Vratza, or also spelled as Vratsa, is a city in the northwest of Bulgaria. It is located at the foothills of the Vrachanski Balkan Mountain. The Leva River runs through the city. It is a commercial, administrative, crafts, tourist and cultural center. It has a population of almost 69 thousand people. Vratza has a rich history and it is one of the most picturesque cities in Bulgaria.
Vratza attracts tourists with its wealth of history and culture. The Vrachaski Balkan offers many active activities such as hunting and fishing, skiing, speleology, delta-gliding and aplinism. The mountain and its environment also attracts photo-tourism. Enjoy the real beauty of Ledenika cave or Mountain Passage ‘Vratsata’
Within the city there are many monuments as a reminder of the rich and glorious history. One of the symbols is the tower of the Meschii. Museums are the Museum of History and Ethnographic and Revival Complex. There have been three of Bulgaria’s biggest Thracian treasures unearthed in the region. Relaxing is possible in swimming pools, water cycles, discos, bars and restaurants. The hotels offer excellent facilities and good service.
Travelers to Vratza require a valid passport, but don’t need a visa. Your stay is valid for up to 90 days. Vratza is an important railway station which connects the city to other cities, including capital Sofia. The city has regular bus transport to move around. Most sights in the center are walkable.
Vlore is the second largest port in Albania and one of the oldest cities in the country. The port is located at the meeting point of the Aegean Sea and the Adriatic Sea. The city was founded by the Greeks in the 6th century BC. In the Roman Empire it became an important port. It was once known as Aulon. Nowadays the city is an important tourist place for its recreation. It has a population of around 95 thousand people.
Vlore has a history of being captured by other countries. It was also part of Serbia, Turkey, Italy and Nazi Germany. The port was a submarine base for Italy and Nazi Germany and for the Soviet Union after World War II. These days Vlore is a fishing port and holiday resort. Tourism is a major industry and the city has many hotels and beaches. The surrounding district produces petroleum, salt, oats, maize, cotton, olive oil, butter and there is lot of cattle and sheep.
You will find only concrete buildings in the center of Vlore, but lots of palm trees near the beaches. Tourists can easily relax, have a coffee and admire the beautiful view. Main sight is the building where Albanian independence was proclaimed in 1912. This is also celebrated with a bronze monument and the town center is called The Square Flag in honor of the day of independence. There is a museum of architecture in the Mosque of Muradie. To get a view over Vlora and the Ionian Sea, visit the nearby village Kanina and the old castle of Kaniné.
Travelers to Vlore need a valid passport. A visa is not required for short visits. You do need a return ticket in order to enter the city. Vlore has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers in the months June, July, August and September.
With its compact size Bruges is often referred to as the Venice of the North. This city in the northwest of Belgium has a historic medieval city that is placed on the World Heritage List of UNECO. Bruges is located in the Dutch speaking part of Belgium, Flanders. It has a total population of around 118 thousand people.
Bruges is a romantic city that shouldn’t be missed on any tour around Europe. The center of the city has remained its medieval architecture and appearance, although some parts have been renovated over and over again. There are small canals, bridges, market squares and old city houses that resemble a world long since gone. There is nothing preventing you jut walking around the city, enjoying the sights and perhaps get a fine Belgium beer near the Great Market square.
There are lots of medieval sights to visit in Bruges as well as other places. Famous buildings in this city include the brick stone Church of Our Lady, with the sculpture Madonna and Child, the 13th-century Belfry of Bruges, the Basilica of the Holy Blood, the Saint Salvatore’s Cathedral, The City Hall, the Provincial Court and many preserved old city gates. The city has a wealth of museums, including the Groeninge Museum with paintings of Dutch and Belgium masters, 11 historical museum named as the Bruges Museum and the Mernling Museum.
Travelers to Bruges need a valid passport and visa. American citizens will be issued a 90-day holiday visa on arrival. The weather in Bruges can be cold and damp. The best period to visit the city is in the summer in July and August, when temperatures are around 70 Fahrenheit.
Liege is the fourth largest city in Belgium and the capital of the province Liege. It is the principal economic and cultural center of Wallonia, the French region in Belgium. The city is located in the valley of the Meuse River, near the eastern borders with the Netherlands and Germany. It has a population of almost 200 thousand people and has the nickname “La Cité ardente” or The Fierce City.
Liege is mostly an industrial city with iron and steel industry. Most tourists will tell you that Liege is a place to love or hate, because of its industrial character. Nowadays it is developed into a city where old meets new. The center of Liege is a mix of historic town center and beautiful private houses with a new elegant town with wide boulevards, tall apartment buildings and a few parks. The new modern part of the city situates around the central Saint Lambert square. The center has traffic-free alleys and shopping streets.
Heart of the city is the Palace of the Prince-Bishops and the large Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame and Saint Lambert. Liege has a large city museum with great medieval religious art. For people who love Mosan style, the Curtius Museum is a must. You will get the best view over the city when climbing The Mountain of Bueren and the slopes of the Citadel. Liege is also the birthplace of Georges Simenon, writer of the police detective Maigret. The local specialty is the Waffle of Liege, so try to taste one, the waffles are sold in every bakery.
Travelers to Liege need a valid passport and return ticket. A visa is not required for stays up to 90 days. The people of Liege don’t speak English that well, so it is wise to pick up a few French lines. The best time to visit Liege is in the summer months July and August. Liege is a real university city with lots of students studying here.
With approximately 600 thousand citizens Rotterdam is the second largest city in the Netherlands after it’s capital Amsterdam. The city is situated in the province Zuid Holland namely the Randstad region, currently ranked the 6th-largest metropolitan area in Europe with a total population of around 6.7 million people. Rotterdam is located surrounding the Nieuwe Maas river and stores one of the largest ports in Europe is well known for it’s modern city style, high rising office building and condominiums. The main city center is covered by several shopping and nightlife areas like the Koopgoot, Korte / Lange lijnbaan for shopping, and de Oude Haven, Witte de Withstraat straat and Stadhuisplein for nightlife.
Den Haag or in English The Hague is the provincial capital of South Holland and lies on the North Sea. It is the third largest city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam and Rotterdam. It is home to the popular Scheveningen beach. The city is seat of the Dutch government, located in Binnenhof, and residence to the Queen. It has a population of more than 480 thousand people.
Ibiza is part of the Spanish Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located 79 km off the coast of the city of Valenica. It is by far the most extreme island of Spain with its rocky landscape and wild visitors. Ibiza really is the place to enjoy nightlife clubbing. The capital city is Ibiza Town. Other large cities are San Antonio and Santa Eularia des Riu. There are 84 thousand people living on Ibiza.
Ibiza forms with Formentera the Pine Islands of Pityuses. The island mostly attracts tourists that enjoy partying all night. Top DJ’s from all over the world come to Ibiza in the summer to play at big parties. During the summer you will find non-stop partying going on. The island knows little rainfall, ideal for outdoor parties. Spots are Playa d’en Bossa beach, Es Canar beach and Cafe del Mar. Nightclubs are Privilege, Eden, Es Paradis, Amnesia, Space, Pacha and D10.
Although Ibiza is famous for its nightlife, tourists can do more than partying alone. Ibiza has a harsh and rocky landscape. Olives, figs and almonds are growing alongside the hardy pines. About half of the island is covered in thick woods. Large parts of the island are even registered as U.N. World Heritage Sites. If you are looking for a fairly unspoiled place on Ibiza, you should visit the northeast.
Travelers to Ibiza need a valid passport and sometimes a visa. For Non-European visitors most of the time a return or onward ticket is needed. No visa is required for visits less than 90 days or three months. You should always check passport and visa requirements before traveling to Ibiza.
Valencia is the third largest city in Spain with a population of 1.7 million people in the metropolitan area. The city is located on the Mediterranean coast to the south of Barcelona. Valencia has the best beaches of Spain on the Costa Blanca, more quite than others. The city has its own port, the biggest on the Western Mediterranean coast and the second of Spain.
The area around Valencia is known as orange country since you will find orange trees everywhere. The main festival in Valencia is Las Fallas which is held in March and has a reputation throughout Spain. The famous Spanish dish paella is originated from this city. Valencia is also home of football club Valencia C.F. one of the top teams in Spain.
Valencia started as an industrial city. Now it is starting to become a tourist place as the work of architect Santiago Calavatra is changing the landscape around the city. His most famous work is Ciudad delas Artes Y Las Ciencas. Tourists can also see old landscapes like the old Towers of the medieval city, monasteries as the San Miguel de los Reyes and museums. There are numerous convention centers, several 5 star hotels and the Conference Place. The city has different parks where you can enjoy a picnic or just enjoy the weather and it has a bubbling nightlife, many restaurants and shops.
Travelers to Valencia need a valid passport. For the 14 countries part of the Schengen agreement an official national ID card will also be enough. Travelers from America and other non-European countries don’t require a visa for visits less than 90 days.
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany, as well as the capital of the province of Florence. It lies on the River Arno and three other minor rivers that flow through the city. It is surrounded the Senese Clavey Hills. Florence has a population of 368 thousand people. The city is popular thanks to its monuments, churches and buildings. Many people call it the “cradle of Renaissance”.
Florence is a busy city. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself surrounded by horns honk and breaks squeal. Moped riders find their ways around larger vehicles. Florence has stunning views, fields of sunflowers, miles of vineyards, rolling hills, and mountaintop castles. When visiting Florence there is an awful lot to see. Highlights are the domed cathedral Santa Maria del Fore or The Duomo, the Campanile (Bell Tower) and the Baptistery buildings.
Florence houses a reproduction of the famous David of Michelango in front of the Palazzo della Signora. You might take your time to enjoy this masterpiece. Other things not to miss: gardens Giardino di Boboli, restaurant Carpe Diem, galery Galleria dell’Accademia, Museo di Storia della Scienza or Institute and Museum of History of Science, Pallazo Pitti, chapel Capella Brancacci, the hill San Minato al Monte with Cardinal of Portugal Chapel and Cappella del Crocifisso, the old bridge Ponte Vecchio.
Travelers to Florence need a valid passport. Tourists from the EU countries, such as France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain, don’t need a visa for visiting Florence. Travelers from other countries, including America, don’t require visas for tourist visits of up to 90 days. Visitors that come to Florence for anything other than tourism require a specific visa.
