Relaxing places in Europe

One of the favorite weekend destinations in summertime for Talllinners is the gorgeous, crescent shaped beach at Vaana-Joesuu. Expect crowds of sun seeking bodies and families on picnic. However in winter, it's of course a total different story...

The coast at the Black Sea, and especially at Batumi city, is a very popular summer destination for Georgians. During Soviet times, it was a favourite holiday spot for people from all over the Soviet Union. Today, Batumi beach is for Georgians, Armenians and Azeris what Cancun is for American spring breakers and Sunny Beach is for Europeans. The water is warm and not too salty, but there is no sand, just rounded pebbles. The rest of the setup is worthy of any beach resort with deck chairs, beach-front cafes, clubs during the night, a wide promenade and even a fairground. It is fun place to relax for a couple of days - or just people-watch Georgians when they let loose.

Without the masses of tourists and just a short (1,5 hour) ferry ride away from Santorini, Anafi is a great small island to kick back and relax for a few days. The hilltop town of Hora feels like it hasn’t changed all that much in the last 20 years and the local people still live there, work there and sit in front of their houses and on the squares.
By vehicle you can get to the other end of the island in less than a half hour and on foot it takes a couple. There is a small monastery and a hiking trail to the top of the enormous rock where you find beautiful views and another small monastery.
The beaches on Anafi are not exceptional but nice with beautiful calm waters. Although it's not officially allowed, many people camp out on some of the beaches.
All in all, it's a great island to escape the tourism madness of Santorini for a couple of days!

Thermal baths are a big thing in Hungary and Szechenyi Thermal Bath is the king of them all. Build in 1913 and slowly extended through times, it is the biggest of its kind in Europe. Today there are three large pools along with 12 smaller sitting pools. Though the two thermal springs that supply Szechenyi have temperatures over 70°C/158°F, the pool water is pleasant, ranging from 26°C/79°F to 38°C/100°F. Beside the big outdoor pools area, there are also a range of health and spa services, but most people just come here to relax and hang out, and maybe a game of chess.

This is the iconic attraction of Iceland. An outdoor pool where you can slide into the 37-39°C (98-102°F) warm mineral rich ice blue seawater heated by lava flow deep underground. The lagoon is actually fed by the clean water output from the nearby geothermal power plant. In line with the Icelandic spirit, you can sip drinks in the fresh air while soaking up the rough beauty of the place. This is the king of all geothermal spas.

If you think the Blue lagoon is too crowded, then try Myvatn Nature Bath in the northeast of the island, close to the gorgeous Lake Myvatn. This geothermal bath offers a similar Icelandic experience to the Blue lagoon, where you can submerge your body in lava heated water in an open-air pool. While relaxing in the steam clouds, you take in the surrounding wild and windswept landscape which has been shaped by volcanic eruptions through time.

Latvia's beach resort number one is Jūrmala hands down. The white sand beach stretches for more than 20 km along the Baltic Sea (well, actually the Gulf of Riga). In the past it was the summer playground for the Soviet elite, but now the sunbathing is done by the region's rich, famous and those who want to be seen, including new-rich Russians who add the flavour of kitsch which suits Jūrmala so well. A restored Soviet-era five stars hotel lies straight down to the waterfront, side by side with old wooden mansions and low-rise family homes. The town still has a lot of the traditional colourful wooden houses, but they are slowly getting bought up and replaced by more contemporary apartamentos for the holidaymakers. Though not Ibiza, Jūrmala can still be a lot of fun - but try to be here in summer!

The coastal town of Budva is famous for two very different things. Its historic walled town, and the beaches surrounding it. The closes ones are Mogren beach and Slovenska plaža beach. Mogren, west of the walled old town, is actually two connecting beaches. Slovenska plaža on the other hand is a 1500m long stretch of sand and pebbles thats curves along the bay. The narrow beach is lined cafes, bars and open air discotheques that are base for huge parties that attract partygoers from all over Balkan. Budva is Montenegro's equivalent to Cancun in Mexico.

About 20 km southeast of Istanbul lies nine islands (four main ones) known as Princes' Islands, or just Adalar (the islands). Though they only are a ferry ride away from bustling Istanbul, they are a very sedated places. The small-town vibe and the slow peace is the exact reason way people come here. Well-off city slickers have weekend houses here, while the rest settle for hotel room in the weekend or a day trip. There are no cars on the islands, so transport is either by foot, bicycle or pimped out horse carts. The Princes' Islands make a great escape from Istanbul, but don't expect white sandy beached - the few beaches are pebbled and mostly covered in deck chairs.