9 Wanders of the world Tour great hidden gems
Europe’s full of famous Unesco World Heritage Sites, but here are nine you have probably never heard of . . .
1
Olympus, fabled home of the old Greek gods, is nearby.
How to see it: Mainland Greece’s Olympus riviera is a stretch of coastline between the base of Mount Olympus and the Aegean Sea. Book a week in the Hotel Cavo Olympo via Thomas Cook, then rent a car and explore. THE DEAL: Thomas Cook does seven nights’ B&B from €627 with return UK flights. thomascook.com
2
METEORA, Greece If you don’t know the name, you might find the images ring a bell, because blockbuster movies from James Bond to Indiana Jones have been shot here. It may look like Mission Impossible to build 24 monasteries on top of giant sandstone columns, but monks settled up there from the 11th century onwards, and some of the monasteries date from the 15th century. Mount PLITVICE LAKES Croatia Croatia’s hot interior sounds an unlikely setting for a dazzling waterland, but Plitvice’s 16 terraced lakes and 90 waterfalls, about two hours drive south of Zagreb, constitutes one of Europe’s most beautiful national parks. The water comes from the
Velebit mountains, and its high mineral content keeps it crystal clear, so with blue skies and forest settings the result is a kaleidoscope of stunning colours, threaded by long boardwalks. How to see it: Plitvice is the first stop on KE Adventure’s six-day small group Walking Croatia’s Coast and Mountains tour, from Zagreb to Split. THE DEAL: KE Adventure Travel offers six days from €1,478pp, including most meals and return flights from the UK. keadventure.com
3
WADDEN SEA
Netherlands We all know the countryside is flat, but did you know Holland’s undersea is flat too? When the tide goes out, huge sandbanks emerge, and you can walk for miles along the seabed. A chain of pretty islands protect these waters, from Texel in the west to Schiermonnikoog in the east, all inhabited and reachable by ferry.
How to see it: On a boat/bike tour on a three-masted schooner which starts in the historic trading ports of the Ijsselmeer and heads out to the islands. It’s the sort of place where you can lose track of time.
THE DEAL: Freedom Treks offer seven nights from €863pp, full board. Flights extra. freedomtreks.co.uk, 0044 01273 224 066
4
BRYGGEN Norway The Hanseatic trading system was a medieval version of the EU based in northern Europe. Its most striking remnant is the row of warehouses on the quayside in the fjord port Bergen. They mostly house shops and art studios now but one Bryggen warehouse is the Hansa Museum with sloping floors creaking under big oak barrels, and dried king cod hanging by windows for good luck. How to see it: Bergen is the last stop on the Highlights of Norway rail journey from Oslo.
THE DEAL: Best Served Scandinavia has five days’ B&B from €815pp, with all transport and return UK flights. bestserved.co.uk, 0044 0207 838 5956
5
RHAETIAN RAILWAY
Albula Pass, Switzerland A section of railway line doesn’t sound like much of a heritage site, especially when its best bits are in the dark – inside tunnels – but the line that climbs from Chur across the top of the Alps down to Italy is a fine piece of engineering. In the 76 miles from Thusis to Tirano there are 196 bridges and 55 tunnels. The best bit is the Albula pass, where the train clatters across viaducts as ravines open and close all around, before plunging into deep tunnels. How to
see it: A few famous trains run through the Albula pass, particularly the Glacier Express and
the Bernina Express. Ride both on this Scenic Switzerland by Rail trip.
THE DEAL: Rail Discoveries has eight days from €1,365pp, B&B. Includes some meals and return flights from the UK. raildiscoveries.com
6
CHAMPAGNE COUNTRY
France If ever you needed a cultural excuse for holiday hedonism, then Unesco’s listing of the ‘Hillsides, Houses and Cellars’ of Champagne gives you carte blanche. The Unesco focus is on vineyards near Reims and the Avenue de Champagne in Epernay, but artisanal production is still widespread, and each Champagne House has an interesting story.
How to see it: By passenger boat, threading through the region on the Marne between Epernay and Meaux with visits to famous houses, while staying in Chateau-thierry. THE DEAL: Buzzlines Travel offers a seven-day break from €1,512pp full board with UK coach transfers. Departs late April/may. buzzlinestravel.co.uk, 0044 01303 261 870
7
ZOLLVEREIN COAL MINE
Essen, Germany The world’s most beautiful coal mine is an unlikely-sounding tourist draw, but it’s a perfect time to visit the Rhur’s Zeche Zollverein, as 2019 is the 100th anniversary of Bauhaus. The brick-built, Bauhaus-inspired mine hosts galleries and art workshops, with a big wheel and a pool set amongst huge coke ovens.
How to see it: German industry once relied on the nearby river Rhine to move cargo. These days cruise ships glide through the barges. Many,
including Avalon Waterways’ Active Discovery, offer trips to Zollverein, THE DEAL: Seven nights from €2,266pp, full board. avaloncruises.co.uk
8
OVIEDO AND ASTURIAS Northern Spain Because it doesn’t attract crowds, the north’s Asturian coast is pristine, with some of Spain’s best beaches. Regional capital Oviedo has Romanesque churches from the 9th century. How to see it: Take the Slow Train, sampling fishing villages, seaside resorts and Oviedo. THE DEAL: Inntravel has seven nights from €680pp, B&B, including local transport. Flights extra. inntravel.co.uk, 0044 01653 617 001
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DANUBE DELTA Romania When Europe’s longest river nears the end of its journey at the Black Sea it spreads across 2,418 square miles of delta, a watery wilderness with 160 species of fish and 325 species of birds. It’s a maze of channels and lakes with isolated fishing villages, the sort of eco-system you’d expect in Africa, not on Europe’s doorstep.
How to see it: The Danube Delta is the final port on the Land that Time Forgot, a group tour that covers Transylvania too. THE DEAL: Undiscovered Destinations offer 14 days from €2,790pp, some meals. Flights extra. undiscovered-destinations.com