Why Travel to Eastern Europe?

WHY TRAVEL TO EASTERN EUROPE? The Welcome You will be embraced with open arms by the people of Eastern Europe, who are fantastic, gracious hosts. When you visit, be sure to share a drink with the locals. How to say “Cheers!" in Eastern Europe: STOLICKA! NA ZDRAVI ! EGÉSZSÉGÉRE! (Slovakia) (Czech Republic) (HUNGARY) The Landscape Eastern Europe is home to some of the best mountain ranges in the world, including the Julian Alps and the magnificent Carpathian mountains. Some of the most challenging and beautiful hikes in the world can be found in Eastern Europe, alongside lots of outdoor activities, from skiing to water sports. Musala, Bulgaria Highest Peaks: (9,596 ft) Gerlach Peak, Moldoveanu Peak, Slovakia (8,709 ft) Romania (8,346 ft) The Cities Prague and Budapest are huge destinations now, but cities all over Eastern Europe deliver on architecture, art, culture, beauty, food, drink and shopping. Check out these hidden treasures before everyone else does! Hidden Treasures in Eastern Europe: D Ljubljana, Slovenia D Kotor, Montenegro Mostar, Bosnia V Zadar, Croatia Riga, Latvia The Cost The backpacker index listed Bucharest in Romania, Kiev in Ukraine and Sofia in Bulgaria as Europe's three cheapest cities to visit in 2014. The cost of food and drink will barely dent your budget, and bus and rail transport is incredibly cheap. Cheapest Pints: 75P 71P 49P The Traditions Escape the Starbucks and McDonalds of modern life and discover the still-preserved customs and traditions of Eastern Europe. Travel here to soak up hundreds of years of history. Three Cultural Hotspots: RILA MONASTERY. BRAN CASTLE, PRAGUE BULGARIA ROMANIA CASTLE The Food Expect to feast on warm, hearty stews, dumplings and local beer. You certainly won't go hungry! Dishes of Eastern Europe: Borsch (beetroot soup) Blinis (small pancakes served with smoked salmon) Latkes (potato pancakes) Cabbage Rolls (Cooked cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and herbs) Perogis (dumplings filled with potatoes, cheese, ground beef) Beef Goulash (warming beef stew flavoured with paprika) The Nightlife Eastern Europe is making up for lost time by gaining a reputation of the party capital of the planet! You will find the perfect night out to any taste in these party spots. Top Three Party Spots: * ODESSA, UKRAINE (beach side clubbing) * TALLINN, ESTONIA (hip late night bars) * BUDIYA, MONTENEGRO (huge open air venues) The Film Sets Hollywood has been turning more to Eastern Europe over the past decade, often using the cities as stand-ins for London or Paris, or filming epics in the fantastical landscapes of the countryside. Top Film Locations: PRAGUE, CZECHOSLOVAKIA - HELLBOY, AMADEUS DUBROVNIK, CROATIA - GAME OF THRONES BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. HERCULES The Beaches With coasts on the Adriatic, Black Sea and Baltic Sea, Eastern Europe has thousands of miles of sunny, sandy beaches. Croatia in particular is gaining a reputation as a beautiful and affordable beach getaway. Best beaches in Eastern Europe: PARADISE BEACH, GOLDEN SANDS, BULGARIA QUEEN'S BEACH. MONTENEGRO CROATIA The Wildlife slovenia alone contains 1% of the world's wildlife, and you can spot some very rare wildlife that you couldn't find in Western Europe. Top Three Wildlife Spots: BROWN BEAR COMMON WOLF WILD LYNX CAT World Walks SOURCES: http://budgettraveller.org/cheapest-beer-in-europe-check-mg-europe-cheap-beer-index/, http://www.awa.dk/glosarg/slainte.htm, http://www.priceoftravel.com/1979/european-backpacker-index/, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mostar_- Bosnia_and_Herzegovina_-_Stari_Most_03.jpg, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bran_Castle_TB1.jpg (Todor Bozhinov), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Borscht_served.jpg. http://pixabag.com/static/uploads/photo/2014/11/01/18/46/dubrovnik-512798_640.jpg. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Goldstrand.jpg, www.worldwalks.com UKRAINE