Foto: www.crystallakes.co.ukSibiu city, Romania
Reading this article's title you will think that you will read another story about some places that worth seeing. About the part with the places that worh seeing is true. The boring part about some places you already read about is false.
Have you ever considered to visit "the other Europe?". It's very true that some Eastern European destinations are not for all those that say they are travellers. Those who seek luxury places to stay and spa centers with a great reputation all around the world, should stay to Prague, Berlin, Budapest or Warsaw.
Those who will want to go far beyond the tourist zone, and will seek to discover some great places with major cultural and historical places, Eastern Europe has lots of options.
All the guidebooks tell some definitions that are diferent about what means Eastern, Central and Southern Europe. Here we can include some countries like Romania and the Czech Republic, for example.
If you will know some general tips that may be applyed in many regions, the minor discomforts will be avoided.
You will need some necessities.
Try to look beyound the luxury and take with you some daily things you will use, "just in case". In restaurants cleaning issues are certainly respected and all the visitors are happy to enjoy some traditional well served food in the restaurants of this other Europe we talk about in this article.
Planning ahead where you will stay, on the internet, will help you to make economy at the "time" chapter. Generaly, when you have lots of options there is impossible not to find something convenient for your budget. The convenient and popular chains that have sprung up all over the West have not yet filtered deeply into Eastern Europe but chances to stay confortable and cheap are big.
Credit cards are a "must have" in all the major cities but for some pensions and campgrounds, the machines can be "misteryously" broken. You may need to have cash, just to make sure in advance.
Cash machines are easy things to find in cities, but very rare in small villages. Carrying cash to smaller destinations is unavoidable. The costs are low outside the popular spots. The foreigner pricing system still exists in some places but with the time passing this thing is becoming less common because travelers don’t appreciate to pay two times the normal price for the same service, and the merchants realise that.
You have to never forget that in the Eastern Europe not everything is a bargain. If you will do some research you will avoid doing mistakes that will affect your budget.
As a person from another country, you'll may spend some time to express what you want but everywhere you will go you must know that the people will look to you with hospitality and you will have a very authentic perception of local life and cross-cultural experiences unforgettable.
If you want to meet people you can try to visit the local festivals. The medieval reenactments, the festivals from Romania for example, are attracting more locals than tourists.
If you will want to find out what is going on at an event, just ask around, search for information centers or rad the monthly guides for cultural events online or on print.
