Five ways to find your European oasis

When travelling, you set off to see sites that you have only read about and seen on the covers of countless books and magazines. Beyond these tourist draws is the opportunity to broaden your perspective of the world by experiencing another culture, hearing languages you have never heard before and of course, indulging in the food! Europe is an ideal location for these types of experiences, claiming some of the world’s most powerful centuries old empires, finest dishes and natural wonders.

Yet, visits to such famous sites may leave you disappointed as you find yourself having to fight through large crowds, with English often times overruling the sound of local languages. To top it off, the first thing you may see upon arriving in a main square is the golden arches. Memories of architectural magnificence become tainted, as you recall having to push your way through a crowd to catch even the tiniest glimpse of this piece of history you came so far to see. On the flip side, you may not even be interested in going to some of these infamous places, yet you brave the crowds anyway to avoid the jaw dropping reactions upon reporting that you went to Rome and didn’t see the Coliseum.

So what do you do if you fall into this category?

To me, travel is about getting to the pulse of the place, to experience landscapes and cultures unspoiled by tourist exploits.

I am fortunate that over the last couple of months I have had the privilege, as an Erasmus student, to travel to 6 different countries in Europe. Throughout my various adventures, I have learned a few tricks to escaping the throngs of tourists in order to experience the city, region, and country for what it truly is.

One of the best ways to get an authentic experience and to remove yourself from the crowds is to be intentional in seeking out places off the beaten track. This can be difficult, as it often takes more work to find and get to these lesser known areas. However, good things happen with a little extra effort. As an added bonus, experiences like these cost very little as you will be talking to locals and discovering hard to get to pieces of natural beauty.

In order to help you find these hidden gems scattered across the continent (and to avoid going to places that no one knows about for good reason) I have put together a list of five ways that may come in handy when planning your next Erasmus adventure.

1. Go “old school” and use a guidebook

March yourself down to the nearest book store and pick up a tour guide book. My favourites are Frommer’s and Lonely Planet. While the internet is a great tool for trip planning, with resources like Trip Advisor giving you on the go access to the best the city has to offer, the web can be overwhelming. It becomes easy to give up when searching for lesser known places as suggestions are often expressed in never ending forums from people with little credibility when it comes to giving travel advice.

Information from guidebooks is much more trustworthy and generally provides a section within each city or regional profile with insider tips on where to find those tucked away spots, providing both a refuge and escape from summertime crowds.

This tactic came in handy while visiting Florence with my family, a city that draws hundreds of thousands of tourist each year, eager to indulge in Tuscan cuisine, to bask in the sepia light of medieval streets while learning about the legacies left by Da Vinci and Michelangelo.

After hitting up all the major sites, the exhaustion began to set in as we began to complain of sore feet and sun burned shoulders. While taking a time out in a café, I pulled the guidebook out of the backpack, scanning each page for Florence’s best kept secrets. My efforts proved to be rewarding as we discovered the municipality of Fiesole. This hill top town provided sweeping views that had us staring right into the birthplace of the Renaissance, both a tranquil and serene experience.

Getting there:

• Go to Via La Pira to locate bus no. 7. Sit back and relax as the city bustle fades from view, replaced by the greenery of the Tuscan countryside.
• Upon your arrival, follow the blue sign pointing to the panoramic view point. It’s a bit of a hill, but you’ll be glad you toughed it out as soon as the gaping valley comes into view, dotted with orange rooftops and cypress trees typical to the Tuscan region.

Another hidden treasure I stumbled across in the Frommer’s book was Castelmola, a medieval village towering over Taormina, Sicily. While Taormina is a great place to spend a couple of nights, it can become overrun with tourists during high season. If you are looking to get away from the noise, I suggest grabbing the bus just before sunset to this tiny town to enjoy the magnificence of the island in a state of peace and tranquility.

My friends and I were happy we took the guidebook’s advice, as we drank in the coffee as well as the views, offering a 360 degree perspective of the Ionian Sea and Mt. Etna, Europe’s largest Volcano.

Getting there:

• Head to main bus depot in Taormina, located on Via Luigi Pirandello and ask at the Cassa desk for a return ticket to Castelmola
• Be sure to check the time of the last bus returning to town, to avoid having to spend the night
• For the more adventurous and active traveller, you can also hike to Castelmola from the town of Taormina.

Cost:

• The bus ticket to Castelmola is 2. 20 EUR. Another budget friendly option.

Accommodation

• Out of the two places, Taormina is better for spending the night, as it is better positioned for taking a day trip to nearby Giardini Naxos, and is also home to the beautiful beach of Isola Bella
• For an affordable place to stay, check out the AirBnB ad labelled as “Hey, I’m Francesca, ” centrally located in Taormina. Francesca, along with her son, were gracious hosts, providing the best brioche with Nutella we have ever tasted.

2. Put your phone down and talk to the locals

Taking an interest in the history and language makes for a good ice breaker when approaching a random local of the region you are in. Your efforts will be rewarded as you will walk away with a new found knowledge and appreciation for local customs, traditions and dishes. Before you know it, you may have made a new friend.

As an enthusiast for languages, I decided to speak with two older women who were sitting outside a shop where my sister was picking up a snack, in order to learn more about Maltese. Their eyes lit up as they explained the origin of their language, rooted in Arabic and Italian. We continued to talk about everything from the quality of education in Malta to recommendations of where to find some good rabbit, a national favourite. After saying our good-bye’s I couldn’t help but smile and say thank you to these ladies for letting me in on the Maltese way of life.

Not only has speaking with locals been rewarding for learning about other cultures, but it has also been helpful in discovering amazing little towns. One of my favourite spots in Italy, Gubbio, was brought to my attention in conversation with a native Italian. While I have visited many medieval towns in Europe, Gubbio was by far the most striking. The former occupation of knights is made palpable when walking through the streets, as purple colored banners hang from quaint stone houses. Be sure to locate the town’s main terrace and let your imagination run wild as you picture ancient rulers casting their gaze out over the land, keeping watch for any sign of trouble on the horizon.

Set at the bottom of a hillside, you can also hike up from the town to St. Ubaldo Sanctuary, providing stunning views of the Umbrian countryside. So grab some traditional sandwiches from the town centre and make yourself a picnic at the top.

Getting there:

• The best way to get around to the small Umbrian village of Gubbio is to rent a car

Accommodation

• Budget friendly and beautiful! Our stay at Residenza Le Logge in Gubbio was well worth it as the décor and location make you feel as though you are waking up inside a castle. Staff are also very friendly and always willing to help.

3. Make friends with the taxi or bus driver

While talking to your taxi or bus driver is not always easy or even an option, it can be rewarding, as they are constantly driving around the entire city, making them experts in many of the area’s best kept secrets.

My sister and I became aware of this fact in talking with a private transportation driver in Malta. As we drove, he gave us a detailed explanation of each city that we passed through on our way to Mdina, a fortified city that towers over the entire island which also serves as the film set for the popular television series, Game of Thrones.

Not only did our driver give us handy tips on where to find the best bars and restaurants, he also gave us a lesson in Maltese elections and public opinion on the re-election of their Prime Minister. His recommendation for eating at the de Mondion Restaurant turned out to be one of best places I have splurged on a meal, with amazing views from their rooftop terrace and blankets to fend of the chilling wind. Even better than that though, our discussion on everything from points of interest to politics with a man who had decades of island living under his belt, made for a truly authentic Maltese experience.

Getting there:

• On the island of Malta, there are several private transportation services that will take you anywhere you want to go. Be on the lookout for these marked vans to avoid waiting for a bus that may never show up.

Cost

• Private transportation companies are relatively cheap. Prices vary depending on where you are going, but they give a discount if you have more people in your party.
• The de Mondion Restaurant is modestly priced considering its location, with plates costing an average of 15 EUR.

4. Don’t be afraid to stay in a location with a little less night life and entertainment

I often target my search on Airbnb or Booking towards areas described in terms of being close to natural sites rather than a popping night scene. I discovered this strategy in planning a trip to Malta, opting to stay in Mallieha Bay rather than some of the more popular party spots such as St. Julien’s Bay or even the capital city Valletta.

Despite its lack of restaurants and entertainment, the relative emptiness of the place, (and also thanks to our incredible Airbnb host, Samantha Jane and her family), allowed us to truly relax and appreciate its beauty. Despite only spending 3 nights at Samantha’s place, we quickly became friends, enjoying stories of her family’s brave decision to leave the UK for Malta, having fallen in love with the island on a vacation years before.

Our room on Samantha’s rooftop terrace had curtains replacing the doors on either side, allowing the Maltese breeze to wash over us while we slept and dreamed about this small piece of paradise. At dawn, we would look out over this quiet part of the island, blown away by its barren rocky coastline and striking views of the Mediterranean Sea. Although, the best part came in the pitch black, as we would lay down and watch the clouds roll over the stars and the moon.

As one of the few sandy beaches on the island, Mallieha Bay is another reason why it made for the perfect base. My sister and I would stroll down to beach at dusk, as sun stricken tourists had already packed up for the day, retreating back to their upscale resorts to feast on some roasted rabbit. With an empty lane of sand and Mediterranean sky emblazoned in oranges and pinks, I couldn’t help but think if this were a movie, there would be a picnic basket, a bottle of wine, and of course, a boy with movie star looks.

Getting there:

• To get from the Valletta airport to Mallieha Bay, you can take either the X1, X4 or 72. Allow at least an hour to get to Mallieha Bay.
• Bus tickets are 1. 50 EUR for two hours
• In Malta, the bus system is fairly inefficient, so expect long delays as bus drivers blow right past a designated stop for no apparent reason.
• If you plan on going out in the evening from Mallieha to Valletta or St. Julien’s, be sure to check schedules posted at each stop, as the busses stop running at 21:30 on weekdays

Accommodations:

• Stay with Airbnb host Samantha Jane and her family for just 25 EUR a night. To find her on Airbnb, search for "The Olde Wash Room, simple rooftop double room" in Mallieha Bay

5. Go off the tourist strips and find those hidden alleys

If you are travelling to an extremely touristy city, be sure to go away from the main squares in order to find the most authentic delicacies. Often times, food located in central areas is more expensive and less tasty, as business owner’s prey upon visitors’ naivety when it comes to knowing what quality traditional dishes taste like.

Having heard this piece of advice from experienced travellers in the past, I decided to use it during my visit to San Gimignano, a popular Tuscan village. Near the back entrance of the town walls, I noticed an oil and cheese shop. Not particularly fancy in terms of design, I decided to go in anyway. Inside, there was a friendly girl, delighted to speak with me in the little Italian I know. In recognition of my efforts, she offered me to try an array of Balsamic Vinegar’s, explaining the various textures and flavourings with pride. I am unable to remember the name of the shop, but I will leave it to you to go off on your own in search of such delightful spots, hidden from plain sight.

So next time you are looking at the map trying to figure out where to go next, consider these tips. Who knows? You may be the first to discover what will one day be a major tourist draw. If this happens, you will be sufficiently prepared for locating your next European oasis.

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