Modern megacities are exciting - so much to do, so much to see, so big!
But they can be a bit much sometimes.
Should you visit Tokyo, London, Shanghai, and New York? Absolutely, but not every time. Small city travel is a more relaxed way to take in urban comforts. Often, smaller cities offer easier in, easier out, and easier getting around. Driving, parking, and walking are all easier - if you need to drive at all. Smaller cities are typically less crowded, less polluted, and less expensive, and many offer cultural treasures to rival any of the supersized heavy hitters.
Let's have a look at a few of our favorite small-to-medium-sized cities: Salzburg, Chiang Mai, Florence, Kyoto, and Paphos.
Salzburg
As we shared in our 2019 and 2021 Top-Fives, Salzburg is our favorite small city. Its central European Alpine geography charms the pants off of us, and Austrian food, which is pretty much extra-rich German food, is always a treat. I could eat schnitzel, spätzle, blaukraut, and strudel every single day...if The Boss would let me and cholesterol weren't a thing. Salzburg is, of course, also well-connected by rail to anywhere else you might like to visit on the European grid.
Let's not forget die bier! Augustiner Bräu Kloster Mülln is our favorite place in the world to enjoy a frosty beverage, and it's in Salzburg. Not Vienna, not Munich, not Prague - Salzburg.
Fun fact: one Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was from Salzburg, so when you're in town, you can visit his birthplace (Mozart Geburtshaus) and the residence to which the family moved when he was a teenager (Mozart Wohnhaus). Both are boutique museums. If you want to visit Mozart's grave, however, you will have to visit Vienna.
As The Sound of Music fans know, Salzburg is Von Trapp territory. There are entire tours dedicated to the Disney classic, but that sort of tour isn't our cuppa. We found that the hills were plenty alive visiting Mirabell Palace and taking in the sweeping views from Hohensalzburg Fortress on our own.
One can make delightful day trips into the Alps from Salzburg for hiking, history, or a bit of both. We enjoyed a touch of WWII history at Kehlsteinhaus (The Eagle's Nest) above the village of Berchtesgaden.
Chiang Mai
Do you want to never, ever run out of temples to see? Great. Go to Chiang Mai.
There are, of course, several can't-miss sites. In town, Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh are the two shiniest jewels in the crown of the former capital of the Lanna Kingdom.
Wat Chedi Luang is famous for having the largest chedi (Buddhist stupa) in Chiang Mai, and long ago it housed the storied Emerald Buddha (Phra Kaew) before it was moved to Luang Prabang and then eventually to its current location in Bangkok at Wat Phra Kaew. The massive, partially restored brick chedi is not as tall as it once was - earthquakes, battles, and time have taken their toll - but it is still one of the largest stupas anywhere, and it is decorated with elephant sculptures and grand naga (dragon) staircases.
Wat Phra Singh is famous for its opulence and its Lion Buddha idol. We were quite taken with its gilded stupas and elephant busts. They are beyond resplendent on a sunny day.
One can take an easy half-day trip from Chiang Mai up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a magnificent mountaintop temple with an enormous gilded central chedi and a collection of exquisite Buddhas adorned in gilded, bejeweled raiment. Legend has it that an intrepid white elephant carried the bone fragment relic believed to be from the shoulder of the historical Buddha - the relic that inspired the foundation of Wat Phra That - up to the location of the temple where it is today enshrined. For sure. You can use the Grab app to get there and back. You could also hop on the back of a red truck or ask your hotel to book you a driver.
On your way up to the top of Doi Suthep, don't miss Wat Pha Lat, a gorgeous, secluded jungle temple. The white elephant didn't miss it - Wat Pha Lat is on the site where the elephant apparently stopped for a break on the way up to the top. A hired driver will likely take you here as part of the trip. If you'd like to hike while you're in Chiang Mai, you can hike from near Chiang Mai University up to Wat Pha Lat.
Fair warning: Beware of temple fatigue. It's a real thing that exists.
Florence
All roads might well lead to Rome, but Florence is where the Renaissance began. If you are into art or art history at all, you probably already know that visiting Florence is an absolute necessity.
Among the slices of perfection you can find in Florence are Brunelleschi's dome, Michelangelo's David, Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise, Cellini's Perseus with the head of Medusa, everything in Le Gallerie degli Uffizi, and more. All the ninja turtles and all their friends, teachers, and students are well-represented. Take the time to soak it in.
You won't have to try hard to find plenty of world-class wine to complement all the priceless works of art and architecture you'll ogle all day in Florence. Tuscany is home to the Chianti region, arguably the finest wine region in the world. We've raved about Georgian and Cypriot wine in previous articles; we have, in fact, mused whether either might be the best in the world; Italian wine, however, is the true standard-bearer in my heart and the reason I can only go so far as to say that Georgian wine might be one of the best...because the best is for sure Italian. It's always been Italian - ever since my semester abroad in Rome so long ago...
Kyoto
As a long-time former Japanese imperial capital, Tokyo's anagram is a UNESCO World Heritage wonderland. It's even more special during the early-spring sakura (cherry blossom) bloom, which is when we visited on our first trip.
As temples go, Kiyomizu-dera is Kyoto's main event. A meticulously well-preserved Buddhist site over 1,200 years old, Kiyomizu-dera is incredibly photogenic, especially when nestled among the sakura of the spring or the red leaves of the fall.
Perhaps the best place to take in the festive atmosphere and beauty of Kyoto's sakura is Maruyama Park, home to the city's most venerated tree, the yozakura (Weeping Cherry) of Gion.
As in Chiang Mai, there are so many temples in Kyoto and so many lists of temples in Kyoto on the Internet that another list here would be redundant white noise. If you want a solid list, visit this article from Inside Kyoto. Aside from the iconic pair of Kiyomizu-dera and Kinkaku-ji (the "Golden Pavilion"), we recommend Chion-in, Honen-in, Tenryu-ji, and the Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine. Fushimi-Inari, the most important shrine in Kyoto, is the one with all the orange torii (gates).
While out visiting Tenryu-ji, take time to find some peace and serenity in the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.
Paphos
Paphos, on the west coast of Cyprus, is our favorite place to stay on Aphrodite's Island. The two main attractions in town are the Tombs of the Kings and Paphos Archaeological Park, both UNESCO World Heritage sites. The ruins and basilica at Chrysopolitissa are also well worth visiting.
Paphos also offers day trip options. Head to the northwest of Cyprus for a day of hiking in Akamas Peninsula National Park. Along the southwestern coast, you can easily take in Ancient Kourion, the Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates, the Sanctuary of Aphrodite, and Petra tou Romiou (Aphrodite's Rock) on a nice day from a home-base in Paphos.
For an in-depth look at one of our other favorite small cities, check out our write-up on Luang Prabang, Laos.
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