The beguinages of Flanders and the Netherlands are always oases of calm and stillness, where you might still expect to see an old beguine mumbling her prayers in a doorway. Two of Ghent’s three beguinages have been included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Although the Old St Elizabeth Beguinage, in Begijnhofdries in Ghent, is no longer enclosed by a wall, making it simply part of the city, it still has a unique atmosphere. Today the Old St Elizabeth Beguinage is known as ‘holy corner’, a place of religious tolerance, because it has no less than three different churches: one is Roman Catholic, one is Orthodox and the other is Protestant. From bleachfield to orchard This open beguinage grew into something of a ‘beguine city’ in the 13th century, with a church, the ‘Grootjuffer’s House’, an infirmary, a chapel, more than a hundred houses for beguines, a bleachfield (a field where linen was laid out to bleach) and an orchard. After the French Revolution, with increasing industrialisation, the inhabitants moved to their new beguinage in Sint-Amandsberg in 1873.

This is the most popular tourist attraction in Sofia. The beautiful orthodox cathedral was built in 1912 and took 30 years to complete. The cathedral was created in honor of the Russians soldiers that died in the Russo-Turkish war and holds up to 10,000 people.

Offering a mix of beautiful white sandy beaches, superb diving and snorkelling waters, waterfalls and heritage sites, sports and top notch holiday resorts, Samal Island is a tourist hotspot. Motorcycles (called habal-habal) are a is Visitors can stay or visit for the day.

Perched atop a forested hill, Monkey Hill Viewpoint, as the name implies, is home to roaming monkeys and also features an observation platform offering panoramic views. Visitors should exercise caution around the wild monkeys—officials advise against feeding them, as it can provoke aggressive behaviour.