I often prefer Europe's secondary towns and cities. Farther from the madding crowds, they frequently feel more authentic, as if the locals have created a place for themselves beyond the open-topped tour bus routes. But "secondary" doesn't always mean small: it just means places we don't immediately think to visit.

Topping my list is Ghent, Belgium's coolest "other city." Striped with great museums, antique buildings and tempting chocolate shops, it's an easy hop from Brussels. Local bloggers Fien Drieghe and Siel Vandamme (theghentchronicles.blogspot.ca) have several tips for newbies.

"Patershol is the nicest old neighbourhood to get lost in," Drieghe says. "There's the Gravensteen [Ghent's 12th-century castle] and good restaurants like Avalon and In Bocca Lupo." There's also Huis Temmerman, a tempting old-school candy shop.

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After hitting the Design Museum and the psychiatry-focused Museum Dr. Guislain, consider a big night out. "Join the students at the bars and clubs on the Vlasmarkt," Vandamme says. "Charlatan is the most important one, but also try Pink Flamingo's – a lovely vintage café."

Less than an hour away, you can add train trips to Flemish faves such as Antwerp and medieval Bruges. Alternatively, stay on with a Eurail pass for secondary city action across the continent in recommended spots such as Bergen, Belgrade and Budapest.

And to prove they don't all start with the letter B, continue to one of Italy's finest smaller cities. Piccola Roma – a.k.a. Verona – is dripping with less-frenetic Old World charm. It's easy to see why Shakespeare set his leading romance here.

Travel blogging Verona native Davide Cioffi (travelling-dave.com) is living in London, but thinks everyone should visit his hometown. "Where else can you see Juliet's balcony and watch an opera staged in a Roman amphitheatre?" he asks.

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Cioffi suggests starting at the huge, café-lined Piazza Bra, home to a first-century arena that rivals Rome's Colosseum. From here, prime your camera for some architectural ogling. "Verona has plenty of amazing churches, but my favourite is San Zeno – it's beautiful inside and outside. Also, visit Castelvecchio Museum. It's in a medieval castle and has many sculptures and paintings."

And for that romantic dinner, where you can pop the question to your own Juliet? "If money isn't an issue, TeodoricoRe is a great restaurant situated on a hill overlooking the city."

If the answer is "yes," plan your honeymoon in Lecce, a baroque masterpiece often regarded as the Florence of southern Italy. Like many of Europe's coolest secondary spots – from Belfast in Northern Ireland to Sintra in Portugal and Bristol in England – it's also a lively university town.

That's also the case further north, where one of the highlights among intriguing Baltic cities such as Tallinn (in Estonia) and Riga (in Latvia) is Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital with a UNESCO-listed Old Town and a university founded in 1579.

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Local blogger Radvile Bieliauskiene (spottedbylocals.com/vilnius) says "everything is accessible on foot or by bike here and the transit system is easy." If you fancy a little culture, late-September's Sirenos theatre festival and October's Vilnius Jazz Festival are coming up.

There's also plenty to do beyond the fests, from making wishes at the Miracle Tile outside the cathedral to frequenting watering holes with the locals: Bieliauskiene suggests Tie Kepejai café for coffee and desserts; Bar Sarkozy for a cozy evening with a glass of cider; and Notre Vie wine bar "for a noisy night with a bohemian crowd."

When it's time for exploration, visit Trakai – the older Lithuanian capital. Just don't wait too long . "Vilnius is a charming city, but it's challenging in winter when temperatures drop to minus-30," says Bieliauskiene.

Follow John @johnleewriter.

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