By Jini Reddy, CNN
Editor’s note: CNN first published this story in May 2012. We’ve updated it and added comments from our readers. We invite you to comment again, on what cities you think deserve more recognition from travelers.
It might lack the glamour of Manhattan, but it’s still one of the most diverse places on the globe. “Queens is definitely overlooked … I’m glad that it’s not nearly as visited … as Manhattan or Brooklyn. I’d like it to stay as is,” says CNN commenter BuildingMyBento. Photo from CNN.
Perhaps because of their proximity to better-known locales, travelers too often neglect legitimately interesting cities.
Call us sentimental, but it’s an oversight we want to correct.
These places are livable, creative hubs, championed by locals, worth more than a quick stop before you head elsewhere.
Queens, New York
OK, officially it’s a part of NYC, but this borough has a population of 2.3 million and virtually qualifies as a city in itself.
It might lack the glamour of Manhattan, but it’s still one of the most diverse places on the globe.
“Queens is definitely overlooked … I’m glad that it’s not nearly as visited (save for it being the location of two major airports) as Manhattan or Brooklyn. I’d like it to stay as is …” says CNN commenter BuildingMyBento.
More than 170 languages and dialects are spoken in the borough — residents say it’s like going around the world without ever leaving.
First stop? Jackson Heights gives a sub-continental vibe. It’s the place for saris and gold jewelry and South Asian restaurants.
Then there’s Flushing, home to the U.S. Open Tennis Championships as well as the second largest Chinatown in New York, and Jamaica, with its jazz heritage.
Other “musts” include the Museum of the Moving Image and the Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden, a relaxed neighborhood park and watering hole serving Czech beer and food with live music — perfect in warmer months.
Queens has beaches and forested parks, including Rockaway, a surfing beach, and Flushing Meadows Corona, with a zoo, lake and theater.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Shea Stadium as home of the New York Mets baseball team. The Mets play at Citi Field.
Bergen, Norway
Surrounded by mountains and the gateway to the Norwegian fjords, this pretty city on Norway’s west coast is the ideal destination for cruise fans and nature lovers.
By European standards it’s compact, and locals are proud of Bergen’s small town charm and laid-back atmosphere.
Attractions include the old quarter of Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with picturesque alleyways and harbor buildings.
Music lovers will be drawn to the Edvard Grieg Museum, once home of Norway’s most famous composer, while foodies will want to sniff out the Bergen Fish Market.
There’s also a funicular to the top of Floien Mountain to catch views of the city and a selection of hikes on well-marked trails.
That said, it’s not an idyllic holiday destination, as CNN commenter Mentat57 attests: “Bergen is a nice city all right, but it does have the slight drawback of 275 days of rain per year.”
Still, as American writer William Author Ward famously said: “A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition.”
The locals have plenty of that, too.
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Given Puerto Rico’s stunning beaches and coastal highlights, including the Bioluminescent (phosphorescent) Bays and El Yunque Rainforest, people sometimes assume the capital doesn’t have much to offer.
They’re wrong.
There’s the dramatic El Morro Fortress, high above the sea, and the cobbled streets of Old San Juan, with their 16th- and 17th-century Spanish colonial buildings.
But the city is also in the throes of a revival.
From chic new hotels to nightspots, boutiques, dance venues (salsa rules here) and art galleries, urban sophisticates will find much to whet their appetites.
For starters, there’s the newly revamped Museo de Arte, featuring Puerto Rican artists, a two-hectare garden and theater.
Night owls will love the sleek San Juan Water Beach Club Hotel, with its waterfalls, blue-lit rooms, bars, restaurants and minimalist decor, and the Nyuorican Café, which has a live salsa orchestra.
There’s good midnight curry at the Latino-Hindu fusion restaurant, Tantra.
“[The] old city is a gem, though a tiny fraction of the city, which is otherwise plain bland,” says CNN commenter Oushen.
Darwin, Australia
In the shadow of big sibling Sydney, Darwin is a balmy, tropical city, with a relaxed vibe.
It’s just four hours by air from Singapore, and two from Bali.
Of course, there’s no pleasing some people.
“Darwin??!?! Really??! I grew up there and couldn’t wait to leave! I now reside in Melbourne and nothing could drag me back!” spits CNN commenter Prasad Gunatunga.
But for others, the likes of Robbie Mills, a traditional Larrakia guide (his people are the traditional owners of Darwin) who offers cultural walking tours along the city’s esplanade, make it a worthwhile stop.
You’ll learn about aboriginal history and culture, bush tucker and plants.
Mindil Beach has some great open-air markets, open from April to October, from sunset till late.
Here you’ll find a range of food stalls serving global fare and everything from indigenous art to pottery. There’s live music, too.
Harbor cruises and, if you’re a fan of the late Steve Irwin, the Cage of Death (an underwater crocodile viewing cage) at Crocosaurus Cove, are parts of the experience.
Isfahan, Iran
Isfahan is one of Iran’s great treasures, breathtakingly elegant, located at the foot of the Zagros mountains.
Its star attraction is Imam Square.
It’s one of the world’s largest, dominated by the Imam Mosque complex, which twists toward Mecca, though it’s the smaller Sheik Lotfollah mosque with its stunning dome that stuns visitors.
The covered bazaar, just off the square, is great for miniatures and decorative tiles and chaikhanas, or teahouses, offering fresh brews and flavored shisha pipes.
After dark belongs to the courtyard café and tearoom at the Abbasi, a five-star hotel and former caravanserai. It’s a magnet for city’s professionals, who are eager to practice their English on the all-too-rare tourists in their midst.
Final mention must go to the Zayandeh River and its exquisitely pretty, arched Khaju Bridge (pictured in gallery).
Read the full article by Jini Reddy from CNN.
