paris is a mess this year

July 27, 2001 8:16 AM

paris is a mess this year and anyhow, everyone goes there, and all you meet are more americans. I recently discovered the Allier region, and it's got wine, castles, beautiful scenery and hardly any tourists. What is your favorite "hidden" travel spot?
posted by christina (15 comments total)

I recently spent a week on a barge on the Saone river in Northern France. It's an excellent way to travel, and the region was great.
posted by precipice at 9:04 AM on July 27, 2001

porto, portugal rocks the house down. and being the only american around helps me to understand how everyone else REALLY feels about us.
posted by patricking at 9:21 AM on July 27, 2001

If I told you, it wouldn't be secret ;)

(Oh, alright then: Achill Island, Co. Mayo. Stunning, and away from the tourbus routes of Connemara.)
posted by holgate at 9:24 AM on July 27, 2001

I spent a few days living in a dilapidated farmhouse in Normandy near Caen. Some places just feel exactly right. That was one of them. From the moment I set foot there I had a permanent grin on my face.

*sigh*

No, Souhern Californnia doesn't suck or anything.
posted by Kafkaesque at 9:53 AM on July 27, 2001

culebra island to the east of puerto rico (near vieques) is quaint, quiet, cheap, and has very long white sand beaches.
posted by machaus at 9:54 AM on July 27, 2001

Rural Laos. My god, if you can get away from the other tourists (around Luang Prabang, which you should visit anyway) it's unbelievable. The people were spectacularly friendly, and food was amazing.

Hell, I even liked Vientiane.
posted by aramaic at 10:15 AM on July 27, 2001

If one can avoid insurrectionist types, the south of Sri Lanka is especially lovely in the springtime. And in the autumn, I have a fondness for the climate, sites, spectacle, cuisine and people of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
posted by Dreama at 10:30 AM on July 27, 2001

1. Moravia, in the south of the Czech Republic, has beautiful castles and fortified towns such as Lednice and Mikulov, and the Palava Hills.

2. The hilly area between Urbino and Gubbio in the Italian Marches is beautiful and much less travelled than nearby Tuscany.
posted by nicwolff at 11:38 AM on July 27, 2001

4-wheeling in the San Pedro Mountains of southern Colorado. I spent nearly 1 day working up 1 road mountain pass and saw 2 other 4x4's.. huge alpine valleys and old mines and just lots of space and no people. Although word is getting out as its one of the offroad hotspots in the world with its 19thC mineing roads and high-alpine scenery.
posted by stbalbach at 11:55 AM on July 27, 2001

Take a boat down the canals that parallel the Loire river through the south of France. Every mile or two, you come to a lock and the lockkeeper and his family come out and greet you and crank the great wheels to raise or lower the water level in the lock. Beautiful country, sunflowers and farmhouses and wineries, far away from any tourist meccas. Then, you go across a bridge. In your boat. That's right, a bridge made of iron that channels the water from the canal over the Loire river. It is the most amazing thing...
posted by JParker at 1:37 PM on July 27, 2001

Paramus is also a mess this summer. Especially Route 17 and Beef House.
posted by ParisParamus at 1:56 PM on July 27, 2001

A note on patricking's choice, Portugal--they now have the most liberal drug laws in the world. Keep it under your hat. ;]
posted by aflakete at 1:20 AM on July 28, 2001

Keep it under your hat. ;]

Literally, figuratively or both?
posted by Opus Dark at 1:45 AM on July 28, 2001

Galiano Island, BC is well-touristed, but there are amazing hidden beaches where you can wake up to eagles and otters and a Pacific cove warm-ish enough to swim. Clothing always optional. There's a great selection of local organic fruit and vegetables at the Daystar Market, which is also the owner's ongoing art project (if you get there first thing look for subliminal messages in the greenbeans). Generally a laid back open minded vibe all round. Oh, if you visit, please travel gently, it's a pretty special place.
posted by spandex at 3:37 AM on July 28, 2001

eek, can I have more than one?
Sorata, Bolivia.
Parque Nacional Tayrona, Colombia
posted by spandex at 3:51 AM on July 28, 2001