| European City Breaks |
Vienna City Breaks
Today, Vienna serves as the capital of Austria, the city known for imperial palaces and art museums, ornate cafes and beer taverns, baroque churches and stately elegance, and more than anything else the birthplace of Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Schubert, Brahms, and so on. Come and visit the city that can easily claim to have the strongest musical traditions in Europe and walk around in one of the most charming European city break capitals.
From the time the Romans selected a Celtic settlement on the Danube River as one of their most important central European forts, "Vindobona," the city we now know as Vienna, has played a vital role in European history. Austria grew up around the city and developed into a mighty empire. The capital became a showplace during the tumultuous reign of the Habsburg dynasty, whose court was a dazzling spectacle.
The face of the city has changed time and again because of war, siege, victory, defeat, the death of an empire, the birth of a republic, foreign occupation, and the passage of time. Fortunately, the Viennese character -- a strict devotion to the good life -- has remained solid.
Music, art, literature, theater, architecture, education, food, and drink are all part of Vienna's allure. In the pages that follow, we'll show you the brilliance this city has to offer.
In 1857, the city wall and its bastions were razed, and during the following years this splendid grand boulevard encircling the city was created. It contains a typical cross-section of government buildings, private mansions, spacious squares and parks, monuments and elegant cafés.
Take a trip turn around the old city on streetcar lines Number 1 or 2 (Ring-Linien) and see Otto Wagner's Post Office Building, the Museum of Applied Arts, Vienna's City Park, the Vienna State Opera, the Imperial Palace, the Museums of Fine Arts and Natural History, Parliament, the Burgtheater, the University and the Stock Exchange
The Viennese coffeehouse-tradition goes back to the year 1683 when the Turks besieged Vienna. Georg Franz Kolschitzky, born in Armenia and working as translator for the oriental trading company, who knew Turk language went through enemy lines to Poland's king Sobiesky who sent army to free Vienna. The Turks fled off head over heels. As rescuer of Vienna he had first choice of booty. He left gold, weapons and other goodies. He only was interested in sacks of brown beans nobody wanted. Kolschitzky knew about from his travels to Turkey.
Visit Empress Sisi’s former summer residence. This baroque complex contains an enchanting park, the Palm House, the Gloriette and a zoo. Spend an entire day at Schönbrunn: visit the show rooms with a "Grand Tour with Audio Guide," admire the splendid Bergl Rooms, and stroll through the “Labyrinth.”
Schönbrunn, the former summer residence of the imperial family, is considered one of the most beautiful baroque palaces in Europe. The Habsburgs resided here the better part of the year in numerous rooms for the large imperial family in addition to representational rooms. Emperor Franz Joseph, who later married the enchanting Sisi and reigned from 1848 to 1916, was born here in 1830. The monarch spent his last years entirely in the palace, which became the property of the new Republic of Austria only two years after his death. Today, the palace is part of UNESCO’s cultural heritage due to its historic importance, its unique grounds and its splendid furnishings.
Rome City Breaks
It's hard to describe Rome in a few words; a city so vast and rich in art, monuments and exquisite views, a historic city, which has preserved its charm and independence throughout the centuries.
Rome's history can be read in every monument, and palazzo; in fact, each and every stone bears witness to the periods of splendour, decay, wars, and numerous architectural styles. The city could be described as a gigantic open-air museum, visited each year by millions of tourists, scholars and pilgrims from all over the world.
It is hard to believe that Roman civilization began with a small settlement of shepherds and farmers near the Tevere river, on Palatino (one of the seven hills on which Rome was built and where most of the Roman archaeological treasures were found), tradition dictates that this is where Romulus founded the city and where Augustus, the first Emperor, built his house, which is now widely (and incorrectly) known as the house of Livia, his wife.
Rome has spread outwards in a rather haphazard manner, without much regard to town planning; many fields were acquired by the local authorities and transformed into new neighbourhoods. North of Rome, near the Vatican are the Aurelio, Prati and Mazzini neighbourhoods, which are more commercial and residential, as well as the elegant quarters of Parioli and Nomentano, home to many foreign embassies. Further south are Prenestino and Tiburtino, more populated areas, due to the fact that they are university areas, full of students, who can also be found in the nearby S.Lorenzo, a charming district with a wide variety of pizzerias and bars. Trastevere is undoubtedly one of the most charming areas of the city, it is also one of the most crowded areas too, especially on summer evenings. Many people (foreigners and Romans alike) want to live in this highly desirable district. Finally, the Eur, is one of the most modern neighbourhoods, a centre for offices and administration centres.
Athens City Breaks
According to mythology, the first city was founded by Phoenicians and more especially by Cecrops.
Athens was born when the gods of Olympus decided that the city should be named after the deity who could gave the most useful gift to the mortals and would become its patron deity.
An outrage took place between Athena (goddess of wisdom) and Poseidon (god of the sea).
Athena won the right to rule the city by offering an olive tree, symbol of peace and prosperity while Poseidon struck a rock and a horse sprang forth symbolising the strength.
According to history, the Acropolis was first inhabited in the Neolithic period. The rock of the Acropolis was first used as a military fortress as its position offers a view towards the land and the sea.
Poor people has no rights until Solon, the law giver and poet, took the road to democracy when he declared all free Athenians equal by law and abolished inherited privileges.
It is during this period that the Acropolis was declared province of the gods by a Delphic oracle.
In the 5th century, after victory against the Persians, Athens discovers a period of economical, cultural and political prosperity with the establishment of Democracy under Pericles.
It is during this period that the Parthenon was built (ultimate classical Greek achievement in term of architecture and sculptures) and the theatrical masterpieces where written.
Athens' golden age stopped after its defeat against Sparta during the Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C).
St Paul came in Greece to proclaim the Christianity with his famous "sermon on an Unknown God" in 51 A.D. In 324 A.D., the Emperor Constantine I transferred the capital of the Empire from Rome to Byzantium which took the name of Constantinople. By the end of the 4th century, the Roman Empire was divided in two: the Roman Empire at the west and the Byzantine Empire at the east. After centuries of military success and great wealth, the Roman Empire started to decline leaving its place to the Byzantine Empire.
During the Byzantine Empire, the Parthenon of the Acropolis was turned into the church of Agia Sophia.
Athens still remained the centre of Greek education and culture until 529 when the Emperor Justinian banned the teaching of classical philosophy.
Budapest City Break
Along with Paris, Budapest is one of the favourite City Breaks
Budapest looks its most beautiful at dawn. As the sun slowly rises over the eastern plains, bathing Pest in soft pastel hues, it radiates back from the buildings of Buda as if they were a giant mirror; the windows on Castle Hill positively glisten in golden jubilation.
But Budapest is also spectacularly appealing at night. The Chain Bridge is festooned with white lights, and the main public buildings like the Parliament, the Opera and the Royal Palace, as well as the entire panorama of the Castle District, are imaginatively and sensitively floodlit.
It's easy for Budapest to play with light in the manner of an elegant lady trying on her jewels, for everything looks good. This is a vibrant city: it throbs with life morning, noon and night; visitors arriving from other countries get the feeling that something interesting is happening round every corner.
There are plenty of other capital cities built on the banks of a river, and in many cases the river runs through the historic centre. But such a wide and majestic river, as is the Danube at Budapest, is more of a rarity. Even more exceptional is the perfect contrast between the right and left banks. Buda is built upon hills, the feet of two of them - Castle Hill and Gellért Hill - almost stand in the water. Facing it is Pest, as flat as a pancake (or, as a Hungarian might say, as flat as a "lángos", a pita-type bread popular for many a century).
It's no exaggeration to say that Budapest is one of the finest capital cities in Europe, and also one of the best situated. Among the several places in Hungary that have been afforded the classification of UNESCO World Heritage Site, the first were the Danube panorama (on the Buda side from the Gellért Hotel all along Castle Hill to Margaret Bridge, and on the Pest side from the Parliament back down to Petőfi Bridge), and Andrássy út (along its entire length from the centre of Pest to Heroes' Square, where the Millenary Monument stands on the edge of the City Park).
At the time of the Magyar Conquest in 896, the first Hungarian tribes settled in the plains to the east. They migrated to the hills further west later on to take advantage of the greater protection they offered. Buda became the royal seat in the thirteenth century and saw the court's rising status reflected in the building of ever more splendid palaces and the expansion of the town into a flowering middle class town. Pest at this time was a town of merchants and artisans.
In the history of Budapest the year 1872 stands out as a milestone, for it was then that the three separate settlements of Pest, Buda and Óbuda (literally "Old" Buda) were united. Budapest officially became the capital city of Hungary, and underwent rapid growth in size and eminence. This was the city's golden age, and coincided with the Hungarian millennial celebrations in 1896.
Budapest, now home to two million inhabitants, would appear countless times on any list of superlatives. The Continent's first underground railway was built here. From here originated more pioneering Hollywood film makers than from any other European city. Budapest was the home of such world class inventors as Kálmán Kandó, the father of electric railways, and János Irinyi, one of the early developers of matches. Hungary's two most celebrated composers - Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály - lived in Budapest, and Nobel Prize-winning Hungarian author Imre Kertész was born here.
Hungary's oldest academic library, the University Library, is to be found here. It is the location of Europe's largest synagogue. It is the only capital city in the world where there are more than one hundred hot thermal springs. There are no other cities of comparable size anywhere where visitors can explore dripstone (stalactite) caves in the middle of the residential districts.
It would be difficult to find another city where visitors are faced with such a choice of transport: bus, tram, trolleybus, train, underground railway, cogwheel railway, funicular, forest railway, horse-and-trap, chair-lift, boat, bicycle and on Margaret Island "bringóhintó" family cycle cars - Budapest has them all! Let's choose one, and set off in the World Heritage streets.
Later we'll go a little further, to see more unique and interesting things, as we visit some of the historical towns and beautiful countryside that lie just outside the capital.
Paris City Break
Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world. With more than 2000 years of history, the City of Light encompasses triumphant monuments, rich museums and glorious cathedrals. The architecture of Paris is known around the world for its marvels. Among the must-sees, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Arc de Triomphe and the Notre-Dame and Sacré-Coeur Cathedrals. Paris is a walking city. Take the time to enjoy the enchanting atmosphere of the lively Latin Quarter, the streets of Montmartre -the heart of the artistic Paris- or walk along the Champs-Elysées, with its luxury shops, cinemas and cafés. Paris is magnificent by night. Its illuminated buildings are legendary. Paris offers an unlimited choice of entertainment and night activities including cabaret, opera and theatre. The most pleasant way of visiting Paris is probably by taking a cruise on the Seine River - especially at sunset.
Avenue des Champs-Elysees is one of the most popular promenades in Paris. It is a two kilometre stretch of road lined with trees, shopping, restaurants, and movie theatres. Marked by the Arc de Triomphe monument at one end, it becomes a major hub of activity on major holidays such as New Years Eve. Evening walks are ideal, as the trees are lit up.
In the heart of Paris, the river Seine splits into two streams forming two islands: the Ile-de-la Cité and Ile-St-Louis. The Ile-de-la-Cité is oldest part of Paris. It is here where the first inhabitants of Paris, called the Parisii, settled around the 3rd century BC. During the Middle Ages, the Ile-de-la-Cité became an important religious centre with the construction of the Notre-Dame Cathedral and the Sainte-Chapelle. Less frequented, the Ile-St-Louis is known for its village atmosphere. Its quiet streets are lined with 17th century grey-stone houses.
La Défense is the modern business district in Paris located west of the 17th arrondissement. This district is part of the "Grands Travaux" (big projects) undertaken by former French President Francois Mitterrand in the 1980s. La Défense features 60 buildings hosting 1200 companies including many headquarters. The most impressive building in the district is the Grande Arche de la Défense, a huge hollow cube of 110 metres on each side housing business offices, restaurants and expositions.
The Latin Quarter is located south of Ile-de-la-Cité around Place St-Michel. In 1253, the district became home to the first University founded in France, the prestigious Sorbonne, one of the oldest universities in the world. At this time, Latin was the official educational language and students and professors used to talk in Latin after classes around the University. In 1968, the area was the centre of the French student revolt, known as "May 68". The district has kept its original lively and trendy atmosphere and is renowned for its medieval streets, colourful markets, restaurants, cafés and nightlife.
Le Marais is an historic district of Paris featuring magnificent heritage apartments in the pure French style. King Henri IV decided to develop this marshy land on the right bank of the Seine River at the beginning of the 17th century. The district became fashionable and the centre of Parisian "salon life", when meeting places for intellectuals, writers and artists were created. The highlight of the district is the Place des Vosges, one of the most beautiful squares in the city, built in brick and stone and perched over a harmonious arcade. Many apartments on Place des Vosges used to belong to famous people including Madame de Sevigné, Richelieu, Bossuet, Alphonse Daudet and Victor Hugo who wrote a large part of Les Misérables there. Today, the district has undergone renovations and is one of the most desirable neighbourhoods in Paris.
Istanbul City Break
The important waterline dividing Istanbul into two is the Bosphorus… The only alternative to reach the Aegean Sea and the Meditteranean Sea, therefore to open sea is to use Istanbul and the the Bosphorus…
Istanbul is both the nearest Asian city to Europe and the nearest European city to Asia, a fascinating city break. What adds to Istanbul’s significance is its being a port city and all trade paths’ passing through the city for thousands of years… a two flavour city break
Another important feature of Istanbul is that it has a highly sheltered structure. Especially the center which is presently called as the “historical peninsula”, which was made capital city by both Byzantine and Ottoman Empires and its being located on a hill surrounded by three seas made it almost impossible to be conquered… Indeed, Haliç had the quality of being an unparalleled harbour sheltering navy fleets.
The Boshporus, one of the most important water passages of the world... Maybe this “importance” of the Boshporus is equaled in the world, but regarding its spectacular beauty, no other sea, no river, no strait can ever be mentioned...
The Strait of Istanbul, or with its word-wide known name “The Bosporus” has a very interesting myth :
The king of the Gods, strongest of the strongs, Zeus is after flirting again. This time, his lover is a beauty named Io. One day, when Zeus and Io are having fun up in the skies, Zeus’ jealous wife, Hera suspects that something is going on. When Hera is heading to where Zeus is, Zeus covers the skies with clouds to prevent Hera from seeing Io. But Hera insists on her doubts; she blows to the clouds and scatters them. Upon this, Zeus, who does not have any chance to deceive his wife, turn his love Io into an ox. Hera still does not believe even though she sees an ox in place of a woman, she is sure that Zeus is up to something. Then Hera sends dangerous flies and bugs towards Io, disguised as an ox. Io, the ox, is so disturbed that she starts to run from Aegean Sea to the Black Sea, leaving behind a strait and and her name, Boshporus which means an ox passageway... an interesting city break
Every district, every region overlooking the Boshporus bears a different beauty, a different quality. To discover these beauties, we recommend you first to take a voyage or a boat trip and smell these beautiful coasts from a distance. Then you can take a closer look at them.
Madrid City Break
 
At 646 m, Madrid is one of the highest cities in Europe, and its clear, blue skies give rise to the Spanish saying, "De Madrid al cielo" (Madrid is the next best thing to heaven). It is not a city of great sights, especially in terms of architecture, but this is more than compensated for by its two main attractions: its museums (unbeatable) and its nightlife (incredible). Its parks are also outstanding, and its restaurants allow you to sample the best cuisine from all over Spain, as well as South America and elsewhere. It is an ideal choice for a city break (sorry, citybreak), or for a longer stay, particularly if used as the base to explore the centre of Spain — Toledo, Ávila, Aranjuez, Alcalá de Henares and Segovia are some of the places within easy reach.
Although not strikingly beautiful like Paris or Venice or immediately captivating like Amsterdam or Barcelona, Madrid creates as many addicts as any of them. Madrid's inhabitants, Madrileńos, are the main reason for this: the city is a melting pot of people from all over Spain and, more recently, the rest of the world. Castizos, true-blue Madrileńos, are a definite minority, but when traditional costumes — Cockney-like chulos and chulapas, or Goyesque majos and majas — are donned for Madrid's traditional festivals, San Isidro in May or La Virgen de la Paloma in August, no-one minds if their wearers have non-native accents or complexions. And while Madrid's rival, Barcelona, slides further into narrow-minded Catalonia-centrism, the Spanish capital is more cosmopolitan than ever, without having lost any of its own identity.
There have been populations of one sort or another more or less where Madrid is now since prehistoric times, though not much is known about them. As so often in Spain, it was the Arabs who gave the place substance and name. They called it Mayrit (perhaps a combination of the Arabic "Mayra" (mother) and the Ibero-Romanic suffix "-it", "place"), which soon became Matrit in Spanish-speaking mouths. The heart of the original 9th century Arab settlement would have been a fortress (almudena) on the top of a hill (where the Royal Palace is now), and surrounded by scattered Celtiberian hamlets. Matrit must have grown in importance as the fortress attracted traders and other civilians, until it became necessary to build walls to enclose the town - a small part of these Arab walls has been excavated and can be visited on the Cuesta de la Vega, a few yards to the south of Madrid's Almudena Cathedral.
From that moment on, Madrid almost disappears from history until 1561, when Philip II moved the court there from Toledo. It is said that this was because he disliked the climate of the latter, though both cities have a continental climate (hot summers, cold winters and very short springs and autumns). There may have been a certain sentimentalism at play, as well - the Spanish king had been born in Madrid. But the most likely explanation is that Madrid was, by accident rather than design, slap-bang in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula, and Philip was a great one for bureaucratic centralism. Outside the Casa de Correos in the Puerta del Sol, you can see a paving stone marked "Km 0," which is the starting point for measurement of all road distances in Spain.
Madrid's history since then can be seen in its different districts and architecture. The historic centre, referred to as Madrid de los Austrias, including the Plaza Mayor, dates from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and is so called for the Hapsburg dynasty. Madrid de los Bourbones dates from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and includes the Palacio Real, Royal Palace, Madrid's triumphal-type arches, especially the Puerta de Alcalá and de Toledo, and its fountains, particularly in or near the Paseo del Prado, the Fuente de Neptuno and de Cibeles. Nineteenth-century Madrid is really a scattering of different buildings: the Teatro Real (for many years, Madrid's de facto opera house, hence the name of the metro station), the Prado Museum (though this really feels Bourbon), Palacio de Congresos, the Banco de Espańa, and the reformed Puerta del Sol. Twentieth-century Madrid is inconsistent but some of it is much more interesting than you might expect. On the one hand, there are earlyish twentieth-century buildings, particularly on the Gran Vía, including the art nouveau Telefónica Building (1929), the first skyscraper in Spain and very reminiscent of New York's Empire State Building (the Telefónica Building cannot be visited, but I know at first hand that it conserves the original interior decoration - it is like walking onto a Tim Burton film set for Batman). On the other, there is later twentieth-century Madrid, best seen on the Paseo de la Castellana, running north from the Jardines del Descubrimiento up to the impossibly inclining Torres Kio in the Plaza de Castilla.
City Break in Riga
Riga is the Sleeping Beauty of Europe. Fortunately she did not have to sleep for more than 50 years. Now she – the Grand Lady - has woken up, shaken off her dust and got back the colours and unique beauty of her youth. She is the Cream and Dessert of European cities. Always exceeding people’s expectations, the new City break Hotspot.
In the Old City of Riga there is a mixture of the bohemian cosiness of Prague, the cool elegance of Paris and the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Berlin, a fantastc combination for a city break. Riga is the uncrowned capital of the three Baltic countries.
Europe’s largest traditional food market in central Riga with its separate zeppelin halls for bread and cakes, fish, meat as well as milk products reflect the choice that you have in Riga.
The Lido restaurant chain specializing in Latvian meals makes Disney and McDonald fade. On a City Break, the tasty Latvian beer is recommended. The cafe culture offers bohemian and cosy cafes on almost every corner. Well mixed with exclusive and elegant gourmet restaurants with surprisingly pleasant prices. And warm and friendly serving. Riga is international, a melting pot of cuisines and traditions, and you can find most country’s cuisine represented. Still, most often they serve the legendary Riga Black Balsam. This alcoholic tonic is made from a variety of herbs, and can be sipped straight or enjoyed with coffee or ice cream.
As night is getting closer Riga’s pubs, night clubs, discos, casinos, cabaret shows and other entertainment establishments are being filled up. The inside temperature is sizzling hot all year long. The density of places to get hot stimulates competition and ensure a great variety in choice. Riga is known for its endless opportunities to party. Maybe that is why one of Riga’s oldest streets exiting the Old City is knows as Grēcinieku (Sinners’ street)? As people continue to enjoy the Riga Champagne during the late and early hours, they understand why Riga is called the Second City that Never Sleeps and the Hottest City Break in the North.
Krakow City Break
Krakow is the city exactly on the intersection of 20 degrees East and 50 degrees North. According to some cartographers it is the geographical centre of Europe. It not difficult to come to Krakow from different parts of the world. The Krakow international airport at Balice, just 15 kilometres from the city centre, has direct flights to many foreign airports, for instance: Paris, London, Zurich, Frankfurt am Main, Vienna, Rome, Tel Aviv, New York, Chicago. The city is an important railway junction with a regular and reliable train network linking Krakow with other cities both national and international. It is also possible to come to Krakow by coach or car. Our city is linked to the main Polish and European roads and thus the access for a city break is very easy.
Inside the city, close to its centre there are three traffic zones protecting the very centre. You are not allowed to drive into A and B zone. Parking in the C zone is possible after buying a parking card. It is recommended to leave your car in the guarded car parks which let come closer to your destination and have your car protected. The old part of Krakow you can visit on foot or by the public transport system which is quite good and sufficient for the visitors' needs. For those who prefer to travel by taxi, there is no problem to take it just from the street or order by telephone. If you do in the latter way, you are entitled to a discount. The cost of taxi driving within the city depending to the distance is about 30-40 zlotys (about 7-12 euros).
 
It is not a simple task to describe the unique character of Krakow for a city break to those who still have not had the opportunity to visit this city. This uniqueness is primarily due to the rare cultural heritage embodied in the city's wall. Here, in the year 1000 a Roman Catholic bishopric was founded. Here royal castle was built on the Wawel Hill, becoming the coronation and burial place of kings, as Krakow was the capital of Poland from the 11th - 17th century. Here in 1364, the Krakow Academy was established, the first Polish university (today renamed the Jagiellonian University).
The city image has changed during the past centuries. In the Middle Ages Krakow was safe, rich fortified city surrounded by walls with 55 towers (fragments of the city fortification have been preserved to this day). During the Renaissance, Krakow became the centre of new ideas and culture that attracted the most outstanding humanists, writers, architects and musicians. Even a few later, while the city was going through economic decline during the period of Modernism, the whole of the Polish artistic elite found the safe haven. City life focused around the Market Square, the second largest in Europe after St. Mark's Square in Venice.
Tradition interlaces with modern times nearly everywhere you go, and each stone has its own history. There is a multitude of architectural monuments estimated at 6 thousand buildings and other types and forms of structures. This is supplemented by approximately 2.5 million artefacts collected and displayed in museums, churches and archives. Thanks to the extraordinary accumulation of cultural wealth, the city was registered as one of the 12 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
It is impossible to describe or even list all the tourist attractions in Krakow, but, each tourist will discover his own "magical" Krakow. While some will follow the footsteps of Nicholas Copernicus, others will be interested in sites linked with John Paul II. Some will be fascinated by the world-wide unique underground corridors of the Wieliczka salt mine and others will wander round the Kazimierz Jewish district. Many will stand enchanted in front of the Wit Stwosz altar.
Benefiting from its geographical location, Krakow aims at becoming the meeting place of many cultures and nations successfully claims its position as a Central European city break metropolis, a city of culture, art and science. Several universities are located in Krakow. Many world famous representatives of Polish culture reside in Krakow.
 
Krakow is also a city break for tradition where the past meets the present, and the imaginary the real. Krakow is the city of myths, legends and dreams. City traditions are dominated by customs that date from the 13th and 14th centuries, although numerous stories and tales create the colour of this place. Krakow is said to have been visited by Doctor Faustus himself who cooperated with Master Twardowski, a court alchemist in search of the philosopher's stone. Two unique legends are connected with Tartar raid, which broke into the history of Krakow in a very violent way. Every hour you can hear a bugle call whose travel whose sound travels towards the four quarters of the world from the tower of St. Mary's Church. It is dramatically interrupted, as it was in the past when an enemy arrow hit the bugler. The other legend is associated with the fascinating personage "lajkonik". According to the story, it was a Vistula River raftsman in a Tartar disguise on horseback who rode from the battlefield with a message that the "infidel" invasion had been stopped.
 
The fascinating "lajkonik" still rides his wooden horse across the Market Square. Like centuries ago, during St. John's night, the shortest night of the year, Krak`s castle inhabitants come down to the Vistula River. With the imposing castle in the background, they float wreaths down the river, thus recalling the old pagan custom. The celebration is accompanied by a huge open-air show, firework display and performances that bring various events from the city's history back to life. After all, Krakow will always remain a living legend, a stunning city break.
Tallinn a Medieval City Break
Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is located in Northern Europe in the north-eastern part of the Baltic Sea region.
The climate in Tallinn is characterized by a fairly cold winter, a cool spring with little precipitation, a moderately warm summer and a long and rainy autumn. However, some summers have weeks at a stretch of temperatures around +30° C, and a warm, sunny summer can keep autumn at bay until mid-October.
Average temperature in July +16°C
Average temperature in February -9°C
Perfect for a City Break
 
Tallinn is a safe, comfortable city break with exciting opportunities for both big and small visitors. The whole family will enjoy memorable sights and events in the medieval Old Town, where the noble houses and mysterious stone courtyards entice you to take a closer look and take part in the goings-on.
With luck, you may find knights in shining armour, court jesters, and true courtyard dames – and with the help of a little imagination, you may also see secret, good-natured ghosts and spirits. An entire day will be well spent in Scandinavia’s most exciting zoo. The little ones will be enchanted by children’s performances, and teens would gladly spend several days in the tivoli amusement parks.
One of the best retained medieval European towns is Tallinn, with its web of winding cobblestone streets, which developed in the 11th to 15th centuries, preserved nearly in its entirety. The Old Town of Tallinn has been inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The golden era in Tallinn’s history lies in the period between the early 15th and mid 16th centuries. Tallinn had attained fame and a powerful role in the Baltic Sea area through its membership in the Hanseatic League. Economic might carried with it both the need to defend the city and the opportunity for a rich period of architectural and artistic creativity.
 
A walk through Tallinn’s Old Town brings a heightened understanding of the rich history of the town, as well as a mysterious sense of the atmosphere of the old days, a unique chance to experience the layers of time. The rewards are many, whether you walk on your own or make use of the guided tours available on your city break.
Feel the Medieval Spirit
Depending on the season, there are various happenings throughout the year based on medieval traditions and lore, or inspired by Tallinn’s medieval past. The annual celebration of the Old Town Days recalls the past and allows one and all to revel in and enjoy the colourful history that has shaped Tallinn as a great city break destination.
In the middle of the summer for four days, the Town Hall Square is turned into a Medieval Market, where counters overflow with goods, handicrafts and art. Within the old walls of the Old Town, the skills and traditions of ancient masters are brought to life, and noble citizens, buffoons and musicians wander the streets. Come bargain with the merchants, delight in medieval tastes and listen to the music of the bards.
Tallinn’s Old Town is rich in concert venues. The Medieval Town Hall, the impressive House of the Brotherhood of Black Heads, the acoustically superb St. Nicholas’s Museum-Concert Hall, the Gate Tower (Väravatorn), the Dominican Monastery, and the Kanuti Guild Hall are only a few examples of the unique settings that Tallinn offers its music lovers.
A Loaf of Bread, a Jug of Wine
Whether you want to go the whole hog and be medieval through to your meals, or if your tastes tend more to modern haute cuisine, Tallinn will provide a romantic medieval setting for you to enjoy your meal without ever having to leave the compact, central Old Town.
Tallinn has all the wining and dining the adventurous palate might hope for. For those who’ve caught the medieval bug, there are medieval restaurants to complete the authentic experience. May we suggest the medieval restaurant Olde Hansa, to take you back to 1459-1490, when a wealthy merchant’s home in Tallinn followed the best traditions of Europe in food, tableware, furniture and music.
If centuries-old recipes don’t enthrall, however, a variety of restaurants can be found in Tallinn’s Old Town with menus far from the Middle Ages, but where the setting still gives you that medieval milieu on your city break.
Vilnius City Break
Almost until the middle of the 16th century, houses in Vilnius were built without any layout and order. Only in 1536, the duke ordered the houses to be built in rows and in compliance with the map prepared in advance by the magistrate. This is how the streets emerged. Unfortunately, due to frequent fires they used to change their direction very often or disappeared at all. Many streets had arches and gates at the beginning and end, even in the middle.
Now the main tourism routes start at the Cathedral Square and go to the Dawn Gate through Pilies Street.
Streets in Lithuanian language are called ‘gatvė’ or ‘g.’, and squares are called ‘aikštė’ or ‘a.’.
Previously an important route was leading through this street from the capital to the famous castles of Lithuania such as Medininkai, Krėva, Lyda, etc. Therefore, Dawn Gate Street was also called Medininkų Street and the Dawn Gate – the Medininkų Gate. No houses were built on the other side of these gates but the cemetery was maintained there until the 18th century. In 1503, the magistrate of the city ordered to build a guest house in Dawn Gate Street for foreign merchants wishing to stay for a night. Unfortunately, this building did not survive.
 
Among the remaining significant buildings in this street the following are worth to be mentioned: National Philharmonic, Sts Joseph and Nicodemus Church, Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit, Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity.
Southern architecture beneath the northern sky, the Vilnius amphitheater nestled among hills, invaded by groves and barren areas, summer cumuli and autumn haze – all this gives a breathtaking view and radiates the spirit of freedom and individuality of Europe.
It is not surprising that the capital city of Lithuania is fast becoming one of the most popular destinations in Eastern Europe. The Lithuanian‘s Capital is appreciated as an attractive place, certainly worth visiting.
Whether you are a fan of architecture or social life, opera or basketball, shopping or street festivals, Vilnius is an ideal city break when traveling near the Baltic States or Scandinavia.
 
If you haven‘t heard much about Vilnius in the past, expect to in the future. So don‘t wait! Add Vilnius to your list of must city breaks. You may come for a short stay and never quite get around to leaving. Then you‘ll be the one asking... have you heard of Vilnius?
The capital was first mentioned in the written sources of the 12th century. And in 1323 Vilnius was named the city. Throughout a couple of centuries it became a constantly growing and developing city because in 1579 the university was established here. It was the first university of this type in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania but it soon developed into an important scientific and cultural centre of Europe. Of course, political, economic and social life was also in full swing here. This is proved by the statutes issued in the 16th century. By the way, the last of them was in force until the 19th century.
Just like all medieval towns, Vilnius was developing around the Town Hall. The central Pilies Street linked the governors’ palace and the Town Hall. Other streets, winding like rivulets in the spring, made their way between the palaces of feudal lords and landlords, churches, shops and craftsmen workrooms. Narrow, curved streets and small cosy courtyards developed to the radial layout of the medieval Vilnius.
 
Rapidly developing Vilnius was open for foreigners coming both from the east and the west. Because of that, strong communities of Poles, Russians, Jews, Germans, Karaimes, etc. began to form here. Each of them made their contribution to the formation of the city: at that time crafts, trade and science were prospering in Vilnius. The city was developing rapidly and at the beginning of the 19th century it was the third largest town in the region of Eastern Europe. Only Moscow and St. Petersburg were larger.
Lubjanja City Break
As its inhabitants and numerous visitors will tell you, Ljubljana is, indeed, a people-friendly city. Categorised as a medium-sized European city, it offers everything that a city break does yet preserves its small-town friendliness.
It is the political and cultural heart of the Slovenian nation; an important European commercial, business, exhibition, congressional and city break destination as well as the transport, science and education centre of Slovenia. Its geographical position in the centre of Europe has determined Ljubljana as a natural meeting place for merchants and soldiers as well as - and more than once - peacemakers. The victors of the Napoleonic wars selected this peaceful city as the site of the Holy Alliance congress, which in 1821 sealed the European political geography for years to come.
 
In Ljubljana the old meets the new; and it seems that history has spent all of the settlement's five millennia preparing it to become the nation's capital. It has managed to retain traces from all periods of its rich history; from the legacy of Roman Emona; through to the Renaissance, Baroque and Art Nouveau periods characterised in the house fronts and ornate doorways of the city centre, the romantic bridges adorning the Ljubljanica river, the lopsided rooftops and a park reaching deep into the city centre. Here eastern and western cultures met; and the Italian concept of art combined with the sculptural aesthetics of Central European cathedrals.
The city owes its present appearance partly to Italian baroque and partly to Art Nouveau, which is the style of the numerous buildings erected immediately after the earthquake of 1895. In the first half of the 20th century, modern Ljubljana was shaped by the strong personal style of Jože Plečnik, a great European architect and a local of Ljubljana. The cityscape was complemented by his modernist followers as well as by creations of the "New Wave" of acknowledged young architects. All the different facets of Ljubljana blend harmoniously into a fantastic city break.
 
Ljubljana is a city of culture. It is home to numerous theatres, museums and galleries, and boasts one of the oldest philharmonic orchestras in the world. The first music society in Slovenia, the Academia philharmonicorum, was founded in 1701. It was a vehicle for baroque music and also facilitated the development of musical production in this region. Its honorary members included such renowned composers as Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven and Johannes Brahms, and distinguished musicians such as the violinist Nicolo Paganini. Between 1881 and 1882, at the very start of his career, Gustav Mahler was its resident conductor. For the people of Ljubljana culture is a way of living and thinking and is very much a part of everyday life. Over 10,000 cultural events take place in the city every year, among which there are 10 international festivals. The inhabitants of Ljubljana and its visitors can admire artists from all the different fields - from music, theatre and fine arts to the alternative and avant-garde. In warmer months, the tables and chairs of the numerous cafés fill the banks of the Ljubljanica and the old city markets. It is here, after an almost obligatory Saturday visit to the Ljubljana market or the Sunday flea market, that the locals meet for a morning coffee or for an evening chat with friends. The first impression a visitor gets of Ljubljana is that it is an exceptionally young city. It is home to over 50,000 students, who give it a special vibe. As four Slovene regions meet in Ljubljana, the city's numerous restaurants and inns offer a wide range of local delicacies, not to mention superb wines. Ljubljana did not earn the label of "the city of wine and vine" for nothing. In the past it was the wine-trading centre of the region and grapevines were planted on the slopes leading up to the present-day castle by the inhabitants of the Roman settlement of Emona. Today scientists are drawn to the city because of its high-calibre institutes and university, as are artists due to its world-famous graphic biennial, art academy and countless art galleries. International businessmen, economists and experts from all fields frequently attend the city's many business and congressional meetings, exhibitions and trade fairs.
 
In short: Ljubljana is a city that people often return to for a city break, be it because of pleasant memories of previous visits. It is similar to a number of other pleasant European cities - yet it is a different city break experience and if you want to be fully assured that Ljubljana is an interesting, pretty and friendly place then just ask the locals - they love it. And with a name that, according to one theory, means beloved, how could they do otherwise?
To date, historians have not yet agreed about the origin of the city's name. Some claim that the city was named after an ancient city deity that the early Slavs called Laburus. Others maintain that the name derives from Latin and that the city was named after a flooding river "aluviana", or that the name derives from the word "Laubach", meaning "a swamp". Those who like the playwright and historian Anton Tomaž Linhart - are fond of the city believe that its name can only derive from the Slavic word "luba", meaning beloved.
A long time ago, the Greek hero Jason and his companions from the ship Argo, stole the Golden Fleece from the Colchian king. In an effort to escape its pursuers the ship took a wrong turn and, instead of sailing south on the Aegean Sea, it found its way to the mouth of the Danube river. As there was no way back for them, they continued on up the Danube, the Sava and eventually the Ljubljanica. At the source of the Ljubljanica they stopped, took the ship apart, put the pieces on their shoulders and thus carried the ship to the Adriatic sea, where they put it back together and continued their way back home. Between the present-day Vrhnika and Ljubljana the Argonauts found a big lake surrounded by a marsh. It was here that Jason came across a terrible marsh monster, which he fought and eventually slew. This monster was the Ljubljana dragon, which today has its permanent abode on top of the castle tower in the Ljubljana coat of arms.
Dublin City Break
Dublin can claim to be one of the most beautifully situated of the world's capitals, located in the wide plain overlooked by the legendary Wicklow Mountains and facing a broad sweeping bay that leads into the Irish Sea. The city has a population of a million people which is about a third of the total population of the country. Dublin is the centre of government, commerce and industry and it is also to seaport at the moment of the River Liffey. The original small settlement was named Ath Cliath, which means a "ford of hurdles" or the "Hurdle ford" and was located near the mouth of the River Poddle on piles of stones. at the point where the Poddle met the Liffey a black pool (or "dubh-linn") emerged. It was with the coming of the Vikings in 841 that Dublin had start as a town. Dublin is a city for walkers, talkers and a city where the people are as worth watching as the architecture. Moore Street is a thriving street market off Henry Street. The women here with their prams and battered baby carriages filled high with a variety of fruit, toys or bric-a-brac, are descendants of the infamous Molly Malone, a streeet trader of the 18th Century. The street traders today, as then, are renowned for the food humour, loud voices and sharp witted banter.
Music is never too far away in Dublin. The streets are full of talented buskers and Grafton Street on a Saturday afternoon is virtually impassable for the crowds surrounding the young musicians. One of the most attractive features of Dublin nightlife is the music and singing pubs. Visitors will find that Dublin is a place of great cultural and historical interest. As the birthplace of Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, W.B. Yeats, James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett and many other renowned writers, Dublin often featured in their books. However no city has been more criticised by her writers. Jonathan Swift felt himself " dropped in wretched Dublin" and George Bernard Shaw complained of " a certain flippant, futile derision and belittlement peculiar to Dublin". It was called "the blind and ignorant town" by W.B. Yeats, and James Joyce seems to have agreed. Yet, despite all the abuse, number of truly great writers became part of Dublin's heritage.
Bratislava City Breaks
Bratislava has served as the capital of Slovakia since 1993, when this country split from the Czech Republic. Home to some 451,000 people, Bratislava is Slovakia's largest city, as well as its cultural center; it features the National Theatre, National Gallery and National Museum.
Dating back to the Roman occupation, Bratislava Castle has dominated the cityscape. Set high on a hill overlooking the Danube and Morava River confluence, the castle's four towers are a Bratislava city symbol. After recent reconstruction, the Castle remains the official residence of Slovakia's president.
Situated on Slovakia's far western border, Bratislava is near Vienna, Austria. Hovercraft zip up and down the Danube, ferrying visitors between the two cities in about 75 minutes, one way. Petroleum production has been a major Bratislavan industry since the industrial revolution, and the city does its share of the five million tons shipped each year on the Danube.
Bratislava played a strong role in the Velvet Revolution of 1989, which resulted in the peaceful relinquishing of Communist control of Czechoslovakia. Now this city, with a past dating back thousands of years, is leading the way as the young Slovak Republic further establishes its national identity.
The city's center is beautifully renovated and has a great atmosphere," said Tana Tekusova, a university student. "It's worth visiting ... not huge like Vienna or Paris, but cozier and friendlier."
Bratislava has come a long way from its grey, shabby communist days. Today, locals and tour groups alike pack the pulsing cafes around Hlavne Namestie, the main square of the old town.
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