In the capital city of Ljubljana, Republic of Slovenia

 "Pray for a good harvest, but keep on hoeing." (Slovenian Proverb)

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(in the Republic of Slovenia) Ljubljana, the capital and largest city of Slovenia, is also the country's cultural, educational, economic, political, and administrative center. Located on the Ljubljanica River, the city lies in central Slovenia in a natural depression surrounded by high peaks of the Julian Alps. A walled Roman encampment was built here in the mid-1st century BCE by Roman legionnaires and developed into the settlement of Emona (Iulia Aemona), though the area had been settled earlier by the Veneti, the Illyrians, and the Celts, beginning about 1000 BCE. Sitting on the route to Pannonia and commanding the Ljubljana Gap, the strategically located city was destroyed by Attila in the mid-5th century. The Slovene Slavic tribes, migrating westward, rebuilt it in the 12th century. In the late 13th century, rule passed to the Habsburgs, and in 1335 Ljubljana became the capital of the Habsburg-Austrian province of Carniola. Taken by the French in 1809, it became the government seat of the Illyrian Provinces. In 1821 the Congress of Laibach, a meeting of members of the Holy Alliance, was held in Ljubljana. The completion of the southern (Vienna-Trieste) railway line in 1849 stimulated the economic and cultural growth of Ljubljana, which became a center of Slovene nationalism under Austrian rule. Foreign rule ended in 1918, when Slovenia became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia). In 1991, when Slovenia gained its independence, Ljubljana became the national capital. Ljubljana is still dominated by a medieval fortress, which dates from the 12th century. The old quarter of the city lies between the fortress and the river. Only a few old buildings of the Austrian Baroque style survived a violent earthquake in 1895. The subsequent rebuilding of the city, particularly those buildings designed by the Art Nouveau architect Josef Plečnik, gave Ljubljana -- apart from the Old Town on the right bank of the river -- a modern appearance. The city also received a grid pattern. Fine stone bridges, such as the Tromostovje (Triple Bridge), were constructed.

In the Salzkammergut region, southern part of Upper Austria

 "The midwife of history is violence." -- Franz Joseph I of Austria

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(in the southern part of Upper Austria, the center of Austria's Salzkammergut region) The Salzkammergut is a dramatic region of alpine and subalpine lakes, deeply carved valleys, rolling hills and rugged, steep mountain ranges. Much of the region is remote wilderness, and even in the heavily visited parts, such as the Wolfgangsee and Mondsee, you’ll always find isolated areas where still, glassy waters provide limitless opportunities for boating, swimming, fishing, or just sitting on the shore and skimming stones. The popular Hallstätter See (lake), flanked by soaring mountains that offer great hiking, is arguably the most spectacular of the lakes. Salt was once the ‘white gold’ of the Salzkammergut, and the mines that made it famous now provide an interesting journey back in time to the settlers of the Iron Age Hallstatt culture, and to the Celts and Romans. Featured here is the town of Bad Ischl, found at the confluence of the Traun and Ischler Ache rivers, about 26 miles (~42 km) southeast of Salzburg. Now a spa town, it is known as a gateway to the Alpine lakes and mountains of the Salzkammergut region. First mentioned in records of 1262, Bad Ischl received municipal status in 1940. The center of the Salzkammergut resort region, the town has saline, iodine, and sulfur springs and has been a much-frequented spa since 1822. It became internationally known as the summer residence of Francis Joseph, emperor of Austria and king of Hungary, from 1854 to 1914 and was frequented by the composers Franz Lehar, Johannes Brahms, Anton Bruckner, and Johann Strauss the Younger. The Imperial Villa is open to the public, and Lehar’s home is now a museum.

At Egeskov Castle, in the south of the island of Funen, in Denmark)

 "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye." -- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

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(in the south of the island of Funen, in Denmark) Funen, the third-largest island of Denmark, is located in the central part of the country. Funen is linked to Zealand, Denmark's largest island, by the Great Belt Bridge, which carries both trains and cars. Two bridges connect Funen to the Danish mainland, Jutland. The Old Little Belt Bridge was constructed in the 1930s shortly before World War II for both cars and trains. The New Little Belt Bridge, a suspension bridge, was constructed in the 1970s and is used for cars only. Apart from the main city, Odense, all major towns are located in coastal areas. Featured here is Egeskov Castle -- found near the town of Kværndrup in the south of Funen --, which is considered to be one of Europe's best preserved Renaissance water castles. A turreted Renaissance fortress circled by a large lake and lush forestland, Egeskov Castle will delight visitors searching for the perfect fairy tale castle. And while imagination is really all you need, as with all fantastic tales, there’s more to this castle than immediately meets the eye. There’s a play forest here, several mazes, and a tree-top walk, a Dracula’s Crypt to investigate -- plus Lego workshops in the summer. Egeskov Castle, completed in 1554, has more than 66 rooms, 200 windows, and 171 doors.

In the city of Brighton, southern coast of England

 "I like Brighton, my sister lives there. I'm a seaside boy and whenever I go there, I find myself writing songs about it." — Marc Almond (an English singer-songwriter and musician)

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(on the southern coast of England) The urban area of Brighton, the unitary authority of Brighton and Hove in the historic county of Sussex in southeastern England, is a seaside resort on the English Channel, 51 miles (~82 km) south of central London. Brighton spreads over the steep chalk slopes of the South Downs to the north. To the east it is fronted by chalk cliffs, and to the west it merges with the residential borough of Hove. A marina for boating has been created at Black Rock. Brighton was for many centuries just a tiny fishing community. The site’s modern significance dates from 1754, when Richard Russell, the author of a treatise on the health benefits of seawater, settled there to put his theories into practice, thereby initiating the vogue of sea bathing. In 1783 the prince of Wales, later the prince regent and then King George IV, made the first of his many visits to Brighton. His powerful patronage of the locality extended almost continuously to 1827 and stamped the town with the distinguished character that is still reflected in its Regency squares and terraces. Featured here is his Royal Pavilion, designed in Indian style with fantastic Chinese interior decorations; it was built on the Old Steine, where fishing nets were once dried. The pavilion now houses a museum and art gallery, while the Dome, originally the royal stables, is used for concerts and conferences. Victorian Brighton grew rapidly with the opening of the railway (1841) connecting it with London. Londoners have been traveling to Brighton for beach getaways ever since the railway arrived here in 1841. The pebbled beach, Brighton Pier's amusement arcade, and the Royal Pavilion are the main sights, but you'll also find hundreds of pubs and clubs catering to an energetic crowd. This coastal city evokes many images for the British. With its bohemian, hedonistic vibe, Brighton is where England’s seaside experience goes from cold to cool. The place is known as Britain’s most colorful and outrageous city. Here, burlesque meets contemporary design; hostels share thin walls with boutique hotels; Valentine’s Day is celebrated with unusual gusto; and, the highlight for the sightseeing visitor is the Royal Pavilion. One of the most opulent buildings in England, and the finest example of early 19th-century chinoiserie anywhere in Europe, the 19th-century party palace built by the Prince Regent kicked off Brighton’s love of the outlandish.