Europe’s Hidden Gems

1. Keukenhof, Lisse – Netherlands (Tulip heaven) operating from March 21st till May 22nd
If you have ever dreamed of witnessing the best flower display, Keukenhof is the place to be. There you’ll find all kinds of tulips in all colors displayed in an incredible way. But don’t buy the 4 euros map that they sell in the tickets shop, it’s completely useless & don’t expect to see that famous photo of the windmill surrounded by tulip fields unless you go before tulips are collected.

: Keukenhof, Flower Fields (on the web)

2. Gantrisch Nature Park, Bern Region, Switzerland
If you are looking forward to spending a day somewhere nice & relaxing, while enjoying the nature then this place is the place to be. You could go to enjoy Hiking, Zip-lining, BBQ-ing, Horseback riding & Cycling. The scenery is amazing & it’s only 1 hour from Bern (train ride + bus). Don’t worry if you forgot to get drinks or food because there you’ll find bars and restaurants.

: Gantrisch Nature Park (on the web)

3. Volendam, Netherlands
Dutch fishing village. Enjoy a nice walk on the harbour, buy inexpensive souvenirs from the shops & don’t forget to have a seafood sandwich or a meal.

: Volendam (on the web)

4. Zaanse Schans, Netherlands
Very old & most famous windmills in the Netherlands. Don’t forget to taste Dutch Cheese that is manufactured there & to watch how Dutch Clogs are made.

: Zaanse Schans (on the web)

5. Palau de la Musica, Barcelona – Spain
This theatre is a masterpiece, the architecture & design are very unique, it takes you to another era and the Flamenco shows are amazing. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site

: Palau de la Musica from inside (on the web)

6. Venice, Italy
If you don’t go to Venice then you haven’t seen the magical part of Italy. Being in Venice is enjoyable in itself. Walking in its narrow streets, shopping from its cozy shops, eating crepes, ice cream or seafood while glimpsing at the venetian masks diplayes everywhere, crossing bridges, taking the vaporetto (bus boat) is an extremely unique experience that you don’t wanna miss, it is amazing when you go from one place to another by boat instead of bus, tram, metro or train. Venice is also famous for its Carnevale di Venezia –Carnival of Masks– celebrated yearly around end of January – beginning of February.
Venice is a MUST visit.

: Carnevale di Venezia (on the web)

7. Luzern – Switzerland
While everybody speaks of visiting Zurich & Geneva, I vote for Luzern which is one of the most beautiful Swiss cities. It has beautiful scenery, & restaurants overlooking the lake filled with swans. A long walk while eating an ice cream from Bachmann will do.

: Lake Luzern (on the web)

8. Château de Chillon, Veytaux (45min walk or 15 min by boat from Montreux) – Switzerland
The best thing to do is to get on a train to Montreux -a small cozy beautiful Swiss French city- take a hop on/hop off boat or just take the boat ride for 2 hours in Lake Geneva (a.k.a. Lac Leman) -which is cheaper- then follow the lake for a 45 minutes walk up to Veytaux while enjoying the scenery of wine fields, to spend a couple of hours at the very interesting Château de Chillon, which was built to captivate evil sorcerers, and torture them to death.

: Chateau de Chillon (on the web)

9. Kleine Scheidegg, Bernese Oberland – Switzerland
is among the most celebrated mountain passes in theSwiss Alps , it not as touristy and as expensive as the famous Jungfrau.
You could enjoy hiking, skiing or to just savour coffee or a hot meal while enjoying a stunning view of mountains peaks.

: Kleine Scheidegg (on the web)

10. Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
This place is heaven on earth, it is a UNESCO World Hearitage and is the oldest national park in Southeastern Europe and the largest national park in Croatia. It is 2-2.5 hours by bus from Zagreb. (Here is how to get there)