Travel trends have changed dramatically since the 1990s, shifting the spotlight away from once-popular global hotspots. Many destinations that used to draw massive tourist crowds have faded into the background, overtaken by modern favorites.
Vintage bus tours once offered features that created a more personal and memorable travel experience, but many of these have been phased out.
Souvenirs were once essential to any vacation, capturing the spirit of a destination in quirky, colorful, and often handmade forms. From keychains to ashtrays, these items held nostalgic charm and represented travel memories in physical form. Many of them, however, have quietly disappeared over the years.
These destinations are crafted for travelers who don’t just want to see the world but to feel it grip them by the heart and lungs.
Here are 12 often-overlooked destinations where culture, history, and raw beauty linger far from the crowds.
Some famous historic sites look incredible in pictures but turn out to be overpriced, overcrowded, and underwhelming in person.