Pocket-friendly, surprisingly modern and commendably green is how you’d best describe Eastern Europe which is a treat all through the year. Offering just as much as the western side of the continent and rivaling popular tourist hotspots around the world, the said region should definitely be on your radar this year. In particular, the following five cities should feature in your to-do list as they are the crème de la crème as far as this part of the world is concerned:
1) Tallinn, Estonia
Little-known Tallinn is known most for cozy Christmas celebrations but the appeal of this humble and eccentric town extends well beyond the end year. Fairy-tale charm is undoubtedly what stands out most of the UNESCO-recognized walled city but its vibrant nightlife has also not gone unnoticed.
Soviet-era trinkets litter the street wherever you go in a small town that’s buzzing with color and past century architecture. Not to be outdone on the contemporary aspect, modern eateries and present-age skyscrapers have begun to crop up around medieval masonry.
2) Kotor, Montenegro
If Cinderella were real, then Kotor would be the long lost city of the princess. Storybook settings are the order of the day here as untouched mountains crash against a wide blue bay with stretches of enticing green claiming the distances between.
Rustic medieval buildings strut endearing slope sides in a city with well-preserved medieval walls and a skyscape that’s so surreal. Labyrinth-esque pathways characterize the layout further bolstering the town’s appeal as a romantic gateway.
3) Split, Croatia
Split certainly needs no introduction as the Dalmatian city has risen to the top of European holiday charts. Part of the reason for this popularity is the predominantly orange-tiled cityscape which is composed of Roman housing dating back hundreds of years.
Aside from boasting the feel- and look- of a city forgotten by time, Split is also famous for its unkempt nature and golden sandy beaches that are a renowned summer delight. Offshores, numerous islands await exploration while within the inland countless attractions lie in wait and are so many that you’ll need a taxi transfer Split to be best get around a puzzle of endless treasures.
4) Budapest, Hungary
Hungary’s Budapest features prominently in movies and it is not without good reason. The two-in-one city is famed for a revered local wine and cuisine and also earns plaudits for an iconic 19th-century bridge that connects the two parts of the cities i.e. Buda and Pest.
Its winsome cafés also catch the eye availing an assortment of world-famous sweets such as tortes, crepes, and rice cakes. Complementing the cafes, hot-springs-fed bathhouses, museums, monuments, and churches ensure a spectacular setting unperturbed by the advances of technology.
5) Bratislava, Slovakia
We’re off to Slovakia for the final occupant of this list that is under-visited Bratislava which is criminally overlooked yet it offers as good a vacation as any exotic European destination.
Tourist sights come in the way of winsome sidewalk cafes, red-roofed homes and shaded art nouveau plazas of which “The Blue Church” proves especially memorable. Old-style outdoor markets and a to-die-for traditional brew further add to Bratislava’s wow-factor.
While you at it, be sure to also consider beautiful Riga in Latvia, Poland’s picturesque city of Krakow and the indescribably gorgeous town of Ljubljana in Slovenia.
