If you’re looking for visitor attractions with a difference, you may be interested in a list of Europe’s most underrated attractions. Author and comedian Danny Wallace has unveiled an alternative guide to exploring Europe in collaboration with train and coach app, Trainline, based on research it conducted with holidaymakers. It found that 45% of travellers now demand an ‘authentic experience’ while on holiday, and 26% cited ‘crowds of tourists’ as their biggest vacation irritation.
This was followed by overpriced tourist traps at 24% and queues (14%) at more popular attractions. “A lifelong fascination of the unusual, unfamiliar and obscure experiences the world has to offer means that I’ve spent the last decade writing about some of the most incredible places and people I’ve met on my travels – often on long train journeys through the breathtaking landscapes of Europe,” says Danny Wallace.
Here are the top five attractions selected as the most overlooked in Europe, and to see the rest of the top 30, please visit here.
1. The David Hasselhoff Museum
Topping the list, the Berlin-based shrine dedicated to the life and works of ‘The Hoff’ can be found in the basement of the Circus Hostel. A true project of passion, it pays homage to the cult star, courtesy of rare multilingual memorabilia and a wall mural of the man himself. It once sported ‘strokable’ chest hair that has since been stolen by overzealous fans, and Hasselhoff himself paid a visit there in 2017.
2. Floating Cat Sanctuary
The world’s only floating animal sanctuary is a refuge for Amsterdam’s stray and abandoned cats. With the chance to admire and play with hundreds of cute, sometimes grumpy and often feisty felines, the modern sanctuary was originally the home of the capital’s famous ‘cat lady,’ Mrs. v. Weelde.
3. Mini Europe
A one-of-a-kind shrunken wonderland located on the outskirts of Brussels. Mini Europe offers a Lilliputian view of over 350 miniatures. These represent iconic, important and culturally relevant landmarks across the continent.
4. Subterranean Art Gallery
Sometimes referred to as “the world’s longest art gallery,” more than 90 stations in Stockholm that span the underground transport network form part of the Subterranean Art Gallery. They feature an awe-inspiring array of paintings, installations and sculptures. With the subterranean rockface acting as a canvas, this hidden gem offers a truly breathtaking experience beneath the city.
5. Museum of Alchemists and Magicians
In a city brimming with history, the Museum of Alchemists and Magicians in Prague brings to light the darker side of the Czech capital’s fantastical past. Featuring genuine artefacts and antiquities from alchemists and magicians past, you can enter the world of some of the most famous dabblers in the dark arts.
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