Ten hidden gems of Europe. There’s no place like Paris, Barcelona or Rome - but Europe has untouched corners that match the big hitters on beauty and charm, and with far fewer tourists.
Take the road less travelled with these ten hidden gems of Europe. 1. Burg Satzvey, Germany Whisper it: this fairytale castle is a short ride from touristed Bonn and Cologne but remains off most travellers' radar. Its medieval castle walls, moat and quaint setting will delight even the most jaded visitor. 2. Image by Snake3yes The Battle of Hastings may be well known as the bloody standoff in 1066 that inspired the Bayeux tapestry, but few make the journey to see where it happened. 3. Image by AiresAlmeida With a cathedral twice the size of Paris’ Notre Dame, it’s sacrilège that this town is seldom visited. 4. Image by curtis_ovid_poe Sure, it’s hard to tear yourself away from the many pleasures of Amsterdam. 5. It’s strange for a capital city to be an unsung wonder, even if it is in one of Europe’s most petite nations. 6. 7. 8. Lefkada. History[edit] The myth about Sappho's suicide at Cape Lefkada is related to other myths linking the island to the ancient Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, and to Odysseus, the hero of Homer's Odyssey.
The German archaeologist Wilhelm Dörpfeld, having performed excavations at various locations of Lefkada, was able to obtain funding to do work on the island by suggesting that Lefkada was Homer's Ithaca, and the palace of Odysseus was located west of Nydri on the south coast of Lefkada. There have been suggestions by local tourism officials that several passages in the Odyssey point to Lefkada as a possible model for Homeric Ithaca. The most notable of these passages pushed by the local tourism board describes Ithaca as an island reachable on foot, which was the case for Lefkada since it is not really an island, that it was connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway. According to Strabo, the coast of Acarnania was called Leucas in earlier times. Geography[edit] Climate[edit] Notes[edit] The Secret of the Pacific. Santorini travel guide. Santorini Santorini [1] is a volcanic island in the Cyclades group of the Greek islands.
It is located between Ios and Anafi islands. It is famous for dramatic views, stunning sunsets from Oia town, the strange white aubergine (eggplant), the town of Thira and naturally its very own active volcano. There are naturally fantastic beaches such as the beach of Perissa, maybe the best beach in Santorini, the black pebble beach of Kamari, white beach and red beach. An official Santorini travel guidebook is available[2]. Villages and Towns[edit] View of Fira, Santorini There are several villages and towns on Santorini Island, four of which are perched along the top of the crescent-shaped cliff of the caldera. Fira - the main stunning cliff-perched town, featuring all that Oia has, but much more overcrowded.