Five new European Cultural Routes to discover during your holidays

Where will one of the 45 European Cultural Routes take you? Image: Mike Tanase/Canva

Since it is almost summer, and corona travel restrictions are easing down across Europe, many people are looking for their next holiday destination. They might want to take a look at one of the five new Cultural Routes that the Council of Europe issued in April. That brings the programme to 45 inspiring certified Routes. 

The Council launched the Cultural Routes in 1987 to show how European countries share heritage and history, the programme’s website states. With the addition of five new journeys, travellers can now follow 45 different journeys across more than 60 countries.

From missionaries to Musketeers

The first addition is the Aneas Route, inspired by the legend of Aeneas written by Virgil. The route takes you from Turkey to Greece, Albania, Italy, Tunesia to end in Italy again. Travellers can visit the main archaeological sites in Europe that are linked to Aeneas’ legend.

Sail the Greek coast like Aneas as you follow this Cultural Route. Image: Kamchatka/Canva

The Cyril and Methodius Route offers a set of trails in the footsteps of Christian missionaries, Saints Cyril and Methodius and their followers (the Seven Saints Apostles). The journey takes travellers along heritage sites, cultural institutions and other tourist attractions in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Fans of modern architecture can follow the Alvar Aalto Route, which honours the work of Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. The network currently involves members in five countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany and Estonia.

The Finlandia Hall in Helsinki, Finland, is one of Aalto’s most famous works. Image: ahaveleaar/Canva

The fourth route brings hommage to the French legend of d’Artagnan. The path is based on historical and literary documents that trace the epic of the French nobleman and the Musketeers. These can be found in Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Spain.

The last trail the Council added is the Iron Age Danube Route, which focuses on the Danube region’s archaeological heritage. Travellers can discover archaeological and open-air museums and archaeological trails in Austria, Croatia, Hungary, and Slovenia.

To get inspired for travel plans you can check the video below or check out the Cultural Routes database.

Source: Cultural Routes and Council of Europe

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