Photo from the archive of "Zagranitsa"
People set off on journeys with different goals and desires. Some want silence and peace, the lapping of waves on the beach, a cool breeze. Others crave adventure. Still others need to see all the wonders of the Earth, all the great cities and famous landscapes, all the Triumphal Arches, Towers, canals, pyramids, castles, bridges, Eiffel and other towers as well. For those who cannot sit still, who do not know how to lie on the beach, who cannot imagine their travels without constant moving on, we offer several routes - undoubtedly the most interesting.
Holiday on a barge
Everyone knows that there are river cruises, short and long. It is very convenient to view a city from the water without fearing traffic jams. It is even more convenient to view a whole country without changing a comfortable cabin. All this belongs to the category of group excursions. However, you can arrange an individual excursion for yourself by renting a barge-peniche.
Many river cruise enthusiasts eagerly awaited March 25. Because from that day the season of river travel opened in Europe. These are not ordinary cruises on multi-deck liners, but very individual journeys on small boats, which are called houseboats, or barges, or in the French manner "peniches".
To drive a peniche, you need neither a license nor a permit. It is no more difficult to handle than riding a bicycle or frying eggs. You can fry eggs on it, by the way, because the barge has a kitchen. There is also hot and cold water, a refrigerator, a gas stove, cupboards with plates, beds with pillows, and even heating. Such vessels are designed for a group of 2 to 12 people. They can be rented for any period. In April, the rental cost of a barge for two is from €109 to €690 depending on the type of boat. A weekend will cost €382-690. Weekly rental is from ?501 to €3.086.
To fish from a barge, you need to buy a license. However, you can fish at home, and on European rivers it is better to admire the views, go on excursions, and moor at any docks you like. The houseboats belong to the companies Nicols and Penichette. These caring companies have developed 120 ready-made routes in several countries: France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, and Italy. In Italy, a peniche can be taken in Chioggia, and you can sail along the Venetian Lagoon and the rivers that flow into it. In this way, you can see not only divine Venice and "little Venice" Chioggia, but also Treviso, Padua, Lignano, getting almost as far as Trieste. In Holland, many circular routes have been laid out with a return to the starting point. They are designed for one or two weeks and cover 200-300 km. After living in Amsterdam to your heart's content, you can see the "cheese" towns of Gouda and Edam, visit Utrecht, or sail along the canals to Alkmaar.
In Ireland, travel starts from the city of Limerick along the River Shannon, its tributaries, and lakes. The routes here are very varied. If you sail for four hours a day, in a week you can cover 150 to 220 km, and in two weeks 320-370 km. A three-week route would be 632 km! It continues through Northern Ireland, through the city of Enniskillen to the Atlantic Ocean. In Germany, cruises take place in the states of Brandenburg and Mecklenburg. They string along their blue thread amazingly beautiful places, forests and mountains, lonely castles, and the cities of Berlin, Rheinsberg, Wannsee, Potsdam, Fürstenberg, and Charlottenburg.
The largest number of routes has been developed in France. For example, in the southwestern part of the country, you can travel along the Charente: sail from Angoulême all the way to the Bay of Biscay, via Cognac to Rochefort-sur-Mer. Most interesting routes run through Burgundy, along the Loire and the Burgundy Canal. Along the Loire you can also set off from Angers via Nantes to the ocean. Some of the most interesting routes run through the south of France: for example, you can start your journey in Bordeaux and sail from there through Gascony to Toulouse.
PROS: A very original way to spend a holiday. First, traveling by river is always beautiful and pleasant. Second, you can see all of Europe while living virtually in your own little villa. CONS: For those who do not like to cook during their vacation, this may seem tiresome.
Bitter Lemons of Cyprus
You can drive around the whole world in a rented car. In most cases, it is the most convenient way to see interesting places. The freshest idea is to drive through the northern, Turkish part of the island of Cyprus. This has become possible since last year, and so far few have seen the incredible beauty of the nature of Northern Cyprus and its ancient monuments.
The island of Cyprus is remarkably beautiful. There are roads, mostly good, and maps, mostly truthful. Traffic is left-hand, but Cypriots drive carefully and are wary of rented cars. As is known, the island is divided into two irreconcilable parts: southern Greek Cyprus and Turkish Northern Cyprus, a state recognized only by Turkey. Previously, Cypriots did not like it at all when tourists went to the north. They even did not let tourists in if their passport had a stamp of entry into Northern Cyprus. But last year they softened and allowed the north to be visited without any consequences. The border can be crossed in two places: in Nicosia on the "green line" and on the highway from Deryneia to Famagusta. Upon entry, you need to pay $10 for a visa. On group excursions, the stamp is placed on a common photocopy of passports.
Entering through Deryneia, you come to the eastern coast. To begin with, let's stop in Famagusta, a city founded in the 3rd century BC by Ptolemy II. The main monuments of Famagusta belong to the era of Genoese and Venetian rule. These are the impressive Venetian fortress wall, 3 km long, which leads to the port, and the gloomy citadel with the remains of winged lions. According to legend, it was here that Shakespeare's Othello lived, in real life Governor Moro.
The southern outskirts of Famagusta are the ghost town of Varosha. It was the largest Cypriot resort, but in 1974 the Turks bombed Varosha and captured it. Since then it has been declared no-man's land. Kilometers of abandoned hotels and apartments along a stunning golden beach on the shore of a stunningly blue sea make a terrifying impression.
North of Famagusta are the ruins of the city-state of Salamis, which flourished in the 5th century BC. It is a very beautiful place, a lovely bay with the clearest water. On the shore you can see columns and statues, the ruins of a palaestra, baths and an ancient theater, marble pavements and mosaics. Only a small part of the city has been excavated, and the green hills around still harbor countless treasures. The northern coast is the most picturesque part of the island. Lawrence Durrell wrote a book about these places, “Bitter Lemons of Cyprus,” and now all tours along the northern coast are called “Bitter Lemons.”
PROS: Complete freedom of movement, independence and quick response. No need to look at bus schedules or fit into their time frames. You can just travel. CONS: You will have to dine without wine.
Island of Curious Walkers
So you live quietly and simply, and suddenly he appears in your life - a person who has been to Madeira. He says: “Imagine Crimea moved into the ocean, only the mountains there are higher, and it all blooms like the Nikitsky Garden. Well, can you imagine that? No way. Because Madeira cannot be imagined.
You need to walk it on foot, preferably along the levadas - irrigation channels that bring water from the mountain peaks. Levadas exist only on Madeira; they are the ingenious invention of the first settlers who began planting gardens and needed water for irrigation. There are more than 1,000 km of canals on the island, and new ones are constantly being built. Along all levadas there are paths along which special caretakers - levadeiros - make their daily rounds.
The island-mountain opens before walkers like a precious casket. Some levadas lead into the “laurisilva” forest, which has remained here since the Tertiary period. In it stand laurel trees as tall as a 10-story building and tree ferns with trunks half an arm's span around. It seems that a dinosaur is about to appear from around the bend or a pterodactyl will glide down from above. Other levadas pass at sky-high altitudes. Far below lie slopes overgrown with ferns, toy houses of villages stand on the shore, and beyond, as far as imagination can reach, lies the vast Ocean. From there you can clearly see how round our planet Earth is, how wonderful its whole world is, and how beautiful the island of Madeira is, standing in the middle of the Atlantic.
All maps of Madeira show not only roads, but also walking routes and levadas. Usually walking routes start and end in populated areas. You can get to them by bus, of which there are many on the island. The tourist office has maps of all bus routes and their schedules. Walks along the levadas are absolutely safe: there are no wild animals or reckless people on the island. It is impossible to get lost; the main thing is not to leave the path or the levada. Local residents will gladly lead you to the road, which in Portuguese is called “vereda.”
PROS: Very good for your health. When you walk, you notice such interesting details that you would never see from a car window or a bicycle saddle. CONS: Except that your sneakers might rub.
One Horsepower
You can see the sights from above: from the height of a camel, a horse, or even an elephant. It turns out even more interesting this way! The best excursion animal is, without a doubt, the horse. It can even cure some diseases - it's no wonder hippotherapy exists in the world! And most importantly, it will become a wonderful friend during the trip and share all your emotions.
Equestrian tourism is experiencing a real peak of popularity all over the world. The public has remembered ranches, American prairies, and African bush, as well as Australia and New Zealand. It has become especially fashionable to spend holidays in the saddle in Europe. In almost any country you can find interesting horseback routes, hotels like equestrian bases, and even ancient castles with their own horses.
In Italy, you can take a romantic horseback journey through the castles of Tuscany or a historical one along ancient Roman roads, go on horseback along wine routes, through abbeys, around Lake Garda. In some regions of Italy, you can combine a horseback trip with culinary courses. The island of Sardinia offers some of the most interesting equestrian routes: there, on horseback, you can explore mysterious ancient structures - stone towers-“nuraghi.” If you're lucky, during such a walk you will meet real Sardinian wild horses - some of the last wild horses in Europe.
Many horseback routes can be found in Germany, Austria, Ireland, England, Hungary, and Switzerland. Each has its own features and highlights, but each involves seeing some monuments or nature reserves. For example, in Portugal, horse treks help you feel the spirit of ancient Lusitania, and in Iceland, people ride horses in search of adventure. In Greece, equestrian tourism centers are on the islands of Crete, Corfu, and Kefalonia, where together with a horse you can soak up the spirit of antiquity and see the ruins of temples and palaces. In Bulgaria, equestrian routes run through nature reserves in the Rhodopes and Rila Mountains.
In France, both short horseback rides and long excursion routes are offered: through the castles of the Loire Valley, through Périgord, along the wine roads and castles of Bordeaux. On horseback, you can see monuments of the Renaissance or the Morvan Natural Park in Burgundy, and take “gourmet trips” through Dordogne and Alsace.
PROS: This original trip is very good for your health. CONS: To undertake it, you need at least to be able to ride a horse. Or really want to learn.
Two-Wheeled Happiness
The bicycle boom has long since swept the earth. The Dutch, Japanese, Americans and other peoples of the world pedal, pedal, pedal. Some avid travelers manage to cycle around the entire world. But we will do without extremes, limiting ourselves to good and convenient Europe.
And what if, on the eve of summer, we head south to the sun-drenched Adriatic Sea, that is, to Croatia? This country is good because you can always find lodging there (even in the height of the season, many rooms are rented at very good prices), eat healthy and wholesome food for minimal money, and get from point A to point B on a good road. Besides rooms, Croatia offers more than 300 campsites. A map of the country with campsites marked on it can be obtained at the tourist information office at the airport or in the city. The Croatian coast is divided into Dalmatia, Lika, and the Istrian peninsula. The length of this coast is 800 km, so there is plenty of room to ride. Istria juts out as a regular triangle into the blueness of the Adriatic from the north, from the Italian side. From Rijeka to Pula stretches the Kvarner Riviera, inhabited and developed back in the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The oldest, classically European, perhaps not fashionable, but in any case respectable resort is Opatija. It is the favorite place of Isadora Duncan, owner of Villa "Amalia", and a summer refuge for European monarchs. Opatija is immersed in flowers, in the languid splendor of slightly shabby Art Nouveau, wraps its shoulders in old-fashioned boas. At the tip of the cape is the resort of Pula, a paradise for yachting and windsurfing. The city is 3,000 years old, and there is even a Roman amphitheater.
From Rijeka begins the Littoral, also known as Lika, also known as the Velebit mountain range. The coastal centers are Zadar and Sibenik, known for their architectural monuments. In Zadar, for example, the Romanesque church of St. Donatus from the 9th century is perfectly preserved, and in Sibenik, the 15th-century cathedral. It is worth stopping by the Krka National Park with its waterfalls - this oasis of greenery and freshness. Not far from Sibenik is the charming town of Primosten. Not only is the old town located on an island connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway. Its mainland surroundings have very rocky soil, and local peasants grow grapes by hollowing out even squares in the stones, into which they carry soil from the shore. This stone geometry creates a fantastic landscape. And then Dalmatia begins.
Dalmatia lies between the sea, the mountains, and the sky. Its coast is indented with fjords, and small beaches hide among the rocks, under pines and agaves, and the sea is bright turquoise, and lazy cuttlefish swim in the clear water. It is worth lingering in the city of Trogir, which stands on three islands and has preserved an ancient church, medieval streets, and Venetian towers. And then go to Split, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Split is famous for the palace of Emperor Diocletian, built in the 4th century. The palace is a city within a city with its own walls, towers, narrow streets, and sun-drenched squares. And even with sphinxes brought by the emperor from Egypt.
Croatia has more than a thousand islands, which you can also travel around by bicycle. And between the islands - by ferry. The most unusual islands are Hvar with its ancient theater, mystical Pag, where sheep and goats graze on salty grass, and Korcula, from where Marco Polo set off on his round-the-world voyage.
PROS: Traveling by bicycle is always an adventure. Cycling is more active than driving, faster than walking, more fun than going by bus, and generally carefree. CONS: Sometimes it rains, and then the roads get wet, as do your backs. And you also have to keep an eye on your bicycle: in many places, they steal.
Without Leaving Home
What associations does the word 'caravan' evoke for an ordinary tourist? Heat, desert, camels plodding over the dunes. And for an advanced traveler? Freedom! Complete freedom, complete comfort, I go where I want, without leaving my own home. Because a caravan is a home-on-wheels, which has everything needed for life: a bedroom, a kitchen, a shower. Complete autonomy of existence, complete freedom of movement!
How many roads there are in the world! Old and new, twisted like serpents and stretched like a string, they embrace mountain peaks, follow the line of the surf, and run into the horizon. They lead to another country or another era, dizzying the head with the wind of freedom, the intoxicating aroma of speed, the tart aftertaste of happiness.
Absolute freedom comes when a car replaces a house, a hotel, or a tent. Like a carefree snail traveling with its house, we rush with our house, fly like an arrow along the road, or stop at any place in this flight, at the most beautiful and most desired. We can go wherever we want, we can sleep, rest, and live wherever we want. This style of travel is called 'caravanning'. It captivates, draws you in, and turns into a lifestyle.
The route can be anything. The planet easily opens up to those who conquer its roads. The wind of freedom drives you further and further, the polished avenues of capitals give way to highways and country roads. Speed enthusiasts cut along the smooth arrows of autobahns, autopistas, autoroutes, motorways. Landscape lovers choose routes over emerald hills, along canals and rivers, through small sleepy towns and mountain passes. In any road trip, you can see the country much better than from the windows of a hotel and a neighboring restaurant.
More and more people are getting into caravanning, and some travel agencies are developing special routes for them. You can go on such trips not alone but as part of a caravan. Typically, a caravan consists of 10-12 vehicles led by a guide. Stops are planned at campsites, and in cities excursions and even theater visits are offered. The advantages of such a joint trip are obvious: participants get guaranteed places at campsites, they are shown the most interesting sights, and help is provided with visas and border crossings. One of the most popular ready-made routes is called “Spring in the Baltics,” followed by “Summer in the Baltics.” This journey starts in Dresden and lasts 31 days. The route passes through Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland.
No less attractive is the route “From the Black Sea to the Golden Ring of Russia,” which lasts 38 days. This trip goes through Russia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Belarus. One of the most packed is the route “Seven Countries in 38 Days.” The meeting point is Budapest. From there, the convoy heads to Mako, then proceeds through Sibiu, Brasov, Bucharest, Chisinau, Odessa, Kherson, Yalta, and reaches Moscow. From Moscow, the path lies through the cities of the Golden Ring. The next stop is in Minsk, then through Warsaw to Germany. From Germany, the trip participants head home.
Caravanning is addictive; it changes your style and way of life—at least once a year, even if just for vacation. Anyone who has ever breathed in the smell of the road, the hot wind of adventure and wandering, will no longer want any other kind of rest or travel. They will keep cutting along their favorite autobahns again and again or choose new routes each time. Because there is nothing more interesting in the world than traveling by car, especially if that car is your home.
PROS: Even when traveling far from civilization, you enjoy the benefits of that very civilization. You can choose the most beautiful and scenic spots for your vacation life and hit the road at any moment. You are completely independent: you don’t care about hotel availability or other such nonsense. CONS: On such a trip, you won’t have maids; you’ll have to keep the motorhome tidy yourself.