Capital cities are natural draws for travelers. As the seat of government, they are often home to a country’s most important museums, monuments, cultural institutions, and historical sites. But of course, some capitals draw more visitors than others. (We’re looking at you, London and Paris.) If you’ve already checked the big hitters off your travel list, or if you’re simply looking to avoid crowds and chart a less-traveled path on your next adventure, check out seven underrated world capitals worth visiting.
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Try saying the name of Slovenia’s capital five times fast. (For the record, it’s pronounced “lyoo-BLYAH-nuh”; both J’s are silent.) Ljubljana is the country’s largest city, but it’s only home to around 285,000 people, making it one of Europe’s smaller capitals.
Ljubljana’s old town is separated from its new commercial center by the Ljubljanica River. Known for its green spaces and for being a university town, the capital draws artists (with a number of world-class museums), coffee lovers (outdoor cafes line virtually every street), and historians alike (be sure to check out Ljubljana Castle and Dragon Bridge).
The existence of Dragon Bridge stems from the fact that the Slovenian capital has long claimed the dragon as its symbol. According to legend, Ljubljana was founded by Greek mythological hero Jason and the Argonauts after they fled Greece. Jason was said to slay a dragon in a lake near the source of the Ljubljanica River. The dragon later became a symbol of protection for the city, appearing on a medieval coat of arms, the city’s flag, and, since 1919, the Dragon Bridge crossing the Ljubljanica River.
Located in Triglav National Park, about 35 miles from Ljubljana, is Lake Bled — famous for a view that comes straight out of a storybook. A 15th-century, Gothic-style church towers over the tiny tear-shaped island in the middle of the lake and is often mirrored on the water’s surface, creating one of Slovenia’s most picturesque scenes.
San Marino, San Marino
Tucked within a landlocked microstate of the same name, the city of San Marino boasts a trio of medieval fortresses that have helped preserve its uninterrupted status as the nation’s capital since the 13th century.
These fortifications — known as the “Three Towers of San Marino” — are individually named Guaita, Cesta, and Montale, and were built between the 11th and 14th centuries to both defend the city and hold prisoners. Though they no longer serve an active military purpose, the towers now house several museums and are located atop the peaks of Mount Titano, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that offers breathtaking views as far as the Adriatic Sea.
With an area of just 2.74 square miles, the city of San Marino is exceptionally walkable — a convenient fact considering most cars are banned in the town center. The city’s rich history and charming cobblestone streets and architecture attract over 3 million annual visitors, a number that dwarfs the permanent population of just over 4,000 residents. Many of them arrive via a scenic funicular route originating from nearby Borgo Maggiore, which is more easily accessible from the surrounding Italy.
Quito, Ecuador
More than 1,000 individual UNESCO World Heritage Sites dot the globe, but a select few cities and towns are so full of cultural experiences and landmarks that their entire area has been named a UNESCO Heritage Site. Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, is one such cultural treasure. The city was founded in the 16th century on Incan ruins, and it remains one of the best-preserved and least-altered historic cities in South America.
The art and architecture of the Baroque school of Quito — with Spanish, Italian, Moorish, Flemish, and Indigenous influences — is present in monasteries and churches across the city. The city has preserved its original layout of checkerboard cobblestone streets dating back to 1734, despite numerous earthquakes over the centuries. A trip to Quito will allow travelers to experience Latin America at its finest, with parks, craft markets, impressive art, magnificent churches, and views of the Andes mountains.
Another highlight of Quito is its teleférico (Spanish for “cable car”) — one of the highest aerial lifts in the world. Visitors who hop aboard the transparent six-person gondola cars that rise from the city center (at 9,000 feet, already the world’s second-highest capital), will ride up the east side of Pichincha Volcano and be treated to spectacular views at Cruz Loma.
Ottawa, Canada
While Toronto is Canada’s largest city, home to nearly 3 million people, Ottawa, the national capital, is much smaller, home to under a million. Its name originates from the Algonquin word for “trade,” due to its history as an important trading post. Queen Victoria chose Ottawa to be Canada’s capital in 1857, as it was located on the border of Canada’s two biggest provinces, Quebec and Ontario.
Perched atop Parliament Hill along the Ottawa River are Canada’s Parliament Buildings, an outstanding example of Gothic Revival architecture. Originally built in 1866, the complex includes three buildings: the East Block, West Block, and Center Block at the hill’s highest point, which houses the Library of Parliament at the rear and the iconic Peace Tower at the front of the facade.
Carved with gargoyles and grotesques, the Peace Tower soars 300 feet above the Ottawa skyline. Inside the landmark, you can view the Memorial Chamber with its stained glass windows and stones collected from European battlefields, serving as a remembrance of those who fought during World War I.
Ottawa is also home to seven national museums, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of History, and the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum — making a must-visit for history buffs and culture vultures looking to learn more about the Great White North.
Budapest, Hungary
When you visit Budapest, you experience two distinct histories in one location. That’s because the Hungarian capital is the result of a merger between areas opposite each other on the Danube River, Buda (on the west) and Pest (on the east).
The hills of Buda and the flatland of Pest weren’t made one until 1873 when the two merged — along with Obuda — into one city. In fact, there wasn’t even a bridge connecting the two sides until 1849. Today, Budapest’s metropolitan area is home to a third of Hungary’s population.
Budapest is a city with a number of nicknames, including “Paris of the East” and “Pearl of the Danube.” But ever since the 1930s, the Hungarian capital has held the particularly apt title of “City of Spas.” The moniker was bestowed because Budapest is home to 118 thermal and medicinal water springs — more than any other capital city in the world.
The city’s thermal waters have been enjoyed as early as the second century by the Romans, but the bath culture really took hold during the Turkish occupation in the 16th century. Today, there are 15 public thermal baths in Budapest, but the most popular is Széchenyi Thermal Bath. This palatial bathing site opened to the public in 1913, with 18 mineral-rich, spring-fed pools of varying temperatures. It is the largest thermal bath complex in Hungary and one of the largest on the continent.
Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
The capital city of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn is named for Thor, the Norse god of thunder, and the city’s viking roots run deep. Vikings settled here and established a parliament on the Tinganes Peninsula around 825 CE.
Today, the Faroese government is still located there — making it among the oldest Parliamentary meeting places on Earth. The parliament is located in Reyni, the oldest neighborhood in the city, which features winding waterfront streets lined with colorful grass-roofed structures dating back to the Middle Ages.
Tórshavn is the largest city among the 18 Faroe Islands — a territory of Denmark, located between Iceland and Norway in the North Atlantic — but it’s still one of the smallest capital cities in Europe. There are only about 19,000 residents and three traffic lights.
The terrain surrounding the city is rugged and striking — drive about 10 minutes to find remote hikes and incredible bird-watching along waterfalls, inland lakes, and cliffs. There’s plenty to see if you stay in town, too. A free shuttle will whisk you around the harbor, providing access to music venues, art exhibitions, and cozy restaurants.
Baku, Azerbaijan
The residents of only two cities on Earth can say they live in a national capital below sea level. And those cities are Baku and Amsterdam. Baku is the lowest-lying of the national capitals, at 92 feet below sea level. The so-called “City of Winds” — named for the ever-present blustery conditions — is also the world’s largest city below sea level, with over 2.2 million people residing across its 822 square miles.
The Government House in Baku is the main building in which many ministries in the country congregate. The impressively ornate building, constructed between 1936 and 1952, was originally commissioned by the Soviet government as the Baku Soviet Palace. In 1955, a monument to Vladimir Lenin was installed in front of the building; the sculpture remained there until an Azerbaijani uprising in 1990.
Meanwhile, the Maiden Tower is the oldest structure in Baku’s historic walled city — and it’s filled with mystery. The building has stood since at least the 12th century, but some experts think the original structure may date back even further to 600 BCE. It may have served as a Zoroastrian temple or possibly an astronomical observatory.
Whatever its intended purpose, the Maiden Tower has inspired countless poems and fairy tales, as well as “Maiden Tower,” the first Azerbaijani ballet. It’s become one of the most recognizable symbols of the city and can even be found on the national currency, the Azerbaijani manat. A climb to the top of the 97-foot-tall tower offers lovely views of the walled city and the Bay of Baku.
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