Cadogan Guide Flying Visits Central & Eastern Europe

by James Stewart, Mary-Ann Gallagher, Matthew Gardner

As more countries joined the EU in May 2004, and more budget flights began to explore Europe's lesser-known capitals, people have begun to realize that Central and Eastern Europe goes way beyond Prague and Vienna. Bratislava, for instance, is a pretty cobbled old town with Viennese-style cafés and a tower with views of Austria and Hungary; Belgrade is best in spring and has a wealth of art museums; ornate Budapest straddles the Danube with a magnificent waterfront; fairytale black and gold Prague is oozing with romance and gothic and Art Nouveau architecture, as well as the jazz club where Bill Clinton played the saxophone on a European tour. Warsaw now has its first boutique hotel and a clutch of trendy restaurants, and the beautiful ancient capital of Krakow is completely untouched by WWII. Sofia is quieter, less grand, and more friendly, and still extremely cheap to stay and eat in. Croatia, having taken a beating in the break-up of Yugoslavia, is now experiencing a renaissance; Dubrovnik has been completely rebuilt with its historic character intact, and is still holding its Dubrovnik Festival every June; and Zagreb is still tranquil and green. The center of Vienna is UNESCO-listed and surrounded by woods and vineyards; affluent Salzburg is where Mozart grew up; and Graz and Klagenfurt lead visitors straight out into the country and up into the mountains.

348 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2005