Small European states are popular among tourists, and are in no way inferior to the resorts of Great Britain, France, Spain. The tiny size gives a certain zest, a mystery, so Europeans love to relax in such regions. These countries include Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Monaco and some others. It is worth highlighting the small residence of the Pope, which is located in the center of the capital of Italy, and in terms of the number of tourists it is in no way inferior to other regions of the world.
Liechtenstein resorts: a dwarf state in the center of Europe
Dwarf Liechtenstein is located in Central Europe. The neighbors of the tiny country are Austria and Switzerland. Every year tourists come here to admire the picturesque landscapes, mountains and sights of small settlements.
The capital of the principality is Vaduz. The city boasts a rich history and numerous attractions. On the territory of the main city is the residence of the Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church. Business card Vaduz is considered to be a princely castle, visible from anywhere in the capital. When visiting the country, it is recommended to visit the Cathedral of St. Florin, the old town, the Gothic chapel and the hotel.
The main street is interesting with the town hall, museums, shops, and lovers of delicious alcoholic drinks should visit the winery. The capital's post office is visited by philatelists who want to get rare stamps of the past centuries or the products of local residents. Every year, the local post office issues rare stamps that generate significant revenue for the principality.
In the southeast lies the main ski resort of Liechtenstein, Malbyn. Buses run from the capital here every day. The city is surrounded by 19 slopes suitable for skiing and snowboarding. Malbune will delight all visitors to the region, as it has an accessible infrastructure and good instructors. The area will also delight you with a fan park, ice rink, luxury hotels, restaurants, bars and gyms.
Near Malbune is the village of Stäg. This resort is loved by fans of cross-country skiing. The town has three tracks that are illuminated at night. Small country, limited attractions and nature views. Liechtenstein is recommended for a day trip with a basic excursion program.
Luxembourg resorts: a small state with many attractions
Luxembourg is located in the center of Europe and is one of the best countries on the continent in terms of living standards. The capital dwarf country is the city of the same name. In ancient and picturesque Luxembourg, it is worth admiring the fortress with the fortified gates, the long towers "Three Acorns" and the Citadel of the Holy Spirit. Nearby there is a park, at the end of which a cliff has formed. From there, residents and guests of the capital will be able to admire the old suburb of Bock and the ruins of the castle.
On the territory of big city you should visit the Palace of the Grand Duke, the former Jesuit college, the church of Saint-Michel, the chapel of St. Cyrene, the garden of the Spanish governor and the ancient monastery of Munster. Tourists in Luxembourg love to walk along the former underground casemates and the beautiful Royal Boulevard.
Little Wiltz is considered the capital of the Luxembourgish Ardennes. Residents of the city are sure that spies and scouts are often found here, but the citizens themselves will delight tourists with friendliness and courtesy. The visiting card of the settlement is the castle of the same name, which is more than eight centuries old. The structure is located on the Witches Tower. The castle is surrounded by a picturesque park. In the city, you must visit the Museum of the Battle of the Ardennes and the Tannery Museum, where local beer tasting is held.
The settlement is surrounded by a National Natural Park with well-equipped hiking trails... There is a parachuting center near Wiltz. Every July, townspeople and tourists alike have fun at an open-air music festival.
The village of Echternach is famous emerald cliffs and stone gorges. The town is often called miniature Switzerland. Not far from the settlement, tourists love to walk along the picturesque Wolf Mouth canyon. Berdorf is surrounded by natural attractions. Here you should visit the amazing rock in the form of an arch, in the winding and long Khals gorge and take a walk along the "wine road", where locals treat tourists with young wine.
Luxembourg is famous for the Mondorf-les-Bains balneological resort with a mild climate. There is no stifling heat in summer, and severe frosts in winter. The town is protected from strong winds hills. Thanks to thermal springs in Mondorf, diseases of the joints, liver and gastrointestinal tract are successfully eliminated.
Resorts of Monaco: a small country on the French Riviera
Located on French Riviera Monaco enjoys immense popularity among wealthy tourists and world celebrities. Guests of the state will get to know the prince, play in the legendary casino, enjoy the Formula 1 Grand Prix, luxury hotels, the best restaurants and the annual luxury yacht show.
In the center of the country is located " Old city", Where travelers are prohibited from settling. The Monaco-Ville area is interesting for the Palace of the Grimaldi family, where the ruling family lives, Cathedral with the grave of the wife of Prince Rainier III and Hollywood actress Grace Kelly, the Napoleon Museum, the Historical Archives of the Princely Court. Every year guardsmen of the honor guard march on Palace Square. The historic center is famous for its museums: Old Monaco, Oceanographic and Wax Figures.
Monte Carlo is considered the European capital of gambling. It is the center of endless celebration, luxury life, festivals and fun. Entertainment district European celebrities regularly visit. In addition, the International Tourism Academy is located in the area. Lovers of architectural landmarks in Monte Carlo will be able to admire Palace Square, The Princely Palace and visit national museum... Families with children should visit the Maritime Museum and the Oceanarium.
The youngest district of Monaco, Fontvieille, resembles a quiet suburban suburb, although it is considered the industrial center of the principality. A large Commercial Center is considered to be the hallmark of the area. In Fontvieille, you should definitely admire the collection of antique cars of Prince Rainier III. Popular among Monaco residents and tourists is considered Landscape park with Princess Grace's Rosary and playground. Fontvieille is still interesting for the Expensive Sculptures, the Zoological Garden, By the Maritime Museum, Philately and Numismatics, the Louis II stadium and the heliport that connects the principality with the French Republic.
La Condamine is a business center and the most populous area of Monaco, famous for the ancient Church of Saint Devote, the Exotic Park Jardin-Exotic Monaco and the Museum of Prehistoric Anthropology. The city center on Princess Carolina Pedestrian Street is home to numerous boutiques, bars, shops and restaurants and orange avenues.
Republic of Kosovo resorts: Serbian historical center
The independent part of the former Yugoslavia, not recognized by Russia, is only at the initial stage of tourism development. Russian citizens consider Kosovo a part of Serbia, so they avoid traveling there for now. People from other European countries come here for the sake of ski resort and historical sites.
In medieval times, it was the center of the Serbian statehood. Modern Kosovo is considered a Muslim country, but on the territory of the republic there is a colossal number of Christian cultural and historical monuments. Before the war on the territory small state there were almost two thousand temples, monasteries, many of which have survived to this day. For example, the Vysokie Decany monastery is famous for its amazing frescoes, thanks to which it is protected by UNESCO.
The only famous international resort in Kosovo is Brezovica. Even as part of Yugoslavia, this ski center was considered the best in the Balkans. The area has a developed infrastructure, several hotels and 16 ski slopes of varying complexity... Snow falls early due to the unique climate. Kosovo has no access to the sea, local residents have to rest on the artificial lakes Radonich and Gazivoda.
Resorts of San Marino: a tiny country in Italy
Tiny San Marino, surpassing only Monaco and the Vatican in size, is the oldest European state. The country is surrounded by Italy on all sides. San Marino is considered a favorite destination for tourists and travelers who visit the country in huge numbers every year.
For shopping lovers, several discount stores have been created and shopping centers... From the country, tourists bring home clothes, shoes, cosmetics, perfumes, musical instruments and electronic devices. In local restaurants, you should enjoy the exquisite taste of Italian flatbread with sausages, tomato sauce and grated cheese, pasta with mint sauce, sweet bread with raisins, croutons and cornflakes. Local beekeepers extract delicious honey from chestnut and acacia.
The three towers of Guaita, Chesta and Montale are considered the visiting card of the capital and the whole country. The medieval commune of Borgo Maggiore is interesting for the fortress of the same name, the city square where fairs are regularly held, the clock tower and the only one in the state helipad.
The commune of Domagnano is famous for the small town of Torraccia, where old fortress, the former observation tower of the Malatesta clan. The Faetano area attracts with the Church of St. Paul, the commune of Montegardino - with the castle gates, narrow streets and the parish of San Lorenzo. Not far from the San Marino border is the Aviation Museum.
Vatican: the heart of Italian wealth
Keeping a huge amount of secrets and secrets, the Vatican is located in the center of Rome and is the only one on the planet where the state language is Latin. The World Catholic Center has a helipad and a railway linking with Italy.
The Vatican was formed back in 326, but received sovereign autonomy only in 1929. Tourists from the Vatican usually bring home coins with local symbols, postage stamps, their own travel albums telling about local attractions and the history of the country.
The main attraction of the Vatican and Rome is St. Peter's Cathedral. The place owes this name to the grave of the Apostle Peter, who, according to legend, rests in these places. The cathedral is the largest European temple, filled with numerous masterpieces - marble statues of Christ and the apostles, monuments to statesmen, majestic tombstones. In front of the shrine there is the Oval Square, which is decorated with an obelisk brought from Egypt by the ancient Roman emperor Caligula, and picturesque fountains.
Opera lovers must visit Sant'Angelo. The majestic building was built back in 135, as the Mausoleum of Emperor Hadrian. The luxurious Vatican Gardens are suitable for outdoor walks, and from the Mario Hill you can enjoy a beautiful view of the state and the capital of Italy.
Many tiny European countries boast a large influx of tourists who come to admire the many attractions, beautiful nature and enjoy a special charm. If Kosovo is just beginning its tourist path, then the Vatican, Monaco, San Marino, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein have been receiving millions of travelers every year for a long time.
Our short one-week tour of Italy also included two other independent states: the Vatican and San Marino.
In Italy, we got to know Rome, Florence and Venice. A separate series of stories has turned out about each city, since it is simply unrealistic to fit all the impressions and 5000 photographs into one sketch. San Marino and the Vatican are also represented by separate essays.
Rome
About Rome - eternal city, whose history is amazing, and the number of attractions is impressive, is known to every person. However, even the most interesting information as well as developed fantasy, they are not capable of replacing reality. Walking around the city, contemplation of centuries-old buildings, the cheerful temperament of Italians: all this can be felt only by deciding to implement an amusing trip to Rome.
The capital of Italy is rightfully recognized the most beautiful city Europe, and to get acquainted with even its most famous sights, a few days spent in the atmosphere of ancient stories are not enough. What we managed to see in Rome and its environs in three days was reflected in a series of separate stories under the general title "Walks in Rome":
Red circles on the map mark the main sights where we managed to visit.
Most of the stories are devoted to "tourist" Rome, i.e. must-see places. I am sure they are well known to most readers, they are included in numerous reference books and guides, thousands of pages have been written about them in various magazines, articles, books. It is difficult to add something new historically, but your own perception and your opinion can only develop after you see it all with your own eyes. Another part of the notes on, for example, Roman castles, which are difficult to reach by public transport, conditionally refers to "non-tourist" routes. Roman castles are small towns built local residents inside medieval castles and fortresses. They are located in the most charming area, on the shores of two volcanic lakes at an altitude of 500 meters. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the lack of transport routes makes these places inaccessible to a massive flow of tourists. Here time stands still and provides an opportunity to enjoy the magnificent views and features of Italian suburban life.
Florence
The capital of Tuscany and the former capital of the Italian Republic, Florence is very ancient city founded in 59 BC e. personally by Julius Caesar. However, Florence reached its heyday in the 14-16 centuries, when, without exaggeration, it became financial and cultural center Europe. It is Florence that is considered the place where the Renaissance began. Since then, the city in all its splendor has been considered an open-air museum!
A series of stories and photo reports dedicated to Florence "Two days in Florence"
Venice
Venice is the most amazing and most famous city in the world - a city on the water, located in the eastern part Northern Italy... Venice is one of the largest centers in Europe international tourism, city of film and theater festivals and international art exhibitions.
Majestic and beautiful palaces form a whimsical and mysterious world, where the aloof grace of the Gothic is juxtaposed with the lush luxury of the Baroque. And almost everywhere you can hear the splash of water, which, washing the basements of the buildings, reflects the architectural masterpieces.
Our impressions of Venice can be read here:
We end the Italian vacation with a visit to the Vatican and San Marino.
Vatican
In terms of the number of works of art per unit area (or per number of inhabitants), the Vatican is by far the first in the world.
San Marino, like the Vatican, is a dwarf state in Italy. And if, albeit imaginary, but the independence of the Vatican, I can somehow write off the significant influence of the church in the old days, then how such a state as San Marino managed to retain its independence is completely incomprehensible. Most likely, as in the story with the Elusive Joe, no one really needed it.
Or maybe the reason is the good location of the main walled city. 
At least it looks unapproachable. 
Moreover, it is still not so easy to take San Marino by storm, because finding an unoccupied parking lot here at the height of summer is not an easy task. 
The fortress attracts a huge number of tourists. 
But, I must admit, compared to Venice, everything here is much more well-groomed. 
Oddly enough, but the economy of San Marino is considered one of the strongest in Europe. 
At the same time, the state is not a member of the European Union, and before the transition to the euro, it even had its own currency. 
The main attraction of the enclave is the fortress. 
It is located, like any self-respecting fortress, on the mountain. Naturally, everything is done so that it was as difficult for the enemies to take the city by storm as possible. 
Inside, actors in medieval costumes are trying to pretend that now is some sort of the 18th century, but they are not doing it very well. I especially want to shout: “I don’t believe!” When from time to time someone pulls out a smartphone. 
Top view in good weather very good. 
The whole small country can be seen right in the palm of your hand. 
But the most interesting thing is the local political system... The head of state here is two captain-regents, who are elected for a period of 6 months. True, it is not very clear what they are doing if they cannot come to an agreement on issues of national importance.
