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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Meteora, Greece / Konstantinos Koukopoulos

But forget the cityscapes of Bruges and Paris, as beautiful as they are, because the originality just isn’t there. These are the tours that everyone does, and they don’t require that much effort either.  Instead, to truly discover those inspiring landscapes that had your jaw dropping at the credits, check out these fascinating European locations that can form the backdrop to your next European holiday.

Meteora, Greece

Perched precariously on top of the rocky Meteroa mountains in Thessaly, Greece, are a collection of monasteries which are incredibly difficult to reach. The original 9th Century monks had formed an order by climbing these formidable rock towers and occupying the hollows and tunnels which ran across their surfaces, and it wasn’t for another three thousand years or so before solid structures began to appear.

Named Meteroa, meaning ‘In the Heavens Above’, only a handful of the original 24 are still inhabited by monks, and although visitors are welcome, you really do need to put in the effort to get to them. Stone steps and walkways lead intrepid visitors up the edge of uncertain cliffs to get to the buildings atop them.  Fans of the James Bond movies will recognise one of the monasteries, Holy Trinity (which is the least accessible of them all), from the movie For Your Eyes. Whether you manage the climb all the way to the top or not the view from this area is inspiring.

Marktschellenberg, Germany

Located just south of Salzburg is an open meadow that should be instantly recognisable to fans of the Von Trapp family.  It is of course the meadow through which Julie Andrews ran and sang with such wanton abandon in The Sound of Music nearly 50 years ago.  The meadow has reportedly changed little in that time, although producers do admit to having added one or two background trees to their shots during production for the effect.  This iconic location is easy to get to and, along with other locations from the film in the neighbouring towns, forms a tour that has quickly become one of the most popular walking holidays in Europe.

Mamores, Scotland, UK / Graham Lewis

Mamores, Scotland

The Mamores isn’t actually a place, but rather a mountain range in the Scottish Highlands.  Lying close to the town of Fort William, the Mamores incorporates ten of Scotland’s highest mountains that form a continuous and circuitous route from one to the next.  This is the type of walking that requires specialist gear, so don’t think about hopping up the nearest hill in your trainers when you’re on a day trip to the area.

The height of these mountains makes the weather unpredictable and confusing so experience is essential.  If you do fit into this category and you find yourself standing at the top of Stob Ban or Am Bodach, you’ll be following in the footsteps of Mel Gibson’s epic trek as William Wallace in Braveheart.  And while you might not be lucky enough to meet a wild man in a kilt on your holiday, the spectacular view of the surrounding mountaintops should more than make up for it.

Byline: Fiona Galloway is a travel writer who has written about walking holidays in Europe.

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In the valley there are three monasteries. The most formidable of them is San Esteve – thanks to its size, style and history. It is accessible only by car or walking. San Esteve monastery was founded in the 6th century, and the oldest parts are the Romanesque cloister and church. Two other monasteries are from the 16th and 17th centuries.

The most beautiful views of the Cañon del Sil are on 14 km trail leading from Loureiro to the village of Parada do Sil. At the very edge of the canyon, 5km north of Parada do Sil, there is Santa Cristina monastery from 12th and 13th century.

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Coimbra is famous for its university, which dominates the city. It is the oldest university in Portuguese-speaking world. It was founded in the 1290. Coimbra is divided into two parts, upper and lower town. Both of them offer lots of monuments. The main center of the lower town is the square Praça do Comércio. The main center of the upper town is the square Praça da República.

Among major attractions of Coimbra is the Cathedral Sé Velha, which was built in 1064 in honor of the victory against the Moors. Then it is a botanical garden, cathedral Sé Nova, founded by Jesuits in 1598, the church of Santa Cruz from 1131 and two monasteries, the Santa Clara-a-Velha and Santa Clara-a-Nova. Coimbra has many more sites, that you cannot visit in one day.

Coimbra hosts during the year many celebrations and festivals. Among the most important there is a student ceremony Quiema das Fitas, during which students are celebrating the end of graduation courses, symbolized by the ritual burning of the ribbons representing each faculty of the University of Coimbra (UC), it takes place at the second semester (starts on the first Friday of May at 00:00), being among the biggest student festivities in Europe. It lasts for 8 days, one for each UC’s Faculty: Letters, Law, Medicine, Sciences & Technology, Pharmacy, Economics, Psychology & Education Sciences and Sports Sciences & Physical Education. During this period, a series of concerts and performances are held, turning Coimbra in a lively and vibrant city. It also includes a parade of the university students, sport activities, gala ball, and many other public events and traditions, such as the historical nighttime student fado serenade (Serenata Monumental) which happens in the stairs of the Old Cathedral of Coimbra for a crowd of thousands of students, tourists and other spectators.

Other festivals are e.g.:
In May – Festival de Queima das Fitas
In June – Festival de Santos Popular
In July – the Festa da Rainha Santa Isabel and Festa da Cidade

If you are planning your trip to Portugal, you shouldn’t miss Coimbra.

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Rila Monastery was founded in the 10th century by St. Ivan of Rila who was the famous Bulgarian saint and hermit. Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria’s most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments and it is a key tourist attraction for both Bulgaria and Southeastern Europe as a whole.

Rila Monastery has been destroyed by fire at the beginning of the 19th century and it was rebuilt later (from 1834 to 1862). It is a characteristic example of the Bulgarian Renaissance (18th–19th centuries), the monument symbolizes the awareness of a Slavic cultural identity following centuries of occupation.

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The city of Florence has been inhabited since the prehistoric times. However, it would not be until 59 B.C. that the city would become part of the Great Roman Empire. Nestled along the banks of the Arno River, Claire Cesar knew that the city would be great one day. Back in those days, Florence was known as Colonia Florentia. It started off as a military colony and grew into one of the most beautiful cities in the entire world.

Sunset over Florence, Tuscany, Italy by Steve

The history of Florence is both rich and very colorful. There are many landmarks and monuments throughout the city which have attracted countless visitors over the centuries. Some say that perhaps the most notable of these landmarks is the 106 meter tall Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore that was built at the end of the 13th century. From the top of the Duomo, you can see some of the best panoramic views of Florence imaginable.

The next most notable monument in Florence is that of the Ponte Vecchio. This old bridge which was built back in 1345 is not just a bridge, it is an entire community. Along the length of the bridge, there are several homes, various shops and boutiques. Ponte Vecchio is the only bridge in Florence that was not destroyed back in the Second World War which makes it the oldest stone arch bridge in the whole of Europe.

Tower of Florence Cathedral, Tuscany, Italy by Ivan Borisov

Of course no one could be allowed to leave Florence without taking the time to stop by the Piazzale Michelangelo. Situated atop a hill, from the Piazzale you can get some of the most awe inspiring views of the city and of course, of the infamous Florentine sunset.

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Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Arian Zwegers

The rocks, on which monasteries are located, were formed about 30 million years ago. Initially there was a sea that constantly washed a sand, and finally created these strange formations. The sea finally receded and allowed the rocks to excel in all their glory. Since the beginning the rocky peaks are considered to be some kind of a magical place.

The first monastery called Megalo Meteoro was built by the monk Athanasios in 1336 on a cliff top at an altitude of 534 m. He moved here from Mount Athos and cave, where he lived before is now visible at the entrance to the monastery. Athanasios inspired other monks to the construction of monasteries and already in the 16th century there were 24 monasteries.

The decline of the Metéora monasteries began in the 18th century, when many church officials moved to the monk’s republic Athos. Unfortunately during the World War II, monasteries were bombed, and many of them were destroyed and others were vandalized. Only thirteen monasteries survived, six of which are open to the public, however monks and nuns are still living there. Therefore there are the exact opening hours determined, which change frequently.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Alexandre Van de Sande

Monasteries were decorated with beautiful icons, including the icons by Theophanes the Cretan and furnished with precious furniture. In the monasteries you can still see many rare wall frescoes and relics.

Metéora is popular not only as cultural and religious center but also as a renowned climbing area. Local high, smooth walls are a challenge for many climbing enthusiasts. In these places, you can meet the best climbing groups. But the local rocks must be approached with respect, and can in fact be very dangerous.

Monasteries are particularly popular destination for excursions, the tour with expert commentary is primarily a male monastery Varlaam and a female monastery Roussanou founded in the 1288. During the visit, you need to pay attention to certain strict regulation. Women must have skirts that cover their knees, and men need to have trousers. All need to have covered shoulders.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Domenico Salvagnin

The rock monasteries of Metéora are among the most visited monuments in Greece, attracting thousands of visitors each year. They are often visited by tourists, who spend their holidays on the Olympic Riviera. Just below the rocky cliffs there are the ancient towns of Kalambaka and Kastraki. Kalambaka is a tourist base for visitors to Metéora. Kastraki picturesque village is located between the rocks. Its history dates back to the days of Turkish domination and was founded by the Greeks, who’ve fled here from the Albania’s bloodthirsty ruler Ali Pasha.

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