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The Greek island of Karpathos offers all the temptations of its sister islands — clear blue seas, ocean breezes and stunning villages — without the crowds. (Getty Images)
The Greek island of Karpathos offers all the temptations of its sister islands — clear blue seas, ocean breezes and stunning villages — without the crowds. (Getty Images)
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Hawaii is wonderful, and London is fab, but it’s always fun to ponder lesser-known destinations, especially when that list includes spots we rarely, if ever hear about. Turns out TimeOut.com‘s editors are happy to oblige with a list of 14 gorgeous, underrated destinations, including Turku, Lake Bacalar and Srebrenik.

Never heard of them? Turku was built in the 13th century, and the “Paris of Finland” was that country’s capital until 1812. Today, you can visit the city’s medieval fortress, traipse the cobblestone streets and riverside byways, and enjoy fika — a coffee and cake break we really need to adopt over here — at one of its many cafes.

You’ll find Lake Bacalar’s clear blue waters on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, and Srebrenik is a dramatic, medieval town in Bosnia and Herzegovina that looks straight out “Game of Thrones.” The full list of underrated destinations — and more travel tips — can be found at www.timeout.com/travel/. Meanwhile, here’s a peek at the top 10.

ORDOS, CHINA - JULY 20:  Bactrian camels walk on the dunes of Xiangshawan Desert, also called Sounding Sand Desert on July 20, 2013 in Ordos of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. Xiangshawan is China's famous tourist resort in the desert. It is located along the middle section of Kubuqi Desert on the south tip of Dalate League under Ordos City. Sliding down from the 110-metre-high, 45-degree sand hill, running a course of 200 metres, the sands produce the sound of automobile engines, a natural phenomenon that nobody can explain.  (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)
ORDOS, CHINA – JULY 20: Bactrian camels walk on the dunes of Xiangshawan Desert, also called Sounding Sand Desert on July 20, 2013 in Ordos of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. Xiangshawan is China’s famous tourist resort in the desert. It is located along the middle section of Kubuqi Desert on the south tip of Dalate League under Ordos City. Sliding down from the 110-metre-high, 45-degree sand hill, running a course of 200 metres, the sands produce the sound of automobile engines, a natural phenomenon that nobody can explain. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

1. Mongolia

2. Lake Bacalar, Mexico

3. Cuenca, Ecuador

4. Srebrenik, Bosnia and Herzegovina

5. Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico

6. Gippsland, Australia

7. Plymouth, England

8. Burlington, Vermont

9. Turku, Finland

10. Karpathos, Greece

View of San Antonio Church in downtown Cuenca, Ecuador, on November 6, 2010.  AFP PHOTO / RODRIGO BUENDIA (Photo credit should read RODRIGO BUENDIA/AFP via Getty Images)
View of San Antonio Church in downtown Cuenca, Ecuador, on November 6, 2010. AFP PHOTO / RODRIGO BUENDIA (Photo credit should read RODRIGO BUENDIA/AFP via Getty Images)