By the fall of the great Roman Empire, the area where present day Opatija stands was under the control of the Byzantine Empire until the Slavs arrived in the area around the 7th century. By the 12th century, the Franks arrived and with them, the city flourished. However, it was not until the construction of the St. James monastery during the 15th century that the present day Opatija would be born.

Opatija, Istria, Croatia by Vzach

In 1844, the city of Opatija became one of the first resort towns along the Adriatic Sea when the Villa Angelina was constructed and opened its doors to guests for the first time. Soon after, the Grand Hotel Kvarner would open its doors and help mold the city into the resort town it is today.

The Villa Angelina still stands today and one can even visit it as it has since been turned into a museum. It is located in the middle of the town’s botanical gardens which are simply an awe-inspiring place to visit. The gardens cover 3.64 hectares and are home to more than 150 plant species. The Grand Hotel Kvarner still accepts guests on a regular basis and is still one of the most popular hotels in the city.

There are many medieval buildings located throughout Opatija as well as several prehistoric ruins to see while you are in town. In the nearby Učka Natural Park, artifacts dating back to the 1th century B.C. have been unearthed. There are many great locations of historical importance to visit when you are in Opatija.

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Discover the Medieval Old Town of Tallinn

A major lure of Tallinn is the fantastically well preserved medieval Old Town. A rabbit warren of twisting cobbled streets flanked by eye catching architectural delights, a trip to the Old Town takes you back to 15th century and beyond. Uncover the church spires dotted amongst the streets and sip a coffee in a half hidden café. There is plenty to see and more to learn during your explorations! A fairy-tale town indeed, the shops, monasteries, museums and restaurants are the icing on the cake.

Tallinn, Estonia by David Pursehouse

Escape it all on Estonia’s Islands

As I mentioned earlier on, the beauty of Estonia is one of its favoured attributes and it extends even further onto the islands which float just off the west coast. Interestingly, there are close to 1,500 with the largest and most visited including Hiiumaa, Kihnu, Ruhnu and Vormsi. Stop at the most popular island, Saaremaa, for a visit to the medieval castle in the island’s only city and be sure to sample the delicious local beer! Life passes at a calm and comfy pace on the islands and you can soak up the beaches and forests with little interruption. Enjoy!

Visit Jagala Waterfall

We’ve all heard of Niagara Falls in North America and even if you haven’t visited, you are likely to have at least some idea as to how impressive it is. Well, Jagala Falls is Estonia’s answer to Niagara Falls. No more than 8 metres tall, it is the width of the waterfall which makes it so striking, spanning more than 50 metres across. Only 4km from the mouth, the waterfall is found in the lower course of the Jagala River in northern Estonia. It’s an attraction that can be visited for free throughout the year and is an ideal spot for a summer picnic but the best time to visit is definitely in winter when it is covered in ice and takes on a completely different, and somewhat mystical, appearance! Pick up one of the many rental cars in Estonia and see for yourself!

Jagala Waterfall, Estonia by Aigars Mahinovs

Jam out at a Music Festival

Estonians love their music, there’s more than enough evidence of this fact from a glance at their annual summer festival calendar! Celebrating all types of music from around the world, no matter what your taste you will likely find an event to get your feet tapping. Plan your trip to Estonia to coincide with Ollesummer Festival, a 4 day event held in Tallinn in July which features a variety of musicians and artists; it’s an event not to be missed. For something a bit more authentic, head to the town of Viljandi in south Estonia for its annual Folk Music Festival. Rest assured that there are plenty more to choose from!

So, there you have it; a taste of the opportunities that Estonia has to offer. Whatever you are after from a holiday, you will probably be able to find it here and the best part is that you won’t have to share it with thousands of other people!

Bio: Kerri Ware is a travel blogger and writes for EconomyCarHire.com, a car hire broker offering great price car hire in Estonia. Follow us on Twitter @economycarhire.

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Blue Lagoon, Comino, Malta by Simon

A Short History of Comino

The name Comino derives from the cumin seed, which was once prolific on the small island. Most notably, from today’s age to centuries ago, Malta has always been best known for its isolation and tranquillity. For prolonged sections of its history, Comino has either been sparsely populated, privately owned or been completely vacant. During the Roman Times, it was mostly inhabited by farmers, but in the Middle Ages and with the rise in sea faring vessels, Comino became a popular hideout for pirates and looters. This was due to Comino’s rugged coastline, which ran jagged with sheer limestone cliffs, providing the ideal coverage for rouge ships. Comino’s many caves and coves were also used by pirates to ambush unsuspecting ships sailing between the islands of Malta and Gozo.

Comino’s early history is also linked to knights. It was used as the hunting ground for the Knights of Malta and in the 16th and 17th century, it became a place of exile for wayward knights, who were given the tedious task of guarding St. Mary’s tower. The tower was built in the 15th century to help spot invasions and to also deter pirates from hiding on the island.

Comino Caves, Malta by Simon

Tourist Attractions

Malta only has a handful of permanent residents and the majority of people on the island are just temporary visitors, who stay over at one of the Comino hotels. Large sections of the island are cornered off as a bird sanctuary and nature reserve, making Comino a haven for wildlife. Because of its tranquillity and crystal clear waters, Comino is an excellent diving spot, although some of the waters are restricted. The most popular attraction is the Blue Lagoon, a postcard bay that boasts crystal clear waters and a stretch of smooth, white sand. It’s visited by tourists on a daily basis and is popular with swimmers, snorkelers and divers. Because of its spectacular beauty, Comino has appeared in many films, notably Troy and The Count of Monte Cristo.

Penny Munroe is an avid writer in travel news and tips. Articles include travelling safety tips to outlining the beautiful holidays Malta offer.

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Bouzov castle is also possible birthplace of the Czech King Jiří z Poděbrad (George of Poděbrady), whose family – the lords of Kunštát – owned this castle from 1396 until the end of the 15th century. At the end of the 16th century almost the whole castle was destroyed by fire. The owners of the castle had not fully reconstructed it, but they tried to sell it. But there was nobody who would like to buy such a “ruin” so they forced Grand Master of the Order of the Teutonic Knights to buy it. In the 19th century the castle was rebuilt by a young Grand Master archduke Eugen of Austria in the style of German Neo-gothic. For the reconstruction was responsible Viennese architect Georg Hauberisser who designed the castle as a symbol of medieval traditions and the Teutonic Knights.

He built a new two-storey palace, demolished and restored the old high cylindrical tower. A magnificent furniture, including chairs, beds, tables and even a ceiling, was moved here from various castles. There were built the moat, walls with battlements, drawbridges and great medieval gates. At the same time was also equipped with very modern features, as it had functional bathroom, practical kitchen and phone. However until today it is not electrified.

Bouzov castle is now considered one of the most popular and most visited monuments in the Czech Republic. The castle was a place of several fairy tales, including Arabela, Fantaghirò, and Before the Fall, so if you want to get to the fairy tale for a while, do not wait and come!

The castle is opened from April to October during weekends and holidays only but daily from May to September and the basic admission is around €8. For further information visit official site of the castle (in Czech only).

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Insights into the history
Gniew Castle was founded in the 2nd half of the 13th century and served as the seat of the Teutonic Knights. In the 15th century castle took possession of the royal family. Later, however, the fortress fell to Prussians, who established the military barracks and armory at the Gniew castle. In the first half of the 20th century the building was damaged by a large fire. About 50 years later, began an extensive reconstruction, and the whole place got back to its original form.

Attractions
Today the castle houses an archaeological museum, where you can see many exhibitions of medieval excavations and archaeological findings. The castle also hosts festivals of various historic characters and many exhibitions. In the vicinity of Gniew Castle you can find another great castle, Malbork Castle, which is the largest Gothic building in the world and the largest brick building in the world.

Practical information
You can visit Gniew Castle almost every day (except of Mondays) from 9:00 to 17:00. Admission is 8 PLN. The museum is open from 15 April to 31 October. You can even accommodate right in the castle complex or try some of the great polish traditional meals in the castle’s restaurant. Very impressive is night walking around the castle.

For further details visit official website of Gniew Castle.

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The building is really monumental, and if you are disappointed by haunted Dracula’s castle Bran, be sure to set off in Hunedoara.

Fortress was founded here in the 13th century and up to 17th century was reconstructed and modified. At first in the 14th century by its owner, a general and Regent-Governor of the Kingdom of Hungary – John Hunyadi, and later in the 15th century by his son, Matthias Corvinus. Further alterations were no such significant. Inside the castle is a museum where you can find more information about the history of the castle.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Cernavoda

There is no railway in Hunedoara, but you can take a bus from the nearby Deva. As I wrote, Hunedoara is a relatively small city, so finding the castle would not be a problem – you can go from the bus station along the main street up to the dirty river, go over bridge and you should see the towers of the castle.

Corvin Castle is open every day but the opening hours vary depending on the season. Basic admission is 10 Ron (approx. €2,3).

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The most striking feature is the unusual dome’s roof with 135 towers and innumerable statues and gargoyles. In clear weather you can see the Alps with the Matterhorn from the towers. For the lovers of Gothic architecture, the Duomo is a masterpiece of perfectly made ​​decorations.

Cathedral windows dating from the 15th century, are among the largest in Europe. In the nave, near the entrance, you can see the largest sundial in the world (dating back to 1786).

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Jiuguang Wang

Milan Cathedral is considered to be one of the most popular buildings in the whole European continent. It is also known to be the largest cathedral of all cathedrals in Italy and the second largest one in Europe (just after Seville Cathedral). It consists of five naves, which supports 52 columns. The highest point of the cathedral is La Madonnina (the statue of the Virgin Mary) from the 18th century, which is now the symbol of Milan.

The project of cathedral was meant to help all those who are helpless and ordinary people who are suffering or suffered under the ruling of tyrant Bernabò. During the construction of this cathedral a large amount of donations were collected from people and soon the news of construction spread with the people.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Jannis Andrija Schnitzer

The cathedral was built over 600 years. Its eastern part with the chorus and part of the two towers were built in the year 1300. In the 15th century there was added the second floor to the south tower where was placed a bell. Towers were connected with the chorus through a long low building. Cathedral, as we know it today, was built in the 19th century of neo-Gothic style.

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Its official name is Hohen Dom zu Köln. The total length of the cathedral is 144.58 m, width is 86.25 m, and height of tower is 157 m. The median nave is 119 meters long and over 45 m wide, the higher one is the only cathedral in Beauvais, France (48.5 m). The church could accommodate 4,000 people and all windows cover an area of 10,000 m².

Everything that was newly built since 1842, was built according to the original medieval plans.

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The village offers some fascinating 17th and 18th century churches, some of which contain ancient mural paintings and wood carvings. The churches in Arbanasi typically have strong, high walls, small windows and very strong oak doors studded with iron nails.

One of the earliest churches in Arbanasi is the ‘Nativity Church’ or the ‘Cathedral of Nativity’. Extensive studies have found that the church was built in three separate stages which presents some interesting structural characteristics. The main body of the church is divided into male and female sections and the whole building is decorated with murals. The Nativity Church is one of the oldest and best preserved churches not just in Arbanasi but across the whole of Bulgaria.

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The history of the city and its monuments
The first mention of the town Bovec dates back to the 11th century. Perhaps the most valuable historical monument in the town of Bovec is the Church of St. Leonard from 15th century, which has recently been renovated. Other sights of the city were extensively damaged during the World War I. As the memory of this period there is a museum dedicated to objects of the World War I, situated right in the city centre.

Sports activities and excursions into the beautiful natural attractions
Bovec is mainly a winter resort but also an important starting point for many hiking trails leading trough the Julian Alps. A ski resort is situated on the slopes of Kanin mountain (2587). Even in summer the local lift is in operation. You shouldn’t miss a tour to the nearby waterfall Boka, which is – with its height of 1000 meters – one of the highest waterfalls in Slovenia. It is located 5.5 km from the town of Bovec. In summer you can additionally try here such as canoeing, rafting on the emerald-green Soča River, skydiving, horseback riding, playing tennis and fishing, or even hang-gliding from the Bovec airport.

Tourist information
There are many accommodation facilities in the town of Bovec. In addition to guest houses and hotels there is also a campsite available. You can use the post office, pharmacy, wellness center and ski services as well.

To Bovec you can get using air transport. The nearest international airport is located in Ljubljana. Another option is by bus or car. Train connections are not possible here.

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