Alright, let's be real. A "Top 20 Countries" list is usually a parade of the usual suspects: France, Italy, Japan, Spain... and you're shown the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum, Sens-ji Temple, and Sagrada Familia. It's a checklist of icons, not a guide to discovery. You end up feeling like you're on a conveyor belt of global tourism, seeing what you're supposed to see.
But within every famous country, there's a parallel universe of places that hold the soul of the place without the selfie-stick mobs. The hidden gems travel aren't secret countries; they're the regions, towns, and experiences next to the famous spots that the country's own people cherish. My most memorable trip to Italy wasn't Rome or Florence; it was a week in Le Marche, a region on the Adriatic with all of Tuscany's rolling hills and medieval hill towns, but where I was the only tourist in the piazza at sunset.
Let's use that famous list not as a destination, but as a starting point for a treasure hunt. Here’s where to dig in 20 of the world's most-visited countries.
The Philosophy: Be a Time Traveler, Not a Tourist
Don't go to the place that's famous now. Go to the place that was famous 200 years ago, or that will be famous 10 years from once the infrastructure catches up. Look for the "second city" or the region that supplies the capital with its food, wine, and culture.
The Hidden Gem Map: Country by Country
- Japan → Kanazawa & the Noto Peninsula
Skip:The crushing crowds of Kyoto's main temples.
Go To:Kanazawa. It has one of Japan's top three gardens (Kenrokuen), a pristine geisha district, and a phenomenal contemporary art museum. Then, rent a car and drive the Noto Peninsula for dramatic, empty coastlines and villages where life feels centuries old. - Italy → Le Marche & Umbria
Skip:The traffic and prices of Tuscany in peak season.
Go To:Umbria (the "green heart") for hill towns like Orvieto and Spoleto. Or Le Marche, with its own rolling hills leading to the Adriatic, gorgeous towns like Urbino and Ascoli Piceno, and none of the hustle. - France → Alsace & the Dordogne
Skip:The packed autoroutes of Provence.
Go To:The Dordogne for storybook France: castle-topped cliffs over a lazy river, prehistoric caves, and the best duck confit. Or Alsace, where villages like Riquewihr look like gingerbread houses, and the wine route is intimate and stunning. - Spain → Asturias & the Pueblos Blancos
Skip:Just Barcelona and the Costa del Sol.
Go To:Asturias in the north for green mountains, cider poured from a height, and dramatic Atlantic coasts. In the south, explore the "Pueblos Blancos" (White Villages) like Arcos de la Frontera and Setenil de las Bodegas (built into rock overhangs). - United Kingdom → The Cotswolds & Edinburgh's "Other" Side
Skip:London's biggest museums on a weekend.
Go To:The Cotswolds, but stay in a village like Chipping Campden and walk footpaths between pubs, don't just bus in. In Scotland, Edinburgh's magic is in March or November—moody, magical, and all yours, away from Fringe Festival madness. - Portugal → The Azores & Évora
Skip:Just Lisbon and Porto (though they're great).
Go To:The Azores, a volcanic archipelago in the mid-Atlantic. It's Hawaii meets Ireland with Portuguese charm. On the mainland, Évora is a museum-town in the Alentejo with Roman ruins and a haunting bone chapel. - Germany → The Moselle Valley & Lübeck
Skip:The Rhine River clogged with cruise ships.
Go To:The Moselle Valley—narrower, steeper, and more intimate, with adorable towns like Cochem and Bremm. Up north, the Hanseatic city of Lübeck is a stunning world of brick Gothic architecture and famous marzipan. - Croatia → Istria & Vis Island
Skip:The wall-to-wall crowds in Dubrovnik's Old Town.
Go To:Istria, the peninsula that feels like Tuscany-by-the-sea, with hill towns like Motovun (truffles!) and coastal Rovinj. For adventure, take a ferry to Vis, the furthest inhabited island, with a laid-back vibe and stunning coves. - Greece → The Peloponnese & Nafplio
Skip:The stress of island-hopping in peak season.
Go To:Rent a car and loop the Peloponnese. See ancient Olympia, Byzantine mysteries in Mystras, and stunning beaches. Base yourself in Nafplio, Greece's first capital—a gorgeous seaside town with a fortress and great food. - Thailand → Chiang Rai & Koh Lanta
Skip:The intensity of Bangkok and the parties of Phuket.
Go To:Chiang Rai in the north for the stunning White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) and a cooler, slower pace. For islands, Koh Lanta is family-friendly, relaxed, and feels worlds away from the circus. - Mexico → Oaxaca & San Miguel's Surroundings
Skip:The all-inclusive resorts of Cancun.
Go To:Oaxaca for a deep cultural dive—unreal food, mezcal, indigenous markets. While San Miguel de Allende is popular, use it as a base to explore the surrounding state of Guanajuato's smaller mining towns like Mineral de Pozos. - Iceland → The Westfjords & Snæfellsnes
Skip:Just the Golden Circle and Blue Lagoon.
Go To:The Westfjords for raw, empty beauty—dramatic fjords and incredible bird cliffs. The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is "Iceland in miniature" with a glacier, lava fields, and black sand beaches, but with fewer tour buses. - Norway → The Lofoten Islands & Bergen as a Base
Skip:Just Oslo.
Go To:Use Bergen as a hub for fjord trips (take the local ferry to Rosendal, not just a cruise). For the ultimate, fly north to the Lofoten Islands—fishing villages amid jagged peaks that look Photoshopped, but are breathtakingly real. - Vietnam → Phong Nha-Ke Bang & Hoi An's Countryside
Skip:Just Ha Long Bay and Hoi An's ancient town at noon.
Go To:Phong Nha for the world's largest caves in a stunning national park. From Hoi An, rent a bie and explore the surrounding villages and quiet beaches like An Bang to escape the crowds. - Morocco → Essaouira & the Chefchaouen Region
Skip:The sensory overload of Marrakech's main squares.
Go To:Essaouira on the coast—a windy, artsy fortified town with great seafood. Use the blue city of Chefchaouen as a base to hike in the surrounding Rif Mountains for a true escape. - Australia → Tasmania & The Kimberley
Skip:Just Sydney and the Great Ocean Road.
Go To:Tasmania for wilderness, fantastic food and wine, and history in Hobart. For true adventure, the Kimberley in Western Australia is a vast, ancient landscape best seen on a small ship or 4x4 tour. - New Zealand → The Catlins & Abel Tasman by Kayak
Skip:Just Milford Sound and Queenstown's adrenaline parks.
Go To:The Catlins at the southern tip of the South Island for waterfalls, penguins, and sea lions with hardly anyone around. Instead of hiking the crowded Great Walks, kayak in Abel Tasman National Park. - South Africa → The Garden Route (in Reverse) & The Drakensberg
Skip:Just Cape Town and a safari.
Go To:Do the Garden Route from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town—you'll have the scenic pull-offs to yourself. Inland, the Drakensberg mountains offer some of Africa's best hiking, with San rock art and zero crowds compared to parks. - Canada → Newfoundland & The Okanagan Valley
Skip:Just Banff and Lake Louise (they're crowded).
Go To:Newfoundland for raw, friendly, and wonderfully weird culture, icebergs, and hiking at Gros Morne. For a different vibe, BC's Okanagan Valley is Canada's wine country, with lakes and a dry, sunny climate. - USA → The Olympic Peninsula & Southern Utah's Capitol Reef
Skip:Another crowded national park in peak season.
Go To:Washington's Olympic Peninsula—it has rainforest, mountains, and wild coastline all in one loop. In Southern Utah, skip Zion's main canyon and explore Capitol Reef National Park or Grand Staircase-Escalante for true solitude.
How to Find Your Own Gem: The Practical Magic?
- Look at a Map: Find the famous city. Now, look at the province/state next to it. That's often where the magic is.
- Research "Day Trips From [Famous City]" then STAY there: Be the person who is there when the day-tripper buses leave at 4 PM.
- Go in the Shoulder Season: Italy in October. Japan in November. The crowds are gone, the weather is often still good, and the locals are happier to see you.
- Ask a Different Question: Don't ask "What's the #1 thing to see?" Ask: "Where do locals go for a weekend getaway from [Capital City]?"
The hidden gem isn't always a place. It's the pace. It's the Thursday evening market where you're the only foreigner, the village festival you stumble upon, the family-run restaurant with no menu where the owner brings you what's fresh. It's about trading the checklist for the connection. And you'll find it waiting, just a few turns off the well-worn path.
FAQs
Is it safe to travel to these lesser-known places?
Generally, yes—often safer than crowded tourist hubs where pickpockets thrive. Always do standard research, get travel insurance, and check government advisories. The main risk in remote areas is often access to medical care, so have a plan.
Won't I miss the iconic sights?
Maybe. And that's okay. You're trading a checklist for an experience. If the Eiffel Tower is your dream, go see it. But then get out of Paris. Spend the bulk of your time somewhere you can breathe. You can always see the icons later. You may never find that tiny family winery again.
How do I get around without speaking the language?
In these secondary destinations, a few words go a long way. Learn "hello," "thank you," "please." Use Google Translate (download offline packs). People appreciate the effort. In most of these regions, there's enough tourism infrastructure to make it navigable.
Is it more expensive?
It's often cheaper. Hotels in Bologna cost less than in Florence. Food in a Kanazawa market is cheaper than in Tokyo. The trade-off might be fewer "points" hotels and more family-run B&Bs—which is part of hidden gems travel.
What if I get it wrong and the place is boring?
You have a phone. You can change your plans. The beauty of this style of travel is flexibility. If a town isn't speaking to you after a day, look at the map, pick another town an hour away, and go. The adventure is in the choosing. Sometimes the "wrong" turn leads to the best story.
