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Frommer's Favorite Experiences
Discovering the Courtyards of Budapest (Hungary). Budapest's residential streets are truly enchanting, but it is inside the courtyards of the buildings that the city's greatest secret is held: Budapesters are villagers at heart. Fruit trees and flower gardens flourish, cats lounge in the sun, and jars of pickled vegetables line the window ledges. Nearly every apartment building in this city has an open-air courtyard in its center, where pensioners sit on the common balconies smoking cigarettes, gossiping, and watching the children race around the yard, dodging flowerpots and laundry racks. The main entrance doors to many apartment buildings are left unlocked during the daytime hours.
Experiencing Time Travel (Country to Coast, Bulgaria). Lying on an upholstered daybed on the beach, watching bikini-clad waitresses deliver cocktails to a cool house beat, one struggles to comprehend how this sophisticated beach bar could be located just a few hours from villages where people have never heard of the Internet. Bulgaria encloses as many realities as is possible in an MTV world: From its myriad ancient tombs, untouched since they were built more than 2,000 years ago, and its far-flung rural and religious communities, where life is lived as it has been for 100 years, to its dour Communist-era elders and edgy urban youth, Bulgaria is the closest you get to time travel in one country.
Sunset on the Wall (Dubrovnik, Croatia). When evening approaches Dubrovnik, views from the top of Old Town's protective wall become a kaleidoscope of color and pattern as shifting light and visual perspective change position in tandem.
Strolling Across Charles Bridge at Dawn or Dusk (Czech Republic). The silhouettes of the statues lining the 6-centuries-old crown jewel of Czech heritage hover like ghosts in the still of the sunrise skyline. Early in the morning you can stroll across the bridge without encountering the crowds that appear by midday. With the changing light of dusk, the statues, the bridge, and the city panorama take on a whole different character.
Stepping into History at Karlstejn Castle (Czech Republic). A 30-minute train ride south of Prague puts you in the most visited Czech landmark in the environs, built by Charles IV (Karel IV in Czech -- the namesake of Charles Bridge) in the 14th century to protect the Holy Roman Empire's crown jewels. This Romanesque hilltop bastion fits the image of the castles of medieval lore.
Swimming to Bled Island (Slovenia). Officially the rules say you shouldn't do it, but the most memorable experience of Lake Bled -- one of the most beautiful bodies of water in Europe -- is a muscle-working swim from the shore to its miniature isle, which has a lovely church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. If you're one of the not-so-brave, you can always hire a boat and row yourself there, or get one of the aspirant gondoliers to take you over in a pletna, Bled's very own answer to Venetian gondolas.
Discovering Magnificence in the Bowels of the Earth (Slovenia). Slovenia has thousands of Karstic caves, but those protected by UNESCO in the Skocjan park are truly unforgettable. Matchless subterranean architecture is built with stalactites, stalagmites, and rim limestone pools not to mention the world's largest underground canyon, stupendous bridges, and drop-away galleries that all work to reconfigure your understanding of life on earth.
Staying in a Village Home in Maramures (Romania). The farming villages of Maramures occupy an idyllic mountainous landscape near Romania's northern border with the Ukraine. Here you'll discover some of the most bucolic communities in all of Europe; there are still more horse-drawn carts than there are motor vehicles, and many households have a cow or two in the backyard. You'll be surrounded by warm, friendly people, many of whom dress only in traditional costume. If you stay with the Pop family in Hoteni, you'll also be introduced to genuine folk music by a genuine Eastern European legend.
Traveling by Train through Transylvania (Romania). You may not have Count Dracula as your guide, but the terrain encompassed by the land "beyond the forest" will set any heart racing. As you wind through vast tracts of forest and pass soaring mountains, often your only reminders of human habitation will be a church steeple peeking through a forest canopy, or a small family of farmers cutting grass with a hand-held scythe. Or the horrifying spectacle of a hideous abandoned industrial complex -- built by the Communists -- suddenly appearing in the middle of nowhere.
Discovering the Order in the Chaos of an Orthodox Mass in Stavropoleos Church (Bucharest, Romania). Attending the beautifully sung Mass at this small but delightful church in the very heart of Bucharest will make your spirit soar. Each day, a Byzantine-style chorus draws a dedicated congregation, while during quiet periods one of the five young nuns will happily talk you through the deep spiritual significance of most every aspect of Orthodox faith.
Viewing Red Square at Night (Moscow, Russia). The crimson-and-ivy-colored domes of St. Basil's Cathedral rise in a dizzying welcome to this most majestic of Russian plazas. Stand on the rise in the center of the square and feel a part of Russia's expanse.
Steam Your Stress Away at the Sandunovsky Baths/Sandunovskiye Banyi (Moscow, Russia). Thaw your eyelashes in January or escape snow flurries in May in the traditional Russian bathhouse, something between a sauna and a Turkish hammam. The pristine Sandunovsky Baths in Moscow are a special treat, with Greek sculptures and marble baths.
Watch the Drawbridges Open Along the Neva River (St. Petersburg, Russia). An unforgettable outing during White Nights, or anytime, involves perching yourself on the quay at 2am to watch the city's bridges unfold in careful rhythm to allow ships through the Neva.
Kraków's Old Town (Kraków, Poland). Few cities have the sheer knockout attraction of Kraków. And the Old Town is where it delivers the TKO. And the charms are not just skin deep. The Old Town is choked with stunning cafes and restaurants, student clubs, galleries, and shops. Take the day and explore.
Duga (Gdansk, Poland). Amberphiles will think they died and went to heaven. It's hard to imagine a more beautifully restored pedestrian main street than Gdansk's main drag.
Auschwitz-Birkenau (Oswiecim, Poland). Words cannot convey what a deeply shocking and moving experience it is to visit what was the largest of the Nazi extermination camps. Plan to spend some time and visit both camps (just a couple of miles apart). Auschwitz is undeniably horrible, but it's at Birkenau where you really grasp the scale of the tragedy.
Walking in the High Tatras (High Tatras, Slovakia). Follow the red-marked Magistrale Trail from one end of the Tatras to the other for some of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful mountain scenery you're likely to see anywhere. The Tatras are not particularly high (most of the peaks are in the 2,400m/8,000-ft. range), but the rocky, snowcapped tops are highly inspiring. The Magistrale takes you around the mountain faces at just above and below the tree line, with incredible views both up and down.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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