In the city of Wiesbaden, central western Gemany

 "The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for."

-- Fyodor Dostoevsky
=====================================================================
(in central western Germany) The city of Wiesbaden, capital of Hesse Land (state), is found on the right (east) bank of the Rhine River at the southern foot of the Taunus Mountains, west of Frankfurt am Main and north of Mainz. The settlement was known as a spa (Aquae Mattiacae) in Roman times. Its earthen fortifications (12 BCE) were replaced by stone in 83 CE, and a Roman wall (of which traces remain) was built about 370. The settlement subsequently became the site of a Franconian palace, and the name Wisibada (“Meadow Spring”) first appeared in 829. It was made a free imperial city in 1241, passed to the counts of Nassau in 1255, and became the capital of the principality of Nassau-Usingen in 1744. It was capital of the duchy of Nassau from 1806 until 1866, when it passed to Prussia; it then became capital of the district of Wiesbaden in Hesse-Nassau province. In 1946 Wiesbaden became the capital of the newly created state of Hesse and incorporated Kastel, Amöneburg, and Kostheim (which had been former right-bank suburbs of Mainz).

+ Today, the city (together with nearby Frankfurt am Main, Darmstadt, and Mainz), is part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Region, a metropolitan area with a combined population of nearly six million people.
+ Wiesbaden is also a wine center, famous for its Sekt (German champagne). The city lies at the eastern edge of the Rheingau winegrowing region, which stretches along the Rhine's right bank, west to the Rüdesheim area of the "Romantic Rhine." As a spa, the city was especially famous during the 18th and 19th centuries, when it was frequented by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Johannes Brahms, and Fyodor Dostoyevsky, as well as various royal families. Its more than two dozen hot saline springs and its mild climate, parklike setting, and other amenities continue to make it a popular resort and conference center. Wiesbaden has several medical facilities, including a special rheumatism clinic and the German Diagnostic Clinic, and it is the headquarters of the Federal Statistical Office. The city also hosts an annual International Festival of Music, Ballet, and Drama..

+ To summarize, Wiesbaden is one of Europe's oldest spa towns, with hot springs still flowing today. The city is tucked in a lovely valley between the Rhine River and the Taunus Mountains, Hesse's capital has long been an important spa city, dating back to Roman times when it was called Aquae Mattiacorum. In the 19th century, Wiesbaden also became a popular gambling center. For a soothing plunge, try the Kaiser Friedrich's Therme in the city's center. While here, be sure not to miss the Schlossplatz (Palace Square) and impressive Kurhaus Wiesbaden event and conference center, both within just a few blocks.

+ One example of an impressive urban design, dating back to 1832 and inspired by Classicism, is Luisenplatz in Wiesbaden:

In the city of Klagenfurt, southern Austria

 "It should be one’s sole endeavor to see everything afresh and create it anew."

-- Gustav Mahler
=====================================================================
(in southern Austria) The city of Klagenfurt lies along the Glan River in a basin east of Wörther Lake and north of the Karawanken Mountains. Founded in the 12th century and chartered in 1279, it passed to the Habsburgs in 1335. Since it was destroyed in a fire in 1514, most of its notable buildings date from the 16th century and have been influenced by Italian architects who had been called in to build fortifications. The city has been the capital of the state of Kärnten since 1518 and the seat of the prince-bishops of Gurk since 1787. 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. The city is a communications and tourist center; its public sector employs a large portion of the working population.

+ Klagenfurt is quite a vibrant and sunny city with a compact Inner Stadt, offering 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 quite 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. The city’s Mediterranean climate ensures pleasant summer days, sunny winters, colorful autumns, and mild springs. (Transport links also make it a great base for exploring the whole of Carinthia.)
+ Shaped by Italian architects, Klagenfurt is sometimes called the "Renaissance Gem." Today, the 800-year-old town features many restored palaces, courtyards, and squares. One of them is New Square (Neuer Platz), with the Lindworm Fountain in its center. Several museums provide insight into Carinthia's history and culture, like the Museum of Modern Art, the Provincial Museum, the Wappensal (Coat of Arms Hall), and the Landhaus Gallery.

+This small town has one of Austria's most historic centers and was awarded the prestigious Europa Nostra Diploma three times for its lovingly restored arcaded Renaissance courtyards, which today accommodate modern boutiques, trendy bars, and authentic beer gardens.

+ Klagenfurt's ease and zest for life can be attributed to the city's Mediterranean influence. At the Benedictine farmers’ market, traders from all over Carinthia, the Italian Friuli region, and Slovenia gather to sell vegetables, cheeses, wines and herbs (a true declaration of love to the Alps-Adriatic region). Lake Wörthersee, the Alpine landscape and a vibrant cultural life form a harmonious trio in Carinthia’s capital, Klagenfurt. Even Gustav Mahler, who found a muse in the beauty of the surrounding landscape, was quite inspired by its lovely sound.

In the city of Maribor, eastern Slovenia

 "As you travel around Slovenia,

Think of the tales the hills could tell you.
Share the awe of natural wonder;
Tread the trails, but as you wander
Honor the age-old endeavors to be
Literate, informed, democratic and free."
— Jacqueline Widmar Stewart (Author of Finding Slovenia)
===================================================================
(in the economic, administrative, educational, and cultural center of eastern Slovenia) Despite being the country’s second-largest city (and the seat of the Eastern Slovenia region), Maribor has about one-third of the population of Ljubljana (Slovenia's capital), and feels like a provincial town. It exudes a lot of charm (thanks to its delightful Old Town along the Drava River). Maribor's central streets buzz with cafes and student life, and the riverside Lent district hosts a major summer arts festival. The city is the gateway to the Maribor Pohorje, a hilly recreational area to the southwest, and the Mariborske and Slovenske Gorice wine-growing regions to the north and east.

+ Maribor was first mentioned as a castle in 1164, as a settlement in 1209, and as a city in 1254. Like most of the Slovene ethnic territory, Maribor was under Habsburg rule until 1918, when Rudolf Maister and his men secured the city for the State of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs, which then joined the Kingdom of Serbia to form the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. (In 1991 Maribor became part of newly-independent Slovenia).

+ In the 17th century, numerous fires razed the town. As a result, it was rebuilt many times. In addition to fires, the largest plague epidemics occurred between 1646 and 1680, causing the loss of 35 percent of Maribor's population. In 1846, the Southern Railway was built through the town, which resulted in great economic growth and territorial expansion. In 1859, Anton Martin Slomšek, a bishop of the Diocese of Lavant, transferred the seat of the diocese to Maribor. Four years later, Maribor was connected with Carinthia (with the construction of the railway from Maribor to Prevalje). The first daily Slovenian newspaper was established here in 1868 on today's Slomšek Square. In April 1883, the first electric light in the Slovene ethnic territory was installed on Castle Square. The renowned electrical engineer Nikola Tesla lived in Maribor from 1878 to 1879, where he received his first job. Maribor National Hall was built in 1899, and it became a political, cultural, and economic center for all Styrian Slovenes.

+ Of the remains of city walls surrounding the old downtown area, the most prominent are the Judgement Tower, the Water Tower, and the Jewish Tower. Maribor Cathedral was built in the Gothic style in the 13th century. Maribor Synagogue was built in the 14th century, and is the second oldest synagogue in Europe. (Today it serves as a center for cultural activities.) Other medieval buildings are Maribor Castle, Betnava Castle, and the ruins of Upper Maribor Castle on Pyramid Hill. The Town Hall was constructed in the Renaissance style, and the Plague Column in the Baroque style.

In the city of Augsburg, in the state of Bavaria, in southern Germany

 “Nowadays, anyone who wishes to combat lies and ignorance and to write the truth must overcome at least five difficulties. He must have the courage to write the truth when truth is everywhere opposed; the keenness to recognize it, although it is everywhere concealed; the skill to manipulate it as a weapon; the judgment to select those in whose hands it will be effective; and the running to spread the truth among such persons.” ― Bertolt Brecht

=====================================================================
(in southern Germany) The city of Augsburg, in the state of Bavaria, lies at the junction of the Wertach and Lech rivers. The town was founded as a Roman colony by Nero Claudius Drusus, the younger brother of Tiberius, in 15 BCE. It was the seat of a bishopric by 739 CE, and the Hungarians were defeated by King Otto I in 955 on the plain south of the town. Augsburg became an imperial free city in 1276 and joined the Swabian League in 1331. The business houses, headed by the Fugger and Welser merchant families, spearheaded Augsburg’s development in the 15th and 16th centuries as a European banking and commercial center. At an imperial Diet held in the city in 1530, the Lutherans presented their Augsburg Confession to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, and at the Diet of 1555. The Peace of Augsburg was concluded between Roman Catholics and Lutherans within the empire. The League of Augsburg, which opposed the expansionist policies of Louis XIV of France, was agreed upon here in 1686. The city fell to Bavaria in 1806. The Town Hall and the famous Fuggerei, the oldest housing settlement for the poor in the world, were damaged in World War II. Both have been restored, but the Golden Hall in the Town Hall was destroyed. There are medieval churches here, three 16th-century fountains on the main street, plus a town museum, art galleries, and a municipal library.

+ The largest city on the Romantic Road, Augsburg is also one of Germany’s oldest, founded by the stepchildren of Roman emperor Augustus more than 2,000 years ago. As a city state from the 13th century, it was one of its wealthiest, free to raise its own taxes, with public coffers bulging on the proceeds of the textile trade. Banking families like the Fuggers and the Welsers even bankrolled entire countries and helped out the occasional monarch. From the 16th century, however, religious strife and economic decline plagued the city. (Augsburg finally joined the Kingdom of Bavaria in 1806.)

+ An important traffic junction, Augsburg is also an industrial center, with manufactures that include machinery and electrical equipment. The city is the seat of the University of Augsburg, founded in 1970 as a regional Bavarian university; the city also has several colleges of music and a technical college featuring courses in engineering, economics, and business administration. The house of Leopold Mozart, father of the composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is now a Mozart museum. The German poet and playwright Bertolt Brecht was born in the city in 1898.

In the city of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northeastern Italy

 "I care not where my body may take me as long as my soul is embarked on a meaningful journey." -- Dante Alighieri

=====================================================================
(in the Emilia-Romagna region of northeastern Italy) The city of Ravenna, capital of the Province of Ravenna, was the capital of the Western Roman Empire from 402 until the empire collapsed in 476. It then served as the capital of the Ostrogothic Kingdom until it was again conquered in 540 by the Byzantine Empire. Afterwards, the city formed the center of the Byzantine Exarchate of Ravenna until the last exarch was executed by the Lombards in 751.

+ Although it is an inland city, Ravenna is connected to the Adriatic Sea by the Candiano Canal. It is known for its well-preserved late Roman and Byzantine architecture, with eight buildings comprising the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna." The city is found on a low-lying plain near the confluence of the Ronco and Montone rivers, six miles (~10 km) inland from the sea. The Roman emperor Augustus built the port of Classis, about three miles (5 km) from the city, and by the 1st century BCE Ravenna had become the base for Rome’s naval fleet in the Adriatic.
+ Nothing remains of the ancient Roman structures in Ravenna or of its harbor at Classis. The fame of Ravenna rests instead on the quality and quantity of its 5th–8th-century Christian monuments. As the capital city of the Western Roman Empire for 250 years and a major port of entry for the Eastern (Byzantine) Empire, Ravenna reflects in its art and architecture a fusion of Roman architectural forms with Byzantine mosaics and other decorations.

+ For mosaic lovers, Ravenna is an earthly paradise. Spread out over several churches and baptistries around the city is one of the world's most dazzling collections of early Christian mosaic artwork, enshrined since 1996 on UNESCO's World Heritage list. During its prolonged golden age, while the rest of the Italian peninsula flailed in the wake of Barbarian invasions, Ravenna became a fertile art studio for skilled craftsmen, who covered the city's terracotta brick churches in beautiful mosaics.

+ While here, be sure to visit Dante's tomb, as well as the little pile of rubble where local residents hid his urn during World War II to prevent it from being damaged. Ravenna is also still popular for its 5th-to-8th century Christian monuments, including the mausoleums of Galla Placidia and King Theodoric and the Church of San Vitale (shown here), a masterpiece of Byzantine art. (The National Museum of Antiquities holds an important collection of classical and early Christian antiquities.)

+ To summarize, Ravenna is both the quiet and quaint trip for those looking for a more authentic Italian experience. Not only is it a great place to see remnants from the Middle Ages, but its vistors can also experience Italian music and art, like never before. (Indeed, Ravenna has been consideredone of the most romantic cities in all of Italy, for many years.)

In the city of Pula, on the tip of Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula

 "We write our names in the sand, and then the waves roll in and wash them away." -- Augustus, the first Roman emperor

=====================================================================
(in western Croatia, at the southern tip of the Istrian peninsula) Pula, the major port and industrial center at the head of the Bay of Pula, has a large, almost landlocked harbor in which there is a naval base and the Uljanik shipyards. Conquered by Rome in the 2nd century BCE, Pula was then the seat of a Christian bishop, In in later centuries it was part of the territories of Byzantium, of the Franks, and of Venice. In 1380 the Genoese exacted revenge raids on Pula, after which it declined in importance until the 19th century. Plagues reduced the population to just a few hundred in the 1630s. Austria took the town in 1797; after 1866 it became the main harbor and arsenal of the Austro-Hungarian navy. It passed to Italy in 1920, and after 1947, became part of Croatia (then part of Yugoslavia).

+ A wealth of Roman architecture is still found in Pula. The modern city's most outstanding monument is the remarkably well-preserved Roman amphitheater, in the heart of the city, which doubles as a venue for summer concerts and festivals. One of the six largest surviving Roman arenas in the world, it was completed around the year 80 CE, and seats up to 23,000 people.) A temple of Augustus and a Byzantine basilica were extensively restored after the destructive conflict between Genoa and Venice. The Kaštel, on the hill at the centre of the Old Town, is a museum that was once a fortress.

+ Historical attractions aside, Pula is a busy commercial city on the sea that has managed to retain a friendly small-town appeal. Just a short bus ride away, a series of beaches awaits at the resorts that occupy the Verudela Peninsula to the south. The coast is dotted with fragrant pine groves, seaside cafes, and several good restaurants. Pula is also a great base for exploring the protected Cape Kamenjak nature park, to the south, and the Brijuni Islands National Park, to the north.

+ The area's largest city, Pula is located below seven hills and with views of the Adriatic, its unspoiled natural surroundings are magical. Known for its mild climate and tame, beautiful sea, the city also has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing, and shipbuilding. Two other notable and well-preserved 1st-century CE Roman structures are the triumphal arch (the Arch of the Sergii), and the Temple of Augustus, built on the forum during the reign of the Roman emperor Augustus. The city's old quarter of narrow streets, lined with Medieval and Renaissance buildings, are still surfaced with ancient Roman paving stones.

+ The star-shaped castle with four bastions (in the center of this photo) is on top of the central hill of the old city. It was built, over the remains of the Roman capitolium, by the Venetians in the 17th century, following the plans of the French military architect Antoine de Ville. (Since 1961 it has housed the Historical Museum of Istria).

In the town of Montreux, in western Switzerland on the shoreline of Lake Geneva

 “There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,

There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep Sea, and music in its roar:
I love not Man the less, but Nature more...."
― Lord Byron, Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
===================================================================
(in western Switzerland on the shoreline of Lake Geneva at the foot of the Alps) The town of Montreux, comprising three resort communities (Le Châtelard-Montreux, Les Planches-Montreux, and Veytaux-Montreux, in the Vaud canton, extends along the eastern shore of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman). Its natural setting below mountains protecting it from northerly and easterly winds has made Montreux the lake’s most fashionable health resort. The nearby 13th-century Château de Chillon, made famous by Lord Byron’s poem “Prisoner of Chillon,” is one of Switzerland’s best-known architectural structures. Montreux is on railway lines from Geneva and France to Italy via the Simplon Tunnel and is also a terminus of mountain railways. The tourist trade is important, while the villages of Caux, Chernex, Glion, Chamby, and Les Avants on terraces above Montreux depend mainly on agriculture and viticulture.

+ In the 19th century, writers, artists, and musicians (Lord Byron and the Shelleys among them) flocked to magical Montreux, then a pleasing lakeside resort. It has been a visitor-magnet for the rich, famous, and everyone in-between ever since. Montreux' main draws include peaceful walks along a lakeshore that is blessed with 19th-century hotels, a mild microclimate, a hilltop Old Town, one of the world's premier jazz festivals, Friday-morning lakeside markets, and a remarkable 13th-century fortress.

+ Rock-trivia buffs love the story of British hard rockers Deep Purple recording an album at the town's casino in 1971, commemorating a fire that broke out during a Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention concert (held at the casino). The pall of smoke cast over Lake Geneva inspired Deep Purple to pen their heavy-chorded classic, "Smoke on the Water." 

+ Jazz aficionados still know Montreux as the home of the famed jazz festival. And where else will you find a statue of Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury? Yet, even those who are not music fans will find respite in this resort town on the Swiss Riviera: The wineries here are world renowned, the Chateau de Chillon is an impressive example of a medieval castle, and the views of the Dents-du-Midi are breathtaking. Walk on the lake promenade, ride the cogwheel train, or wander Old Montreux to taste its Edwardian flavor.

+ To summarize: From the lake to the mountains and vineyards, the Montreux Riviera offers a marvelous landscape. It is an authentic slice of paradise that has attracted many artists, writers, and travelers in search of beauty, tranquillity and… inspiration. Montreux Riviera is a land of contrasts. (The region is especially rich in cultural events, and boasts some of the best hotels, schools, and private clinics in the world.)