Juodkrante
Juodkrante has a few rather strange attractions and is a popular place to engage in one of Neringa's trademark activities buying and tasting freshly caught and smoked fish, which is sold from several wooden houses along the main road, Rezos gatve. Top of the strange sights list is the Ragani Kalnas Witches' Hill , a spooky sculpture trail through gorgeous forest with large, fairytale Lithuanian wooden carvings. Less than 1km south of Juodkrante is one of Neringa's must-see attractions a massive...
Ibahoopahkibcbk
03422 5 digits , 0342 6 digits pop 204,000 If the type of storefronts within its tranquil pedestrian precinct are any indication, reading, eating pizza and drinking coffee must be the favourite pastimes of the people of Ivano-Frankivsk. Although it's theoretically the traditional cultural and economic capital of the Carpathian region, there's litde to see and do. Nevertheless it's a spacious, relaxed and well-manicured city, and it works great as a jumping-off point for adventures into the...
TRAVEL AGENCIES Pfw
Eurostar Travel 813 144 Obala Pina Budicina 1 Has schedules and tickets for boats to Italy. Futura Travel 817 281 futura-travel pu.t-com.hr M Benussl 2 Marco Polo 816 616 www.marcopolo.hr Istarska 2 The Cathedral of St Euphemia S lOam-noon amp 2- 5pm , which completely dominates the town from its hilltop location, was built in 1736 and is the largest baroque building in Istria. It reflects the period during the 18th century when Rovinj was the most populous town in Istria, an important fishing...
I Omc
Most travellers prefer to enjoy the lakes in comfort on excursion boats. Boats run daily May to September between Gizycko and Ruciane-Nida, via Mikolajki and daily June to August between W gorzewo and Ruciane-Nida, via Gizycko and Mikolajki. However, services are more reliable from late June to late August. Schedules and fares are posted at the lake ports. This village boasts a superb 17th-century church S7am-7pm , one of the purest examples of late-baroque architecture in Poland. Its lavishly...
Information Bgh
Internet Caf Babylon 5th fl, n m Premysla Otakara II 30 S lOam-IOpm Mon-Sat, 1-9pm Sun Kanzelsberger 386 352 584 Hroznov 17 Bookshop with English-language books upstairs. Left luggage per small large bag 12 25Kc bus station S 7am-7pm Mon-Fri, 7am-2pm Sat train station S 2.30a m-llpm Municipal Information Centre Mestske Informarcni Centrum 386 801 413 www.c-budejovice.cz nam Premysla Otakara II2 S 8.30am-6pm Mon-Fri, 8.30am-5pm Sat, 10am-4pm Sun Books tickets, tours and accommodation.
Emergency Numbers 1
Ambulance 03 Fire brigade 01 Police 02 from a local mobile phone, press or 8 017 or 375 17 and then dial the number. To dial from one Minsk mobile number to another, dial 8 029 for Velcom, MTS and Diallog the most common providers or 8 025 for BeST. To make an intercity call from a land phone, dial 8 wait for the tone , the city's area code including the 0 and the number from a mobile, do the same, and if it doesn't work, try dialling 375 and the area code without the 0, then the number. To...
TROYAN AROUND TPOilH
Hilly Troyan's biggest claims to fame are its proximity to the Troyan Monastery and the Central Balkans National Park with hiking paths and downhill skiing at Beklemeto . Several spa towns are in the mountains to the west, including Ribaritsa with villas for rent . About 1km south of Troyan's bus and train stations is a tourist information centre 60 964 www.troyan.bg ul Vasll Levskl 133 S 10am-6pm Mon-Fri . Banks and internet access are found along ul Vasil Levski. There are a couple of hotels,...
AIR Unb
Sibiu airport 229161 Sos Alba lulia 73 is 5km west of the centre. Tarom 211157 Str Nicolae Balcescu 10 S 9am-12.30pm, 1.30-5pm Mon-Fri has three weekly flights to Bucharest 60 to 100 one-way , daily service to Munich 250 and five weekly to Vienna 300 . Trolleybus 8 runs between the airport and the train station. Carpatair 229 161 www.carpatair.com , which has an office at the airport, flies to Germany and Italy via Timijoara.
Bus Eko
Within the Czech Republic buses are often faster, cheaper and more convenient than trains, though not as comfortable. Many bus routes have reduced frequency or none at weekends. Buses occasionally leave early, so get to the station at least 15 minutes before the official departure time. Most services are operated by the national bus company CSAD information line 900144 444 www.csadbus.cz you can check bus timetables online at www.idos.cz. Ticketing at main bus stations is computerised, so you...
Theft Warning
There are regular reports about thefts on the overnight Sarajevo to Budapest train. Keep your doors locked and check on who wants to enter your compartment. Being with other travellers or in compartments with families helps reduce your potential as a target and, of course, lock up your valuables. last functioning hotel, became the home of journalists covering the war. The side facing sniper alley was heavily damaged, but the hotel has since been given a facelift. The best exhibition in the...
Theft
Theft is definitely a problem in Eastern Europe, and the threat comes from both local thieves and fellow travellers. The most important things to guard are your passport, other documents, tickets and money - in that order. It's always best to carry these next to your skin or in a sturdy leather pouch on your belt. Train-station lockers or luggage-storage counters are useful to store your luggage but not valuables while you get your bearings in a new town. Be very suspicious of people who offer...
Sleeping Eab
Strandul cu Voluti cabins campsites per person 14.50 3 S May-mld-Sep Camping in Baile 1 Mai, 9km southeast of Oradea. Take a southbound tram 4 black number from the train station, or an eastbound tram 4 red number from Pia a Unirii to the end of the line, then bus 15 to the last stop. Camping Venus 318 266 tents amp 2- 3-bed bungalows per person 10 This camping ground is 500m from Strandul cu Voluti. Hotel Pare 411 699 Calea Republlcil 5-7 s with shared toilet 14, d 23 Oradea's only budget...
LONELY PLANET INDEX Iwc
Litre of petrol R16 Litre of water R30 Bottle of Baltika beer R30 Souvenir T-shirt R300 to R500 Street snack blin R40 to R50 Despite its extremes of temperature, most times of year can be good for visiting Russia. The snow and ice make St Petersburg look quite magical, and Moscow surprisingly clean. If possible, avoid March and early April - the 'thaw' is the least pleasant time. The snow and ice melt, creating a ubiquitous brown sludge and general muddiness that makes walking about unpleasant....
Bosnia Hercegovina 1
Hrvatska J X. vn x oraaisKa Kostjanicao Jf - Slavonski ro 1 D J l Brod _ , NoviiT , H Gradiska Selo S oPrijedor Del entao Mod . J ihad Bosanska oS ' . Blagai Qtluk Jo m o Medugorje EE Neve inie Krovice IW iU, 1L Gad lt 0 OA1 ----- Mogor e ogj Poatelj stolac Dijnmtor Bobotov Tara Orebic WMetkovn . 12523ml Vela Lukao Koriula 0 m n Hutovo Blato Mojkovac' Koreula Neumo CROATIA Vietrenica Cave Mljet NP S gj. N. ' y S to H Trebmje DubrovnikO j Hundreds of thousands of mines and unexploded ordnance...
FESTIVALS EVENTS Poi
FEST film festival www.fest.org.yu An International festival of film, held during February and March, with guest appearances from foreign directors and actors. Belgrade Beer Fest www.belgradebeerfest.com A heady mix of rock music, a wide variety of domestic and foreign beers, and thousands of people who just like both. Held in August. Belgrade International Theatre Festival Bitef www.bltef.co.yu One of Europe's older and most Important festivals of theatre. Its programme celebrates the...
Interrail
These passes are available to European residents of more than six months' standing passport identification is required , although residents of Turkey and parts of North Africa can also buy them. Terms and conditions vary slighdy from country to country, but when travelling in the country where you bought the pass, there is only a discount of about 50 on normal fares. The InterRail pass is split into zones. Zone D is the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Croatia G includes Slovenia...
Sleeping Ifs
Hotel prices fluctuate seasonally, peaking in July and August and during the new year season, when reservations for all hotels are recommended. We've listed the highest rates. Many hotel rooms have air-conditioning in their pricier rooms, but hot water can be spotty here and throughout Crimea. Yalta is crawling with hotels the ones reviewed here are most central. Also, women hang around the main bus terminal offering private rooms see p902 . There are signs all over town with phone numbers of...
Durdevi Stupovi Monastery
Rising out of a copse, 3km uphill from Petrova Crkva, is the still-damaged monastery of DurdeviStupovi Columns ofSt George , the oldest in Serbia and dating from 1170. The story goes that St Simeon, then Stefan Nemanja and ruler of much of what is now southern Serbia, was captured by the Turks in 1172. He promised God that if he regained his freedom he would endow a monastery to St George. Eventually he was released and abdicated later in life to become the monk Simeon, who endowed this...
Travel Agencies Ysj
Avantix.ru 787 7272 www.avantix.ru ul Shchipok 11 M Serpukhovskaya One of the leading online ticket agencies, Avantlx's office in Moscow sells air and train tickets and can deliverthem free of charge to you anywhere in Moscow. Infinity 234 6555 www.lnfinlty.ru Komsomolsky pr 13 M Frunzenskaya With an office in both south Moscow and St Petersburg, Infinity swell used to dealing with the needs of foreigners. The helpful English-speaking staff can make most travel arrangements. STAR Travel 797...
Getting There Away Rdc
The bus and train stations are across the street from each other. A taxi 051 within Uzhhorod will set you back 5hry or 6hry. Twice-daily buses go from the bus terminal prospektSvobody to Ivano-Frankivsk 42hry, 10 hours and Lviv 34hry, four hours . You can also get very cheap, uncomfortable buses to Slovakia and Hungary here see p904 . The newly built Uzhhorod train station is fab. One building is for local electric trains only. Trains go to Kyiv kupeyny platskartny 62 45hry, 19 hours, two daily...
Montenegro HpHa Topa
Expect newly independent Montenegro to come out from its Yugoslav shadow and be seen for the beauty it is. No longer should visitors think they'd fall off the edge of the world if they journey east beyond Dubrovnik. Croatia's sapphire blue Adriatic Sea does continue. However here it's backed by a craggy, grey mountain range leaving just enough room for a ribbon of coastal towns on a sweep of sandy beaches and small coves running down to the Albanian border. Historic walled towns like Stari Bar,...
Czech Republic Yce
For a country that's only been around since 1993, the Czech Republic does a fine job of showcasing a thrilling history. Castles and chateaux abound, illuminating the stories of powerful families and individuals whose influence was felt well beyond the nation's current borders. Unravel the history of Bohemia and Moravia and you're delving into the legacy of Europe itself. Experience beautifully preserved Renaissance towns, but include a 21st-century spin by sharing a chilled Pilsner lager in...
Kurshkaya Ksa National Park
within the region 50, from elsewhere 40150 The 98km-long Kurshkaya Kosa Curonian Spit is a remote and dramatic landscape with high sand dunes, pine forests, an exposed western coast and a calm lagoon that is shared by Russia and Lithuania. A Unesco World Heritage site, it's a paradise for elk, birds, and intrepid travellers who like to get way off the beaten track. The Russian half of the Kurshkaya Kosa has far fewer services than the Lithuanian side, which is part of its appeal. You're not...
Sleeping Eating Snt
Low season here is April to May and September to November at this time hotel prices are about 10 to 15 cheaper. Edgari 765 4275 www.hot.ee karnivoor Lipuvaljak 3 s d from 200 400EEK One of the cheapest places to stay right in town, this is a guesthouse that feels like a hostel, with thin walls, a shared kitchenette and communal lounge, all in a pleasant but bland atmosphere. Setanta Irish Pub amp Hotel 766 8200 www.setanta .ee Nupli village d 500-1500EEK mains 70-100EEK Better known for its...
FOOD DRINK Staples Specialities 1
There are two kinds of Bulgarian food Bulgarian food and pizza. The former comprises many light dishes, with Turkish or Greek influences. Salads - such as the everywhere-you-look shopska tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and cheese - start most meals. Main dishes are mostly grilled beef, pork, lamb and chicken - such as the kebabche spicy meat sausages - or heavier stews such as kavarma. Side dishes such as boiled potatoes or cheese-covered chips are ordered separately. Vegetarians are not at a loss....
Bus Utp
There are three main bus stations, and you can buy tickets for anywhere at any of them. You'll probably only be leaving from the Tsentralny Central station, but to be sure, ask which station you're departing from v ka-kom av-toh-vak-Zfl-le ot-prav- 'e-ni-ye . Moskovsky 219 3622 vulitsa Filimonava 63 Near Maskouskaja metro station. Tsentralny international 227 0473, CIS destinations 227 4083 vulitsa Bobrujskaje 6 M Ploshcha Lenlna By the train station. Vostochny 248 0882 vulitsa Vaneeva 34 To...
Wieliczka Salt Mine
Wieliczka vyeh-ieec -kah , 15km southeast of the city centre, is famous for the Wieliczka Salt Mine 278 73 02 www.kopalnla.pl ul Danltowicza 10 adult child 65 55zt, 20 discount after 6pm amp Nov-feb S 7.30am-7.30pm Apr-0ct, 8am-5pm Nov-Mar . It's an eerie world of pits and chambers, and every single element from chandeliers to altarpieces was hewn by hand from solid salt. The mine is included on Unesco's World Heritage List. The highlight of a visit is the richly ornamented Chapel of the...
Hvar Island
First it was yachts - now it's mega-yachts. Beautiful Hvar Island is now a required stop for restless international trend-spotters always alert to the latest island paradise. Hvar deserves the honour, for it is the sunniest and greenest of the Croatian islands. Called the 'Croatian Madeira', Hvar receives 2724 hours of sunshine each year. The stunning interior is a panorama of lavender fields, peaceful villages and pine-covered hills. Between protective pine-covered slopes and the azure...
Ostrog Monastery
Some 20km south of Niksic is the monastery of Ostrog, precipitously resting on a cliff face, 900m above the Zeta valley. A long windy road off the Podgorica-Niksic road eventually makes it to a lower car park, from where penitent pilgrims then plod another 3km uphill to the monastery. Nonpilgrims and the pure of heart may drive to the upper carpark. The monastery was built out of two caves in 1665 to hide Archbishop Vasilije Jovanovic, when he was fleeing from the Turks. Vasilije never left,...
Sleeping Eating Mgu
AutocampSlavoj 416734481 kemp.litomerice post .cz per tent bungalow 70 200Kc S May-Sep S South of the train station, this pleasant camping ground is on an island called Strelecky ostrov Marksmen Island . U Svateho Vadava 416 737 500 www.upfront ,cz penzlon Svatovadavska12 s dind breakfast 600 1000Kc Beside St Wenceslas Church, this haven has well-equipped rooms, hearty cooked breakfasts, and owners whose English is better than they think. Pension Prislin 416 735 833 www.pension.cz Na Kocande 12...
ENTERTAINMENT Nightclubs
There's no shortage of good clubs in Warsaw. Explore ul Mazowiecka, ul Sienkiewicza and the area around ul Nowy Swiat for more nightclub action. Enklawa Map p550 827 31 51 ul Mazowlecka 12 S 9pm-3am Wed-Sat Funky red-and-orange space with comfy plush seating, mirrored ceilings, two bars and plenty of room to dance. Check out the long drinks list, hit the dance floor or observe the action from a stool on the upper balcony. Wednesday night is 'old school' night, with music from the '70s to '90s....
GETTING THERE AWAY Air Fzh
Hopefully it won't be long before the European discount airlines fly to Belgrade cur-rendy Dubrovnik and Split Croatia are the nearest airports. For information on regional air links into Serbia, see p928. Belgrade's Nikola Tesla airport 011-601 555, 605 555 www.alrport-belgrade.co.yu handles most international flights. Airline offices in Belgrade Aeroflot codeSU 011-3235 814 www.aeroflot.com Air France codeAF 011-638378 www.airfrance .com Alitalia code AZ 011-3245 344 www.alltalla.com Austrian...
Money Xux
ATMs are sprinkled all over the city centre, accepting all varieties of debit cards. There's nowhere to change money at the bus or train station, but there is a Visa ATM outside the bus station. Come with some euros in your pocket. Airport Money Exchange S 10am-5pm ATM, cashes travellers chegues, money transfers and credit card-cash advances. A financial lifesaver when banks are closed on Sundays. Post office 723 422 S 7am-10pm Mon-Sat Gives MasterCard and Visa cash advances. Turkish Ziraat...
Premysl Palace St Wenceslas Cathedral
The pocket-sized V clavsk n m, to the northeast of the old town, has Olomouc's most venerable historic buildings. Originally a Romanesque basilica first consecrated in 1131, St Wenceslas Cathedral d m sv V clava was rebuilt several times before having thoroughly 'neo-Gothic' makeover in the 1880s. The early 12th-century Premysl Palace Premyslovsky pal c adult child 20 10Kc S 10am-6pm Tue-Sun Apr-Sep , was originally built for Bishop Jindrich Zdik. An English text guides you through a cloister,...
Local Transport Ium
Cheap but crowded trolleybuses, trams and buses operate in all cities and major towns. Tickets can be bought on board and must be punched to be validated - look for others doing this to see how. The fare for any given marshrutka see p730 is displayed prominently at the front inside each bus payment is usually taken upon entry but sometimes upon exit. To stop a marshrutka, simply hold out your hand and it will stop. Jump in, sit down, pass cash to the driver a human chain operates if you are not...
Botiza
From Rozavlea continue south for 3km to ieu, then turn off for Botiza. Botiza's old church, built in 1694, is overshadowed by the large new church constructed in 1974 to serve the 500 or so devout Orthodox families. Op ration Villages Roumains OVR runs an efficient agrotourism scheme in Botiza. Bookings can be made with local representative George lurca 334 110, 0722-942 140 botizavr sintec.ro house No 742 S 8am-10pm , whose house is signposted. George also runs German-, French- and...
LONELY PLANET INDEX Vnw
Litre of petrol 1.79KM Litre of water 2KM Half-litre of beer 2KM Souvenir T-shirt from 12KM Street snack burek 1.50KM by the newly born idea of nationhood, the South Slavs rose against their Turkish occupiers in 1875-6. In 1878 Russia inflicted a crushing defeat on Turkey in a war over Bulgaria and at the subsequent Congress of Berlin it was determined that Austria-Hungary would occupy Bosnia and Hercegovina despite the population's wish for autonomy. The Austria-Hungarians pushed Bosnia and...
CAHKT nETEPEYPr
As elegant as Prague and as enchanting as Budapest but with just a smattering of the tourists due to Russia's intransigent visa regime, St Petersburg really will be the next big thing once visa-free travel arrives, although with that likely to be at least a decade away, you still have St Petersburg pretty much to yourself by the standards of other tourist-filled cities in the Baltics and central Europe. In fact, comparing this giant warehouse of Russian culture to any other city is unfair. Long...
TRANSPORT Mzf
What time does the leave arrive boat bus tram train I'd like a one-way ticket a return ticket e h n e mart e m rkur e njte e premte eshtun e diel barka lundra autobusi tramvaji treni D shiroj nj bilet vajtje nj bilet kthimi
Sleeping Eating Fdb
Hostel Putinkrogs s 2412 0290 cdzp apollo.lv Saules Iela 23 d with shared bathroom per person 6Ls P Inside this grimy Soviet-style building, 1km west of the train station, lurk perfectly fine rooms for peanuts. You can buy food at the store downstairs and self-cater in the nice kitchen. Katrina g 2410 7700 www.hotelkatrina.lv Maza Katrinas iela 8 s d 28 36Ls P This pinkish building near the centre of the action is the best midrange option in town. Rooms are bright with light-wood furniture and...
Phjickh Mahacthp
Bulgaria's most famous monastery admission free S 6am-9pm or 10pm , set in a towering forested valley 120km south of Sofia, is a popular destination for day-trippers on tours from around the region. The Unesco World Heritage site is gorgeous. It drips with history and is near excellent hikes, but for some travellers an hour here is enough. Day trips to Rila from Sofia widely available around the country range from about 20 to 50 or more. Seeing Rila by public transport is tough though possible...
Top Five Beers
Czech beer is not just about Pilsner Urquell and Budvar. Watch out for these interesting brews Cerna Hora Black Mountain Brewery's honey-flavoured Kvasar lager. Bernard's special cerne pivo dark beer , which uses five different malts. The wheat beer with lemon at Pivnice Pegas in Brno. The champagne beer at Pivovarsky Dum in Prague. Zlaty Bazant Golden Pheasant lager from Slovakia. learn is piro beer . The Czechs serve their draught beer with a high head of foam. Bohemian piro is probably the...
Sucevifa
Sucevija Monastery adult child 1.20 0.60 S8am-8pm is perhaps the largest and finest of the Bucovina monasteries. The church inside the fortified quadrangular enclosure built between 1582 and 1601 is almost completely covered in frescoes. As you enter you first see the Virtuous Ladder fresco covering most of the northern exterior wall, which depicts the 30 steps from hell to paradise. On the southern exterior wall is a tree symbolising the continuity of the Old and New Testaments. The tree grows...
HISTORY Ekj
A brief visual survey of St Petersburg gives lit de indication that its incredible architectural wealth was originally built on a mosquito-infested swamp. Peter the Great 1682-1725 , who wanted to create a modern capital for a country still stuck in the Dark Ages, founded St Petersburg on the shores of the Gulf of Finland in 1703. During his brutal childhood Peter had come to hate Moscow and its plotting coteries of boyars aristocrats , and was determined to create a brand new city through...
Literature
Estonian literature began with the poems and diaries of Kristjan Jaak Peterson, who died when he was but 21 years old in the early 19th century. His lines 'Can the language of this land carried by the song of the wind not rise up to heaven and search for its place in eternity ' are engraved in stone in Tartu and his birthday is celebrated as Mother Tongue Day 14 March . Until the mid-19th century, Estonian culture was preserved only by way of an oral folk tradition among the peasants. Many of...
INFORMATION Jsv
24-h our Pharmacy 1 Brest City Emergency Hospital 4 Post Russian Ukrainian Consulate 7 Brest Art Museum 9 Brest Fortress Main Entrance 10 History of Brest Museum 13 Kholmskie Gate 14 Lenin Main Monuments 16 Museum of Confiscated Art 17 Nikalaivsky Church 19 Ruins of the White Palace 20 St Nikolaiv Church 22
Sleeping Eating Yfu
All the hotel restaurants are open to nonresidents. Sveti fiordije fax 089-361 367 tasaint cg.yu Njegoseva bb s d from 11 16, 2- 3- 4-person apt from 22 33 44, B amp B half-board from 4 9 S 9am-9pm This agency has its finger on Zabljak's private-accommodation pulse. Hotel Jezera 089-360 206 hmdurmitor hotmail .com Njegoseva bb s with half-board 30-35, d 50-60, tr 60-75 P OK if you're happy in crowds, as this large hotel takes big groups of skiers and summer holidaymakers. The rooms are...
Getting There Away Unx
Up to eight trains a day run from Ceske Budejovice and Cesky Krumlov to Volary 120Kc, three hours , calling at Horni Plana and Nova Pec on Lake Lipno. From May to September, buses cover a similar route 80Kc, two hours . From Volary, trains continue north to Stra-konice via Zaton 28Kc, 30 minutes, four daily . The Povydri trail is best approached from Susice, which can be reached by direct bus from Prague 105Kc, 2 4 hours, two daily . Another bus links Susice with Cenkova Pila and Antygl 44Kc,...
IONIAN COAST Llogaraja Pass
The road going south from Vlora climbs up to the Llogaraja Pass, more than 1000m high, for some of Albania's most spectacular scenery. After the road passes shepherds on the plains guiding their herds, and thick forests where deer, wild boar and wolves roam, the view opens out onto the intense blue of the Ionian, looking out to the Greek island of Corfu. In winter, when snow blankets the ground, it's particularly dazzling. The road winds down a number of hairpin turns before reaching Dh rmi,...
INFORMATION Wdj
Festetics Kast ly Festetics Palace 5 B1 Georgikon Major Muzeum Helikon K itiyvl.it Helikon Library see 5 V rosi Strand City Beach 7 C4 Keszthely Tourist 312 031 Kossuth Lajos utca 25 S 9am-5pm Mon-Fri represents several private lodgings and apartment houses. Zalatour Camping l 312 782 kesztcamo zalaszam.hu Ernszt Geza setany camp amp caravan sites 1450-2400Ft bungalows 3000-4200Ft, apartments 7900-9300Ft S mid-Apr-mid-Oct P 6 About 1km south of town, this waterfront camp has access to a rocky...