Quarry Bank Mill and Styal Estate - A great way to learn about the Industrial Revolution from the worker's perspective.

Soest, Germany - A walled German town near Dortmund, which while popular with local German tourists, is virtually unknown to international travelers.

Wuppertal Schebebahn - Suspended monorail that isn't just a tourist attraction, but a real, functioning mass transit system

Bologna, Italy - Less famous than Venice, Florence, and Milan, but packed with history, art, and architecture, and better food than any of them.