Travel enthusiasts have long cherished the idea of being one of the first to explore an untouched landscape, somewhere unspoiled by mass tourism.

However, you might be surprised when the supposed hidden gem you are visiting is, well, not quite so hidden at all.

And why might this be? Well, as many as 145,000 articles have included the phrase ‘hidden gem’ in the last year alone, with journalists keen to introduce these undiscovered destinations to the world.

So, for anyone still yearning for that slice of uncovered paradise, we’ve found out which hidden gems are likely to be offbeat treasures and which are, well, not so hidden after all – looking at the number of travel journalists having mentioned them in an article in the last three months and the average number of searches on Google each gets.

Not So Hidden, Hidden Gems

So where are those destinations that are not as uncovered as advertised?

1. Puglia, Italy

“With miles of bountiful coastline, replete with verdant landscapes of olive groves and vineyards, this pristine region produces some of the country’s best, oft undiscovered wines and olive oils,” writes Harper’s Bazaar, in an article about untapped destinations.

With a write-up like that, it’s not hard to understand why many would be enticed to visit the sun-drenched heel of Italy’s boot – Puglia offers a picture-perfect landscape for a summer holiday.

It’s also likely to be why Puglia took the title as the most not-so-hidden, hidden gem in the study, also taking the crown for the hidden gem most written about by travel journalists over the last three months. Tourism to the region is definitely on the increase, with Puglia Tourism Observatory figures being up 11% in the first 10 months of 2022 to those in pre-pandemic 2019 and as many as 4.1 million visiting the region during the time period last year.

2. Riga, Latvia

“Visitors to Latvia should experience Riga, the lively capital city best known for its beautiful Art Nouveau architecture. In fact, Riga has the world’s highest concentration of Art Nouveau buildings, examples of which are on display across the city”, writes travel blogger and journalist, Emily Lush.

Such write-ups could be a part of Riga ranking second in the hidden gems that are, in fact, not so hidden. Google searches for the city amass to 365,000 each month and as many as 132 travel journalists have mentioned the city in an article in the last three months alone.

This could be why Riga City Council has reported that the city is preparing for a surge of tourists in 2023, with bookings so far indicating that they will see as many as one million tourists this year.

3. Zagreb, Croatia

Taking third place for the not so hidden, hidden gem is Croatia’s capital city, Zagreb.

“Visitors to Croatia often stick to the country’s coastline, overlooking its capital city. This lively city has a charming medieval town, colourful buildings, Austro-Hungarian style architecture, lots of museums, great food and a vibrant nightlife,” shares Travel Lemming, in its emerging destinations blog post.

It’s not so emerging anymore though, with a Google search volume of 371,000 each month and as many as 116 travel journalists referring the city in writing during the last three months.

These figures could be part of why the Croatian Tourism Board has recently announced a 20% increase in overnight stays in Zagreb this year compared to last, with 1.1 million recorded between January to the end of June this year.

Actually Hidden, Hidden Gems

So which hidden gems are still off the beaten track, you might be asking…

1. Kulikalon Valley, Tajikstan

Taking the top spot for the hidden gems that are still undiscovered is Tajikstan’s Kulikalon Valley. The region has not been written about by any travel journalists in the last three months and sees less than 10 Google searches each month from aspiring visitors – but it’s certainly worth visiting.

“Tajikistan’s Kulikalon Valley is off the beaten track even for a relatively un-touristed country. A string of sparkling mountain lakes that stretch across Kulikalon are fed by glacial streams that run down the valley, and on every side, towering snow-capped peaks and a handful of beautiful glaciers dominate the view,” shares Emily Lush in her off-the-beaten-track holiday destinations blog post.

For those looking to disconnect, this destination offers the opportunity to explore an environment largely untouched by modern development and interactions with local Pamiri communities offer a glimpse into a much more simple way of life in a lesser-known corner of the world.

2. Adishi, Georgia

A tiny mountain village in Georgia, Adishi, took second place for the best-preserved hidden travel gem.

A Forbes article about hidden European gems writes, “Adishis is an authentic, small mountain village in the region of Samegrelo and Upper Swaneti, in the middle of the mountains of the Greater Caucasus in Georgia. With its 1,000-year-old churches, medieval stone houses, fortified towers and ancient frescoes, Adishi offers authenticity and real ski experiences in the heart of nature.”

The region has only around 150 searches each month on Google and has not been written about by any travel journalists in the last three months at all. It really is a hidden gem for those looking for somewhere unspoiled by tourists, or people in general really considering only 44 people live in the village in total!

Guacalito De La Isla, Nicaragua & Vipava Valley, Slovenia

Guacalito De La Isla in Nicaragua and Vipava Valley in Slovenia shared the bronze medal for actually hidden travel gems.

Neither has been mentioned in articles by travel journalists in the last three months and each sees only around 1,100 searches on Google each month – their beauty clearly still uncovered.

“Perched on the Emerald Coast of Nicaragua, home to 30 miles of untouched beaches, Guacalito De La Isla is an under-the-radar Central American haven. From surfing and ash boarding down volcanos to nature and bike paths through pristine jungles where monkeys, iguanas, and tropical birds abound, the chances for adventure here are endless,” enthuses travel editor Tom Marchant for Harpers Bazaar.

When it comes to the Vipava Valley, avid traveller Daniel Clarke writes, “A gorgeous canvas of greenery, hills and vineyards, you could easily mistake this for a Tuscan painting at first glance. The joy of visiting Vipava is found while cycling or hiking between the hamlets, heading into the art-inspiring mountains, paragliding powered by the valley’s beloved wind[…] or sampling every zero-kilometre food morsel that is put in front of you.”

Methodology

To compile the study, we took a list of 100 destinations considered to be hidden gems from credible sources including Harper’s Bazaar, Wanderlust, and Time Out magazines as well as a range of credible blogs.

We analysed each for the number of travel journalists that had included them in an article in the last three months and the average number of searches on Google.

Data correct as of August 2023.