Out of all the trips in the world, I personally think a trip back in time would be the most amazing of all – today we can travel almost anywhere, even into space, but can we travel back in time?
Well, perhaps not the way that we ultimately would like to – but there are a few places that at least leave the impression that you have traveled back in time, and with a bit of effort from your side you can make it feel that way even more…
These days a popular way to re-experience a world from the past is to go on escorted holidays, where they take you around to historical places, tell its history and mix it up with some themed dinners and other experiences to make you feel like you really are experiencing the past.
Here are a few wonderful places which I think definitely makes you feel as though you have taken a step back in time…
Tallinn, Estonia – Medieval Spirits
There are many well preserved medieval towns in Europe, but when it comes to remaining the charm, Tallinn has managed to do it the best.
The city with its stone wall surrounding old buildings with colorful wooden doors, narrow cobbled streets and long history is a great place to dream yourself away to the past, and all the wooden stalls and restaurant waiters dressed in medieval outfits make it even easier.
Venice, Italy – Rococo & Glamour
Venice with all its bridges and canals, narrow cobbled streets and the beautiful Venetian Gothic architecture makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in the world of ”Giacomo Casanova”.
To make you experience it even more the best time to visit would be during the Venice Carnival when the streets are crowded with people dressing up in traditional Venetian masks and colorful 18th century costumes.
Edinburgh, Scotland – Medieval Ghost Town
Edinburgh is one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, with historical closes running like a maze through the medieval gothic houses, covered in black stains from a time when it was one of the most polluted cities and used to be called ”Auld Reekie” (Old Smokey).
But there is something slightly ghostly about this city, especially at night, and the truth is that it’s one of the most haunted cities in the world – so if this makes you slightly worried, make sure you arrange travel insurance before you leave.
To really get into the mood of this haunted city and get a glimpse into the life in the old days, you can take several different tours.
There are many ghost tours at night which take you around the closes and underground, with guides disguised as famous ghosts of Edinburgh.
Vienna, Austria – Rococo And Coffee
Follow in the footsteps of royalty and take a stroll in the huge gardens of Schönbrunn Palace, sip some coffee and take a bite of your Sacher torte in one of the many pretty cafes that look the same as they did 200 years ago, and where famous artists, philosophers and composers used to hang out.
It is easy to pretend you’re in a different era, catching a horse wagon instead of the bus and buying tickets to classical concerts from salesmen dressed in white curly wigs and read coats.
Kent, UK – Haunted Castles
UK is full of history and amazing castles, and today there are many cool variations of tours you can take which have fun themes like Murder Mystery or Haunted Adventures.
There are as many as FIVE haunted places in Kent, which explains the many tours offered:
You can visit haunted castles, and stay in haunted hotels, and in the evening throw a twist on the dinner party and have a Murder mystery play with actors – where you try to solve the mystery of who had murdered the victim.
Kent offers a lot of these kinds of tours, and of course one of the most popular is a trip to the most beautiful haunted castle in UK: Leeds Castle.
A Tip To Seeking Out History!
Many places in Europe like to celebrate their history with festivals and carnivals – in Scandinavia and UK you will find many different medieval festivals, in Austria you will find classical music festivals and so forth.
A good way to really experience a country’s history is to attend these kinds of festivals, so before you plan to visit a country, make sure you check if they have any of these kind of events on (usually during summer) – it could be a fun bonus to your trip.
Which are your favorite places that make you feel like you’ve taken a step back in time?
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