Sometimes it seems that in Europe there are no places where you can relax properly and at the same time do not think about how to escape from the crowd of tourists surrounding you. Nevertheless, such locations exist. Where and, most importantly, how to find privacy in Europe? Around the World talks about five ways to do this.
Depart Islands: Faroe Islands
It is clear that in the Canaries, Crete, Cyprus or Malta you can’t get far from tourists: after all, these are the most popular beach destinations. Is it the Faroe Islands! “Sheep islands”, which is exactly what the Faroes call Danish, is the autonomous region that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and, in fact, an archipelago of 18 islands. The largest of them – Streimoy – covers an area of 373.5 square meters. km, and lives here a little more than 20 thousand people.If this is too crowded for you, then you are welcome to the smallest island of the Stoura-Duymun archipelago with an area of only 2.5 square meters. km, on which live, according to January 2018, only 10 people. Well, hundreds more sheep and dead ends. And other local flora and fauna.
The climate in the Faroe Islands is temperate marine, so even in the summer it is cool and it can rain. But what kinds! There is also a certain advantage of the geographical location: the archipelago is washed by the warm Gulf Stream, so that the temperature of coastal waters is about +10 ° С almost all year round. Of course, it will not be suitable for a beach holiday, but it softens the climate, and the islands have something to do besides visiting beaches, hiking for example.
Climb the mountains: Greece
And yet privacy is also possible in Crete, which is so popular with tourists. In the west of the largest Greek island are Lefka Ori, or the White Mountains, which houses the Milia Eco-Farm, based on the site of a 15th-century village. In this small hotel complex, designed for only 13 guests, you can indulge in idleness and enjoy the majestic surrounding views, or you can, on the contrary, hit the same hiking, since there are plenty of well-equipped trails from 5 to 18 kilometers in the area.
Go to the forest: Finland
After the mountains, the forest is perhaps the most life-saving tool for those who do not like the mobbing of the crowd and at the same time do not feel very confident in open spaces. In Finland, on the shores of Lake Immalanjärvi (near the town of Levi and only a few tens of kilometers from the Swedish border) there is a cottage village with 18 houses. Peace and quiet are guaranteed. And in addition to them – the majestic northern nature, centuries-old spruce, mirror surface of the lake and so on. Of the activities in winter, they offer skiing and ice skating on a frozen lake, and in summer – hiking and trekking in the forest, boat trips around Immalanjärvi, sapsurfing, horseback riding and much more.
Climb the Wilderness of the Country: Bulgaria
In Central Bulgaria, more than one village of the construction of the beginning of the XX century (as in the illustration above), long abandoned by residents , was lost . Life returns to some of these places, especially if the houses are well preserved and can be restored and rented to travelers who crave an authentic experience. So, a few kilometers from the city of Apriltsi, a hotel complex has recently opened, the number of rooms of which consists of just such traditional buildings: for heating, stoves are used here, and instead of wireless Internet, guests are offered to enjoy fantastic views of the mountains and the valley surrounding the village from the windows of the houses. . In your garden, apple trees, plum and pear trees grow here (you can try the crop), and immediately beyond the gate begins an untouched forest.
Go To Monastery: Italy
No, not literally! Although very similar. In the Italian commune of Parrano, in the Umbria region, a hotel has recently opened, under whose territory the owner bought the adjacent valley. Yes, a whole valley. So you can be sure that no one will bother you – there are three kilometers of hills to the nearest settlement. The hotel, although new, is designed and decorated to fit a medieval building in the spirit of small local churches and monasteries. At the same time, the building is equipped with everything necessary from underfloor heating to a private pool with a jacuzzi and spa. In a word, an excellent option for those who write a novel and are inspired by the landscapes of Central Italy. And here they are, believe me, in abundance.
Photo: Getty Images
