“The beaten path is the safest, but the traffic’s terrible.” – Jeffery Taylor
Most of the time, when we are deciding on our next trip, we look at where most people are going. What the trend is. The easiest places to get to, and the most convenient. We are usually never disappointed – the place is wonderful, just as it was reviewed. But then, there are those times when we stumble upon a place that is not mentioned often. You come across a picture or two which are mesmerising and intriguing. Getting there might be a bit harder, as it is farther away from the airports. You need to find your way to this place, create your own path. This is one of life’s challenges I am much willing to accept! 🙂
Over the years we have been on trips throughout different cities, in which some are highly touristic and the others are more for the locals. Once you get to the less popular place, you instantly feel the difference, less crowds, less souvenir shops, more locals buzzing around in their daily lives. And let me tell you, these are the places I crave for. Getting to witness the daily life while sipping my morning tea, is more inspirational for me than looking at tourists trying to find their way to the next attraction.
Three such places come to mind – all three are different in their own way, but uniquely inspiring and unforgettable.
Amorgos
This is a tiny island making part of the Cyclades island group. We spent 8 hours on the ferry from Athens in order to get to it. There is no airport, so this is the only way. The population is around 2,000 people, plus around another 200 goats 🙂 It is one of the quietest places I’ve ever been in my life. We rented a small apartment near the sea and a car, so that we could go around the 126km2 island. Spending four days here was enough to see all of it. In fact we had plenty of time to just lay on the beach, enjoying the sun and the empty beaches.
One of the most iconic places on the island is the Monastery of Hozoviotissa which was built into a cliff. This is the second oldest monastery in Greece, built around the year 1017. You can only get a glimpse of it once you drive downhill and almost reach the sea. The fact that it is painted in bright white paint, like any other Greek building, makes it stand out against the rocky cliff. The monastery is open for visitors and monks are still running the place. It’s actually a nice experience to go in and see where they pray. Following that, you can go for a swim nearby, enjoying some peace and quiet.
Following Amorgos, we travelled to Santorini. The magnitude of tourists going down from the boat heading to Santorini, hit us pretty hard, after staying on what looked like a deserted island. However, the smiling faces, playful stray cats, and mouthwatering food (take a look at some food here!) that we ate in Amorgos makes me want to go back, albeit the long travel to get there. One day I will 🙂
Aix-en-Provence
The city of a thousand fountains. That’s how this southern French city is known. For me, it will forever be the city that offered me the sweetest pastries and showed me how the French live outside of Paris. It is reachable by train from Marseille, so it wasn’t that hard to get to. We managed to spend around 3 days here, as it was a short winter break. I would suggest renting a car and visiting the region of Provence if you have more time. Unfortunately, we didn’t, so we stayed in the city and just wandered around. It was during the Christmas period, so the city centre was full of wooden huts selling all kinds of Christmas goodies, and cute ornaments.
It is also the birthplace of the painter Paul Cezanne, and so you can see reference to him everywhere you look. From statues to trails, you can feel him anywhere. During the sunny days, we could go around the different markets in different squares, from flower markets to book markets.
Now I’m not saying that I don’t like Paris, as I still think it is one of the most romantic cities I have ever been in. However, being overcrowded with tourists makes it somehow less attractive. And I know, I am a tourist as well. But sometimes you need to just immerse yourself in a local’s life, blend in and pretend that you live there for a while. See life from a different perspective. Isn’t this what travel is all about?
Fez
Being the second largest city in Morocco, Fez might not technically fit in with the other two places. However, this city felt different than the other touristic places we have been to. It felt more local. Most people who visit Morocco, head directly to Marrakech and the area surrounding it. However, this country has so much more to offer than that. I feel that Fez manages to capture exactly what Morocco is all about. Street markets with locals doing their daily shopping. Workers going around their work with their donkey carrying most of their heavy stuff. Worshippers going in the Mosque for their daily prayers.
The overcrowded alleys wind around the city, and you are easily lost. We had to use a compass to get around and get back to the hotel. I know, I laughed at my husband when he told me that he’s getting one, but we ended up using it to walk around. You can find more local restaurants here, and they are obviously cheaper than those in Marrakech, as they are for the locals. To get away from the crowds, we used to find an open Madrasa, which is a Muslim school, go into its courtyard, the only place where you are allowed to enter, and breathe in there. Sit down, look up at the sky, and enjoy the calmness before going back out into the chaos of the city.
Although the Djemaa el fna in Marrakech is one of the most magical places I have ever seen, Fez still tops my list as one of the most beautiful Moroccan cities. From the stench of the leather tanneries, to the camel heads hanging by the butcher shops, suggesting that it’s one of the finest in town, to the heavenly pastries and mint tea served by smiling locals, I will never forget this place.
“Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
From headaches to try to see how to get there, to long train rides, this might not be an easy feat. But then again, you will be rewarded with empty beaches and authentic artisan shops, instead of cheaply made souvenirs. I would do this every time I want to go on a trip. Creating your own path and finding places that suit your tastes rather than conforming to what the media and other influencers tell you. That is what adventures should be all about 🙂
