Beautiful but Underrated Cities to Visit Before They Become Tourist Hotspots

City Thirty: The Baltic Grace of Kaunas, Lithuania

Often overshadowed by Vilnius, Kaunas is a quietly compelling city where modernist architecture meets medieval charm. Its walkable old town is a maze of Gothic churches, leafy courtyards, and whimsical street art—while its interwar buildings are earning UNESCO recognition for their avant-garde style. Kaunas pulses with student energy, thanks to its university roots, but still holds tight to its cultural heritage, with open-air festivals, riverside promenades, and folk music echoing through cobblestone alleys. As Lithuania’s 2022 Capital of Culture, Kaunas is stepping confidently into the spotlight—but for now, it remains one of Europe’s best-kept cultural secrets.