Europe Up Close

Five Things You Need to Know About London

Published/Revised November 3, 2014 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

I love London and think you will too, if you give it a chance. The following Five Things You Need to Know About London, will, I am sure, win you over: It’s cheaper than you think It’s the stereotype that I hate the most: “London is super expensive”. Yes, it costs a fortune to buy a house, and you’ll hear locals complain about council taxes, fuel prices and the cost of parking. But unless ... Read Full Article

8 Surprising Facts About the Netherlands

Published/Revised June 21, 2014 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

These surprising facts touch upon the most famous icons of the Netherlands—from tulips and Van Gogh to windmills, clogs, and liberal laws. Holland isn’t the Netherlands Though it’s become totally acceptable to call the Netherlands “Holland,” Holland originally referred to two regions within the Netherlands: North Holland and South Holland. Amsterdam is located in North Holland, prompting many ... Read Full Article

Europe’s Western Balkans: Bosnia-Herzegovina

Published/Revised January 15, 2017 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

  The overland drive from Podgorica to Bosnia-Herzegovina’s capital city, Sarajevo, is a stunning coil through imposing mountains along the glacier-blue Pivo River. Sarajevo—the other Jerusalem—exemplifies the modern religion crossroads and crossfire. Most media offerings specialize in images that disturb. That seems to be all that was shared about Bosnia-Herzegovina until now. This ... Read Full Article

Bulgaria Tourist Information

Published/Revised May 14, 2016 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Bulgaria is an ancient nation situated along the Black Sea to the east, Romania to the north, Turkey and Greece to the south, and Serbia and Macedonia to the west. The original Bulgars and Slavs migrated to present-day Bulgaria more than 2000 years ago and established themselves as a major power in southeast Europe. For hundreds of years, Bulgaria vied with the Byzantines, the Ottomans, the ... Read Full Article

First-Time Visitor’s Guide to Athens

Published/Revised February 16, 2018 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

For the first-time visitor to Athens, Greece, the city presents as a mixture of chaos and beauty. Immediately, you are struck by the noise -- the hustle and bustle of its busy streets -- a blend of engines, horns, and car radios blasting out from open windows. Following this -- if you look up from the throng -- you will see the Acropolis of Athens sitting tall on its marble perch overlooking the ... Read Full Article

Prague Insider Travel Guide

Published/Revised May 22, 2016 By This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post at no extra cost to you. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Prague, the city of 100 spires, was mainly untouched by the Second World War, so its beautiful buildings are still intact and its citizens are happily building a new city that completely embraces the old. The city is now a mecca for tourists who have seen Western Europe and are looking for a new place to discover art and culture. Stare Mesto was the original place of settlement in Prague. ... Read Full Article