What if your next favorite European destination wasn’t a capital city or a tourist hotspot, but somewhere you’ve never even heard of? Maybe it’s a quiet, picturesque seaside village tucked between the French Riviera and the hills of northern Italy. Or a cliffside Sicilian town where locals eat granita for breakfast. Or perhaps even a fairytale-like walled city in northern England, complete with ghost stories and Harry Potter lore.

In this episode of Traveling with AAA, host Angie Orth welcomes Gerald Tan, travel and food journalist and host of the series T’Sol Food. Gerald shares his favorite lesser-known cities in Europe where you can escape the crowds, eat like a local, and experience culture in its most authentic form.

You’ll hear how a detour to a tiny town led to 13 scoops of gelato in 12 hours, why one city has exclusive rights to send palm fronds to the Vatican, and how hiking across an entire country in five days is actually possible. Whether you’re planning your next big trip or just dreaming of one, this episode is packed with inspiration to help you travel slower, a little off-the-beaten-path, and with more authenticity in mind.

What You’ll Learn:

01:33 The allure of smaller, less tourist-heavy destinations

03:47 Creating more authentic local connections

09:07 An Italian town with royal ties and seafront views

15:59 Where to find Diagon Alley in real life

22:38 A place with an 8,000-year wine legacy and unique geography

Connect with Gerald Tan:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boulangerry/

Website: https://boulangerry.com/

What’s the most authentic, off-the-beaten-path European destination you’ve visited? Tell us in the comments! 

Connect with AAA:

Book travel: https://aaa-text.co/travelingwithaaa 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aaa-auto-club-enterprises

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AAAAutoClubEnterprises

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AAAAutoClubEnterprises