Dicey to Desirable

Here are 3 up-and-coming spots that probably wouldn’t have been on your travel radar ten years ago. Well, times are changing – these hot spots are slowly but surely creeping back onto the map. We suggest you get out there and taste their authentic flavour before the masses cotton on…

Belgrade

With its war-torn associations, Belgrade may sound like an unlikely holiday destination. The truth is, though, that the Serbian capital has transformed itself into a seriously smokin’ hot city – in the non-life threatening sense.

No longer just synonymous with conflict and wreckage, today’s Belgrade buzzes with a vibrant energy and there’s a palpable sense of optimism for the future. It has already been winning over savvy European travellers in search of an edgy city-break (though thankfully it’s not yet victim to the ravages of stag night revellers) and it is becoming regarded by those in the know as one of the hippest cities in Europe.

The first thing to know is that the local people are mad for music – they even have a special home-grown brand of high-energy pop known as techno-folk. For a classic insider's experience, head to some of the infamous hidden bars and clubs that were established as dens of escapism for the locals during the Slobodan Milosevic regime.

They are still thriving today, and the great thing about them is that they’ve maintained their underground feel and sense of secrecy. As well as being a great party town, Belgrade offers architecture and culture with plenty of lovely textured reminders of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as well as of Islam.

Rwanda

Roughly the size of Scotland and nestled into the breast of the continent, Rwanda is known as Africa’s Garden of Eden. To what does it owe such accolade? Firstly, the landscape here positively pulsates with dense greenery and phenomenal wildlife. The main draw is undoubtedly the rare Silverback gorillas that roam these steep hills.

The local people are also incredibly warm and friendly, and the food is lovely and hearty (did you know that Rwandans know 40 ways to cook potatoes?).