In the city of Annecy, in the department of Haute-Savoie, France

 “So lovely was the loneliness of a wild lake.” -- Edgar Allan Poe

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(in the French Alps, in the department of Haute-Savoie.) The city of Annecy ia found near the Lake of Annecy (the  2nd largest in France), which is known for being one of the purest bodies of water in the world. Nicknamed the Venice of the Alps, the city is in southeastern France (to the south of Geneva) and features great views of Lake Annecy, delicious Alpine cuisine, and stunning canals. The city lies along the northwestern shore of the lake at the entrance to one of the cluses (gorges) of the Savoy Pre-Alps.
+ The seat of the counts of Genevois from the 10th century, Annecy was attached to the dukedom of Savoy from 1401, and gained attention during the Reformation when the bishop’s seat was shifted here from Geneva in 1535, (with the monastic institutions that had been expelled from Geneva during the Reformation). St. Francis de Sales, the bishop (from 1602–22), with help from St. Jane Frances Chantal, founded the first Convent of the Visitation of the Virgin in Annecy. (In 1728 the 16-year-old Jean-Jacques Rousseau took refuge in the city.)

+ Annecy, became part of France in 1860. The old part of the city has arcaded streets interlaced with canals. Though tourism is now an economic mainstay, the city’s industries include electronics, confections, and precision instruments. Nicknamed the "Pearl of French Alps" in Raoul Blanchard's monograph describing its location between lake and mountains, the city controls the northern entrance to the lake gorge.

+ Switching from the counts of Geneva's dwelling in the 13th century, to the counts of Savoy's in the 14th century, Annecy became Savoy's capital in 1434 during the Genevois-Nemours prerogative until 1659. Its role increased in 1536 during the Calvinist Reformation in Geneva, while the bishop took refuge in Annecy. Saint Francis de Sales gave Annecy its advanced Catholic citadel role known as Counter-Reformation. The annexation of Savoy merged the city to France in 1860.

+ From the end of the 19th century, Annecy furthered development of tourism around its lake, summer facilities, and winter resorts; while also enhancing its cultural attraction with its castle renovation and fine art museum (opened in 1956). and the Animated Film Festival hosted in Bonlieu's cultural center.

+ With the advance of Calvinism, Annecy became a center for the Counter-Reformation, the old Bishopric of Geneva being moved here in 1535. Francis of Sales was born in Sales, France in 1567 and served as bishop of Annecy from 1602 to 1622. During the French Revolution, the Savoy region was conquered by France. Annecy became attached to the department of Mont Blanc, whose capital was Chambéry.

+ After the Bourbon Restoration in 1815, Annecy was returned to the King of Sardinia and the Catholic diocese was restored in 1822. When Savoy was annexed to France in 1860 with the Treaty of Turin, it became the capital of the new department of Haute-Savoie.

In the city of Bratislava, capital of Slovakia

 Although WWII thwarted the Slovaks’ first vote for independence in 1939, sovereignty was achieved on January 1, 1993, some three years following the Velvet Revolution -- the collapse of the communist regime that had controlled Czechoslovakia since 1948.

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(in in the southwestern part of Slovakia, along the Danube River, where that river has cut a gorge in the Little Carpathian Mountains near the meeting point of the frontiers of Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary. The city of Bratislava occupies both banks of the Danube and the left bank of the Morava River, it is the only national capital that borders two sovereign states. The city's history has been influenced by people of many nations and religions, including Austrians, Bulgarians, Croats, Czechs, Germans, Hungarians, Jews, and Romani. It was the coronation site, legislative center, and capital of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1563 to 1783; eleven Hungarian kings and eight queens were crowned in St Martin's Cathedral. Most Hungarian parliament assemblies were held here from the 17th century until the Hungarian Reform Era, and the city has been home to many Hungarian, German, and Slovak historical figures.

+ Bratislava is now the political, cultural, and economic center of Slovakia. It is the seat of the Slovak president, the parliament and the Slovak Executive. It has several universities, and many museums, theaters, galleries, and other cultural and educational institutions. Many of Slovakia's large businesses and financial institutions are headquartered here.

.+ Archaeological evidence suggests prehistoric habitation of the site, which was later fortified and settled by the Celts and Romans -- and in the 8th century, it was inhabited by the Slavs. The community developed as a trade center and was granted the rights of a free royal town in 1291. The first university in what was then Hungary, the Istropolitana Academy, was founded in 1465. Bratislava served as the Hungarian capital from 1526 until 1784, when most of the middle Danube basin was in the hands of the Turks, and the Hungarian parliament continued to meet here until 1848. (The Habsburg rulers were crowned kings of Hungary in the city’s Gothic Cathedral of St. Martin.)

+ This city is known for its huge castle, which stands on a plateau 100 meters above the Danube. The castle was the residence of the Austrian royal family until it was destroyed by fire in 1811; it has since been largely restored. In 1741 Empress Maria Theresa of Austria fled to Bratislava when Vienna was threatened by French and Bavarian troops. The 1805 "Peace of Pressburg" was signed here by Napoleon and the Austrian emperor Francis II, after the Battle of Austerlitz, in the city’s Baroque Archbishop’s Palace. Following WWI, Bratislava was made the capital of Slovakia in the Czechoslovakian Republic, and it remained the capital when Slovakia emerged as an independent nation in 1993 (A mosaic of history, Bratislava still has a medieval and Gothic Old Town.)

IN the city of Bramberg, in the north of Bavaria, south-central Germany

 When Henry II, Duke of Bavaria, became King of Germany in 1007 he made Bamberg the seat of a bishopric, intended to become a "second Rome."

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(in south-central Germany, in Upper Franconia, in the north of Bavaria) The city of Bamberg lies along the Regnitz River above its confluence with the Main River, north of Nürnberg. First mentioned in 902 as the seat of the ancestral castle of the Babenberg family, the town dates back to the 9th century when its name was derived from the nearby Babenberch castle. Bamberg became the seat of a bishopric founded here in 1007 by the Holy Roman emperor Henry II; the bishops became princes of the empire in the mid-13th century. The city passed to Bavaria in 1802 and an archbishopric was established in 1817. Bamberg’s imperial cathedral contains many notable statues, the tombs of Henry II, his wife, Cunegund, and Pope Clement II -- and a wooden altar carved by Veit Stoss. There are two bishops’ palaces: the Alte Residenz, or old palace, with a history museum, and the Neue Residenz, which contains art collections. Other historic buildings include the former Benedictine abbey and Saint Michael’s Church, the Saint Jacob’s Church, Saint Martin’s, the old Town Hall, and the chapel of the ancient fortress, Altenburg. (In 1993 Bamberg was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.)

+ Cited as one of Germany's most beautiful towns, with medieval streets and Europe's largest intact old city wall, Bamberg became a key link with the Slav peoples, notably those of Poland and Pomerania. It gained considerable prosperity from the 12th century onwards, when it was briefly the center of the Holy Roman Empire. The town's architecture from this period strongly influenced that of Northern Germany and Hungary. From the middle of the 13th century onwards, the bishops were princes of the Empire and ruled Bamberg, while overseeing the construction of monumental buildings.

+ Bamberg lost its independence in 1802, after becoming part of Bavaria in 1803. After WWI, the state government fled to Bamberg and stayed here for almosty two years before Munich was retaken by Freikorps units. Following WWII, Bamberg became an important base for the Bavarian, German, and then American military stationed at Warner Barracks (until 2014).

+ One of Germany's most attractive settlements; the town is bisected by rivers and canals and was built by archbishops on seven hills, earning it the sobriquet of "Franconian Rome." Students inject some liveliness into its pavement cafes, pubs, and breweries that produce Bamberg's famous smoked beer. Between the two river branches you will find spectacular Bürgerstadt, a small borough of Bamberg that contains the Grüner Markt, a pedestrian zone with the Baroque church of Saint Martin.

+ To the north is the New Town Hall, or Neues Rathaus, built in 1736. Yet, perhaps the town's most important structure is the Old Town Hall, which was built on top of the Obere Brücke (Upper Bridge).

In the city of Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, in southern Austria

 "I am thrice homeless, as a native of Bohemia in Austria, as an Austrian among Germans, and as a Jew throughout the world. Everywhere an intruder, never welcomed. -- Gustav Mahler

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(in southern Austria, near the border with Slovenia) Klagenfurt am Wörthersee, commonly known as Klagenfurt, is the capital of the federal state of Carinthia in Austria. The city, which is in the lower middle part of Austria (almost the same distance from Innsbruck in the west as it is from Vienna in the northeast), serves as the bishop's seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gurk-Klagenfurt and is home to the University of Klagenfurt, the Carinthian University of Applied Sciences, and the Gustav Mahler University of Music. Klagenfurt is on the Wörthersee lake (and on the Glan river). The city is surrounded by several forest covered hills and mountains, with heights of up to 1,000 meters. (To the south of the city is the Karawanken mountain range, which separates Carinthia the from bordering nations of Slovenia and Italy.)

+ Founded in the 12th century and chartered in 1279, Klagenfurt passed to the Habsburgs in 1335. Because it was largely destroyed in a fire in 1514, most of its notable buildings date from the 16th century and have lines influenced by Italian architects who had been called in to build fortifications. The city has been the capital of the state of Kärnten (Carinthia) since 1518 and the seat of the prince-bishops of Gurk since 1787. Notable landmarks are the Dragon Fountain in the New Square, the 17th-century Town Hall, the Cathedral, the parish church, and the Landhaus, where the Diet of Kärnten still sits. The city is the site of the state museum, with folklore, Alpine, and natural-history annexes; the Diocesan Museum; and a state art gallery. Klagenfurt University was founded in 1970. The city is now a tourist and communications center; the public sector employs a large portion of the population.

+ Klagenfurt is quite an enjoyable, vibrant and sunny city with a compact Inner Stadt (City center); it offers easy access to lakeside villages on and around the beautiful Wörthersee, one of Europe’s largest and warmest Alpine lakes. At the city’s western limit is the wide green space of Europapark, along with Austria's largest bathing complex. It is a lively place, both as a playground for partiers down at the lido in summer, and as a university town the rest of the year. Transport links also make it the best base for exploring the whole of Carinthia.

+ Shaped by Italian architects, Klagenfurt is sometimes called the "Renaissance Gem." Today, it features well-restored palaces, courtyards, and squares. One of them is New Square (Neuer Platz), with the Lindworm Fountain (shown here) in its center. At the local Benedictine farmers’ market, traders from all over Carinthia, the Italian Friuli region, and Slovenia gather to sell vegetables, cheeses, wines and herbs -- a declaration of people's love for the Alps-Adriatic region.

In the city of Split, on the eastern shore of Adraitic coast, Croatia

 The man who would become known as Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus Augustus was born in present-day Croatia in the year 244 CE. He first came to power as many emperors did, with an army under his command, and ultimately defeated other military rivals.

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(on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea) Croatia's second-largest city, Split, is a great place to see Dalmatian life as it is really lived. Always busy, this exuberant city has achieved a fine balance between tradition and modernity. Step inside Diocletian’s Palace (one of the world’s most impressive Roman monuments) and you will see lots of bars, restaurants, and shops thriving amid the old walls where Split has been humming along for thousands of years. Split's coastal mountains serve as a great backdrop to the turquoise waters of the Adriatic.

+ The largest city on the Croatian coast, Split is spread over a central peninsula, linked to the Adriatic islands and the Apennine Peninsula. The city was founded as the Greek colony of Aspálathos in the 3rd or 2nd century BCE on the coast of the Illyrian Dalmatae, and in 305 CE, it and was the site of the Palace of the Roman emperor Diocletian. It became a prominent settlement around 650 when it succeeded the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia, Salona. After the sack of Salona by the Avars and Slavs, the Palace of Diocletian was settled by Roman refugees. Split then became a Byzantine city, but later drifted into the sphere of Venice and the Kingdom of Croatia. For much of the Middle Ages, Split enjoyed autonomy as a free city of the Dalmatian city-states, caught in the midst of a struggle between Venice and Croatia for control over Dalmatia. Venice prevailed, and during the early modern period, Split remained a Venetian city surrounded by Ottoman territory. Its hinterland was won from the Ottomans in 1699, and in 1797, as Venice fell to Napoleon, it was joined to the Habsburg monarchy. In 1805, it was added it to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy (and in 1806 it was included in the French Empire). After being occupied in 1813, it was granted to the Austrian Empire by the Congress of Vienna, where the city remained a part of the Austrian Kingdom of Dalmatia until the fall of Austria-Hungary in 1918 and the formation of Yugoslavia. In WWII, the city was annexed by Italy, then liberated by the Partisans after the Italian capitulation in 1943. It was then re-occupied by Germany, which granted it to its Independent State of Croatia. The city was liberated again by the Partisans in 1944, and was included in the post-war Yugoslavia, as part of its Republic of Croatia. In 1991, Croatia seceded from Yugoslavia amid the Croatian War of Independence.

+ The Old City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and must-see historic attractions include Diocletian's Palace, the Cathedral of Saint Domnius, and the striking Grgur Ninski Statue. Take time to stroll along the Riva Harbor, browse through the Green Market, and sample the restaurants and wine cellars.

In the town of Rota, in the province of Cádiz, in Spain's autonomous community of Andalusia

 “Spain, the beautiful country of wine and songs.”

-– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
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(in the province of Cádiz, in Spain's autonomous community of Andalusia). Located along the Bay of Cádiz in the Atlantic Ocean, Rota lies halfway between Portugal and Gibraltar. It is mainly a tourist destination for travelers from all over Europe. During the low season, its main business activity is the fishing industry. In the town is the Naval Station Rota, which is the largest source of employment to the municipality. (It also served as a transoceanic abort landing site for the Space Shuttle program.)

+The town of Rota is located near the city of Jerez de la Frontera, and is 36 km (22.5 mi.) from the provincial capital, Cadiz. It belongs to two associations, the Association of Municipalities of Cadiz Bay (along with the municipalities of Cadiz, Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María, San Fernando, Chiclana, and Puerto Real); and the Association of Municipalities of the Lower Guadalquivir (which comprises municipalities of the Northwest Coast of Andalusia). The Romans once knew the town as "Speculum Rotae." Following the arrival of the Moors in Spain, the city became known as Rabita Rutta ("watchtower of Rota"), from which it derives its present name. In 1217 the city was raided by a group of Frisian Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. From 1248 onwards, the Moors were gradually expelled from Spain, and the city became Christian. In 1297, Sancho IV awarded the town to Alonso Pérez de Guzmán in honor of his defence of Tarifa. Later, Pérez de Guzmán gave it to his daughter, Isabel, as a wedding present when she married Fermin Ponce de León, Maestre of Alcántara and First Lord of Marchena. Construction of the Castillo de la Luna (Castle of the Moon) had begun in 1295, two years prior to the bequest to Pérez de Guzmán, as part of Sancho IV's effort to develop strong coastal defenses, especially near the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. During the Middle Ages, the town was an important port for trading with North Africa. In 1780 the 11th Duke of Arcos died without issue, and the city was rendered to the Duke of Osuna.

+ Rota is also the location of the Rota naval base, a joint Spanish and U.S. naval base, opened in 1955 (which also hosts U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force units). It is also the usual first and last port of call for U.S. naval vessels after leaving the Mediterranean Sea. Once contributing up to 80 percent of Rota's economy directly or indirectly, the decrease in the American presence since about 1995, and the city's modern infrastructure, which enables those remaining to commute readily from surrounding towns and cities, the base has given way to tourism as the leading source of revenue.

+ Rota opens out to the Atlantic and behind it are two national parks, the Natural Park of the Bay of Cádiz and the Doñana. In all there are 16 kilometers (10 mi.) of beach. (Being on the Atlantic coast, it is also a good venue for windsurfers.)