Travelling in Europe is like moving across the set of a fairytale movie. The elaborate castles, the grasslands, beaches and mountains look like they have been carefully designed by an accomplished artist. We love travelling in Europe. It connects us with thousands of years of unmatched heritage and presents the most beautiful natural views we have ever seen.

Here are three destinations that we absolutely love in Europe.

City Walls, Dubrovnik, Croatia

This place is surrounded by spectacular walls that will constantly remind you of an era gone by. The views you get of the old town from the walls are mesmerizing to say the least. Look over the rooftops to find the shelling damage these walls sustained in the 1990s. The oldest of these walls were made in the 9th century.

Later, in the 14th century, 15 square forts were added to the 1.5m thick walls. In the 15th century, the city was under the threat of Turk attacks, because of which new walls were added and a 2km long stone barrier, which was at least 25m high was built. On the sea side, the walls are 1.5m to 3m thick while on the land side, they are as much as 6m thick.

Hofburg, Austria

You haven’t experienced real Austrian beauty if you haven’t been to this place. The cultural heritage of the nation stands tall in Hofburg. Habsburgs called this place their home base between 1273 and 1918. The oldest of these sections date back to the 13th century and are called Schweizerhof or Swiss Courtyard in the memory of the Swiss guards who protected them.

Renaissance Swiss gates were built in 1553. As new rules came along, they started adding their own variations to the palace which adds to the architectural diversity of this place. It also speaks of the long and varied history of the Austrians. The palace also has in der Burg, a larger courtyard with a monument of Emperor Franz II. The Austrian president’s offices are located here, along with several museums.

Prague Castle

Who can miss the beauty of Prague? The Pražský hrad is clearly one of the most iconic spaces in the country. The left bank of Vltava features this beautiful space that boasts of towers, palaces and spires. The walls of the castle hold some of the most historic buildings, galleries and museums.

If you want to get the best of Prague’s culture and art, this is the place you should go to. It holds the Guinness World Record for being the largest ancient castle in the world. Czech monarchs have always been officially living here and its history dates back to the 9th century.

These places are so beautiful that your heart could skip a beat while indulging in the magnanimity of these structures. If you really want to feel the most authentic vibes of Europe, these places could be a great start. We have travelled to each of these places at least a couple of times and they still inspire us and make us see something new each time.

Do you visit such places too? Let us know your favorite destinations.

Though Romania isn’t the first country that pops up in your mind when you think about travelling to Europe, it is still a beautiful place to explore. The offbeat destination offers you natural beauty, some hearty meals and a cheaper than usual stay. If you don’t like to be surrounded by thousands of other tourists, this place is for you.

Here are some destinations in Romania that you could travel to.

Dracula’s castle

Although the building referred to as ‘Dracula’s Castle’ didn’t really belong to literature’s most famous vampire, it does have a spending medieval charm. Visit this place to enjoy a meal in Queen Marie’s Tea House or experience the count’s escape route through a glass elevator. Brasov, the city that houses this castle is one of the most amazing places in the country. It has preserved its medieval history and heritage like no other and offers you scores of activities, from visiting the castles to going hiking in the mountains nearby. The bars in this city are as good as the food they serve, which is filling, hearty and made with the freshest and most delicious ingredients.

We also visited the Black Church in the city. This beautiful church gets its name from a great fire of 1689 that caused the walls of the building to turn black because of the smoke. The exterior is slightly damaged but very beautifully so and the interiors are even better. This church has the honor of being the largest gothic church of the country and houses one of the largest organs in this region.

Painted Monasteries in Bucovina

There are few places in Europe as unique as the painted monasteries of Bucovina. The exterior walls house several frescos from the 15^th and 16^th century. There are frescos depicting biblical scenes, including the life of Jesus, the saints and prophets and several images of heaven, hell, angels and demons. They are one of the finest depictions of Byzantine art and bring to you outstanding biblical themes and harmonious colors and elegant compositions.

We were especially awestruck by the Ladder to Paradise housed in Sucevita Monastery. You will find several red-winged angels lined up in rows on a slanting ladder that symbolize the way to heaven. The Hymn to the Virgin and Tree of Jesse are equally beautiful. This place even has a museum where you will find several artistic and historical objects. Sucevita was an important manuscript workshop that later became a printing center. You will like the tomb covers of Simion Movila and Ieremia which are beautiful, elaborate portraits made with silver threads.

Our other favorite places are Bucharest which offers you the most unique blends of old communist buildings and new age architecture as well as the Fagaras Mountains. We love to trek here with fellow travelers and enjoy the breathtaking views that this place has to offer. Romania’s three highest peaks are located here, so you should be ready for multiple days of hiking.

We will be travelling to Bucharest again soon. Hope to explore much more in their cuisine this time.