuts. Try it as part of the local pasta, trofie al pesto, for lunch at the friendly, casual Osteria il Cadraio, a former carriage house, where you’ll also find other traditional dishes such as coniglio alle ligure, Ligurian-style rabbit with olives and pine nuts, and pansotti, triangular-shaped ravioli filled with herbs and cheese and served in a walnut sauce. Then queue for a table at Pasticceria Mangini, a grand, 19^th century cafe, for a thick slice of Sacripantina, a light, cream-layered sponge cake soaked in Marsala. visitgenoa.it/en

Where to stay: Set within the Centro Storico, Palazzo Grillo was once part of the Palazzo de Rolli, a collection of 16^th and 17th century Renaissance and Baroque buildings which used to belong to Genoa’s most noble families. Back then, it hosted visiting kings, courtiers and dignitaries; today, it’s as sumptuous and welcoming as ever. Its 25 rooms feature tastefully minimalist decor and contemporary furnishings, a contrast to the rest of the building which has kept authentic details such as the grandiose, vaulted entrance hall, marble pillars, sweeping stone staircase, and frescoed corridors and ceilings. Take breakfast on the rooftop terrace, with views over the tops of churches and down into neighbouring gardens and fill up on delicious local produce, from wholemeal bread to almond pastries, fruit tarts and homemade jams.

Doubles from £123, check availability at booking.com

Nantes instead of Paris

Just two hours from the capital by train, Nantes is obviously much smaller but still packs a punch when it comes to culture and gastronomy. The former capital of the Dukes of Brittany, birthplace of Jules Verne and the cradle of Surrealism, Nantes is one of France’s most creative cities, and is particularly renowned for Le Voyage a Nantes, a contemporary art trail which runs through the city, marked by a green painted line. Follow your own food trail, starting at Le Marche de Talensac, Nantes’ oldest and biggest market, in the old town. Producers sell Breton delicacies from blue lobsters to langoustines, oysters, cheeses – such as the creamy, cow’s milk Curé Nantais – and gateau Nantais, a moist, rum-flavoured almond cake with white icing. For a quick lunch, head somewhere cosy like Heb Ken for a traditional crêpe or galette (the latter is made with buckwheat flour); fillings include anything from ham, Emmental and scrambled eggs to smoked bacon, potato gratin and Raclette. Sweet-toothed? Treat yourself to a bag of rigolettes, which have a hard sugar shell and a fruit jam centre, or berlingots – pyramid-shaped boiled sweets – from a confiserie like Les Rigolettes Nantaises. Bring home a packet (or three) of moreish Petits Beurre, the local salted butter biscuits which used to be manufactured in the former LU factory, now an arts space (its original tower is highly Instagrammable). Enjoy dinner at La Cigale, an art nouveau-era brasserie which offers fresh fish and seafood, from platters of oysters to medallions of monkfish, hazelnut-crusted cod, or grilled scallops with spelt risotto – accompanied, of course, by a glass of the local crisp, dry Muscadet. levoyageanantes.fr/en/

Where to stay: Four-star boutique hotel, La Perouse, sits within Nantes’ historic centre, but could not be more of an architectural contrast, its smooth, contemporary exterior clad with local stone. Modern artworks and stylish, mid-century-style furniture are scattered around the public areas, while the 46 rooms are more minimalist, with parquet floors and simple furnishings. While there’s no restaurant on site, you’ll get a hearty buffet breakfast on the lower ground floor, which uses only local and regional products; Fromagerie Beillevaire supplies all milk, butter and yoghurt, while Coteaux Nantais provides organic fruit juices and compotes and jams come from Les Cueillettes d’Annette.

Doubles from £75, check availability at booking.com

Girona instead of Barcelona

Girona has all the atmosphere and history Barcelona does, but on a smaller and more manageable scale. A charming medieval city situated in the heart of Catalonia, halfway between the peaks of the Pyrenees and the rugged Costa Brava, in its compact centre you’ll find cobble-stoned streets, colourful buildings, museums and restaurants (one of the world’s best, three Michelin star El Celler de Can Roca, run by brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca, is located here). Take a stroll around Girona’s imposing city walls, then make your way into the collection of captivating streets and passageways which make up the old town centre. Head to a traditional bakery for breakfast and try a coca, a sweet flatbread made from leftover bread dough, and topped with anything from candied fruit to pine nuts, or the famous xuixo, a deep-fried, sugared, cream-filled cylindrical pastry – get yours from Xuixo Castello, which has been making these delicious heart-stoppers daily in its kitchens since 1898. If you’re not planning to submit to El Celler’s indulgent tasting menus, book into the more casual and affordable Can Roca, owned by the Roca brothers’ parents, instead. A firm favourite with locals, it offers simple but hearty dishes such as baked hake with garlic and rosemary vinaigrette, or rice casserole with crayfish. The Rocas also own a popular ice cream parlour, Rocambolesc, offering a variety of flavours from coconut and violet sorbet to oven-baked apple gelato. For more delicious regional dishes, head to Estrella del Mar for the likes of fideuà – a paella-esque dish made with angel hair pasta – grilled red prawns, salted anchovies, or sea urchin. girona.cat/turisme/eng

Where to stay: The compact, charming Hotel Nord 1901 is located on the west bank of the Onyar River in the historic heart of the city, has just 18 rooms and a small shaded garden with a decent-sized pool. Family-run since, well, 1901, the hotel has a homely feel, and the tasteful decor includes stone or wooden flooring, ochre- and olive-hued walls, and simple but contemporary furnishings. While it doesn’t have a restaurant, expect a feast at breakfast, including pastries, cereal, fruit, eggs, bacon and locally-produced charcuterie, which you can enjoy in the sun-dappled garden.

Doubles from £92, check availability at booking.com or expedia.co.uk

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