7 under-the-radar cities frequent flyers keep to themselves

There’s a certain kind of traveler who doesn’t broadcast their favorite places.

They collect cities the way a barista collects single-origin beans—carefully, quietly, and a little possessively.

This list is my short, first-person tour through those quiet favorites.

I’m not claiming these are “secret” (the internet killed that myth), just that seasoned flyers tend to revisit them and rarely shout about them.

I’m keeping the intros tight and the advice practical. Pack light, wander on foot, follow your nose.

“Journeys are the midwives of thought,” wrote Alain de Botton, and I’ve found that to be most true in places that aren’t clawing for attention.

1. Ljubljana, Slovenia

If you like to explore with a coffee in hand and zero near-misses with cars, Ljubljana will spoil you.

The historic center has been largely car-free since 2007, which makes it the kind of place where you stroll, pause, and notice little things—flower boxes, bookshops, street musicians tuning up by the river.

I go for slow mornings: early walk along the Ljubljanica, quick espresso, then a casual climb up to the castle for the view.

The city rewards attention, not speed.

On the food front, it’s surprisingly easy to eat well—lots of seasonal veg, market-fresh plates, and cafés that don’t mind if you linger.

If you only have a layover, at least block two hours to wander the pedestrian core.

2. Tbilisi, Georgia

Tbilisi is a mood—peeling facades, ornate balconies, wine bars tucked behind creaky gates.

But the ritual that turns first-timers into repeat-visitors is the sulfur bath. You book a private room (marble, domed ceiling), soak, and emerge soft as a poem and loose as a jazz line. It’s as much a local tradition as a tourist thing, and you’ll see multi-generational groups padding in with towels under their arms.

I’ve mentioned this before but Tbilisi has that rare balance of scrappy and sophisticated.

You can sip qvevri wine in a tiny cellar, eat khinkali at midnight, then wake up to a sunrise that makes the whole city look hand-tinted.

Tip: book the bath at an off-hour and go for tea after.

Your nervous system will thank you.

3. Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Taipei gets the headlines; Kaohsiung gets under your skin.

Down by the harbor, the Pier-2 Art Center turns old warehouses into an outdoor gallery of murals, installations, performance spaces, and weekend markets. It’s equal parts art walk and neighborhood hangout, and it’s where I end up every time—camera in hand, eyes looking up.

Kaohsiung pairs industrial bones with breezy seaside energy.

You can ride the light rail between pockets of creativity, snack your way through a night market, then catch golden hour on the waterfront.

If you’re the kind of traveler who collects cities by their creative districts, put Pier-2 on your map.

It’s the heartbeat.

4. Trieste, Italy

Trieste is the city where coffee becomes a dialect.

Illy was born here, and the port’s role in the coffee trade baked café culture into daily life. To this day, you feel it: long, literate afternoons in historic coffeehouses where the saucers clink just so and conversations stretch.

I love the city’s in-between feeling—Italian but with a distinct Central European spine.

You can walk the waterfront, detour up to the grand squares, then duck into a café that looks like a set from a 19th-century novel.

Order a “capo in B”—Trieste shorthand for a small cappuccino in a glass—stand at the bar, and watch the choreography.

If coffee is your love language, this is your pilgrimage.

5. Puebla, Mexico

Puebla doesn’t scream for your attention; it invites you to sit and taste.

I go for the food and stay for the pace—color-washed streets, tiled facades, and long lunches that stretch into golden hour.

If you’re a sauce person, you already know about mole poblano.

But beyond the famous dish, Puebla is a masterclass in balance: modern cafés next to family kitchens, quiet courtyards opening into riotous markets, time slowly caramelizing everything around you.

My move: a morning amble through the historic center, a bakery stop (conchas, always), and a late lunch that qualifies as an event.

Then a walk, because you’ll need it.

6. Kuching, Malaysia (Sarawak)

Kuching is one of those cities where you arrive at noon and by dusk you’re plotting a longer stay.

Stroll the riverfront, graze on Sarawak laksa, and look up—yes, those are cat statues. The city embraces its nickname with a wink, and there’s even a cat museum for the committed. It’s playful, delicious, and wonderfully low-key.

What keeps me coming back is the blend: friendly markets, easy day trips to rainforest reserves, and a food scene that’s both affordable and endlessly interesting.

If you travel to recalibrate, Kuching is a softly tuned instrument.

“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody,” Jane Jacobs wrote, “only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” In Kuching you feel that—layers of community, built over time, making public space feel genuinely public.

7. Girona, Spain

Girona is where you go when you want European charm without the crowd surge.

The medieval Barri Vell is tight with stone lanes and secret courtyards, and the city hums with a cycling culture that’s become the stuff of legend—so many pros base themselves here that spotting high-end bikes at breakfast is a given.

I don’t race, but I do rent a bike, roll out toward the countryside, and loop back for a late lunch.

Even if you never clip in, you absorb the rhythm: early rides, good coffee, early dinners that don’t take themselves too seriously.

On foot, Girona rewards the flâneur—walk the walls at sunset and watch the city blush.

If Barcelona is the concert, Girona is the acoustic set.

How I choose and use cities like these

I like places that make it easy to do the basics—walk, think, eat something simple and great, and feel safe wandering with a camera.

Most of these cities are secondary or tertiary hubs, often with better trains than flights, and that’s part of the charm: fewer stag parties, more locals out for a stroll.

A few small habits help:

• Arrive hungry and walk first. Your feet will point you toward the good stuff.

• Anchor each day with one ritual. A morning espresso in Trieste. A sunset river walk in Kuching.

• Leave space for serendipity. The best conversations happen when you don’t over-program.

The bottom line

If you want the feel of discovery without playing the “hidden gem” game, these seven cities deliver.

They’re places I return to when I want the volume down and the texture turned up.

And if you’re a frequent flyer who already knows these spots, don’t worry—your secret’s still safe.

At least until someone else lands, looks around, and quietly decides to come back.