Places in the countryside in Europe

The hills above the village of Azokh have a string of caves. Apparently, the caves are connected through tunnels and can be explored with a good torch. But when we were there, the cave we visited had a fence and barbwire, but it might be different with the other caves. Go exploring, but beware of snakes and bats.

The Caucasus Mountains are more than just the continental divide between Europe and Asia. They are, instead, a spectacular setting for great hiking and unprecedented exploration. Nestled gentle among the majestic peaks is a tiny village called Xinaliq. This village, so isolated for so long has developed their own language unrelated to Persian, Turkish or Slavic (the other major region languages). While some may be turned off by the fact there are no official accommodation choice, for those wishing to commune with the locals this may be seen as an advantage. Only simple home-stays are available in town. Sadly, hiking and camping opportunities in the region are somewhat limited as the area is largely military controlled. This can be quickly circumvented by merely hiring a local "guide" (aka a local kid) to bring you around. However you choose to visit, the wonderful hospitality and spectacular scenery will make the place truly memorable.

Located in the North-West of Azerbaijan, the village of Ilisu offers some good options for camping, hiking or just setting out a nice picnic. The picturesque little stone-house village itself makes for a nice day trip. The simple architecture is highlighted by the simple way of life. But the place is made all the more special as it's perched on the edge of the Ilisu State Reserve. A popular place with locals in the summer, there are easy to challenging hikes available for the more adventurous as there are no map or tourist information for the region. Important note, there are no accommodation or restaurant choices in Ilisu, for these a traveller will need to use the nearby town of Qax as a base.

Nykøbing Falster is another old market town with a fine collection of half-timbered houses. The town is beautifully nested on the shore to Guldborg Strait, right in the middle of what the Danish call the South Sea Islands. These islands are generally considered remote countryside, where very little thrives besides sugar beets, but Nykøbing Falster has kept its historical position as the region's biggest town. Today, the main sights are the pretty church, which was funded in the 15th century, along with several cute half-timbered houses, some dating back as far as the 16th and 17th century. Note that the name "Nykøbing", meaning "New Market Town" in Danish, is quite a common town name in Denmark, so it's important to add the geographical postfix "Falster", when typing into the GPS or buying a train ticket.

Named after the sea-filled gorge, this little village is particularly known for the great views of the dramatic coastline. There is a bench at the lookout, which was placed when the Danish crown prince and princess visited in 2005. There is also a guesthouse (with great views) if you want to stay for a day or two or just having lunch.

The small settlement of Kunoy (population 64), on the island of Kunoy, sits dramatically on cliffs above the sea on a backdrop of a vertical mountain wall. There are beautiful views of the neighbouring island, Kalsoy, but there are beautiful views everywhere on the Faroe Islands. Kunoy even has a fine white church, which stands right at the edge of the cliffs, above a small colony of seabirds. You can drive to Kunoy from Klaksvik over the narrow causeway.

Only a twenty-minute ferry-ride from Tórshavn, Nólsoy feels like a world away from the cosmopolitan capital (everything is relative). For anyone with too little time on their hands, this is a comfortable and convenient getaway into the more traditional Faroese culture. The car-free island only has a single village on it, and it's from here walks around the Island is arranged. Most of the island is dominated by the 372 m high Eggjarklettur Mountain, wish is a challenging climb. Others opt for the walk to the lighthouse on the island's southern tip, 8 km from the settlement. For the less fit, plenty of smaller and shorter walks a possible. Notice the whale jawbones standing as an entrance gate at the harbour.

Tjørnuvik is another small village with a beautiful setting. It sits at the end of a bay with steep mountain sides at one of the few sandy beach in the Faroe Islands (others are Sandur and Hvalba). There are a fine church and a handful of traditional houses with grass roofs.

Inari is considered the capital of Sami culture. The Sami Culture Center is here, and so is the museum of Sami Culture, Siida. The last one has an open-air section with houses and traps from the sami culture.

Aegina Island is so close to Athens, that it makes a perfect day trip for a taste of Greek island life. It lies only a 40 minutes boat ride from Pireas, Athens' harbour suburb. Aegina is fairly large (87 sq km) so if you want to explore the whole island in a day, a scooter is necessary. Else it's the water, seafood, and easy life people come for. If Acropolis hasn't filled your desire for ruins, there are more ruins at Aegina town - Aegina was once a strong city state like Athens. If tours are more your thing, Aegina is also a part of the 3-islands-1-day cruise (Hydra, Poros, and Aegina), which is heavily advertised by the travel agents in Athens.