Europe Travel Destinations

The Basilica of Saint John Lateran is the cathedral church of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome or the Pope. With its official name, Archibasilica Sanctissimi Salvatoris (“Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour”), the Basilica of St. John Lateran is the oldest and ranks first (being the cathedral of Rome) among the four major basilicas of Rome. It also holds the title of “Ecumenical mother church” or mother church of the whole inhabited world among all Roman Catholics. As the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome (thus, containing the papal throne, Cathedra Romana), it ranks above all other churches in the Roman Catholic Church and even above the famous Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.An inscription on the façade, Christo Salvatore, dedicates the Lateran as Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour since the cathedrals of all patriarchs are said to be dedicated to Christ himself.

For the traveler who happens to be in highly-metropolitan Moscow and who would want to explore nature through the safe confines of exhibits, the Tsytsin Main Moscow Botanical Garden of Academy of Sciences is the perfect place to be. Founded in April 1945, Tsytsin Main Moscow Botanical Garden of Academy of Sciences is the largest in Europe, covering a territory of 3.61 km² bordering the All-Russian Exhibition Center. It has a live exhibition of more than 20 thousand of different species of plants from various parts of the world and maintains a rosarium with 20 thousand rose bushes, dendrarium and an oak forest with average age of trees over 100 years, and a greenhouse on more than 5000 square meters. The Tsytsin Main Moscow Botanical Garden of Academy of Sciences also has its own scientific research laboratory.

 The quest of finding the best-tasting hot dogs brings joy to every frankfurter fan, and even though the best hot dog stand in Europe is found in the world’s most northern national capital, the determined weenie fan/explorer is not to be easily discouraged. Bæjarins beztu pylsur, which translates in English as “The best hot dogs in town” and often shortened to simply Bæjarins beztu, is a popular hot dog stand in central Reykjavík, Iceland and is dubbed as the best hot dog stand in Europe by the British newspaper, The Guardian, in August 2006. Located downtown near the harbor, Bæjarins beztu has been open since 1937 and tourists are said to be usually brought to the stand to taste what they often call “the Icelandic national food”. A hot dog and a soda cost 380 krónur and are normally ordered with “the works” – all condiments, or in Icelandic “eina með öllu” or “one with everything.”

With a history that stretches back to the 9th century where kings, emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices, Prague Castle is no doubt a must in every traveler’s itinerary. Prague has been one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations and being one of the most beautiful cities in the continent, any tourist will surely fall in love with its historical and cultural background. Prague Castle is, thus, the center of the city’s culture and history, embodying the political struggle of its people and the proud tradition of Czech culture manifested in its glorious historic architectures. Prague Castle is also one of the biggest castles in the world and is the biggest ancient castle according to Guinness Book of Records. A famous attraction in the Castle is the Saint Vitus’s Cathedral (the biggest and most important church in the country) which houses the tombs of many Bohemian kings and is also an excellent example of Gothic architecture. Historical monuments under the Prague Castle Administration can be visited by tourists all year round except the 24th December.

Chernobyl definitely does not sound like your average tourist destination and one might be even tempted to ask, “Why Chernobyl?”

The accident happened on April 26, 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant when reactor 4 exploded. Since then, the city has become a dead zone, with only a small number of people living in houses marked with signs that say, “Owner of this house lives here”.

There’s nothing much really to see: a ghost town that has become a nature reserve…that’s it. But any traveler who chose to pay a visit to one of the loneliest places on earth will certainly feel that the trip was worth it and that it was a trip that provoked one’s mind and heart.

 Now, one might think that getting discount tickets is the best way to go when planning to travel in Europe, however, one must be familiar with certain restrictions and policies that these discount airlines have in order to avoid unnecessary fuss in traveling.

Be advised that discount airlines are stricter in terms of fares and have lower baggage weight limits compared to traditional airlines. Food and in-flight entertainment are also usually not provided, although, food can be availed of for a fee. It is very important to bear in mind that discount airlines do not wait for late running passengers and that check-in desks close right away at the indicated time so be sure to arrive on time or even earlier for your scheduled flight.

To the traveler who is thinking of getting tickets through Europe’s Discount airlines, a few simple, but, important reminders must be taken into consideration in order to make sure that transaction takes place smoothly and hassle-free. Most of Europe’s discount airlines sell their tickets only through their website or over the phone and these tickets cannot be availed of through travel agents. Actually, most are ticketless and all you will need at the check-in desk is your passport and confirmation number. Also, booking tickets require a debit or credit card and most tickets are sold as single journeys only so if you want to fly return, then you just simply have to book and pay for two single journey tickets.

One of the biggest (and gravest) concerns of travelers wishing to go to Europe is the huge amount of money that they will be shelling out for the travel expenses. Whether traveling economy or first-class, airline tickets are definitely going to affect that well-planned and well-saved holiday budget.

Luckily, Europe has a number of Discount airlines, or low cost carriers, which help alleviate and lessen the financial worries of any traveler. Since fares have been significantly lowered by the rise of these no-frills carriers, more people now have greater access to Europe through these flexible and budget-friendly alternatives of air travel.