5 great natural wonders to visit in Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe has become an increasingly more popular place to visit every year. The region can be significantly cheaper than traveling to Western Europe, and there are some great natural wonders worth visiting that are not as well known. Here are our top five picks:
Lake Bled
Lake Bled is a spectacular lake surrounded by mountains in Slovenia just south of the Austrian border. It is a great place to relax and enjoy the mountainous scenery. We recommend catching a Pelenta, a wooden gondola used for centuries on the lake, to the small iconic island in its center. The Church of the Assumption on the island dates back to 1534, and the local legend says that if you ring the wishing bell inside the church, your dreams will come true. Another popular attraction is Bled Castle which overlooks the lake and dates back to 1004. It is a great spot to enjoy the view of the lake from above. It sits high above the lake on a cliff and houses a museum which showcases the towns history. We recommend traveling with Intrepid Travel to spend some time at Lake Bled.
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is an extraordinary region in central Turkey. The areas geological landscape was initially formed over 2 million years ago from volcanic eruptions. The local volcanoes have since become dormant. The lava from these volcanoes was relatively soft and the wind and water erosion over thousands of years gave rise to the current and unique geological formations. The soft lava also played an instrumental role in helping early Christians stay alive as their persecutors searched far and wide for them. The ground was so soft that it was easy to dig and these early Christians created a labyrinth of tunnels and caves which became their hideouts. One could spend days exploring the numerous caves, churches, museums and natural formations that have evolved over thousands of years in this region. W recommend traveling on Gap Adventures to wander through this magnificent region.
Plitvice lakes
This National Park is located in central Croatia midway between its two most populous cities, Zagreb and Split. It has an abundance of gorgeous blue-green lakes and waterfalls, with hiking trails to all of them. The sixteen lakes are unique in the fact that they constantly change color based on the mineral deposits and their reaction to weather and sunlight. The lakes also have historical significance as the area was a key battleground in the Serb-Croat wars in the early 90's. This is a great day trip from Zagreb. We recommend traveling with Busabout Adventures to see this natural wonder.
Budapest Caves
Budapest is the ultimate Eastern Europe destination. It is relatively inexpensive and has also modernized quite a bit since the fall of communism. There is great nightlife and restaurants, and the city is becoming more recognized all around Europe. A popular day activity is to bathe in the thermal springs littered throughout Budapest. These natural hot springs actually created some of the most fascinating underground caves in the world. The caves were only discovered 100 years ago but are believed to be over 100 km long in total. One cave has already been measured to be 20km long on its own. Archaeologists are still searching for more caves they believe haven't been discovered yet. There are daily cave tours that last around 3 hours and give you a glimpse into this extraordinary urban natural wonder. We recommend traveling with Gap Adventures to see the best of Budapest.
Kotor Bay
This Montenegrin city sits in the deepest fjord in Southern Europe. It is located just a few minutes from the Croatian border and has rich history along with beautiful flora. Wild pomegranates, figs, grapes and olives cover the mountainous shoreline here and provide a beautiful background for stunning views. Old Town Kotor was founded as a Roman settlement in the 2nd century and became a major shipping port in the 12th century. The fortified walls of the city made it a strategic location for many of the wars that plagued the Balkans throughout its 2,000 year history. Since becoming an endangered UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979 after a major earthquake, the Bay of Kotor has become an increasingly popular destination for natural beauty seekers. We recommend traveling with Tucan Travel to experience Kotor.
Lake Bled
Lake Bled is a spectacular lake surrounded by mountains in Slovenia just south of the Austrian border. It is a great place to relax and enjoy the mountainous scenery. We recommend catching a Pelenta, a wooden gondola used for centuries on the lake, to the small iconic island in its center. The Church of the Assumption on the island dates back to 1534, and the local legend says that if you ring the wishing bell inside the church, your dreams will come true. Another popular attraction is Bled Castle which overlooks the lake and dates back to 1004. It is a great spot to enjoy the view of the lake from above. It sits high above the lake on a cliff and houses a museum which showcases the towns history. We recommend traveling with Intrepid Travel to spend some time at Lake Bled.
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is an extraordinary region in central Turkey. The areas geological landscape was initially formed over 2 million years ago from volcanic eruptions. The local volcanoes have since become dormant. The lava from these volcanoes was relatively soft and the wind and water erosion over thousands of years gave rise to the current and unique geological formations. The soft lava also played an instrumental role in helping early Christians stay alive as their persecutors searched far and wide for them. The ground was so soft that it was easy to dig and these early Christians created a labyrinth of tunnels and caves which became their hideouts. One could spend days exploring the numerous caves, churches, museums and natural formations that have evolved over thousands of years in this region. W recommend traveling on Gap Adventures to wander through this magnificent region.
Plitvice lakes
This National Park is located in central Croatia midway between its two most populous cities, Zagreb and Split. It has an abundance of gorgeous blue-green lakes and waterfalls, with hiking trails to all of them. The sixteen lakes are unique in the fact that they constantly change color based on the mineral deposits and their reaction to weather and sunlight. The lakes also have historical significance as the area was a key battleground in the Serb-Croat wars in the early 90's. This is a great day trip from Zagreb. We recommend traveling with Busabout Adventures to see this natural wonder.
Budapest Caves
Budapest is the ultimate Eastern Europe destination. It is relatively inexpensive and has also modernized quite a bit since the fall of communism. There is great nightlife and restaurants, and the city is becoming more recognized all around Europe. A popular day activity is to bathe in the thermal springs littered throughout Budapest. These natural hot springs actually created some of the most fascinating underground caves in the world. The caves were only discovered 100 years ago but are believed to be over 100 km long in total. One cave has already been measured to be 20km long on its own. Archaeologists are still searching for more caves they believe haven't been discovered yet. There are daily cave tours that last around 3 hours and give you a glimpse into this extraordinary urban natural wonder. We recommend traveling with Gap Adventures to see the best of Budapest.
Kotor Bay
This Montenegrin city sits in the deepest fjord in Southern Europe. It is located just a few minutes from the Croatian border and has rich history along with beautiful flora. Wild pomegranates, figs, grapes and olives cover the mountainous shoreline here and provide a beautiful background for stunning views. Old Town Kotor was founded as a Roman settlement in the 2nd century and became a major shipping port in the 12th century. The fortified walls of the city made it a strategic location for many of the wars that plagued the Balkans throughout its 2,000 year history. Since becoming an endangered UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979 after a major earthquake, the Bay of Kotor has become an increasingly popular destination for natural beauty seekers. We recommend traveling with Tucan Travel to experience Kotor.
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