Tourist destinations made famous by literature

Movies usually have a huge impact on the tourist flow into the locations where it was filmed or which appear in it, but Hollywood is not the only thing that can make a tourist destination even more famous.

Best-selling books and classics of literature has also work miracles, and even if a picture says a thousand words, one well-written  paragraph can also say as much as a thousand pictures. So here is our list of some great tourist destinations that were made famous by literature. …

Top 10 travel destinations in the Balkans

Mostar

Usually when someone says that they are going to visit Europe, they don’t mean the Balkans as well. For some reason, despite having mostly escaped the shadows of communism and dictatorial regimes, many people are still reluctant to venture quite so far into the eastern parts of Europe.

In fact, the countries of the Balkans regions make really great holiday destinations; not only is there plenty to see there, but they also have a warm, welcoming and interesting culture (not to mention that they are also far cheaper than any country in Western Europe). Here are 10 of the most exciting travel destinations in the Balkans. …

Volunteer Travel – Experience Cultures and Make a Difference

There is nothing cooler than having a gap year between high school and university or between university and life. Possibilities are endless and, I know, spending a year on daddy’s luxury yacht, consuming an astonishing amount of alcohol may be very appealing. But why that, when you can go to some place where you can make a real difference?

Go volunteering, see the most exotic countries and have real interaction with real people. Don’t get me wrong, waiters and hotel managers are also real people, but then again that might not really give you true insight into what life in a different country is like … let’s just say staying at a 5 star hotel may give you a distorted picture of the place you are at.

 Take a backpack – not a very big one -, put in the necessary, only the most  essential pieces of travel gear and choose a place that you are interested in and then look for organizations that offer volunteer programs?  It’s about your experience there and what difference you’ll be able to make. There are plenty of these:  long term and short term programs from China to Madagascar, whatever and wherever you want!

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Backpacking Europe: 5 Most Beautiful National Parks

Traveling from city to city and exploring Europe’s intricate history and architectural marvels is, in many cases, the backpacker’s main activity.  It is quite amazing to discover all the cultures, lifestyles and to meet so many different people, but let us remember that Europe, in addition to its cultural diversity, is the beholder of priceless natural treasures.

This is why the best way to explore Europe is to find a balance between its urban culture and superb nature. You don’t necessarily have to climb the Mont Blanc: a few short hikes are enough for you to be able to admire some of the best landscapes on Earth. And judging from a purely pragmatic perspective, we must admit that nature is much less expensive then any city. Today I present you five of the most amazing places in Europe (coincidence or not, all these areas are in fact national parks): …

Discover Europe’s Forgotten Cities

Malaga

When you decide to go for a trip through Europe, you must face a difficult decision: you can either go mainstream, join the noisy crowds and see all the places you dreamed about for years, or just decide to go freestyle and discover Europe all by yourself. The difference between these two ways of traveling are quite obvious: go mainstream and you are guaranteed all the famous attractions lots of pictures to show off with; dare to adventure off the beaten path and surprise will become your faithful travel companion.

Just about any traveler will know that more than half of the positive travel experiences are actually the consequence of unplanned events. And last, but not least, let us not forget that numerous travel destinations tend to be overrated, while others are laying in their shadow, waiting for the few cast aways to (re)discover them. Today I will present you five of Europe’s most beautiful forgotten cities. …

Romania, off the beaten path

Sibiu, Romania

Like any other country in South-Eastern Europe, Romania represents a partially unexplored territory for the Western traveler. Although it’s hard to keep oneself from falling in love with the country’s superb nature, everyone planning to visit Romania must be aware of the fact that people have their own ways of doing things around here.

By this, we don’t necessarily mean that the pretentious traveler will not find his place in Romania: one can find plenty of luxury hotels and expensive restaurants in big cities. But only the adventurous traveler, the one willing to follow a dusty country road, to seek for shelter is some isolated mountain village and seat down and toast with the hospitable Romanians will get to see the real face of this country.

Although popular attractions like Bucharest, Valea Prahovei, Brand Castle or the seaside are definitely worth of  a visit, the curios travel who is willing to adventure  off the beaten path will get the chance to discover a whole new country. …

Most Beautiful Countryside Landscapes in Europe

Ireland ©jmenard48/Flickr

As the travel industry slowly evolves towards a greener way of looking at things, the  countryside and its simple lifestyle are now rediscovered. Although most of Europe’s tourist cohorts are usually targeting big cities like London, Rome or Paris (or/and Mediterranean beach resorts), magnificent countryside remains one of Europe’s biggest assets. An the truth is that few things can compare with the joy of spending a week at the countryside, letting yourself pampered by the discrete aromas of freshly cut grass, home-made bread and allowing yourself to see nothing but trees and blue sky at the horizon. Today we bring you the best of Europe’s countryside landscapes: …

Four Bucharest attractions you shouldn’t miss

Bucharest

As most people that have been there or even travel guides would tell you, Bucharest is a city of contrasts. What was once the ‘Little Paris of the East’ has suffered not only from the demolitions initiated by the communists in the ‘80s, but also from the abusive residential projects that sprung at the city outskirts in the late ‘90s. But as any country capital, Bucharest is a place of renewal and innovation. Here you will find the most refined restaurants, the hottest clubs in Romania and a fascinating underground culture. …

A Guide to Romania’s Most Beautiful Churches

Budesti Josan

Since the ex-communist bloc has opened up, tourists have been thrilled to discover the hidden treasures of Eastern European countries like Romania, Croatia, Slovakia or Ukraine. Romania’s touristic potential is still insufficiently exploited, but the undeniable value of some Romanian monuments has surpassed the efforts made by the local travel industry.  Therefore, not only have Romanian churches become part of the universal patrimony, but there are numerous tourists who come to Romania with the only purpose of seeing these masterpieces of traditional architecture. …

Romania: Travel Planner

Brasov

It goes without saying Romania took hold of a special place as a tourist destination on the map of Europe. Captious people need only pay a visit to the medieval cities in Transylvania, to the buzzing capital city of Bucharest, also known as the Little Paris, gaze at the unique monasteries in Moldavia and catch the sun beams on the sandy beaches located near the Black Sea, to be certain about that. After a trip to the Danube Delta, crowded with unique fauna and flora, every tourist will sink his teeth into the Romanian destinations. In addition, there’s this famous legend about the vampire Dracula who presumably lived in the Bran Castle many centuries ago, which acts like a magnet for tourists longing for adventure. Not to mention the tasty Romanian food like forcemeat rolls of cabbage adorned with corn mush or the pickled cucumbers with steak and following compotes and marmalades for dessert. …