I've been to 18 European countries. These are the 5 underrated cities I'd return to in a heartbeat.

"Throughout my life, I've visited a total of 18 European countries. That number climbed quickly when I moved from Chicago to London for college and spent four years living in my favorite city, thrilled by my newfound proximity to so many bucket-list destinations."

"As I've explored big and small cities, I've been increasingly drawn to destinations beyond the major capitals that feel intimate and uncrowded. The more I've traveled, the more I've wanted to slow down."

An American traveler who has visited 18 European countries shares their preference for smaller cities over major capitals. After moving to London for college, they discovered the ease of accessing numerous European destinations. Through extensive travel, they developed a preference for intimate, less-crowded destinations that allow for slower exploration. The traveler identifies five underrated European cities worth visiting, emphasizing that these smaller destinations provide unique experiences distinct from typical tourist-heavy capitals.

Read at Business Insider