Today we tour several European countries. From Romania and Poland, through Austria and Switzerland to France. 5 good recommendations to discover new European destinations.
Today we are going to travel beyond the big European capitals that occupy most of our getaways. There are plenty of dreamy corners just waiting for you to discover them. Sometimes inspiration fails and a little help is needed. Here are my recommendations, 5 European destinations so that you feel like you are in a real fairy tale .
5 European destinations for any time of the year
We are going to tour a good part of Europe. We will jump from country to country through places that could have inspired a princess tale. Yes, I often repeat the word story, and now you will understand why. Aim well; some are very little known.
Innsbruck (Austria)
The capital of Tyrol is a jewel flanked by mountains. And not just any. We are in the Austrian Alps. Innsbruck is a perfect European destination to combine urban sightseeing with nature, hiking, and adventure activities.
Innsbruck boasts a beautiful and colorful old town in the heart of the Inn Valley. It reminds us of its imperial past through its magnificent monuments. Do not miss its palaces, the Church of the Court, or the Castle of Ambras, among many others. Even within the city, the mountains ask for their share of prominence. I recommend you look up to hallucinate with the fantastic natural setting of alpine peaks that surround us.
The desire to enjoy this natural space to the fullest is inevitable. The entire region has an extensive network of trails. The only tricky thing will be choosing. It is also a perfect area for lovers of snow and winter sports. It is one of its main dishes. If you are not a dizzy duck like me, you can enjoy 9 ski resorts without having a car.
And it is that staying in Innsbruck has a prize. You will receive the so-called Welcome Card for free at your hotel, which will provide you with free access to numerous services, such as public transport and its program of outdoor activities all year round.
Krakow is the excellent star of Poland, but in this country, there is much more to discover. And today I bring you a good example, one of the most beautiful cities in the country: Poznan. There you will find an old town full of life and a good atmosphere in abundance.
If you are a lover of traditional architecture full of colors and walking through pedestrian streets in search of picturesque corners, Poznan is your place. In addition to the beautiful Old Market Square and adjacent streets, Poznan stands out as one of the most important university cities in the country. Thanks to this, we can find a lot of bars and places with detailed and very cozy decorations.
The cultural offer is not short. We have museums of all themes, the Museum of Musical Instruments, the Town Hall, which today is the Museum of History, the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of Sculpture and Painting, and the Museum of Weapons… In short, it will not be by choice.
P.S. A secret, Poland is very cheap. An important detail not to leave your pocket trying 😉 .
Dinan (France)
One of my latest discoveries is in France. I had been told that it was an essential stop on my route through French Brittany, but it is much more than that. A long walk through the city of Dinan is like returning to the Middle Ages. Its enormous old town’s most remote and solitary streets seem to have stopped in time.
An extensive kilometric wall flanks the most exciting area. Walking along its high walls is highly recommended since it will give you some of the city’s best panoramic views.
The article will be endless if I tell you about all its monuments. So I better recommend those that you cannot miss such as the Saint-Malo church, the Basilica of San Salvador or the Clock Tower. Don’t forget to go into one of the many crêperies you will find in every corner of the pedestrian zone.
And, if touring its magnificent monumental area seemed terrific to you, you should look for Jerzual street. It is one of the most beautiful and authentic. Some houses seem to be made of cardboard. They are so pretty! At the end of the descent, we will have reached the port to enjoy one of the most idyllic images of this small French city on the banks of the Rance River.
Sibiu (Romania)
We now enter the heart of Transylvania in Romania to discover a city where the houses seem to watch us. The cafeterias tempt us with a good atmosphere and live music. Its immense beauty will make us wear out the soles of our sneakers to go to the last of its nooks and crannies.
A priori, it seems like the least attractive city in the Transylvanian region. However, as soon as you cross the beautiful squares that introduce us to the center of Sibiu, it is impossible not to fall in love with this city. Its 3 squares – the Great Plaza, the Small Square, and the Huet Square – make up the pedestrian area and invite you to take a seat on one of the terraces to observe the panorama.
One of the most photogenic corners is the Bridge of Lies. An icon of the city that rivals beauty with the towers and walls preserved in Cetăţii street or with the impressive interior of the Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Also, the windows of the houses in this city create a hilarious visual effect; they look like eyes that follow you everywhere.
Sibiu’s location also makes it a great starting point for exploring the Romanian Carpathians. We can explore the impressive Fagaras mountains a few kilometers from the city through the famous Transfagarasan highway.
Murren (Switzerland)
We start the list of European destinations with a corner of the Alps and end it similarly. But, this time, you must enter Swiss territory—a beautiful little town, the smallest on the list and one of the most charming. From the start, be aware that access to Mürren can only be done on foot or by cable car. It’s the best. It is entirely free of traffic, and you can feel like Heidi walking between meadows and mountains at an altitude of 1,650 meters.
Just a handful of streets with the typical alpine wooden houses, full of flowers, and a breathtaking view of the Lauterbrunnental valley. Once again I repeat, it is so beautiful that it seems that we are inside a story, despite its small size and the fact that it is the most populated village in the canton of Bern, in Mürren you will not lack accommodation and restaurants to enjoy it fully.
The environment is so beautiful that you will lack days to cover all the terrain. Mürren is located at the foot of one of the giants of the Alps, the Schilthorn. A peak close to 3,000 meters that I recommend you cover on foot. The trail is beautiful. But this summit, which passed posterity thanks to James Bond, is also suitable for lazy people. It is the last stop of the same cable car that takes us to Mürren.
