Lonely Planet - Lonely Planet Eastern Europe

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Dramatically diverse, Eastern Europe remains a through-the-looking-glass experience after the certainties of the West. Head here for guaranteed adventure; its surreal, exciting and surprising.

Bled Island (), Slovenia
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Eastern Europe is a warehouse of art, history and architecture, and its world-class museums, festivals and galleries will overwhelm even the most eager connoisseur. Star attractions Prague, Moscow, Krakw, St Petersburg and Budapest groan under the weight of their heritage: cross Pragues 14th-century Charles Bridge at dawn, marvel at Krakws preserved Rynek Gwny (Main Market Sq), see an unrivalled cross-section of art history at the Hermitage in St Petersburg and hear Liszt in his native Hungary. Its not all about high culture though the people youll meet are just as much of an attraction. Start a conversation with locals on a train and youll likely end up sharing food and drinks with them, listening to folk songs, playing cards or even being invited home for dinner. Along the way youll discover that myths about Eastern European cuisine are just that delve into delicacies such as Croatian truffles and Hungarian gulys (goulash) as well as delicious daily staples such as Polish pierogi (dumplings) and Russian bliny.

The variety of landscapes in Eastern Europe is simply mind-blowing. Take a boat ride on the blue Danube, discover that Eastern Europe means great beaches on the Croatian or Albanian riviera and hike your way through Poland and Slovakias High Tatras, Romanias Bucegi Mountains, Bulgarias Rodopi Mountains and Albanias simply incredible Accursed Mountains. Even less expected are the vast sand dunes of Curonian Spit in Lithuania, beautiful Lake Ohrid in Macedonia, the Great Masurian Lakes of Poland and the racing river gorges of Slovenia and Bosnia and Hercegovina. Those looking for an easier ride can take Eastern Europes most impressive train journey from Belgrade to Bar through the spectacular canyons of Montenegro, or the Lake Koman ferry in Albania for astonishing mountain views. Whatever scenery you enjoy, youll find exciting and unexpected landscapes in a region that is anything but grey and predictable.

Eastern Europes bleak past is present in its preserved palaces, haunting castles, magnificent churches and grandiose plazas. You can still stand in the room in the Livadia Palace where the big three divided up Europe at the 1945 Yalta Conference, or feel the echo of the Romanian Revolution on Bucharests Revolution Sq. Elsewhere you can see sights from more distant history soak up the legacy of Ivan the Terribles terrifying reign at St Basils Cathedral on Moscows Red Sq, cross the bridge where Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo and take a stroll through the remains of Diocletians Palace in Split, Croatia.

Buskers near Charles Bridge () in Prague, Czech Republic
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Marvelling at how many masterpieces there are in the Hermitage (); feasting on a banquet fit for a tsar then dancing till dawn at a dive bar in a crumbling ruin Russias imperial capital is a visual stunner and a hedonists delight, best visited at the height of summer when the White Nights see the city party around the clock.

State Hermitage Museum
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Prague, Czech Republic

The Czech capital is a near-perfectly preserved museum of European architecture through the ages. From the Old Town Sq (), its almost as if a 14th-century metropolis has been transported in time and plunked down in the heart of modern Europe. After youve meandered the alleyways, neck sore from craning to spy the statues and gargoyles, retire to a local pub for some Czech beer the countrys pride and joy.

Old Town Sq
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Moscows Red Square, Russia

Red Sq sucks in every visitor to Russias capital, leaving them slack-jawed with wonder. Standing on the rectangular cobblestoned expanse surrounded by the candy-coloured swirls of the cupolas atop St Basils Cathedral (), a grand emporium of consumption you are literally at the centre of Russias modern history.

St Basils Cathedral
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Hiking the High Tatras, Slovakia

The rocky, alpine peaks of the High Tatras (), stopping at a log-cabin hikers hut with a restaurant for lunch. A few hours more and youre at the Hrebienok funicular terminus that will take you down to turn-of-the-20th-century Star Smokovec below, well in time for dinner.

Funicular to Hrebienok ()
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Krakw, Poland

As popular as it is, Polands former royal capital () never disappoints. Its hard to pinpoint why its so special, but theres an aura of history radiating from the sloping stone buttresses of medieval buildings in the Old Town that makes its streets seem just right. Throw in the extremes of a spectacular castle and the low-key, oh-so-cool bar scene situated within the tiny worn buildings of the Kazimierz backstreets, and its a city you want to seriously get to know.

Cafe in Kazimierz ()
ALDO PAVAN/4CORNERS IMAGES

Budapest, Hungary

Straddling both sides of the romantic Danube River, with the Buda Hills to the west and the start of the Great Plain to the east, Budapest () is perhaps the most beautiful city in Eastern Europe. Parks brim with attractions, the architecture is second to none and museums are filled with treasures. Add to that pleasure boats sailing up and down the scenic Danube Bend, Turkish-era thermal baths belching steam and a nightlife throbbing till dawn most nights, and its easy to see why the Hungarian capital is one of the continents most delightful, fun cities to visit.