Beautiful Towns # 6 - Gyor, Hungary

Gyor is a small city in the north-west of Hungary which is known mostly for its production of industrial goods rather than as a tourist hotspot. It receives few foreign visitors apart from Austrian day-trippers, which is surprising given what the historic centre of the city has to offer. Baroque churches, a fortified castle and a broad web of cobbled streets to wander through provide ample surroundings for an enjoyable daytrip from Budapest.

The neo-classical town hall opposite the train station offers an imposing introduction to the city for visitors, and from there it is a short walk to Baross Gabor street, which leads into the heart of the old town. The lovely yellow Carmelite church stands near the river Raba (this body of water was in the news this autumn when the red sludge spill in the village of Kolontar reached as far as Gyor). A short distance along the riverfront is the Bishop's castle, featuring extensive fortifications built in the 16th century to stop the advancing Ottoman Turkish armies. An interesting sight near the town market is the Frigylada statue, which is topped by The Ark of the Covenant (I suppose Indiana Jones wasn't aware that the Ark is in Hungary). :)

Many fine restaurants serving spicy Hungarian specialties can be found around Szechenyi Ter, and a number of trendy pensions have recently opened in the old town to provide scenically-located accommodation.
Gyor is 90 minutes by train from Budapest, making it a suitable full-day trip from the capital. Trains run frequently to Vienna, also 90 minutes away by train, which makes Gyor a suitable stopover while travelling between the two capitals.

Beautiful Towns # 5 - Kruja, Albania

This small historic town sits on a steep mountainside north of the capital Tirana. The drive up the winding road full of hairpin turns is thrilling and impossibly scenic, particularly if you're bouncing up and down and hanging on for dear life in the back of a Furgon (An Albanian taxivan).

The town features an old cobbled market bazaar with many brightly-coloured carpets and metalwork for sale, as well as a few souvenirs for the relatively small number of foreign tourists that make it here. Kruja castle is the former stronghold of the country's greatest hero, Skanderbeg, who united the Albanian princes in their fight against the invasion of the Ottoman Turks.

Skanderbeg kept the Ottomans at bay for 35 years (1443 to 1478) during four sieges that were made on the castle. Although he was killed in the final siege and the castle fell shortly after, today he is revered as the greatest of all Albanians. Today a museum to Skanderbeg sits at the centre of the castle complex; it was designed by the daughter and son-in-law of the communist dictator Enver Hoxha and originally contained exhibits where Skanderbeg and Hoxha were given equal billing as heroes of the state. In the modern museum all traces of Hoxha have been removed, and the museum is now dedicated solely to Skanderbeg and provides a broad overview of Albanian history in the Ottoman period.

The town of Kruja and its connection to Skanderbeg continue to be a source of pride and inspiration for all Albanians. Kruja can be reached from Tirana by bus or taxivan and makes an easy daytrip from the capital. There are a number of traditional restaurants in the historic part of the town to try local cuisine.

Quirky and Unusual Sights #1 - Pot Trees in Maramures Region, Romania

Many villages in the Maramures region of Romania maintain a peculiar tradition involving placing cooking pots on the branches of a tree in front of their houses. This is done in order to dry them after washing, but placing a large number of pots on the tree was also intended to display the wealth and importance of the family who lived there.

I heard from a local in the region that there is a further element to this tradition; placing a red pot on the top of the tree signifies to any passing would-be suitors that a woman of marriageable age lives in the house. Nowadays the decoration of pot trees has taken on the additional function of aiding the local economy - they help attract tourists to come and stay in the village.

The Ultimate List - Eastern Europe's Top 200 Destinations

I've thought long and hard while putting this together, thinking about what it is about a place that makes it stick firmly in my memory for years afterwards. Sometimes it's the grandness of the architecture (Lviv, Ukraine), sometimes it's the beauty and grace of the landscape that surrounds it (Kazbegi, Georgia), sometimes it's the warmth of the people or a memorable local character (Zdiar, Slovakia), and sometimes it's just the outright weirdness of the place (Hunedoara, Romania). I've organised them based on how appealing I think they are for the average tourist to experience; I've included destinations from the European half of Russia and from the Caucasus countries. Be sure to let me know if I forgot one of your favourite places!

1. Prague, Czech Republic
2. Krakow, Poland
3. Budapest, Hungary
4. St. Petersburg, Russia
5. Dubrovnik, Croatia
6. Lviv, Ukraine
7. Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina
8. Moscow, Russia
9. Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic
10. Suzdal, Russia
11. Tallinn, Estonia
12. Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina
13. Kyiv, Ukraine
14. Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
15. Kotor, Montenegro
16. Ohrid, Macedonia
17. The High Tatra Mountains, Slovakia/Poland
18. Tbilisi, Georgia
19. Gdansk, Poland
20. Berat, Albania
21. Hvar, Croatia
22. Wroclaw, Poland
23. Riga, Latvia
24. Ljubljana, Slovenia
25. Kazbegi, Georgia
26. Brasov, Romania
27. Kamyanets Podilsky, Ukraine
28. Piran, Slovenia
29. Vilnius, Lithuania
30. Sighisoara, Romania
31. Rostov Veliky, Russia
32. Plovdiv, Bulgaria
33. Mtskheta, Georgia
34. Plitvice Lakes, Croatia
35. Telc, Czech Republic
36. Sergiev Posad, Russia
37. Rila Mountains and Monastery, Bulgaria
38. Bled, Slovenia
39. Wieliczka Salt Mine, Poland
40. Painted Monasteries of Bucovina, Romania
41. Torun, Poland
42. Spis Castle, Slovakia
43. Malbork Castle, Poland
44. Eger, Hungary
45. Karlstejn Castle, Czech Republic
46. Sibiu, Romania
47. Durmitor National Park, Montenegro
48. Warsaw, Poland
49. Novgorod, Russia
50. Trakai, Lithuania
51. Loket, Czech Republic
52. Koprivstitsa, Bulgaria
53. Curonian Spit, Lithuania/Russia
54. Mikulov, Czech Republic
55. Split, Croatia
56. Banska Stiavnica, Slovakia
57. Esztergom, Hungary
58. Gjirokastra, Albania
59. Zamosc, Poland
60. Rovinj, Croatia
61. Levoca, Slovakia
62. Korcula, Croatia
63. Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
64. Yaroslavl, Russia
65. Bardejov, Slovakia
66. Khor Virap Monastery, Armenia
67. Zadar, Croatia
68. Wooden churches of Maramures Region, Romania
69. Kruja, Albania
70. Kizhi Island, Russia
71. Odesa, Ukraine
72. Bratislava, Slovakia
73. Olomouc, Czech Republic
74. Zagreb, Croatia
75. Kazan, Russia
76. Sofia, Bulgaria
77. Poznan, Poland
78. Jajce, Bosnia-Herzegovina
79. Yalta, Ukraine
80. Belgrade, Serbia
81. Bakhchysaray, Ukraine
82. Wooden Churches of Presov Region, Slovakia
83. Vladimir, Russia
84. Tryavna, Bulgaria
85. Geghard Monastery, Armenia
86. Fagaras Mountains, Romania
87. Pecs, Hungary
88. Gori, Georgia
89. Sigulda, Latvia
90. Kutna Hora, Czech Republic
91. Tirana, Albania
92. Garni, Armenia
93. Szentendre, Hungary
94. Plyos, Russia
95. Noravank Monastery, Armenia
96. Wooden Churches of Malopolska, Poland
97. Travnik, Bosnia-Herzegovina
98. Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
99. Kazimierz Dolny, Poland
100. Kosice, Slovakia
101. Biertan, Romania
102. Echmiadzin, Armenia
103. Tartu, Estonia
104. Herceg Novi, Montenegro
105. Kolomyya, Ukraine
106. Khotyn Castle, Ukraine
107. Orava Castle, Slovakia
108. Uglich, Russia
109. Porec, Croatia
110. Trebinje, Bosnia-Herzegovina
111. Krivoklat Castle, Czech Republic
112. Prejmer, Romania
113. Cicmany, Slovakia
114. Bran Castle, Romania
115. Stramberk, Czech Republic
116. Budva, Montenegro
117. Sapanta, Romania
118. Vlkolinec, Slovakia
119. Visegrad, Hungary
120. Tabor, Czech Republic
121. Haghpat Monastery, Armenia
122. Sinaia, Romania
123. Bojnice Castle, Slovakia
124. Pereslavl Zalessky, Russia
125. Slavonice, Czech Republic
126. Krasna Horka Castle, Slovakia
127. Lednice/Valtice Area, Czech Republic
128. Saaremaa Island, Estonia
129. Szeged, Hungary
130. Pula, Croatia
131. Lublin, Poland
132. Sopron, Hungary
133. Zdiar, Slovakia
134. Pernstejn Castle, Czech Republic
135. Wooden Churches of Transcarpathia Region, Ukraine
136. Bitola, Macedonia
137. Prizren, Kosovo
138. Skocjan Caves, Slovenia
139. Trencin, Slovakia
140. Litomysl, Czech Republic
141. Kostroma, Russia
142. Orheil Vechi, Moldova
143. Kremnica, Slovakia
144. Mljet Island, Croatia
145. Skopje, Macedonia
146. Yerevan, Armenia
147. Cetinje, Montenegro
148. Chernivtsi, Ukraine
149. Blagaj, Bosnia-Herzegovina
150. Brno, Czech Republic
151. Kezmarok, Slovakia
152. Bucharest, Romania
153. Pskov, Russia
154. Czestochowa, Poland
155. Lancut Castle, Poland
156. Timisoara, Romania
157. Spania Dolina, Slovakia
158. Hunedoara, Romania
159. Minsk, Belarus
160. Viscri, Romania
161. Vologda, Russia
162. Cluj-Napoca, Romania
163. Butrint, Albania
164. Lake Bohinj, Slovenia
165. Solovetsky Monastery, Russia
166. Nesebar, Bulgaria
167. Monasteries of Fruska Gora, Serbia
168. Ptuj, Slovenia
169. The Hill of Crosses near Siauliai, Lithuania
170. Nizny Novgorod, Russia
171. Arbanasi, Armenia
172. Konopiste Castle, Czech Republic
173. Ostrog Monastery, Montenegro
174. Sozopol, Bulgaria
175. Trogir, Croatia
176. Sheki, Azerbaijan
177. Rasnov Castle, Romania
178. Pannonhalma Monastery, Hungary
179. Adrspach-Teplice Rock Towns, Czech Republic
180. Shkodra, Albania
181. Ulcinj, Montenegro
182. Baku, Azerbaijan
183. Terezin, Czech Republic
184. Bogolyubovo, Russia
185. Lake Matka, Macedonia
186. Gyor, Hungary
187. Kromeriz, Czech Republic
188. Iasi, Romania
189. Brest, Belarus
190. Litomerice, Czech Republic
191. Kecskemet, Hungary
192. Betliar Chateau, Slovakia
193. Cesis, Latvia
194. Peja, Kosovo
195. Holloko, Hungary
196. Mir Castle, Belarus
197. Chisinau, Moldova
198. Bieszczady National Park, Poland
199. Kaunas, Lithuania
200. Batumi, Georgia

Welcome to The Goulash Train

Want to know the ins-and-outs of getting around by marshrutka in rural Ukraine? Wonder what a train trip is like in Albania? Pondering the best hiking routes in Slovakia? Need advice on the best places to visit on a trip through Macedonia? This blog provides details, advice and stories of travel to off-the-beaten-path corners of Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans and Caucasus from someone who has lived and worked in the region for over eight years in Russia, Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic. I spend every free moment I have journeying to the most remote and unknown places in the region, and have now been in every country of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, save the Central Asian states (those are my next few trips). I get the greatest thrill out of finding a gem of a historic town or village that isn't mentioned in any of the major travel guidebooks. I also have a particular fascination for everything to do with the Carpathian mountain region - cultures, languages, music, history, traditional wooden architecture, cuisine and current political and social developments. I will start by listing some of my favourite places in the region that are little-known to foreigners, and start listing country highlights with photos soon.