When people travel, they tend to only visit the "big name" cities. Tokyo, Rome, Berlin; everyone knows these cities and I'm sure they are on many bucket lists. But what about the smaller towns just outside of these famous towns? Personally I'm a fan of getting off the beaten-path and I love to try to find new and interesting little nooks when I travel. Here I've made a list of some of my favorite small towns that I've visited that you may have never heard of:
Tivoli, Italy
Just a short train ride from Rome is the mountain town of Tivoli. The town on its own is an adorably old, traditional Italian town but the two villas are truly astounding. There's Villa d'Este which is just a few hundred years old and then there's Villa d'Adriana which is a few thousand years old. And hardly a tourist in site!
Kamakura, Japan
If you're a fan of Hiyao Miyazaki movies, go to Kamakura to feel like you are suddenly in one of his films. The quiet, seaside town is beautiful and it's famous for the train that cuts through the city and the giant Buddha statue. There are many ancient temples scattered throughout the town, each one more picturesque then the last.
Hale'iwa, Hawaii
I love Hale'iwa (pronounced hahlay-eeva) on the north side of the island of Oahu for its old-school Hawaii vibe. Enjoy fresh fruit and garlic shrimp while watching the surfers take on the massive waves. In the shallow water you are sure to find some honu (sea turtles) to swim with.
Bremen, Germany
Doesn't Bremen look exactly like a fairy tale? No wonder it's the setting for a Brother's Grimm tale! This historic town in Eastern Germany is sure to delight anyone looking to experience traditional European architecture.
Fenghua, China
This small town in central China may take some time to reach but the stunning views of the traditional stilt houses are worth it. Legend has it that one day a phoenix was flying over the town and found it so beautiful that he could not continue flying. Instead he stayed and made the city his home. Thus the city received its name Fenghua (which means phoenix in Chinese).
