Destinations • May 2017
Second cities you should visit now
When it comes to cities, second fiddle doesn’t always mean second best. Across the world, urban upstarts are becoming capitals of culture, technology, food, fashion and design in their own right – making for a spellbinding city break with a difference, says Etan Smallman
Hamburg, Germany
The northern port city of Hamburg is fast becoming a serious city break contender, giving Berlin a run for its money, thanks to a thriving food scene. In fact, the only new three-Michelin-star restaurant in Germany last year, The Table by Kevin Fehling, calls Hamburg ‘home’. The city is also packed full of intriguing artisans: nab a beautiful oak fountain pen from Stefan Fink, an haute couture, Lady Gaga-esque hat from Herr von Eden or an upcycled vinyl souvenir from Lockengelöt.
Don’t miss: The city’s newest landmark, the Herzog and de Meuron-designed Elbphilharmonie Hamburg (above), a super-modern concert hall and viewing platform that opened this year.
Manchester, England
For a fresh, friendly and feisty taste of Britain, swap London for its industrial northwestern rival – a growing hub for British Airways, with six new European routes launching in the UK’s second city this summer. Boutique hotel brand The Zetter Group is opening its first non-London outpost here later this year too, promising the city’s first ‘international boutique hotel’ in the historic – but less than aptly named – London Road fire station, while producers such as Manchester Three Rivers Gin are flying the flag for homegrown brands.
Don’t miss: The renowned Whitworth Art Gallery (above), which was once described as the ‘Tate of the north’.
Austin, USA
Texas’ state capital sells itself as the ‘live music capital of the world’ and, more recently, has been described as America’s new Silicon Valley. But the bike-friendly, hipster-filled city is attracting just as many tourists as start-ups. Visit the Harry Ransom Center to see the world’s first photograph and a Gutenberg Bible; Pinballz Arcade has aisle after aisle of vintage arcade games; and cool down with a dip in the Hamilton Pool collapsed grotto.
Don’t miss: The Cathedral of Junk (above), in which its creator has amassed 60 tons of miscellaneous debris – from surfboards to Barbie dolls – since 1988.
Rotterdam, the Netherlands
If Amsterdam is for design lovers wanting a Dutch city bathed in history, think of bustling Rotterdam as its edgy younger sister. Europe’s largest port was bombed heavily during the Second World War, making way for some of the continent’s most striking modernist architecture – from the Kijk-Kubus cube houses, with roofs tilted at 45-degree angles, to the swan-shaped Erasmus Bridge.
Don’t miss: Refuel at De Markthal (above) – the awe-inspiring indoor market is home to more than 100 food stalls, is overlooked by the city’s snazziest luxury apartments, and has a sprawling overhead artwork that is, to many, the cool Dutch version of the Sistine Chapel.
Calgary, Canada
You may know Calgary best as the first Canadian city to host the Winter Olympics, but there’s more to it than the slopes. Visit in summer and you can get a culture fix that’s on a par with any of its Canadian city counterparts. Enjoy open-air music at Opera In The Village in August, while the biggest film festival between the Great Lakes and the Rockies, Calgary International Film Festival, comes to town in September.
Don’t miss: The Calgary Stampede (above), a cross between a rodeo, a street party and an arts festival (7-16 July 2017).
San Diego, USA
Leave La La Land to the stars. Sunny San Diego, southern California’s second city (and America’s eighth largest) has plenty of appeal. For starters, it has some of the best weather in the US – on average, it receives 263 days of sunshine a year – with 70 miles of stunning coastline from which to enjoy it. But the city’s hip credentials are also on the rise with a burgeoning craft beer scene (check out the San Diego International Beer Festival from 16-18 June) and diverse on-the-up neighbourhoods such as the Gaslamp Quarter.
Don’t miss: The stunning murals of Chicano Park (above), in San Diego’s downtown neighbourhood of Barrio Logan, which has just been designated a National Historic Landmark.
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