EUROQUEST SideTracks

There are few palaces in Europe that can be said to be both architecturally overwhelming and yet totally devoid of visitors. Sites that are of touristic interest automatically attract crowds, while peace and quiet may at best be found in the ordinary and mundane. The Palace of Oberschleissheim just North of Munich is an exception, however. It is one of the finest examples of a Treasure off the Beaten Track destination in Europe, boasting both a splendid exterior and interior, as well as magnificent paintings from the Bavarian State Gallery. Yet there are no crowds in Oberschleissheim and for years I have been wondering why. Many visitors to Munich prefer to focus on cliché activities in the Bavarian capital, such as attending the Oktoberfest or visiting the Hofbräuhaus brewery. If tourists leave downtown Munich, it is usually for a thought-provoking educational visit to the Dachau memorial site nearby. Yet few visitors know that a mere 4-5 miles further East, one of the most magnificen...

The French Alps have long ceased to be a well-kept secret when it comes to the most spectacular scenery, best skiing and friendliest locals in all of France. Nonetheless it is surprising at how few foreigners travel to the region of Haute Savoie and its capital Annecy. International visitors still tend to focus on Paris and the South of France and few venture into the Alps, unless it is for skiing in the Chamonix, Mt. Blanc area. Even nearby Geneva, one of my least favorite cities in all of Europe, tends to attract more of an international crowd because of the United Nations. Don't get me wrong, visitors DO flock to Annecy and it is highly touristic, but 85% of them are French - so the city and nearby lake cater predominantly to the domestic market. In addition, the town of Annecy has a highly dynamic local infrastructure both as a busy market town, manufacturing center and gateway to the French Alps. What makes Annecy truly outstanding, however, is its scenic location in the Al...

Bamberg in the region of Frankonia in Northern Bavaria is a town full of surprises. Not only architecturally stunning, it also boasts a highly interesting historical legacy and fascinating thematic facets in virtually every corner of its Old Town. Surprisingly, however, most visitors to Bavaria focus on the capital Munich and the Bavarian Alps in the South. Few venture this far north, and if they come to Frankonia, most tourists flock to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, grossly overpopularized by Rick Steves and other travel writers. Bamberg only gets a few river cruise guests sampling the town on a stop-over, but deserves so much more time in its own right. For that reason, this bustling university town of 80 000 makes a perfect Treasures off the Beaten Track destination for us to discover, explore and fall in love with. So what is so unique about Bamberg? First of all, its scenic location and architecture. Untouched by the ravages of World War II, this town on the quaint Regnitz river boa...

Saxony is not too high on the list of international visitors to Germany - most would rather focus on Bavaria, the Rhine region and Berlin. And the majority of visitors that DO venture as far as Saxony usually stay in the capital Dresden - and 90% during stopovers between Berlin and Prague. Yet Saxony is a spectacular destination in its own right - boasting a legacy of centuries of culture and the arts under the WETTIN dynasty, spectacular scenery along the Elbe River and in the mountains to its south, as well as beautiful cities untouched by war, neglected under communism and restored since the Fall of the Wall 20 years ago. Among these underrated yet beautiful cities, none stands out more than Görlitz - city of 60 000 on the NEISSE river, divided since 1945 into a German and Polish part and boasting 3500 historic monuments of all architectural styles. For that reason, Görlitz counts as a Treasure off the Beaten Track destination par excellence - there are few places in the world that ...