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Home to ancient cities that literally predate Americans by millennia and fairytale castles known to have inspired Walt Disney’s dreamiest creations, Europe is the first destination that comes to the average American’s mind when they think of a cultural outing.
From the Haussmannian boulevards of Paris to the canal-lined historic center of Venice, and every man-made wonder in between, you could dedicate a lifetime to discovering the Old Continent, and still hardly any scratches on the surface.
Are you feeling very overwhelmed?
A visit to the two currently designated European Capitals of Cultureas chosen by the European Commission, could be a good starting point in 2025:
Chemnitz, Germany
Chemnitz, one of the cultural centers in Saxony, a historic region in southeastern Germany known for its green landscapes and rich medieval heritage, is one of Europe’s two cultural capitals for the coming year.
The Old Town is essentially Disneyland for history buffsfrom the medieval Red Tower, part of the city’s medieval fortifications, to the monumental St. Petri Church, and the iconic Karl Marx Monument is an ancient relic of East Germany’s communist era.
Kaßberg is a lively district narrow streets are lined with Art Nouveau buildingsthe small Rabenstein is the smallest medieval castle in all of Saxony (and cute and fairytale like it sounds), and for opera lovers: don’t forget to visit the stately Theater Chemnitz.
Chemnitz is also great for sampling the traditional Saxon dishes with lots of meat and potatoes, with an abundance of German-run restaurants to choose from, but if we were to choose one it would be the Kellerhaus for its wooden exterior, their generous pieces of meat and homemade sauce.
From the United States, the easiest way to reach Chemnitz is to fly to Berlin: from the German capital it’s a short three and a half hour train journey to Chemnitz, with tickets costs from $21 if booked in advance via Train line.
Gorizia / Nova Gorica, Italy and… Slovenia?
This one is a bit unusual, because it is formally a city not managed by one, but by two to land: the historic center of Gorizia, which dates back to the Middle Ages, is located on the Italian-Slovenian border and falls under Italian jurisdiction, while the modernist New Town falls under Slovenian jurisdiction.
It’s officially called European capital of boundless cultureThere are no checkpoints separating Old Gorizia from ‘Nova Gorica’, meaning you can easily walk from one side to the other without showing a passport.
In Italy the main attraction is Gorizia Castle, a imposing fortress from the 11th century overlooking the surrounding Italian and Slovenian countryside, the ornate Porta Leopoldina, one of the city’s last remaining medieval gateways, and the Renaissance Palazzo Coronini Cronberg.
Most of the historic sites in Gorizia are south of the border, in Italy’s claimed medieval core, but you shouldn’t overlook the ‘Nova’ side either, especially if you’ve always been curious about brutalist urban planning. close, and experience Eastern European life.
Obviously there are no direct flights from the US to this part of Italy, but fortunately for culture-hungry tourists like us, a new high-speed train has just launched from Rome, all the way north to the Slovenian border, connecting the Italian capital of Gorizia without transfers.
There’s a whole continent to discover beyond all your usual tourist hotspots, and the best part is that since most tourists tend to visit the exact same 3-5 cities, many equally beautiful European cities remain virtually undiscovered!
Looking for unexpected, lesser known gemstones to explore in 2025: whether it’s a Soviet-influenced eastern capital, or Europe’s youngest national capital, emerging from a country that only gained independence in 2007?
Read more here (and start planning your cultural outing).
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author, and not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.
