Each year, several EU cities are named Capitals of Culture (COE) in recognition of their rich heritage and cultural value.
For this edition, Veszprém (Hungary), Eleusis (Greece) and Timisoara (Romania) were chosen. Here are some reasons to visit them.
So far, four Spanish cities have become European Capitals of Culture: Madrid (1992), Santiago de Compostela (2000), Salamanca (2002) and San Sebastian (2016). According to the calendar, Spain will not have another European Capital of Culture until 2031.
The European Capitals of Culture project started in 1985 and more than sixty European cities have already been protagonists. Now it’s time to find out which cities have been chosen for 2023!
Promoting Europe’s cultural heritage and diversity |
Veszprém: the city where Hungarian queens are crowned
Veszprém is a city near Lake Balaton, located 115 kilometers from Budapest, the capital of Hungary. There you can find one of the most important zoological parks of Hungary, enjoy its impressive medieval castle, visit the Cathedral of St. Michael, where the different queens of Hungary have been crowned, or its magnificent Fire Tower.
Veszprém has about 60,000 inhabitants who enjoy every step of the history of the medieval city. If you visit, you should remember two names: Stephen I and Gisela, the first kings of Hungary. There are numerous nods to these personalities and they have become the great figures of Veszprém.
The trip from Budapest is very comfortable and can be made by public transport. If you prefer, you can opt for an organized tour departing from Budapest for just over fifty euros.
Eleusis: history meets modernity
The city is nestled in the Gulf of Elefsina and is approximately 20 kilometers from Athens. Here, the history of ancient Greece blends with modernity, leaving all visitors fascinated.
Today, it is one of the main industrial centers of the Hellenic country, but in ancient times, it was a place of pilgrimage, due to the initiation rituals to the cult of the goddesses Demeter and Persephone, known as Eleusinian mysteries.
Without a doubt, a visit to the museum of Eleusis and its archaeological site is a must if we want to understand one of the most influential civilizations in Europe.
Timisoara: urban redevelopment as an example
The city of Timisoara is located in western Romania, more than 500 kilometers from Bucharest and close to the Serbian border. The city has belonged to the Ottoman Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and, more recently, was part of a communist regime. Nowadays, it is a modern university city with a large number of green spaces.
Its squares stand out among all the places to visit in Timisoara: the Victory Square and the Union Square mix tradition and modernity. Timisoara is one of the most populated cities in Romania, and is known as the little Vienna for the architectural importance of its buildings, including some beautiful examples of Art Nouveau.
The famous writer Herta Muller, who has two Nobel prizes to her credit, was born in the city of Timisoara, a city that, for decades, has been experiencing its greatest heyday.
And visit them thanks to Interrail?
Now you want to visit all these places, right? As we have told you in other occasions, traveling in a sustainable way is possible. There are several options with which you can visit any place you want in a more ecofriendly way. One of them is Interrail, with which you can visit Veszprém, Eleusis and Timisoara.
Just choose the route you like the most to enjoy medieval history, classical culture or Art Nouveau, and watch out for Interrail promotions, where you can find trips at very cheap prices or even for free.
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