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Travel / Europe

The Slovak Radio Building, an inverted pyramid completed in 1983, has been called “one of the ugliest buildings in the world.” Recording studios at the center are surrounded by outward-facing offices. Its heavy weight and rough texture seem to capture the grim, waning years of Communist Party rule.

Is Bratislava’s Communist-Era Architecture Worth Preserving?

For residents of Slovakia’s capital, Cold War structures recall a painful past

This gold appliqué, more than six millennia old, appears to be a bull but has buffalo-like horns.

Mystery of the Varna Gold: What Caused These Ancient Societies to Disappear?

Treasure found in prehistoric graves in Bulgaria is the first evidence of social hierarchy, but no one knows what caused the civilization’s decline

Marillenknoedel, or apricot dumplings, are a Wachau Valley specialty.

Austria

Ever Tried an Apricot Dumpling? You Need To

The rich soils of Austria’s Wachau Walley yield some of the tastiest apricots and apricot products in the world

Smithsonian Journeys Travel Quarterly: The Danube

Smithsonian Journeys Travel Quarterly: The Danube

Travel the Danube from the Black Forest of Germany to the green teardrop-shaped island of St. Margaret in Budapest

The village and vineyards of Dürnstein form part of Lower Austria's Wachau Valley.

Austria

For a Culinary Scene Steeped in Tradition, Head to Austria’s Wachau Valley

A new generation of chefs and vintners is seasoning this sleepy, vineyard-dotted valley with fresh ideas

It is tradition for a young man to kiss a young lady’s hand at the Elmayer Hofburg ball. The waltz ends; enchantment lingers.

Austria

The Timeless Art of the Viennese Waltz

A reminder of past glory, the dance is birthright in Vienna

“The Danube River Project” explores the waterway using underwater equipment to show scenes—like this one of Budapest—partly above and partly below the surface.

Austria

How the Danube Became a Multinational Power Source

Spanning 1,770 miles from Germany’s Black Forest to the coast of Romania, the river takes its character from the people and places it passes

Goulash began as a humble soup-stew, cooked over an open fire by Hungarian herdsmen. The addition of refined varieties of paprika from ground red chilies made the dish an international staple.

Smithsonian Journeys Travel Quarterly: The Danube

The Humble Beginnings of Goulash

The hearty soup-stew known around the world began as the everything-goes-in meal of Hungarian herdsmen

The Swiss have a tradition for predicting spring: the Böögg.

Switzerland

In Switzerland, an Exploding Snowman Helps Predict Spring

Think Groundhog Day—but with fire

Edelweiss.

Switzerland

Switzerland’s Most Beautiful Alpine Gardens

The best place to see Switzerland’s stunning flora is high up in the mountains

Cow trekking at Bolderhof.

Europe

Save a Horse, Ride a Cow Through the Swiss Alps

A farm in Switzerland offers a slow moo-tion ride through the alpine countryside

Much of the bunker looks the same as it did when it was fully functional.

Switzerland

Switzerland’s Historic Bunkers Get a New Lease on Life

As the shadow of war fades, the country’s former fallout shelters now house everything from museums to cheese factories

Reindeer races at the Sami Easter Festival.

In Northern Norway, Reindeer Racing and a “Joik” Singing Showdown Welcome in Spring

The Sami Easter Festival blends old and new traditions in Lappland’s northern reaches

A sauna on the lakefront for Sauna Day.

Europe

Explore Helsinki’s Private Saunas

Finland celebrates its first festival devoted to a steamy tradition

The Matterhorn is perhaps the most recognizable of the peaks that make up the Alps, and has a height of 14,692 feet.

Switzerland

Seven Surprising Facts About the Matterhorn

The towering peak that straddles Switzerland and Italy is full of secrets

Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre

Italy to Limit Tourists to Cinque Terre

It’s about to get harder to visit Cinque Terre—but that might be a good thing

Ellis Emmett, diving between two continents in Silfra.

Europe

Dive Between Two Continents in This Frigid Fissure in Iceland

Filled with pure glacier water, Silfra is the only place on Earth where divers can touch two continental plates at once

In the late 19th century, Switzerland began making tourism posters to lure travelers to the country.

Switzerland

Top Destinations for the Cultural Traveler: Switzerland

The Boule & Bill comic by Jean Roba

Europe

How Brussels Became a Real-Life Comic Strip

The city’s colorful murals put it in the running for comic book capital of the world

Artist Jaroslaw Koziara grew different types of plants to create a fish "crop circle" between the Polish and Ukrainian border.

These Unusual Border Crossings Are Worth the Wait

From mountains to cafes, the world is full of strange and beautiful ways to cross into other countries

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