Ten Longest Rivers in Europe

1. Volga River

This river runs through central Russia. It is the 17th longest 
river in the world.

2. Danube River

The Danube River crosses ten countries and flows through
many large cities, including Budapest, Vienna and Belgrade.
It is the longest river in the European Union.

3. Ural River

Flowing through the Ural Mountains, this river serves 
as the border between Europe and Asia.

4. Dnieper River

The Dnieper River flows through Russia, Ukraine 
and Belarus before it empties into the Black Sea.

5. Don River

The Don River is yet another Russian river that made 
its way onto this list. This river is not to be confused 
with the Don River in Canada.

6. Dniester River

The Dniester River runs through Ukraine, then into 
Moldova, and then back into Ukraine before emptying 
into the Black Sea.

7. Rhine River

Cruises are popular on this river because of the many castles
built along the coast. The Rhine River runs mainly through
Germany but also flows in France and Austria.

8. Elbe River

The second German river on this list, the Elbe River 
originates in the Czech Republic and empties into the North Sea.

9. Vistula River

The only Polish river to make the list, the Vistula River only
flows in Poland. It is considered a national symbol of Poland.

10. Daugava River

The Daugava River is the shortest river on this list. Flowing from
east to west, the river begins in Russia and runs through Belarus
and Latvia before draining into the Baltic Sea.

Top Ten: Europe's Best Beaches

Europe is not particularly known for its beaches, but it does have some that are pretty amazing. From the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea, European beaches can vary a lot. Europe takes pride in may things, and, surprisingly, beaches are one of them. They may not be number one on your travel list, but they are not to be missed when visiting Europe. Here is my list of the top ten beaches in Europe (in no particular order). I have limited the beaches to one per country.

1. Split, Croatia

This city is over 1,700 years old.

2. Red Beach, Santorini, Greece

This beach is only accessible by boat, or by wading through the water.

3. Amalfi Coast, Italy

The Amalfi Coast is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural landscape.

4. Algarve Beaches, Portugal

Tourism is the most important industry in the Algarve.

5. Nissi Beach, Cyprus

The waters are clean enough to be awarded a blue flag destination.

6. Sile Beach, Turkey

Sile Beach, located in Istanbul, is actually both in Europe and in Asia.

7. French Riviera, France

This beach is on the island of Pourquerolles.

8. Blue Lagoon, Malta

The Blue Lagoon is a body of water located between the Maltese islands of Comino and Cominoto.

9. Calo des Moro Beach, Spain

Even though this beach is very small, it is often extremely crowded.

10. Black Sand Beach, Iceland

Although the waters are too cold to swim in, people still walk up and down the beach for a wonderful view.

Five Reasons to Visit Slovakia

Slovakia may seem like a little, lesser-known country, and it is often thought of as the smaller and less visited version of Poland. Well, I'm here to tell you that even though Slovakia is not nearly as large or as well known as Germany, Spain or France, it is still a very beautiful and remarkable country. It may not be the top destination on your list for your next visit to Europe, but it should at least be on your list. So, without further ado, here are five reasons to visit Slovakia!

1. It has gorgeous mountains.
Slovakia's mountains may not be as tall as the Alps, but they are just as stunning and have many more walking trails. Some actually say that the walking trails are actually more interesting and scenic than the ones in the Alps. The Carpathian Mountains run straight through Slovakia, so you won't have to travel far to reach the mountains.
2. There are few tourists.
During the vacation season, most tourists flock to Bratislava. Beyond the city, though, there are very few tourists save a few Europeans. If you're lucky, you could get a mountain trail all to yourself! You will probably not have to worry about booked hotels, but just in case, it is always good to reserve in advance.
3. It has extremely unique churches.
A lot of Slovakia's churches in rural areas are open to the public.                        
Slovak churches are, for the most part, made entirely out of wood.
They also tend to have the orthodox domes on top, which are also

The Dukla Pass Church

made out of wood. The result is a very original and beautiful church. Be sure to check out the Church of St. Jacob, where the highest wooden altar in the world is located.
4. Andy Warhol is from Slovakia.
He wasn't actually born in Slovakia, but his parents were. The Andy Warhol Museum of Modern Art is in Slovakia, so if you are an art lover, don't miss it. The museum contains the second largest collection of Andy Warhol art in the world (the largest is in Pittsburgh).
5. It has amazing castles.
It may not have as many castles as Poland, but it still has some pretty spectacular castles. The Bojnice Castle is not to be missed. The Bratislava Castle has a very elegant interior, and is located right in the middle of Bratislava. Slovak castles are charming in their own way, without all of the ornate decorations of French palaces.

The Bojnice castle


http://wikitravel.org/en/Slovakia

              http://www.slovakia.org/tourism

I posted some links to travel guides for Slovakia. 

My pick - Europe's top seven castles

 Europe is home to a countless number of castles. The United Kingdom alone has more than 1,000. Europe is a place full of history, and a lot of that history is preserved in castles. They are a must-see during any trip to Europe. From Portugal to Russia, these timeless wonders still stand today. There are so many gorgeous castles that it was difficult to pick just seven, but I did my best. I tried to also pick some of the lesser-known castles as well as the famous ones. Here they are!

1. The Peles Castle, Romania

The Peles Castle was the first castle in the world to

be powered by locally produced electricity.

2. The Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
   

The Neuschwanstein Castle was the inspiration for the 

Sleeping Beauty castle in Disneyland.

3. Chateau de Chambord, France

    

Le Chateau de Chambord was built with 282 

fireplaces and 84 staircases.

4. The Ksiaz Castle, Poland
    

 The Ksiaz Castle is surrounded by 315,500 

 acres of forest.

5. Highclere Castle, England

    

Highclere Castle is the sight used for filming the

British TV show Downton Abbey.

6. Catherine Palace, Russia

    

The Catherine Palace was decorated with 100 kilograms

of gold to gild the the facade and statues on the roof. 

7. Dunrobin Castle, Scotland

    

   The library in Dunrobin Castle houses over 

   10,000 books.