Prague, Vienna, Budapest and Istanbul – they are your normal Eastern European destinations, but what about the unsung places? Ask any expert and they will say that there is no shortage of interesting places in Eastern Europe. Prague and Vienna are some of the most beautiful cities in the world, Istanbul is highly exotic, and very new and refreshing, and who does not want to take a cruise along the golden Croatian coast?
Lake Bled
Well a new wave is coming. Australians are becoming more adventurous and look to combine Eastern European favourites with lesser known towns and regions. The Baltic States and Poland, have caught the attention of Beyond Travel, and are currently sparking their clients’ curiosity.
“Demand is strong throughout the region,” Beyond Travel marketing manager, Bryce Crampton has said. “Eastern Europe has everything from colourful festivals, beachside resort towns and castles through to the UNESCO listed Wieliczka Salt mines, the picturesque Tatra Mountains and fairytale castles.”
The Transylvanian region of Romania is a trip back in time, where travelers can explore the mythology surrounding the Dracula legend. Then there’s the Bohemia region, which has many beautiful spa towns, such as the picturesque Karlovy Vary. Crampton continued; “The Estonian capital of Tallinn and historic Krakow are proving most popular at the moment.”
Poland and the Baltic states offer a great mix of cultures and varied experiences. Tallinn is Europe’s most northerly medieval walled city and beautifully preserved Krakow is home to the largest medieval town hall in central Europe. Visas are no longer required making travel through the region easy and better still, your dollar stretches further here – according to Crampton there are now a great range of historic boutique hotels available at very reasonable rates.
All this noise has lead Beyond Travel to increase their product range in the latest Eastern European brochure. The expanded program features more exclusive small group tours with greater focus on combining popular cities with more unique regional destinations.
“These areas are still relatively new to Australian travellers, so most enquires are for small intimate group tours which offer security, knowledgeable guides and quality service but still provide flexibility for passengers,” Crampton said.
So, Sun Island Tours urges clients to experience Eastern Europe’s less-travelled destinations, like inland Croatia, Montenegro and Slovenia, before the rest of the world crowds in.
Many Australian travellers are getting familiar with the beautiful coastlines of Croatia. However, very few ever dare to explore inland, or to go so far as to experiencing Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovenia and more.
From the mountains of Croatia and Montenegro, adventurous Australians will have the ride of their lives traversing the tricky roads leading down to the famous emerald waters of the Adriatic Sea.
Bled Castle and Bled Island, in Slovenia are other “must see” destinations, and the underground caves of Postojna with their spectacular stalactite formations (one of Europe’s finest geological attractions) and the medieval coastal town of Piran are breathtaking attractions.
Sun Island Tours offers a wide variety of escorted coach tours and cruises to and from Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Those who want to visit Eastern Europe from Australia, Beyond Travel has a number of deals and packages to accommodate your needs. For example Beyond Travel’s two week trip from Tallinn to Vienna would allow you to see a number of cities, and historical landmarks through a number of countries.
This fully guided tour begins in Estonia and makes its way through Riga in Latvia, Vilnius in Lithuania, Warsaw as well as Krakow, Prague, and ends in Vienna Austria. Prices are from $2465 per person, as it includes four-star hotel rooms, breakfast everyday, and tours with English speaking guides, choice dinners, and transport from destination to destination. There are numerous travel dates from April until September. Visit www.beyondtravel.com.au.
If you wish to see the balkans, the Sun Island Tours’ 14-day guided trip from Zagreb to Venice starts out in Zagreb, Croatia, and moves its way through the cities of Sarajevo, Dubrovnik, Montenegro, Split, Bled and many more on the way to the romance capital of Italy, Venice. The prices are at $3058 per person, as it includes four and five-star hotel rooms, accompanying meals, tours with local English speaking guides, entrance fees, local taxes, and air-conditioned transport from place to place. Departures are from April to September. Visit www.sunislandtours.com.au.