Lisbon, Barcelona and Mexico City are wonderful, and so is everyone else who's there. These ten cities have the history, the food and the places to stay, without the crowds or the high prices that come with being on everyone's list.
How we picked them
Every city here had to pass four tests:
- Easy to reach. Nonstop or one stop from Pearson, based on the flights we track.
- Fairly priced. A typical round trip that's good value for its part of the world, from the fares we continuously track.
- Under the radar, not off the map. Enough hotels, guesthouses and restaurants for a comfortable stay, but not a headline destination. That rules out the likes of Porto, Cusco and Dubrovnik.
- A spread of seasons. Somewhere good to go, whatever the time of year.
For each one we suggest a neighbourhood rather than a particular hotel. Hotels change hands, prices and standards, but a good neighbourhood stays good. Pick the area first, then choose whatever fits your budget there. The fares are typical round trips in our records; follow the link to see today's price.
1. Mérida, Mexico
The capital of the Yucatán is a colonial city of pastel houses, shady plazas and some of the best food in Mexico, and it's often called one of the country's safest big cities. Mayan ruins like Uxmal and dozens of swimmable cenotes are day trips away, and the beach at Progreso is about half an hour to the north.
Where to stay: the Centro, within a few blocks of the Plaza Grande, where many old mansions have been turned into small hotels with courtyard pools. For somewhere quieter, look near the Santa Ana or Santiago neighbourhood parks, or along the grand Paseo de Montejo.
Go: November to March. April and May are very hot.
Typical round trip: about $450, with nonstop flights. Toronto to Mérida fares
2. Oaxaca, Mexico
If you care about food, Oaxaca is the trip: seven kinds of mole, mezcal from the villages where it's made, and markets that could fill a week. The Zapotec ruins at Monte Albán sit on a mountaintop just outside the city.
Where to stay: the Centro Histórico, near the Santo Domingo church, puts everything within walking distance. Jalatlaco, a few minutes to the east, is a small neighbourhood of cobbled streets and painted walls that feels like a village in the middle of the city.
Go: October to April. For Day of the Dead at the start of November, book months ahead.
Typical round trip: about $550, usually with one stop. Toronto to Oaxaca fares
3. Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal
The Azores are Portugal's islands in the mid-Atlantic, closer to Toronto than Lisbon is, home to crater lakes, hot springs, tea plantations and whale watching. Ponta Delgada is the main town on São Miguel, the largest of the nine islands.
Where to stay: central Ponta Delgada, near the harbour, for restaurants and an easy base. For a night or two, Furnas, in a volcanic valley on the island's east side, has hot-spring pools and stew slow-cooked in the ground. Rent a car; the best sights are spread out across the island.
Go: May to October. The weather changes by the hour all year, so pack layers.
Typical round trip: about $700, with nonstop flights. Toronto to Ponta Delgada fares
4. Bilbao, Spain
Most people know Bilbao for the Guggenheim, then leave. Stay a few days for the Basque food: bars lined with pintxos, the small bites that are this region's answer to tapas. San Sebastián is about an hour and a quarter away by bus.
Where to stay: the Casco Viejo, Bilbao's medieval old town, for pintxo bars on every corner. Abando, across the river, is more modern, calmer after dark and close to the city's main stations.
Go: May to October. It rains often, even in summer.
Typical round trip: about $750, usually with one stop. Toronto to Bilbao fares
5. Gdańsk, Poland
A Baltic port city with a rebuilt old town of tall, colourful merchant houses, a medieval harbour crane and amber shops everywhere. The beach town of Sopot is a short train ride away, and Malbork, the largest brick castle in the world, is an easy day trip.
Where to stay: the Main Town, around the Long Market, to wake up among the sights. Wrzeszcz, a few train stops to the north, is cheaper, full of cafés and well connected. Sopot, a short train ride away, works as a summer beach base.
Go: May to September.
Typical round trip: about $850, usually with one stop. Toronto to Gdańsk fares
6. Vilnius, Lithuania
Vilnius has one of the largest surviving old towns in Northern Europe, and one of the least crowded. It's compact, green and cheap, and Trakai's island castle is 30 minutes away.
Where to stay: the Old Town, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and walkable end to end. Užupis, just across a small river, is an artists' quarter that declared itself an independent republic, with its own constitution posted on a wall. Naujamiestis, the "new town", has old factories converted into restaurants.
Go: May to September. December brings a lovely Christmas market.
Typical round trip: about $850, usually with one stop. Toronto to Vilnius fares
7. Belgrade, Serbia
Belgrade is loud, lively and cheap, with a fortress where the Sava and Danube rivers meet, café culture that runs all day, and nightlife on barges moored along the rivers.
Where to stay: Dorćol, right below the Kalemegdan fortress, has quiet streets, good cafés and everything within a walk. Vračar, around the huge Church of Saint Sava, is residential and calmer. Savamala, by the river, is the place if you're there for the nights.
Go: April to October.
Typical round trip: about $800, usually with one stop. Toronto to Belgrade fares
8. Tbilisi, Georgia
Georgia's capital blends wooden balconies, domed sulphur bathhouses and brutalist Soviet buildings, and the food and wine are a revelation. Georgians have been making wine in clay pots for thousands of years, and the Kakheti wine region is a day trip away.
Where to stay: Sololaki, on the edge of the old town, full of faded 19th-century mansions and a short walk from the baths. Vera is leafier and quieter, with good cafés. Upscale Vake is near the city's biggest park.
Go: April to June, or September to October. Summer is hot.
Typical round trip: about $1,250, usually with one stop. Toronto to Tbilisi fares
9. Busan, South Korea
Korea's second city has beaches, hillside temples and the country's biggest fish market, where you pick your seafood downstairs and eat it upstairs. It's more relaxed than Seoul, and the high-speed train between the two takes under three hours.
Where to stay: Seomyeon, the central hub, for food, shopping and subway connections to everywhere. Gwangalli, on a beach facing a lit-up suspension bridge, offers the best mix of seaside and nightlife. Haeundae is the famous beach, packed in summer.
Go: April to June, or September to November.
Typical round trip: about $1,300, usually with one stop. Toronto to Busan fares
10. Salta, Argentina
A colonial city in Argentina's northwest, surrounded by red-rock canyons, high-desert villages and the vineyards of Cafayate, which grow some of the world's highest wine grapes. In the evenings, people gather at peñas for folk music and empanadas.
Where to stay: the centre, within a few blocks of the Plaza 9 de Julio and the cathedral. A cable car from the edge of downtown goes up Cerro San Bernardo for views over the city. Rent a car for the canyons and Cafayate, or stay a night in Cafayate itself.
Go: April to November, the dry season.
Typical round trip: about $1,150, usually with one stop. Toronto to Salta fares
Before you book
- Check the travel advice. The Government of Canada's travel advisories list entry rules and safety notes for every country.
- Book the flight first. Fares move faster than hotel prices, and a flexible hotel booking is easy to find in all ten cities here.
- Consider the season, not just the price. A cheap fare for the wrong month, such as Mérida in May, isn't much of a deal.
Fares to all ten cities now and then drop well below normal. OddFare monitors them continuously. See today's deals, or browse every destination from Toronto.