thepinkginpassportNon-capital cities are the less obvious choice when planning where to visit in a new country, but can offer less crowds and more authentic experiences not every traveller gets to savour.
Brisbane city
So Brisbane is technically the capital of Queensland state, but Australia’s country capital everyone knows is Sydney. It is also the third largest city in Australia (after Sydney and Melbourne) so is a less likely choice for tourists to visit. Having lived in this city for several months, I might be biased, but Brisbane is perfectly located to visit many of Australia’s iconic spots which is no easy feet for such a huge sparsely populated country. Within a few hours you can visit Byron Bay, Noosa, Fraser/K’Gari Island as well as closer spots such as the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Stradbroke Island and Moreton Island.
You can see iconic wildlife like koalas, kangaroos, monitor lizards, bin chickens and an abundance of colourful birds and butterflies and the city is surrounded by rainforests such as Springbrook and Mt Tambourine. This nature and wildlife juxtaposes the cool culture of the city, great bars, restaurants and street art without being overwhelming or crowded like Melbourne.
For more recommendations read Brisbane: Australia’s Coolest City.
Chiang Mai
Bangkok can be a real assault on the senses (particularly Khao San Road), but take the overnight train or short flight and you can arrive in Chiang Mai; a small UNESCO city inundated with temples, coffee shops and spas. The food was the best I had in Thailand, don’t forget to take a cooking class, especially the north’s signature dish Khao Hoi. More recommendations are included on my Guide to Chiang Mai.
Munich
Berlin is a vibrant city with plenty of reasons to visit but Munich, Germany’s non-capital city in the south, offers insight into Bavarian culture. Bavaria is the south part of Germany that has unique culture, food and even sense of humour. When you avoid Oktoberfest, the city is less chaotic and you can enjoy the beer gardens and traditional food such as wurst, pretzels and Black Forest gateau. You can take a day trip to Neuschwanstein castle or even a train to Salzburg in Austria to make it a multi-country weekend trip. For full tips on where to stay and what trip to book check out the Guide to Munich.
Galway
Having not been to Dublin, I fear I can’t pass judgement but friends have told me it is very touristy and incredibly expensive. I image the Irish capital to be a bit like Ireland in Epcot, Disneyworld– a place I could have fun and enjoy but it’s not quite real? Ireland has an array of amazing towns and cities to visit and my top recommendation would be travelling across the Wild Atlantic Way. Galway is the main city on this famous route and has access to the Inis islands and more remote beaches (around 90 minutes away) such as Dog’s Bay.
