I was only born in 1997, so I never got to experience the world beyond the Berlin Wall while it was still up, nor travel around Yugoslavia while it was still, well, a country, but the stories we were drip-fed through the media told tales of bleak, wintry landscapes and limited freedoms.
Living in the West myself, I always heard growing up that Eastern Europe was the wilder, rougher-edged, less-welcoming of the two, particularly during the communist era.
It’s About Time You Stop Sleeping On Eastern Europe
That’s hardly the case anymore, yet many travelers still perceive anywhere East of Germany as less developed and somehow not worthy of the same fascination they automatically reserve for the Western fringes of the continent.
I’d beg to differ: places like Warsaw and Vilnius are equally-vibrant and beautifu, not to mention miles safer than… hem, the likes of Paris and London.
Yes, there may be concrete socialist housing blocks stretching as far as the eye can see, and you won’t catch me romanticizing life in the Baltics in the dead of winter, but there’s no denying the former USSR bloc and its satellite states have their gems.
In the same spirit of our Western quintet, here are 5 Eastern European destinations you should stop sleeping on in 2026:
Hrodna, Belarus
I said East.
Once the situation in Ukraine subsides, and it is safe to travel to Russian-friendly territories again, Hrdona (or Grodno) should be the top city on your bucket list.
Located in Western Belarus, near the Polish and Lithuanian borders, it is a postcard-ready medieval treasure home to Renaissance gems, medieval forts, richly-decorated churches, and a spotless, lamp-lit Old Town that puts Paris’ trash-filled backstreets to shame.
Old Hrodna Castle is the main attraction here: a stunner of a medieval fortress with whitewashed walls perched on a verdant mound, overlooking a scenic Neman River. In its interior, you’ll find a detailed museum chronicling the region’s history and key role in World War II.
Just make sure you download an offline translation app in case reception is poor, as unless things have changed in Belarus (and I doubt that’s the case), English translations probably won’t be available at exhibits.
With a contrasting Saxon architecture, New Hrodna Castle is the city’s second-most important palace, built in the 18th century, and once the residence of Polish kings. In case you weren’t aware, Western Belarus was once under Poland.
Sovetskaya Street is the main vein in the walkable Old Town, lined with cafés, shops, and Polish-era architecture.
The Great Synagogue, which looks more like an Opera House, with its blend of Renaissance and Baroque styles, has been at the heart of Jewish life in Hrdona since the 16th-century, and it’s one of the city’s most impressive points of interest.
For the history buffs out there, one of the oldest surviving buildings in all of Belarus is located right here:
Kalozha Church of Saints Boris and Gleb, an unassuming, but beautiful marvel of stonework that has stood intact for over 900 years. No World War, no Cold War-era blight, no communist takeover could obliterate its quiet greatness.
The Vibe: a little slice in Poland in Russia-friendly territory
Perfect For: Old Town walks and unconventional World War II history
The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:
- Old Hrodna Castle: ranks among the most beautiful medieval castles in Belarus
- Kalozha Church of Saints Boris and Gleb: a 12th-century stone church that survived the wars and the communist years unscathed
Brașov, Romania
My dislike of Bucharest—to put it mildly—is well-documented and made enough rounds on Romanian media, so let me redeem myself and say, as unimpressed by their capital as I may have been, I completely fell in love with Brașov.
I like my European cities to have their fairytale medieval core, cobblestone lanes that look like they could belong in a period drama, and Old World flair. Brașov checks off all of those boxes.
Nestled in the heart of Transylvania, the same mystical region that birthed the legend of Dracula, and the historical figure of Vlad the Impaler himself, Brașov is steeped in history.
It has a pedestrianized Piața Sfatului (Main Square), with a centrally-placed Council House middle dating back to the year 1420, and flanked by cozy café terraces.
Built from dark-brick, Biserica Neagră (Black Church) is the town’s most impressive monument, with a sturdy clock tower rising high above winding alleys and red-tiled roofs, and a solemn Gothic interior, a one of a kind in a predominantly-Orthodox Romania.
Add to that ornate city gates, traditional Transylvanian pubs dishing out hearty ciorbă and made-on-the-spot fresh lemonade, and lush mountains framing the Old Town: Brașov sits firmly on the tourist-friendly, polished, inoffensive but undeniably pretty side of Europe.
The Vibe: medieval town with a haunting church in Transylvania
Perfect For: discovering Romania’s historic charm beyond an uninspiring Bucharest
The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:
- Strada Sforii: one of the narrowest medieval streets in Europe
- Bran Castle: the epic ‘Dracula Castle’, a short 30 min drive from Brașov
Tiraspol, Moldova
That’s when things start getting a tad—well, actually—properly exciting for our most adventurous travellers.
You might’ve vaguely heard of Moldova, a tiny nation in Eastern Europe awkwardly wedged between Romania and Ukraine, but we’d bet our best vampire-repelling garlic neckpiece that Tiraspol (or Transnistria) is completely off your radar.
Moldova’s basically an extension of Romania, but Tiraspol reckons itself the capital of a breakaway Russian-backed state called Transnistria, a country that doesn’t officially exist, yet somehow manages to function like one on all fronts.
Transnistria has borders, their own flag and currency, a passport (recognized only in Transnistria, and maybe other weirdo breakaway states), and locals strongly identify with their Russian heritage, and what can I say?
You just can’t escape the USSR hangover in Tiraspol:
Stalinist buildings, Neoclassical columns and austere exterior and all, wide squares with your usual, eerie-looking floating Lenin head in the center, and decades-old marshrutkas that still carry the grumpy Russian babushkas (kokum scarf and all) from their brutalist estate to the Sunday market.
Tiraspol is not somewhere you go for sightseeing, proper. It’s like a pervy little window back into Soviet times, and that’s why it’s so inherently fascinating—and of course, pelmeni and borscht are two massive draws, at least for me.
The Vibe: Soviet time capsule with a real Russian grip
Perfect For: seeing a side of Europe most Paris and London-bound tourists will never get to see
The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:
- House of Soviets: the most impressive communist landmark in Tiraspol, still a popular gathering spot
- Shevchenko Park: a lush expanse of green ideal for chill walks and people-watching
Narva, Estonia
Speaking of Russia’s neighbors, Narva is possibly the most picturesque border post in Eastern Europe. I mean, Tallinn (the capital of Estonia) is already storybook-pretty, but have you ever seen a frontière city with an imposing medieval castle sitting across a river from another fortress in a foreign country?
Narva directly faces Russia, and its historic Narva Castle, built all the way back in the Middle Ages, stares down at Ivangorod Fortress, over in Russia., Both are separated by a 60-meter-wide body of water.
It’s one of Europe’s most geographically intense locations, as well as one of the most exciting.
The castles may have been built ages ago, but needless to say, that medieval beef never quite cooled off, and as a Westerner, Narva is simply one of the closest points you can get to Russia these days without putting yourself in harm’s way.
The town is a lesson in geopolitics in itself: over 80% of the population identifies as, and speaks Russian as their first language, so you’ll truly feel like you’re in the Tolstoy heartland, except it’s Estonia’s blue, black, and white tricolor flag that flies high on perfectly-visible masts.
Sadly, it might not be possible for you to get across the river and explore Ivangorod Fortress, but you can still visit Narva Castle and walk along the Narva River promenade, with views straight across to Russia.
Narva is also home to the landmark Alexander’s Cathedral, built in honor of the namesake Russian Emperor in the Lutheran style.
The tower is open for visitation, and you can go up to the viewing deck at the very top for panoramic views of town, Russia in the distance, and the surrounding countryside.
Oh, and for that killer cabbage soup, hit up Petchki-Lavotchki, a typical ruski eatery in the heart of Narva popular for its Slavic fare—make sure you order a jug of their fresh compote.
The Vibe: edge of the EU feel
Perfect For: a little dark tourism fun and some good old castle exploration
The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:
- Narva River Promenade: admire Russia in complete safety from a NATO territory
- Alexander’s Cathedral: a Czar-era landmark with a striking belfry
Prizren, Kosovo
A sleepy riverside town in landlocked Kosovo, Prizren serves up a whole different flavour of Eastern Europe than you might be expecting.
Instead of the usual Russian-flavoured cityscape, it’s undeniably-Ottoman (fancy word for Turkish) in character: think old mosques with soaring minarets, two or three-storey townhouses with overhanging wooden balconies, and narrow cobbled streets galore.
It hugs the fast-flowing, coppery Bistrica River, and the Shadervan Bridge that arches across it—a classic Ottoman stone beauty—is right up there with Spain’s Puente Nuevo in Ronda and Bosnia’s Stari Most in the Iconic European Bridges Pantheon.
At least in my book, anyway.
Walking around Prizren feels like stepping into an open-air museum, one where the clash of East and West is a living, breathing thing.
Mosques and churches exist just a few metres apart, and women dressed both conservatively within Islam, and à la européenne, stand side by side as they go about their daily shopping. Utterly mesmerizing.
For the best sunset spot in all of Prizen, you’ll want to climb up to Prizren Fortress, the ancient fortification on a hilltop overlooking the city and the surrounding mountains. ‘Mon, a little leg-busting trek won’t hurt ya’.
I should also probably mention Kosovo is primarily an ethnically-Albanian nation, so if you have a soft spot for baked lamb with yoghurt and rice-stuffed bell peppers, you’ve come to the right place.
The Vibe: an unspoiled Ottoman town in the heart of the Balkans
Perfect For: witnessing firsthand the clash of East and West
The ‘Don’t Miss’ Experiences:
- Old Hrodna Castle: ranks among the most beautiful medieval castles in Belarus
- Prizren Fortress: a hilltop fort doubling as a free sunset viewing platform
