Unexplored Destinations: 5 Hidden Gems of East Europe You Must Travel to,
For the past two years, travelling overseas has been quite restricted
due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, as international travel opens
up with covid protocol, there are several destinations that you can visit. Besides the usual
travelling destinations like Paris, Dubai, Singapore or Japan, we can recommend
you destinations that can be said as hidden gems of Europe.
Let us take a look at five places in Eastern Europe that must be on your travel list:
Budapest:
The capital city of Hungary will
certainly leave you impressed and feed your wanderlust. Situated on the
banks of Danube, the two cities of Buda and Pest form the megacity of
Budapest. If you are into art nouveau buildings, Budapest is the place
to be. The city is also known for its healing thermal baths and an
unrivalled nightlife that will leave you wanting more. Budapest also
offers a glimpse into the past with bullet holes and shrapnel pockmarks
on buildings from World War II and the 1956 Uprising.
Apart from these other things also there to explore in sequence.
Prague:
The
capital city of the Czech Republic, Prague is one of the emerging
tourist destinations of the world. The city offers a glimpse into unique
Bohemian art which ranges from glowing Gothic altarpieces in the
Convent of St Agnes, to the luscious art nouveau of Alfons Mucha. Czech are renowned their capital city to attract tourists. The city’s cobbled lanes may lead you to some
ancient chapels.
Tallinn
The city where a
crucial part of Christopher Nolan’s latest movie Tenet was shot,
Tallinn is the capital city of Estonia. Visiting Tallinn during winters
will take you to a magical Baltic winter. Think about snow glistening on
the old-town roofs, or skating around the Harju Ice Rink under the
shadow of 13th-century St Nicholas’ Church, and you are in Tallinn. The
city also offers places like Kalev Spa Waterpark, a traditional Russian
bathhouse experience.
Vilnius
Another
hidden gem of East Europe is this Lithuanian capital city. Vilnius
provides a rural feel with its carpeted green spaces, which covers
around 40 percent of its area. The Lithunian city is studded with
revered Catholic and Orthodox church spires. The city was once nicknamed
the “Jerusalem of the north” but its Jewish community was largely
annihilated in World War II. Vilnius now has museums dedicated to the
Holocaust, former ghettos, preserved KGB torture chambers and cemeteries
filled with the war dead.
Riga
Capital
of Latvia, Riga will take you into a world of flamboyant art nouveau
that forms the core of this vibrant cosmopolitan city, the largest of
all three Baltic capitals. On the surface, Riga may seem quiet or
reserved, but look further and you will stumble upon its hip bars,
modern art centres and the kitchens of its cool experimental
restaurants.
Countries That Will Pay You to Move There !!!
Sometimes moving abroad is
a trade-off.
While you may be able to
experience your dream life in the Mediteranean, it usually comes at a cost.
But what if I told you that
instead of paying a premium, another country PAYS YOU TO MOVE THERE?!
Well, that can be true for
you.
While some cities in the US will pay you to move there, we’re going to take a look at
a more international sphere.
We bring you 10 examples of places around
the world that will pay you to move there.
Let’s check them out.
1. Antikythera,
Greece
The Greek island of
Antikythera has less than 50 inhabitants, and the Greek Orthodox Church will
pay you to move there. You’ll receive a house and land, as well as €500 (around
$590) a month for your first three years. You may not have a plethora of shops
on the island, but it’s perfect for those who want solitude and
self-sufficiency!
Moving to
Antikythera, Greece
If you want to live
in a country with a rich history and culture, Greece is the perfect fit. On the
island of Antikythera, you’ll experience its peace and quiet, as well as
stunning beaches. It’s a rural paradise!
2. Candela, Italy
Candela has the
crowded streets of urban Italy without the masses of people. It’s home to about
2,700 people, and the mayor is offering between €800 (around $945) and €2,000
(around $2,350) for singles and families to move there. The only catch is that
you must live there full time, rent a house, and have a job that earns at least
€7,500 (around $8,900) per year.
Moving to Candela,
Italy
Candela is only two
hours from Naples and one hour from the beach, so you have everything you could
want close to your new small-town home. And if you’re a fan of Italian food,
you’re in for a treat!
3. Denmark
Denmark loves
entrepreneurs and encourages startup businesses to relocate there. They aren’t
necessarily a country that will pay you to move there, but relocating there
grants you access to Denmark’s superb education, health, and welfare systems.
Even if you’re an investor, moving to Denmark isn’t a bad idea!
Moving to Denmark
Denmark is a largely
coastal country with pristine waters and flat terrain. Bicycles are a common
mode of transportation, which is both environmentally friendly and healthy.
It’s also one of the happiest countries in the world, so it’s worth
considering!
4. Ireland
Enterprise Ireland is
a program that’s attracting entrepreneurs from around the globe. If you think
your startup has potential, submit an application. If approved and you move to
Ireland, your business will receive thousands of Euros in funding and access to
the European Union, one of the largest markets in the world!
Moving to Ireland
The Irish countryside
is a spectacular sight, and the people are even greater. You’ll find a unique
and generous culture in Ireland that you’ll immediately love. Also, pubs are
prime socializing hotspots, so you’ll get to know the locals in no time!
5. Kaitangata, New
Zealand
Kaitangata has a
declining population, so they’re willing to give you a quarter acre of land
worth $165,000. It may not be physical money to convince you to move there, but
real estate is an investment-worthy of relocating! They give preference to New
Zealand residents, but they’ll welcome anyone from anywhere in the world.
Moving to Kaitangata
If the scenery in The
Lord of the Rings took your breath away, living in New Zealand will feel like
Middle Earth (minus the orcs, thankfully). This country also offers countless
job opportunities and a world-renowned work-life balance. You’ll find a rural
paradise with friendly people in Kaitangata!
6. Korea, Thailand,
and Vietnam
These three countries
offer similar benefits and target current Europe and United States residents.
In return for moving to Korea, Thailand, or Vietnam, they’ll give you a job
teaching English and other courses. The process is simple and fairly quick, so
if you want it, you’ll be off to Asia sooner than you think!
Moving to Korea,
Thailand, and Vietnam
Each country offers a
history and culture different from western countries. Not to mention, they have
incredibly delicious food and a low cost of living. With that on top of stable
work, many people find a great quality of life in these three Asian countries.
7. Mauritius
Do you have a
business idea that you’re passionate about? Mauritius, an island east of
Madagascar, offers 20,000 Mauritian Rupees to startup businesses that move
there. All you’ll have to do is present your unique and profitable business
idea to a committee that will determine whether you qualify.
Moving to Mauritius
While it may not be
an isolated island paradise like you’d expect, Mauritius has so much to offer.
It has beautiful weather, a thriving economy, high-quality schools, and free
healthcare for residents. It’s also a multicultural hub full of diversity!
8. Ponga Village,
Spain
If you’re part of a
young couple that wants to have kids, you can earn €3,000 (around $3,550) just
by moving to Ponga Village, Spain and staying for five years. It’s a small town
of fewer than 1,000 people, which has continued to decline over the years.
You’ll also receive an additional €3,000 for each of your children, whether
they moved with you or are born in Ponga Village.
Moving to Ponga
Village, Spain
Besides literally
paying you to move there, Spain is a great place to live. It has gorgeous
weather, welcoming communities, and booming job prospects. We also love the
idea of siestas that give you a three-hour break in the middle of the day!
9. Saskatchewan,
Canada
Saskatchewan’s
Graduate Retention Program aims to keep college graduates in the province by
offering $20,000 CAD (around $15,000 USD) in tax returns. Canada will pay you
to live there over the course of 10 years while you live there and file taxes.
The only catch is that you have to have graduated from a post-secondary school
on their list of approved institutions.
Moving to
Saskatchewan, Canada
If you want the
benefits of the city and the country, Saskatchewan, Canada is the place for you!
It has several national parks and historic sites where you can experience all
the best of the great outdoors. It also has great job opportunities, especially
for college graduates.
10. Sicily, Italy
Sambuca di Sicilia is
a small town in Sicily of about 6,000 people that has been shrinking as
residents move to larger cities. To boost the population, the town is selling
homes for only €1. In return, you must refurbish their run-down home within
three years, which will likely cost around €15,000 (around $17,800), and
provide a €5,000 (around $5,900) security deposit that will be returned to them
when they complete the renovations.
Moving to Sicily,
Italy
Sicily is a dream for
many people around the world, and you can make that dream a reality! Sicily has
food that borders on the divine that’s also healthy, and you’ll have the
opportunity to learn one of the most beautiful romance languages.
20 Countries That no Longer Exists:
From ethnic turmoil and civil war to struggles for
independence and political mergers, countries come and go over time. Here’s a
look at 20 countries that no longer exist.
Union
of Soviet Socialist Republics:
In 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was
established in northern Eurasia, stretching from the Baltic and Black seas to
the Pacific Ocean. Toward the end of its reign, the communist country comprised
15 Eurasian republics encompassing over 100 distinct nationalities and was
geographically the largest country in the world. The USSR was a major
superpower that nearly came to nuclear blows with the United States during the
Cold War. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 and many of the republics within
it declared their independence.
Yugoslavia:
Yugoslavia (Land of South Slavs) was
located in Europe on the west-central Balkan Peninsula. Once part of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire, Yugoslavia was first established in 1918, but called
the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. It became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
in 1929. After World War II, the monarchy was dissolved, and the country became
communist, under the rule of Josip Tito. After his death in 1980, it succumbed
to ethnic tensions and a brutal civil war. In the mid-1990s, Yugoslavia
separated into seven distinct states: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,
Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.
Rhodesia:
Located in south-central Africa in
the region that is now known as Zimbabwe and Zambia, Rhodesia became a self-declared yet unrecognized
country in 1965. Rhodesia was administered by the British South Africa Company
seeking gold, copper, and coal, until the country gained independence in 1979
following the 14-year Rhodesian Bush War.
German
Democratic Republic:
After World War II, the Allies
divided Germany and its capital of Berlin into east and west, creating the German Democratic Republic,
also known as East Germany. The socialist country was under Soviet control
until 1990, when it was reunited with West Germany,
after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
Austria-Hungary:
Created in 1867 through a union of
the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary, Austria-Hungary included 11 different ethnic
groups, was the largest Catholic-led empire of its time, and lasted until 1918.
The empire eventually succumbed to nationalist sentiments, becoming the
separate nations of Austria, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia.
Czechoslovakia:
After Austria-Hungary separated into
distinct nations at the end of World War I, Czechoslovakia, located in central Europe, was
created in 1918 and included Bohemia, Moravia, and Slovakia. The formerly
stable country then fell under Nazi rule, followed by Soviet occupation.
Communism in Czechoslovakia eventually came to a peaceful end after the Velvet
Revolution in 1989, and the country divided into the Czech Republic and
Slovakia in 1993, with the Czech Republic keeping the flag.
North
and South Vietnam:
Vietnam was a French colony during
World War II, but occupied by the Japanese Empire. After Japan lost the war,
the Vietnamese were able to oust the French, but in 1954, at the Geneva
Conference, the country was divided into north and south—communist
and non-communist respectively. What ensued was a long, bloody war involving
the North, the South, and the United States, as well as smaller contingents from South Korea, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand. The U.S. finally pulled out in 1973,
after which North Vietnam seized Saigon in 1975, and Vietnam was reunited under
a communist government.
Federation
of South Arabia:
The Federation of South Arabia,
located on the Arabian Peninsula, was created in 1962, comprised 17 states, and
was under British protectorate. The Federation was abolished after gaining
independence. It merged with the Protectorate of South Arabia to become South
Yemen in 1967, which in 1990 unified with North Yemen to become what we know of
today as Yemen.
Tuvan
People’s Republic:
In 1921, with Russia’s support,
Bolsheviks created the Tuvan People’s Republic,
which was only recognized as independent by the Soviet Union and Mongolia. The
state lasted until 1944, when it was annexed by the Soviet Union, and today the
territory of Tannu Tuva, known as the Tuva Republic (pictured is the modern-day
Tuva flag), is part of the Russian Federation.
Tibet:
Before the 1950s, Tibet (in central Asia) was
a unique cultural and religious community, with little communication or
economic activity with other countries, although various protection pacts were
negotiated with its neighbours over time, including various Mongol and Chinese
dynasties. Because of this, China has long believed that Tibet has been a rightful
part of China for centuries and, in 1950, began a long and bloody campaign to
incorporate it into their country. Many Tibetans, especially those outside the
country, consider this action to be an invasion and the continued Chinese presence
to be an occupation by a foreign power. In recent times, the Chinese government
has used economic incentives to spur Han Chinese migration to the Tibetan
plateau in an attempt to further incorporate the region into the Chinese state.
United
Arab Republic:
The intentional union of Egypt and
Syria was proclaimed in 1958, but ended quickly in 1961, after a military
coup when Syria declared itself independent. Egypt, however, kept the name
until 1971. The republic was created by Gamal Abdel Nasser, who hoped it would one day
include the entire Arab world, which had been divided by colonial powers after World
War I.
Ottoman
Empire:
Spanning more than 600 years, from
about 1300 to 1922, the Ottoman Empire was one of the longest and largest
empires, at one point controlling parts of the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and
North Africa. The empire’s reign is famous for its power and Islamic nature, as
well as outstanding achievements in the arts, science, medicine, and
architecture, but its demise came with the Renaissance and the Industrial
Revolution. The empire was finally abolished by the Treaty of Sèvres.
Kingdom of Sikkim:
The Kingdom of Sikkim was a sovereign nation
established by the Namgyal dynasty in 1642 in what is now northeast India, in
the eastern Himalayas. It was ruled by chogyals (temporal and spiritual kings),
but became a British protectorate in 1890, and then an Indian one. In 1975,
India deposed Sikkim’s monarchy and, in a special referendum, the people voted
in favour of becoming a state of India.
Confederate
States of America:
From 1861 to 1865, the southern
states separated from the union, after Abraham Lincoln became president of the
United States. Eleven states formed the Confederate States of America
in the hopes of keeping slavery legal to support their plantation-based
economy. Their president was Jefferson Davis. The North and South fought one
another in the American Civil War that killed 750,000. The war was eventually
won by the North, which brought the Confederacy and slavery in the United
States to an end.
East
Pakistan:
East Pakistan’s short
life—just 17 years—was rife with turmoil. Located on what is today known as
Bangladesh, the Islamic republic of East Pakistan was previously under British
rule. Not long after it came into being in 1955, however, there was a coup
d’état followed by martial law. In 1970, Pakistan held its first federal
general election, but the winning party won all its seats in East Pakistan and
none in West Pakistan, which led to Bangladesh (East Pakistan) declaring
independence from Pakistan, the nearly year-long Bangladesh Liberation War, the
1971 Bangladesh genocide, and eventually the birth of Bangladesh.
Gran
Colombia:
This short-lived republic in South
America and southern Central America existed from 1819 to 1830, and broadly
included the modern-day countries of Colombia, Panama, Venezuela, and Ecuador. Gran Colombia’s short life was beset by conflict,
in particular between President Simón Bolívar (pictured is a statue of him) and
those who wanted a decentralized, federal form of government. Bolívar
eventually resigned in the face of increasing support for the federalist
constitution. The result was the dissolution of Gran Colombia and the
establishment of the independent states of Venezuela, Ecuador, and New Granada.
The
Holy Roman Empire:
The Holy Roman Empire spanned
more than a thousand years, beginning in AD 800 with the crowning of
Charlemagne (pictured is a statue of him) as the first Holy Roman Emperor by
Pope Leo III and ending in 1806. Spread across western and central Europe, the
empire was vast in size and therefore decentralized, giving the regions much
autonomy, while defending Europe from Muslim invasion and providing troops for
the crusades. The empire was eventually destroyed by Napoleon.
Kingdom
of Hawaii:
In 1795, the islands of Hawaii,
Oahu, Molokai, and Lanai united under a single government. By 1810, the entire
archipelago had joined the Kingdom of Hawaii, ruled by two dynasties until it
became a republic. It was annexed by the United States in 1898. The U.S. then built a naval base at Pearl
Harbor, which was later bombed by Japan during World War II. Hawaii finally became the
50th state to join the union in 1959.
Korea:
According to legend, Korea’s first kingdom was
established around 2300 BCE. For nearly 4,200 years, the shape and leadership
of the regions of the Korean Peninsula changed many times. The first modern
Korean Empire was established in 1897 by King Gojong, making him emperor. But
his rule was to be short-lived as Japan annexed Korea in 1910. At the end of the Second World
War, with Japan surrendering to the Allied Forces, the annexation ended, and
the leadership of Korea passed to the Provisional Government of the Republic of
Korea. Soon after, with the fundamental shifts in global politics, Korea was
divided at the 38thparallel into two occupation zones—the north administered by
the Soviet Union, and the south by the United States. Attempts were made by the
United Nations to establish a single, democratically elected government for the
entire region, but these calls were ignored by the Soviets. The result was the
1948 establishment of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea). Both of these states were officially
recognized by the United Nations in 1991.
Prussia:
Set on the southeastern coast of the
Baltic Sea, the kingdom was ruled by the German Hohenzollern dynasty from 1701.
Over the years, Prussia expanded in size
and sovereignty by its military might, seizing much of northern Germany and western Poland in the 18th and 19th
centuries. The state was eventually abolished by the Allies after World War II
as Germany was divided and Prussia was divvied up, with much of the territory
going to the Soviet Union and Poland.
