18 Places in Eastern Europe for Tourists Who Want to Take More Than a Souvenir

The most visited country in 2017 was France, with nearly 89 million tourists. In the list of the 10 most popular countries for tourism, half are in Western Europe. Eastern European countries, in general, do not make this list. This part of the continent is often seen as the ‘poor sister’ compared to the West, but we are sure that this Cinderella is capable of leaving even the most demanding prince delighted.

O awesome.club compiled the 18 most surprising, mysterious and sometimes terrifying places in the region. When you visit, you can proudly call yourself an adventurous traveler, not just another tourist.

Many consider that the homeland of vampires is Romania, but this is unfair, since the creator of Dracula was Bram Stoker. Previously, no one suspected the Duke of vampirism.

However, there were legends of demons in Eastern Europe. The researchers consider that the
center of its diffusion was Serbia, and the literary sources indicate the city of Zarožje, where the first vampire of Serbia, Sava, lived. He acquired this condition due to unhappy love, since the parents of the girl he fell in love with did not give permission for the marriage. So, Sava decided to kill his beloved.

The villagers carried out a popular revenge and beat him to death. Soon after that, there was a rumor in the village that Sava had risen from the dead and was living in an old mill sucking blood. This rumor, until today, is supported by the administration of that town. The legend about the vampire has become a symbol of the city and attracts many tourists.

Usually, if tourists travel to the Adriatic coast, they choose Italy, Croatia or Montenegro. Few people know that a 25 kilometer strip of this sea belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Within these 25 kilometers is the resort town of Neum, where it is cheaper to spend your holidays than in the cities of the countries mentioned above. Furthermore, citizens of many Latin American countries do not need a visa.

In central Serbia there is an incredibly picturesque place: two mountains full of forests and rocks, Ovčar and Kablar, between which the Morava River zigzags. Amid this natural beauty there were 12 monasteries that were built in the Middle Ages. Precisely in this place many Serbs hid from the Turks during the Balkan wars.

One of the terrifying and hardly accessible tourist sites of the canyon is the Kađenica cave church. In the 19th century, during the rebellion against the Ottoman Empire, locals hid from the Turks in this cave. They were eventually discovered because of a crying baby. The destroyers found the hideout and built a fire at the entrance. Those inside were asphyxiated.

In the Ovčar-Kablar canyon there are few tourists and this has its advantages: low prices and the absence of crowds of people. But there are also disadvantages: it is very difficult to reach the places of historical interest. For example, the road to Kađenica passes through a half-destroyed railway bridge, which is dangerous to walk on.

The city of Soroca in Moldova cannot boast of many attractions: it has only the most spectacular fortress from the 15th century. This castle would remain the only attractive place for tourists, if not for the gypsies, who drastically changed the architectural image of the city.

Now, on the site there is a Capitol, St. Peter’s Basilica and even a theater, which are homes of wealthy gypsies. Among them lives a leader who is also an adviser to the President of Moldova on Roma issues. A little advice: in this country, representatives of this people must be called Roma, the word “gypsy” can seriously offend.

In 2006, news broke that pyramids were found in Europe. Who found them was the amateur archaeologist Semir Osmanagić, near Visoko, Bosnia. He claimed to have found hand-made stone blocks from which representatives of an ancient civilization built their mysterious works. Bosnian authorities gladly helped to spread the information.

Many tourists flocked to the city, but it soon turned out that the pyramids were a hoax. Scientists have found that they are just hills of natural origin. But anyway, tourists still visit Bosnia. Why not, if nature is so beautiful?

Perhaps the most popular place among tourists in Romania is Bran Castle, where, according to legend, Dracula lived. In fact, Count Dracula was there along the way. For the count’s fanatics, we propose to visit his birthplace: the city of Sighişoara, in Transylvania. There, little Dracula was born and lived until he was 5 years old.

Nowadays, in the governor’s house there is a vampire-style restaurant. Romanians do not consider Dracula as a vampire, but as a national hero who fought for the liberation of Europe from the Turks. The count is recognized as a saint in the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Countess Erzsébet Báthory lived in this castle, whose name is mentioned in the Guinness World Records as the most bloodthirsty murderer, accused of killing 650 women. According to one of the legends, women’s blood was used for aesthetic purposes to preserve youth. The assassin was locked in a room in a castle in Hungary, where she died.

It is worth noting that Báthory was able to defame Count Thurzó, who initiated the investigation against her. The reason was the rich lands of the aristocrat and also the political ambitions of the accuser. True or not, Erzsébet went down in history as “the monster of Čachtice” and “the Countess Dracula”. By the way, the Romanian count is really a distant relative of the aristocrat.

One of the most beautiful places in Europe is the Mouths of Kotor, located on the territory of Montenegro. They are called the southern fjords of Europe. They are incredibly similar to bays in Norway and Sweden, but the truth is that the climate is more pleasant and prices are lower, which attracts tourists from all over the world.

In fact, the Mouths of Kotor are the rest of the course of the river, which sank into the sea thousands of years ago. As a result, incredible beauty was obtained, which is under the protection of UNESCO.

Particularly recognized as the Republic of Kosovo, it is a place that many people associate with wars and drug trafficking. However, because of its bad reputation, not many people know that it is an incredibly beautiful country. Nature lovers are delighted with the Mirusha National Park, with karst lakes and waterfalls. For history buffs, there are a plethora of mosques and monasteries. The latter, unfortunately, are often destroyed by local Albanians.

Those who love extreme tourism are attracted by the complication of entering Kosovo. First of all, it is better to arrive from the Serbian side, so that later you can freely visit this country. If you leave Kosovo via Serbia, don’t forget to cancel your Kosovo visa in Belgrade.

Prohodna cave is one of the most important tourist places in Bulgaria. It is located approximately 110 kilometers from the capital, Sofia. Tourists are enchanted by two holes that resemble eyes, so the cave was given a second name: Eyes of God.

It can be accessed at any season of the year, but it is not advisable to visit it in winter, as there is a high risk of falling ice. But in autumn, with the rains, it’s the perfect season. Then, from the “eyes” real tears will fall. You can visit the cave independently without using the services of guides.

In the Balkans, where for many centuries there were bloody wars, the attitude towards death is very philosophical. But in Romania it is very peculiar: there is the funniest pantheon in the world, in the mountainous area of ​​Maramureş.

On site you will not find ominous tombs and painful epitaphs. Instead, colorful crosses with funny drawings about the deceased are placed on the tombs. For example, there is
images of two comrades at a party, a drunk dancing and even a cheerful tractor driver.

And it all started in 1935, when local resident Loan Pătraş made a grave for his deceased. Villagers liked the idea and started ordering crosses when they were still alive. Finally, the cemetery has become one of the brightest sights and is now under the protection of UNESCO.

Emir Kusturica is a multifaceted teacher. He makes genius movies, plays in a fabulous group, and even builds amazing cities. In Serbia, not far from Zlatibor, he built Drvengrad, which is an ethnic village in which, by the way, he made himself a house. Precisely in this area, the director filmed Life is a Miracle.

25 kilometers from Drvengrad, currently in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kusturica built Andrićgrad, in honor of the writer Ivo Andrić. In essence, the director erected the historic city center Višegrad where the action of the novel takes place. The Bridge Over the Drina happens, for which Andrić won a Nobel Prize.

In both Kusturica “towns” you can stay for one or several nights, as they have hotels and restaurants. Prices are quite affordable. Often in Drvengrad you can meet the director, who is always ready to communicate with visitors.

Liberland is the first country in the world with a cryptocurrency. In reality, it only exists on the network. At the same time, this country still has a real territory of 7 square meters between Serbia and Croatia, but it is really difficult to get into it: the authorities of the countries that exist have banned entry into the virtual space.

Entering the territory of the freedom-loving republic is almost impossible, but with the help of the official website you can obtain citizenship. And if you really want to see this wonderful country, it’s best to do it from the territory of Serbia. There, in the city…