Budapest (Hungarian pronunciation approximates to “boo-dah-pesht”) is the capital city of Hungary. With a unique, youthful atmosphere, a world-class classical music scene as well as a pulsating night life increasingly appreciated among European youth and, last but not least, an exceptionally rich offering of natural thermal baths, Budapest is one of Europe’s most delightful and
Zagreb is a vibrant city of around 800,000 people (metropolitan area: 1,200,000). The city boasts a charming medieval ‘old city’ with architecture and cobbled streets reminiscent of Vienna, Budapest, Prague and other Central-European capitals. In 2011 it was visited by over 700000 tourists, mainly from Austria, Germany and Italy. Enjoy the free WiFi available at
Ljubljana has no world-famous attractions, which is just great: there’s no need to hop from one place to another, taking photos and crossing the items on your checklist. You have all the time to stroll around and enjoy the city itself. In the summer, its center hosts a number of city sponsored events, from children
Venice (Italian: Venezia) is one of the most interesting and lovely places in the world. This sanctuary on a lagoon is virtually the same as it was six hundred years ago, which adds to the fascinating character. Venice has decayed since its heyday and is heavily touristed (there are 56000 residents and 20 million tourists
Italy (Italian: Italia) is a country in Southern Europe. Together with Greece, it is acknowledged as the birthplace of Western culture. Not surprisingly, it is also home to the greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world. High art and monuments are to be found everywhere around the country. It is also famous
Hungary (Magyarország) is a country in Central Europe bordering Slovakia to the north, Austria to the west, Slovenia and Croatia to the south west, Serbia to the south, Romania to the east and Ukraine to the north east. Member of the European Union and the Schengen Border-less Europe Agreement. The country offers many diverse destinations:
Croatia (Croatian: Hrvatska) is a country situated in Southeast Europe. It is to the east side of the Adriatic Sea, to the east of Italy. It is also bordered by Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the north, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the southeast, Serbia in the east, and Montenegro to the south.
Slovenia (Slovenija) is a member of the European Union, Schengen Agreement and NATO. Not to be confused with Slovakia. The country lies at the crossroads of Balkans and Central Europe in the eastern Alps at the northern end of the Adriatic Sea, bordered by Austria to the north, Italy to the west, Hungary to the
Romania is situated in the north of the Balkan Peninsula on the western shores of the Black Sea. It enjoys great natural beauty and diversity and a rich cultural heritage. Romania enchants visitors with its scenic mountain landscapes and unspoiled countryside areas, and also with its historic cities and its busy capital. Over the last
Bulgaria is a country in the Balkans on the western side of the Black Sea. It is surrounded by Romania to the north, Serbia to the northwest, the Republic of Macedonia to the southwest, Greece to the south, and Turkey to the southeast. Being located close to the Turkish Straits means the key land routes
Sofia is Bulgaria’s capital and its largest city. Founded thousands of years ago, today the city continues to develop as the country’s cultural and economic center. At present, the city has a population of 1,250,000. Sofia is located in the western part of the country, on The Sofia Plain and on the lower slopes of
Brasov is a city in Romania and the administrative centre of Brasov County. According to the last Romanian census, from 2011, there were 253,200 people living within the city of Brasov, making it the 7th most populous city in Romania, and the metropolitan area is home to 369,896 residents. Brasov is located in the central
Known for its wide, tree-lined boulevards, glorious Belle Époque buildings and a reputation for the high life (which in the 1900s earned its nickname of “Little Paris”), Bucharest, Romania’s largest city and capital, is today a bustling metropolis. Romanian legend has it that the city of Bucharest was founded on the banks of the Dambovita
Crete’s capital Iraklio (ee-rah-klee-oh), also called Heraklion, is a bustling modern city and the fifth largest in Greece. Hectic, densely populated Iraklio lacks the architectural charm of Hania and Rethymno but is nonetheless a dynamic city. It has a lively city centre, chic boutiques, quality restaurants and buzzing cafés. Continuing redevelopment of the waterfront and new roads
Zakynthos (zahk-in-thos), also known as Zante, has a split personality. Its geography is mountainous and rocky in the west, with a fertile plain in the east. While the island’s west remains largely unspoiled, its eastern coastal areas are the victim of the worst manifestations of package tourism. Tourism is also endangering the loggerhead turtle (see
Temple of Poseidon The ancient Greeks knew how to choose a site for a temple. Nowhere is this more evident than at Cape Sounion, 70km south of Athens, where the Temple of Poseidon stands on a craggy spur that plunges 65m down into the sea. Built in 444 BC at the same time as the
The Cyclades fulfil their collective name (kyklos) by encircling the sacred island of Delos, but Mykonos clutches the island jealously to its heart. Delos has no permanent population and is a soothing contrast to the relentless liveliness of modern Mykonos, although in high summer you share it all with fellow visitors. The island is one
Mykonos glitters happily under the sun and carries its glamorous and camp reputation with panache, but expensively so. Beneath the gloss this is a charming and hugely entertaining place where the sometimes frantic mix of good-time holidaymakers, cruise ship crowds, posturing fashionistas and preening celebrities is magically subdued by the cubist charms of Mykonos town, a traditional
Poros (Greek: Πόρος) is a small Greek island-pair in the southern part of the Saronic Gulf, about 58 km (36 mi) (31 nautical miles) south from Piraeus and separated from the Peloponnese by a 200 m (656 ft) wide sea channel, with the town of Galatas on the mainland across the strait. Its surface area
Hydra is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece, located in the Aegean Sea between the Saronic Gulf and the Argolic Gulf. It is separated from the Peloponnese by a narrow strip of water. In ancient times, the island was known as Hydrea (Υδρέα, derived from the Greek word for “water”), a reference to the
The Saronic Islands or Argo-Saronic Islands is an archipelago in Greece, named after the Saronic Gulf in which they are located, just off the Greek mainland. The main inhabited islands of this group are Salamis (where the ancient Greek navy defeated the Persians in the Battle of Salamis), Aegina, Agistri, and Poros. The islands of
The violent recent history of Arkadia’s capital, Tripoli (tree-po-lee), is in stark contrast with its peaceful rural surroundings. In 1821, during the War of Independence, the town was captured by Kolokotronis and its 10,000 Turkish inhabitants massacred. The Turks retook the town three years later, and burnt it to the ground before withdrawing in 1828.
The secret is out about Nafplio, one of Greece’s prettiest and most romantic towns. It occupies a knockout location – on a small port beneath the towering bulk of the Palamidi fortress – and is graced with attractive narrow streets, elegant Venetian houses, neoclassical mansions with flower-bedecked balconies, and interesting museums. Overseas visitors have caught
The modern village of Mycenae (mih-keenes), 12km north of Argos and just east of the main Argos–Corinth road, is geared towards the hordes of package tourists that visit Ancient Mycenae and has little to recommend it other than its proximity to the ancient site, 2km to the north. There is accommodation along its main road.
Argos is the oldest continuously inhabited town in Greece (stretching back an astonishing 6000 years). Today most vestiges of its past glory lie buried beneath the existing modern town. Argos is overshadowed by its nearest neighbour, Nafplio, which makes a much more appealing base to explore the region. Argos itself is mainly used by visitors
With countless overpriced souvenir shops and eateries, the modern village of Olympia (o-lim-bee-ah) panders unashamedly to the hundreds of thousands of tourists who continually pour through here on their way to Ancient Olympia. Despite this, the town is far from kitsch. Beyond the well-kept leafy streets are several even leafier walks, including that along the
The birthplace of Alexander the Great, Pella spans the Thessaloniki–Edessa road, and features spectacular mosaics. Pella became Macedon’s capital under King Archelaos (who ruled from 413 BC to 399 BC), though the old capital of Aigai (Vergina) remained the royal cemetery.Created with naturally coloured, subtly contrasting stones, the mosaics depict mythological scenes. They were created
Vergina (ver-yee-nah), 11km southeast of Veria, is the legendary burial site of the Macedonian kings, and their first capital (ancient Aigai). In 336 BC, at the wedding of his daughter Cleopatra, Philip II was assassinated here. At least the guests were already there. This World Heritage–listed site is also called the Royal Tombs. A walkway
Meteora (meh-teh-o-rah) is an extraordinary place, and one of the most visited in all of Greece. The massive pinnacles of smooth rock are ancient and yet could be the setting for a futuristic science fiction tale. The monasteries atop them add to this strange and beautiful landscape. Each monastery is built around a central courtyard
Strung out along the coast of western Turkey, like jewels upon an impossibly aquamarine sea, the Dodecanese both entrance and attract assers-by – many of whom return year after year to sample some of the most culturally and geographically diverse islands in the Aegean. These 18 islands (including satellites) are an entity unto themselves. Under