In the town of Clomar, in the Grand Est region of northeastern France

 Modern tourists know Colmar as the capital of Alsatian wine, an ultra-classy white variety.

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(in the Haut-Rhin department and Grand Est region of northeastern France) The town of Colmar looks as if it has been plucked from the pages of a medieval folk tale. At times the Route des Vins d’Alsace fools you into thinking it is 1454, and here, in the heart of the Old Town, the illusion is complete. Half-timbered houses in chalk-box colors crowd cobblestone lanes and bridge-laced canals, which have day-trippers wandering in a daze of neck-craning, photo-snapping, gasp-eliciting wonder.

+ Among the most quaint places in Europe, Colmar is known for its beautiful historic districts, which feature buildings that date back about a thousand years. Some museums feature toys, chocolates, and some serious pieces of historical information. All these attractions are complemented by beautiful natural scenery, given that this town is located 42 miles (68 km) south-southwest of Strasbourg, 10 miles west of the Rhine River, bordering the German frontier and a few miles east of the foothills of the Vosges mountains. It is also on the main railway from Strasbourg to Mulhouse and Basel, Switzerland.

+ The first mention of Colmar is found in a chronicle of the Saxon wars of Charlemagne, emperor of the West (from 800–814). In 1226 Colmar was raised to the status of an imperial town by the Holy Roman emperor Frederick II and was surrounded by defensive walls. Civil rights were granted to it by Rudolf of Habsburg in 1278. In 1632, during the Thirty Years’ War, it was occupied by Sweden. Louis XIII of France took the town under his protection in 1635; it was later annexed by France during 1648–78. (Colmar was twice annexed by Germany: from 1871 to 1919 and again during World War II.)

+ Colmar’s many fountains, ancient churches, and Alsatian Renaissance houses have made it a center of tourism. The Musée d’Unterlinden, formerly a convent, houses the 16th-century Isenheim Altarpiece, the masterwork of the German religious painter Matthias Grünewald. The home of the sculptor of New York City’s Statue of Liberty, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, who was born in Colmar in 1834, is a museum. The city adopted the Protestant Reformation in 1575, long after the northern neighbors of Strasbourg and Sélestat. During the Thirty Years' War, it was taken by the Swedish army in 1632, which held it for two years. In 1634, the Schoeman family arrived and started the first town library. In 1635, the city's harvest was spoiled by Imperialist forces while the residents shot at them from the walls. In 1854 a cholera epidemic killed many in the city. With the rest of Alsace, Colmar was annexed by the newly formed German Empire in 1871 as a result of the Franco-Prussian War and incorporated into the Alsace-Lorraine province. Though It returned to France after World War I, it was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1940, and then reverted to French control after the battle of the "Colmar Pocket" in 1945.

In the stunning island - The Isle of Skye, in Scotland

 An Island of Wonders, the Isle of Skye is a stunning island in Scotland, known for its dramatic scenery, rich history, and diverse wildlife.

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(in the largest and most northerly of the Inner Hebrides islands of Scotland) Skye, the nearest of these islands to the mainland, lies but a few hundred yards away at Kyleakin, where the Skye Bridge provides access to the mainland by road. Administratively, it lies within the Highland council area, and it is part of the historic county of Inverness-shire.

+ Skye is almost 50 miles (80 km) long, and its coastline is so deeply indented that no part is more than five miles (8 km) from the sea. The Cuillin Hills dominate the landscape in south-central Skye. North of Portree is the curious basaltic group of pinnacles at Storr, the most remarkable of which is the Old Man of Storr, a landmark for sailors. (Much of Skye is moorland).

+ The crofting system (small-scale tenant farming) is still widespread. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries the poverty of the crofters was extreme, and large numbers were forced to emigrate. Improvements came after the passage of the Small Landholders Acts, 1886–1911, and the introduction of government subsidies for growing potatoes and raising cattle and sheep. The sea fishing industry, once a mainstay of the economy, has declined, but commercial fish farming is now an important part of the local economy. The diatomite industry also has died, but a smoky, peaty single-malt Scotch whisky is distilled at Carbost, and this product as well as the spectacular rugged scenery keep tourism a major industry.

+ Depicted here, is Portree, the largest settlement lying at the head of a fine harbor on the eastern coast (in the north at the base of Trotternish is the largest settlement and the main service center on the island -- since it has a few hotels, hostels and bed-and-breakfasts in town, while more B&Bs line the roads into and out of town. The village also has banks, churches, cafes and restaurants, a cinema at the Aros Centre, a swimming pool and library (plus fuel filling stations and supermarkets.)

+ Broadford, the location of the island's only airstrip, is on the east side of the island, and Dunvegan in the northwest is well known for its castle and the nearby Three Chimneys restaurant. The 18th-century Stein Inn on the Waternish coast is the oldest pub on Skye. Kyleakin is linked to Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland by the Skye Bridge, which spans the narrows of Loch Alsh. Uig, the port for ferries to the Outer Hebrides, is on the west of the Trotternish peninsula, and Edinbane is between Dunvegan and Portree. (Much of the rest of the population lives in crofting townships scattered around the coastline).

+ Dunvegan Castle (Caisteal Dhùn Bheagain) is located 1 mile (1.6 km) to the north of Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye, off the west coast of Scotland. It is the seat of the MacLeod of MacLeod, chief of the Clan MacLeod.

In the town of Lorsch, in the Bergstraße district in Hessen, Germany

 "Within you there is a stillness and sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself."

-- Hermann Hesse
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(in the Bergstraße region of Hesse, Germany) Lorsch is a charming town that is famous for its cloister, which dates back to the 8th century and showcases the Carolingian art and architecture. Lorsch also has a lovely town square (shown here), where you can admire the half-timbered houses, and browse the local shops. (Lorsch is easily accessible by train and offers a relaxing and cultural getaway.)

+ Lorsch Abbey, otherwise the Imperial Abbey of Lorsch (German: Reichsabtei Lorsch), is a former Imperial abbey in Lorsch, Germany, about 10 km (6.2 mi). east of Worms. It was one of the most important monasteries of the Carolingian Empire.

+ Its chronicle is a fundamental document for early medieval German history. The significant remains visible today are the 9th-century Torhalle (gatehouse), part of the abbey church, some of the wall around the abbey, and other walls and parts of buildings adapted to modern use.

+ The abbey had been founded in 764 by the Frankish Count Cancor and his widowed mother, Williswinda, as a proprietary church (Eigenkirche) and monastery on their estate, Laurissa. It was dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The founders entrusted its government to Cancor's cousin, Chrodegang (Archbishop of Metz), who became its first abbot.

+ Many miracles were said to be wrought through the intercession of Saint Nazarius at Lorsch, and from all parts of Europe pilgrims in large numbers came to visit the shrine. In the course of the 9th century the library and scriptorium of Lorsch made it one of the cultural centers of Germany.

+ Few Carolingian manuscripts are better known than the Lorsch gospels, the Codex Aureus of Lorsch, now divided between the Vatican Library and the Batthyaneum Library in Alba Iulia, Romania; the carved ivory consular diptychs of Anastasius (consul 517) that were reused for its bindings are urbane classicising works of art in themselves, and embodiments of the classical tradition of Byzantium as it was transmitted to Lorsch in the time of Charlemagne.

+ In 876, shortly after the death of Ludwig der Deutsche (Louis the German), the abbey became the burial place for the first "German" king. His son, Ludwig der Jüngere (Louis the Younger, died 882), and his grandson Hugo (died 879) were also buried at Lorsch. The burial chapel (ecclesia varia) later continued to serve as a Royal burial ground, e.g., for Kunigunde (died after 915), wife of the first non-Carolingian king, Konrad I (Conrad I).

+ In 1248, Premonstratensian canons from Allerheiligen Abbey were given charge of the monastery with the sanction of Pope Celestine IV. In 1556, Elector Palatine Otto Heinrich implemented the Protestant Reformation in his territories and dissolved the monasteries. He removed the contents of the library to  Heidelberg, forming the famous Bibliotheca Palatinae pensioned off and sent away.

In the city of Bled, in the Upper Carniolan region of northwestern Slovenia

 Visiting Slovenia is like stepping into a wonderland of ever-changing scenery, with the ethereal beauty of nature.

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(in the Upper Carniolan region of northwestern Slovenia) One of the most underrated European cities to visit is Bled, in Slovenia. The city of Bled, close to the border of Austria, is famous for its location at the foot of the Julian Alps -- and is home to many famous landmarks, including Lake Bled, Bled Castle, Bled Island, and the Triglav National Park.

+ Bled is located on the southern foot of the Karawanks mountain range , about 50 kilometers (31 mi.) northwest of the national capital of Ljubljana. South of Lake Bled are the densely forested Pokljuka and Jelovica plateaus and the easternmost parts of the Julian Alps, where the Sava Bohinjka river and the parallel Bohinj Railway lead to the Bohinj basin, Lake Bohinj, and the Triglav massif. (Bled is most notable as a popular tourist destination in the Upper Carniola region and in Slovenia as whole, attracting visitors from abroad as well.)

+ After the dissolution of Austria-Hungary in 1918, Bled and the rest of Carniola came under the rule of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and became a summer domicile of the ruling House of Karađorđević, a tradition that Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito continued when he built his residence here in 1947.

+ Today's town began to form in the mid-19th century from the villages of Grad, Mlino, Rečica, Zagorice, and Želeče, which encircled the lake. At that time, farmers started to sell the land along the eastern lakeshore to wealthy individuals for their villas, and the villages of Grad, Zagorice, and Želeče began to merge. (Bled was officially made a town in 1960.)

+ Perched on a rock overlooking the lake is the iconic Bled Castle. (The city is also known in Slovenia for its vanilla and cream pastry.)

+ Naturopath Arnold Rikli (1823–1906) from Switzerland contributed significantly to the development of Bled as a health resort in the second half of the 19th century. Due to its mild climate, Bled has been visited by aristocratic guests from all across the world. Today it is an important convention center and tourist resort, offering a wide range of sports activities It is a starting point for mountain treks and hikes, especially within nearby Triglav National Park.
The small island in the middle of the lake is home to the Assumption of Mary Pilgrimage Church; visitors frequently ring its bell, due to an old legend claiming it provides good luck.

+ Before the church was built, there was a temple consecrated to Živa, the Slavic goddess of love and fertility. One can get to the island on a traditional flat-bottomed wooden boat (Slovene: pletna), part of a fixed fleet of boats to protect the lake's cleanliness, run by a family-owned business since the 18th century. The island on Lake Bled has 99 steps. (A local tradition at weddings is for the husband to carry his new bride up these steps, during which the bride must remain silent.)

In the charming city of Delft, located in the province of South Holland, Netherlands.

 Home to the infamous Delft Blue pottery and painter Johannes Vermeer, Delft has much to offer those looking to immerse themselves in Dutch history.

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(in western Netherlands) Delft is a charming town in South Holland, famous for its artistic heritage, ceramic craftsmanship, and royal connections. You can admire the exquisite Delft Blue pottery at the Royal Delft factory and museum, where you can see how the delicate pieces are hand-painted and fired. Delft is also rich in history and culture, with its elegant Town Hall, medieval churches, and the Prinsenhof Museum, where William of Orange was assassinated. You can stroll along the attractive canals, visit the lively market square, or relax in the botanic garden.

+ Delft, a municipality, lies along the Schie River between Rotterdam and The Hague. Founded in 1075 and chartered in 1246, it was severely damaged by fire in 1536 and by the explosion of a powder magazine in 1654. Delft was a trade center in the 16th and 17th centuries and was famous for its tin-glazed earthenware, or delftware, but was superseded in trade by Rotterdam in the 18th century. Principal manufactures are now ceramics, spirits, oils, penicillin, yeast, and machinery.

+ Delft has a technical university, founded in 1842 as the Royal Academy, and hydraulic laboratories where the Delta Plan was designed for the restriction of the Rhine and Meuse estuaries. The medieval Old Church (a Gothic church) contains memorials to the admirals Maarten Tromp and Piet Heyn and to Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, a native of Delft. The Gothic New Church contains tombs of the members of the house of Orange-Nassau (that of William I the Silent is by Hendrick de Keyser and his son Pieter) and of the jurist Hugo Grotius, whose statue is in the marketplace. The Prinsenhof, where William the Silent was assassinated (in 1584), was a convent before it became his residence; it is now the town museum. Other landmarks include the Renaissance-style Town Hall (around a medieval tower), the Armamentarium (a 17th-century armoury), the Paul Tetar van Elven Museum, and the Huis Lambert van Meerten Museum, with an international collection of earthenware tiles.

In the city of Aachen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

 Best known as the capital of Charlemagne's Frankish empire, today's Aachen sits at the juncture where Germany meets the Netherlands (the Dutch know it as Aken) and Belgium (where "Walloons" call it Aix-la-Chapelle).

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(in the North Rhine–Westphalia Land [state] of western Germany. Aachen is one of Europe's most important cities with historical significance. This prominent city is where several German Kings were crowned. The city is filled with buildings dating back to the medieval period, old city gates, and beautiful fountains. It is famous for its curative hot springs and spas and has been a visiting place for royal families since Ancient Roman times. Aachen Cathedral (shown here) is also the final resting place of King Charlemagne. Some of the other major attractions are Aachen Cathedral Treasury, Rathaus, (the City Hall) Couven-Museum, and the Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum.

+ Located at the northern foothills of the High Fens and the Eifel Mountains. Aachen is the westernmost (larger) city in Germany.

+ The once Celtic settlement was equipped with several thermae in the course of colonization by Roman pioneers settling at the warm Aachen thermal springs around the 1st century CE. After the withdrawal of Roman troops, the vicus Aquae Granni was Germanized by the Franks around the 5th century. This was followed by a period of sedentism under first Merovingian and then Carolingian rule. With the completion of the Carolingian Palace of Aachen at the transition to the 9th century, Aachen was constituted as the main royal residence of the Frankish Empire ruled by Charlemagne. After the 843 Treaty of Verdun, the city found itself within the borders of Middle Francia, until it became part of East Francia after the 870 Treaty of Meerssen (870). It later was a city within the Holy Roman Empire and was granted city rights in 1166 by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, becoming an imperial city. (It served as the coronation site where 31 Holy Roman Emperors were crowned Kings of the Germans from 936 until Frankfurt am Main became the preferred place of coronation.

+ As a Rhineland city, Aachen is one of the main centers of carnival celebrations (which Bavarians call Fasching) in Germany.

+ Aachen hosted several peace conferences, including those ending the War of Devolution (1668) and the War of the Austrian Succession (1748). Occupied by Napoleon’s army in 1794 and annexed by France in 1801, it was given to Prussia after the Congress of Vienna (1814–15). The city was severely damaged during World War II, and it became the first large German city to fall to the Allies (on 20 October 1944).

+ Other notable landmarks are the Suermondt Ludwig Museum and the fountain, which is surmounted by a statue of Charlemagne, in the city's market square. The nearby hot springs are much frequented; Schwertbad-Quelle, in the suburb of Burtscheid, is the warmest spring in Germany, with an average high water temperature of 169 °F (76 °C).

At the Chillon Castle, located on Lake Geneva, in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland.

 “It’s tough to find a place not to like in Switzerland.”

– Michele Bachman
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(on Lake Geneva, south of Veytaux in the Swiss canton of Vaud) Chillon Castle (French: Château de Chillon) is an island medieval castle located on Lake Geneva, south of Veytaux; it is situated at the eastern end of the lake, on the narrow shore between Montreux and Villeneuve, which gives access to the Alpine valley of the Rhône. Chillon is among the most visited medieval castles in Switzerland (and Europe) Successively occupied by the House of Savoy, then by the Bernese from 1536 until 1798, it now belongs to the State of Vaud and is classified as a Swiss Cultural Property of National Significance. The Fort de Chillon, its modern counterpart, is hidden in the steep side of the mountain.

+ According to the Swiss ethnologist Albert Samuel Gatschet, the name Chillon derives from the Waldensian dialect and means "flat stone, slab, platform". The name Castrum Quilonis, attested from 1195, would, therefore, mean "castle built on a rock platform.

+ The castle of Chillon is built on the island of Chillon, an oval limestone rock advancing in Lake Geneva between Montreux and Villeneuve with a steep side on one side and on the other side the lake and its steep bottom. The placement of the castle is strategic: it guards the passage between the Vaud Riviera, which allows access to the north towards Germany and France, and the Rhone valley, a quick route to Italy, and offers a viewpoint over the Savoyard coast on the opposite side of the lake. A garrison could thus control (both militarily and commercially) access to the road to Italy and apply a toll.

+ Chillon has been a military site since the Roman period and the development of the current castle spans three periods: the Savoy Period, the Bernese Period, and the Vaudois Period. During the 16th century Wars of Religion, the dukes of Savoy used the castle to house prisoners.
In 1536, the castle was captured by a Genevois and Bernese army, and all the prisoners, including de Bonivard, were released. The castle became the residence for the Bernese bailiff until Chillon was converted into a state prison in 1733.

+ In 1798, the French-speaking canton of Vaud drove out the German-speaking Bernese authorities and declared the Lemanic Republic. The Vaudois invited in French troops to help them maintain autonomy from the other Swiss.

+ From the end of the 18th century, the castle attracted romantic writers and inspired poets from around the world, including Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Gustave Flaubert, Mary Shelley, and Lord Byron. By 1939, helped by its proximity to the popular tourist destination Montreux, the castle was attracting some 100,000 visitors a year. By 2005, this number had increased to 300,000.

+ Chillon remains open to the public for visits and is now considered to be "Switzerland's most visited historic monument."