Where Russians don't vacation. Countries where there are almost no Russian tourists. II. Aegean coast

Despite the times of crisis, Turkey still remains one of the most popular summer holiday destinations among Russians. For example, tours from Krasnodar to Turkey are selling very well.

However, not all of our compatriots are happy to see their fellow countrymen on vacation abroad. So is it possible to combine the seemingly incompatible: Turkey without Russians, when upon arrival, for example, in Antalya, you find Russian signs around you, and you can’t shake the feeling that you never left Russia?

Incredible, but true, and the name of this fact is Oludeniz. This is the name of one of the most picturesque places in Turkey, which Russian tourists have not yet managed to reach.

Small groups do not count at all, since the main contingent of vacationers in this paradise are citizens from England, Ireland and Germany.

What is good about Oludeniz besides the fact that you will rarely hear Russian spoken here? This resort village, which is located on the Mediterranean coast, is distinguished by its rare beauty.

Majestic mountains rise around the place on all sides, the sea water here is so clean that even if you sail tens of meters from the shore, you will still see the seabed. And if you walk a little along the coast, you will find yourself in the Blue Lagoon - a national reserve.

In the village itself there are many hotels of various levels: from budget to luxury. For example, if you want a holiday of a high European level, you can book rooms at the Belchekiz Club hotel. If you prefer a more informal atmosphere, then literally next door is the more inexpensive SunCity Hotel.

As for entertainment, in addition to the standard beach discos, shopping and trips to tourist spots in Turkey, only here you can enjoy a magnificent show of aerial acrobats.

Since it is in Oludeniz that every year at the beginning of October an international paragliding festival is held, bringing together thrill-seekers from all over the world.

By the way, you can also feel like a big bird, as tourist paragliding is widely developed here. After climbing Mount Babadag, you will soar at an altitude of up to 1000 - 1500 meters, which, you see, will be remembered for a long time, and from the delight during the flight you will forget all the words.

So Oludeniz really deserves your attention: a clean, beautiful and calm place. However, keep in mind that little Russian is spoken here yet, so you should learn a few phrases in English. Although international sign language can always come to the rescue!

Some of our compatriots complain that even in the far corners of the planet they cannot fully experience the unfamiliar atmosphere, since Russian tourists are everywhere. Many people would prefer not to hear their native speech abroad, otherwise it would seem that you never left, because there is a familiar and familiar “Russian aura” around you. So where can you go on vacation where there are few Russians? If you set a goal, you can find a lot of interesting places where there is practically no chance of meeting “your own”. We will talk about some of these countries in our article.

The most “unpopular” Russian destinations

Peru, a country famous for one of the wonders of the world, for some reason Machu Picchu does not particularly attract travelers from Russia. Perhaps the long flight and the considerable cost of such a trip play a role. But the state is rich in unique historical attractions, picturesque nature, unique culture and a colorful local population.

Taiwan is an amazing island, needlessly deprived of attention. Here, ancient traditions and cultures are closely intertwined with modern technologies. This is a place that has it all: unique temples, vibrant nightlife, all kinds of entertainment and exotic cuisine. The island is also famous for its gorgeous beaches, hot springs and excellent shopping.

Australia is a far, far away continent, which is probably why very few people decide to fly there. But in vain, the country amazes with the diversity of flora and fauna: rare animals, picturesque vegetation and magnificent beaches. It is impossible not to mention the beautiful knowledge of Australian opera, which amazes with its original architecture. In addition to it, the country has many other interesting places, zoos and national reserves. In addition, in Australia you have the opportunity to watch penguins and swim with dolphins.

New Zealand is a fabulous place, a piece of which most people have seen thanks to the famous film trilogy “The Hobbit”. The nature of this country amazes even the most experienced travelers: crystal clear lakes, picturesque rivers, emerald mountains and valleys, luxurious beaches and so on. Here, any tourist will find something to do: you can take walks along unexplored paths (accompanied by professional guides, of course), explore ancient caves, engage in extreme driving, rafting or surfing. The country is also rich in beautiful national parks.

Of course, these are not all corners of our planet where you can have a great rest and never meet Russian tourists. Also worth paying attention to are the UK, Ireland, Brazil, Albania, Romania, Japan and South Africa. Visiting such wonderful places will allow you to have an amazing vacation in every sense.

Today in Turkey there are practically no hotels that do not work with Russian tourists and tour operators. But in this review we will look at those hotels and those regions of Turkey where there are few of our fellow citizens, and where mainly guests from Europe vacation. Some Russian tourists are actively interested in such holidays.

WHY TO GO TO “EUROPEAN” HOTELS IN TURKEY

Note that requests for such hotels in Turkey from travel agents and tour operators, although not very often, do occur. The motives that push tourists to avoid communicating with their compatriots on vacation are very different.

The range of reasons to choose a “European” hotel in Turkey is quite wide: from the desire to completely change the environment, right down to the language and topics of communication (it’s unlikely that you will have to communicate with the Germans by the pool about the demolition of five-story buildings in Moscow), or to be in solitude (“linguistic isolation” ) - before intending to meet a foreigner with a foreigner, or, in the case of family tourists, to immerse the child in a foreign language environment (in a mini-club, for example). However, as a rule, requests for “European” hotels in Turkey come from couples without children or singles, but there are also family tourists looking for exactly this type of vacation.

Finally, since many “European” hotels in Turkey, especially those located far from the beach, operate on a “breakfast” or “breakfast-dinner” basis, tourists in such hotels have more free time for independent walks or immersion in local authentic cuisine. And this can also be a factor in choosing a “European” hotel in Turkey.

WHAT IS A “EUROPEAN HOTEL” IN TURKEY

Let us immediately note that today, against the backdrop of declining demand from European tourists, almost all hotels in Turkey have begun to work with Russians, and 95% of hotels that were previously oriented, for example, “only to Germans” Now you can easily find it from Russian tour operators. But still, there are still hotels oriented primarily at the European market in Turkey - there are simply not so many Russians there, and the main contingent is still from Europe.

Another important note. Don’t expect any miracles from “European” hotels in terms of service or the content of your vacation. In fact, hotels targeting the European market no different from those, where almost 100% of vacationers are from CIS countries.

Here are the same animation programs, but adjusted for a sense of humor and topics that are funny for a particular country. Of course all animation is in European languages. The staff can also communicate exclusively in English or German.

Like Russian tour operators, some European tourism concerns like TUI, ThomasCook and others organize their animation teams or activities for children in base hotels. In principle, these are the same mini and junior clubs for children - but with English- or German-speaking teachers and cartoons that are popular among children from Europe.

There are no particular differences in the infrastructure and level of service (the myth that “Turks don’t try hard for Russians” is just common gossip on the forums of offended tourists - in fact, there are just cheap and expensive, good and “not so good” hotels, nothing more) .

What will be different? Firstly, the power supply system may be different- some hotels that Europeans have chosen do not operate on an all-inclusive basis.

Secondly, as a rule, even in “European all-inclusive hotels” there will be slightly unusual choice of dishes in a restaurant, dictated traditional tastes of most guests.

For example, the menu may have a larger selection of pasta and pizza - where Italians vacation, sausages, potatoes and cabbage dishes - in hotels for tourists from Germany and Austria, and typical English dishes and familiar breakfasts will be more common in “English” hotels .

HOW TO FIND A “EUROPEAN” HOTEL IN TURKEY

Let's list basic "signs"(let's call it that) hotels in which there will be more Europeans than Russian speakers:

· Location. Resorts historically loved by Europeans - Side(Germany, UK), the city itself Kemer(Germany, Holland, Italy), Marmaris And Oludeniz(United Kingdom), Bodrum(all of Europe), Cesme And Kusadasi(Germany and Great Britain).

In many hotels at these resorts there will be significantly more foreign speech, and animation programs will also be conducted in English or German. But on the Antalya coast, Russian-speaking tourists will still predominate in many hotels, especially this year. On the Aegean coast there are more chances to find “foreign” hotels.

• Price category. Europeans often choose or inexpensive options 2-4* or, conversely, premium hotels at prestigious resorts. The budget “five”, beloved by domestic tourists, does not make them delighted: either save money, or spend it on a grand scale on a real “deluxe”.

Budget hotels, located not on the 1st line, or city hotels in Turkey are rarely preferred by our compatriots - after all, the availability of infrastructure for recreation for children and adults, the proximity of the beach determines their choice.

But for Europeans, it is often not the beach that is important, but rather the city - the proximity of cafes, shops, discos. Thus, in city ​​budget hotels Russians who want to take a break from their native speech have a very high chance of finding themselves in a foreign-language environment.

Against, hotelsVIP-level, as a rule, adhere to their policies the principle of balance of vacationers from different countries. Sometimes this can be a maximum of 20%-30% for each country (for example, no more than 20% of vacationers from the CIS countries, no more than 20% from Germany, etc.).

In this way, they maintain a comfortable atmosphere for all vacationers - there is no obvious predominance of any nationality among the guests and everyone feels comfortable.

• European hotel chain y. As a rule, in chain hotels RIU, MagicLife, Sensimar, Iberostar- more guests from Europe.

Let us also specially mention club chain of hotels Club Med is a friendly community of tourists from different countries who are attracted by a special "French" style of relaxation, developed by this company, which has its own hotels in Turkey, the most famous of which is Palmiye.

• Nutrition. If the hotel is open according to the "breakfast" system (BB) or "breakfast and dinner at the hotel", then, most likely, there will be more guests from Europe (but the option of focusing on our own, Turkish, tourists is not excluded).

If for us Türkiye is quite strictly associated with “all inclusive”, then thrifty Europeans believe that not everything should be paid in advance, and in general it is “unprofitable” to rest using the AI ​​system. That is why in Turkey they choose accommodation with limited food or no food at all.

• Season! If you are still determined to vacation in Turkey in a foreign-language environment, remember that with Europe we usually have Holidays and children's holidays do not coincide(except summer).

Therefore, on the Russian long weekend in May or the New Year holidays, you have a much better chance of meeting a lot of our compatriots in a Turkish hotel.

But during the Catholic (Western) Easter and children's spring European holidays (February, partly March, early April), the influx of holidaymakers from abroad to Turkish hotels will be greater.

TURKISH HOTELS “MOSTLY FOR EUROPEANS”: REVIEW

This season we can highlight some of the Turkish hotels, where the percentage of vacationers from Russia will be relatively small. So, let's go through the resorts and specific hotels...

I. ANTALY COAST

KEMER

In the very Kemer city tourists from European countries have chosen inexpensive 3-4* options with “breakfast” or “breakfast and dinner” meals, as well as budget apart-hotels. But there are also hotels with AI - for example, the Gran Viking Hotel 4* is located 1 km from the beach, but operates on an all-inclusive basis. This budget option for young people zhi - within walking distance of cafes, shops and discos of Kemer.

In the fall, when the tourist season begins to decline, the public changes - hotels become the main contingent elderly guests from Holland and Germany, they don’t go to the sea, but relax by the pool, and in the evening they go for a walk around the city.

Another “western” Kemeri hotel is Orange County Resort 5*. Unlike the previous one, it is located on the seashore and European youth loves him very much- discos and fun in the hotel do not stop until the morning.

BELDIBI

Even though the hotels networksCrystalResort They work very closely with the Russian market, this particular hotel focuses on Europeans in terms of animation and the main languages ​​for communication with the staff here are German and English.

Among the “European” hotels in Side, we would like to mention the family hotels Turquoise Resort & SPA 5* and Voyage Sorgun 5*. These hotels are sold and even advertised by Russian tour operators and OTAs.

Hotels networksBARUT Side is also traditionally chosen by Europeans. So, Barut Sorgun Sensatori 5* is a calm, measured holiday among family tourists... from UK.

He offers something that is still unusual for Russians, but very interesting. concept of relaxation in two-room suites with a kitchen, while offering different food options - from breakfast to all inclusive.

ALANYA

IN Alanya Europeans, in addition city ​​hotels located far from the sea, but close to shops, cafes and restaurants, chosen for family holidays on the run Regier hotels such as Lonicera Resort & SPA 4* (above) and Viking Nona Beach 4* (below).

It has a fairly attractive price-quality ratio, varied food and a good beach.

II. AEGEAN COAST

Marmaris, Sarigerme, Fethiye, Gocek And Oludeniz- one of the most favorite resorts of Europeans in Turkey. There is a mild climate, picturesque nature and clear sea. In cafes and restaurants almost only foreign speech is heard.

MARMARIS

One of the most popular for fans sports and active recreation are the hotels TUI Blue Sarigerme Park 4* (the hotel was renovated in 2016) and TIU Magic Life Sarigerme.

Interesting animation programs in English and German, entertainment throughout the day for adults and children, sports games and competitions - there is everything here to not get bored. The hotels are quite secluded and away from Marmaris itself.

In the city of Marmaris there are a lot economical hotels 3-4* which are traditionally chosen by European youth. The main thing they pay attention to when choosing is price and proximity to the “street of bars”. Our tourists still require more comfort.

And for those who care that the child not only sleeps in the room during the day, but spends time with his peers in an exciting and useful way, we advise you to read our correspondent’s review of the results of the May trip to Turkey - “”.

Well, if you, on the contrary, do not want to relax in a foreign country, but are thinking of having a great time on the Black Sea in the summer, but with “Turkish comfort,” then we strongly advise you to read our review “”.

Pattaya and Phuket are the most popular resorts that everyone has heard about. However, a holiday here cannot be called exotic - there are signs in Russian everywhere, Russian speech can be heard everywhere, the Thais are no longer so smiling, and the beaches are not so clean. If you have already been to Pattaya and Phuket, but still want to return to this wonderful country, you can visit resorts and islands where Russian tourists have rarely set foot.

• Koh Samui is one of the most romantic islands. Despite the fact that this is the third largest island in Thailand, you can get around it by car in 40 minutes. The busiest and most party beach, Chaweng, is located on the eastern side of the island. Chaweng is popular for its snow-white sand and azure sea. The most popular discos are also located here - Solo, Green Mango, Reggae Pub.
• A famous landmark of Samui is the “grandmother” and “grandfather” rocks on the southern beach of the island. They attract tourists due to the fact that they resemble male and female genital organs in shape. There is a legend associated with this place, which says that once upon a time an elderly couple sailed past the shore, their boat was caught in a storm and sank, and their bodies washed ashore, from which these rocks were later formed.

• Krabi is not an island, as many people think, but a province and a city of the same name. Krabi is located on the mainland 170 km east of Phuket. The island did not get its name because of the crabs that live here. Translated, “krabi” means “sword” - according to legend, an ancient sword was found in this area before the founding of the city. Krabi is famous for its unusually beautiful landscapes - along the coast there are about 140 karst islands and rocks protruding from the water. On one of these islands, Ko Tapu, the film “The Man with the Golden Gun” starring James Bond was filmed in 1974.
• The beaches in Krabi are not as beautiful as those on Koh Samui - with yellow coarse sand. The sea in Krabi is calm, there are no big waves here, since the resort is protected from the open ocean by the island of Phuket. The busiest beach is Aonang, along which there is a promenade with shops and restaurants. Krabi is more suitable for a relaxing holiday; at 23.00 life here calms down. Rock climbing on local rocks is very popular in Krabi.
• The province of Krabi also includes the Phi Phi Islands, which have become extremely popular among tourists due to the fact that the famous film “The Beach” with Leonardo DiCaprio was filmed here. Phi Phi consists of 2 main islands - Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Ley. Of these, only Phi Phi Don is inhabited. The beaches on Phi Phi are heavenly, with white sand and azure sea. Most often, tourists come here for a 1-day excursion.

• Khao Lak is a resort in Phang Nga province on the Andamand Sea, which is located 80 km from Phuket airport. This is a calm resort where you can relax on snow-white beaches, enjoy the beauty of nature, and relax in spa centers. The resort is also attractive to ecotourists and divers.
• Khao Lak has quite big waves. The sea here is open, the resort is not protected by any islands. During the tsunami in 2004, Khao Lak, as well as Phuket, was very badly damaged, so most of the hotels after 2004 were rebuilt. Hotels in Khao Lak are mostly 4-5*. There are three national parks on the territory of Khao Lak, so it is prohibited to place sun loungers on the beaches here. The most popular excursion from Khao Lak is to the Similan Islands.
• If you are planning to go to Thailand, it is better to choose a tour duration of at least 13 days, since the country is very interesting, where you can not only sunbathe and swim, but also see many interesting sights.
• Come to us, book tours to Thailand! We were there, we will tell you!

According to statistics from Rostourism, the Top 50 tourist destinations for last year are expectedly headed by Egypt, Thailand and Germany. For independent travelers, the end of the list is much more interesting - countries where the number of Russian tourists is only a few, but not those where there are none at all (for example, due to military conflicts, epidemics or disasters). In the world, only six countries received less than a dozen tourists from Russia in the first half of 2015. Having assumed how they might attract travelers, we have compiled an alternative travel plan for 2016. The material was prepared with the support of the Tourister.com project.

Thank you to the Federal Tourism Agency for the information provided.

Mali - 8 tourists

A country without a single tree, with the exception of a dozen square kilometers of national park. In the east of Mali the scorching sun of the Sahara always remains at its zenith. More than one Atlantis of the past is hidden under its sands; cities and entire kingdoms have arisen and disappeared here without a trace for the last ten hundred years. The tip of the desert iceberg is the semi-fairytale city of Timbuktu, a port among the sands, where caravan drivers from all over Africa untied bales of curiosities. European travelers of the first third of the 19th century, one after another, sought out the trading center of Africa, driven by excitement and the promise of a big jackpot. And having found it, they literally lost their heads in attempts to get behind the guarded walls of Timbuktu, erected for the sole purpose of blocking the path of non-Muslims.

Today, the old city of Timbuktu with its adobe mosques, libraries and shopping areas is under UNESCO protection and is the most unusual architectural ensemble in West Africa. Every wrinkle in the clay hides horizons of unsolved mysteries, from logical paradoxes to astronomical incidents. Even more ancient evidence of human presence in Mali is the mountain villages of the Dogon country. These tribes were the first to inhabit the territory of the republic and continue to live according to the laws of the Neolithic, while they are photographed on iPhones. Over the Dogon dwellings, clinging to rocks taller than a man, there is a five-day trail almost to the neighboring state of Burkina Faso. This is one of the most welcoming hiking routes in the world - the trail changes direction over and over again so that the sun always shines on the traveler's back.

Despite the proximity of the desert, summer in Mali is the rainy season, so depending on the time of year you can find yourself in one of two completely different countries. The republic tops the list of the poorest areas in Africa, but for all basic tourist amenities they charge triple the price. So adventurers heading to Mali should not be surprised if they are sacrificed to post-colonialism and a world without borders.

Iceland - 6 tourists

A nature reserve country on the border of the Arctic, off the coast of which icebergs gather in summer, and in winter the northern lights shine instead of the sun. 99% of the population are Icelanders, who, according to the Viking tradition, address each other by name - only foreigners have surnames. The second official language of the country is Icelandic sign language, in which all important inscriptions and announcements are duplicated. The fact that Icelanders literally live on a volcano does not prevent them from being the happiest people in Europe. If they leave the island, it is only for a while.

Icelanders are born fishermen; here they seriously call herring gold, and on weekends they go to the fish market as carefully as going to mass. In addition to hakarl - rotten shark meat, included in all lists of strange national dishes - in Iceland you can try sea sparrow smoked in a mixture of mountain herbs and sheep manure, pickled seal fins and cod cheeks. If these wonders are not enough, in January the entire country hosts the Torrablout gastronomic festival, where chefs and amateurs cook according to ancient Viking recipes.

Island landscapes explain the phenomenon of Icelandic music - clouds emerge from the ground, the ocean rears up in geyser fountains, waves the color of Prussian blue crash on black beaches. Fishing towns share rocks with colonies of birds, and the call signs of whales replace train whistles for Icelanders on an island without railways. Icelanders understand nature, live with it and sometimes even create it themselves. Waste water from Reykjavík's largest plant fills the city's Blue Lagoon pool, which is so clean that prescriptions are prescribed for swimming in it.

Republic of Macedonia - 5 tourists

The second poorest country in Europe after neighboring Albania. The main local export item is the counterfeit heritage of Alexander the Great. For the right to be called by their own name, the Macedonians endure a food blockade and political heckling from Greece, which refuses to recognize the Hellenic roots of a Slavic state with a third of the Muslim population. Macedonia, in response, finds more and more evidence of the non-Greek origin of Alexander the Great in the apocrypha, underground treasures and folk signs.

Three years ago, a Greek polis was built in the center of the capital Skopje, the style of which was nicknamed “historical kitsch” by residents. Ironically, reinforced concrete pantheons, statues with sculptures of labor shock workers and reliefs with a plasterboard base only expose the deception of Macedonia and extol objective history. The town-planning epic is crowned by a monument to Alexander the Great, which, however, cannot be called that, since Macedonians are prohibited from using Greek historical symbols in the public information field. At the same time, in the balance of Macedonia’s own, not manipulated history, there are the first Cyrillic alphabet and the Jerusalem of Orthodoxy, Ottoman rule with ubiquitous baths and nuclear fusion of cultures, the Soviet regime and countless battles for national freedom. True, because of its unfavorable neighbors, package tourists have not yet decided to travel to Macedonia - the resorts are traditionally half empty.

Kuwait - 3 tourists

A Middle Eastern monarchy cornered in the Persian Gulf by Iraq and Saudi Arabia. In practice, this means that Kuwait is surrounded by a black sea of ​​oil. You can only be a citizen of Kuwait by birth, but every page in a Kuwaiti passport is a lucky lottery ticket. The emir's subjects receive benefits even for living in the same generation with him, and have the right not to think about money while the fire burns over the drilling rigs.
Moreover, more than half of the country's population are immigrants. They occupy
all support positions in the country and work up to 14 hours a day so that the gilding does not fly off the Kuwaiti dream. The Arabian fairy tale actually turns into an oriental parable. Treasures obtained in Kuwait at someone else's expense have almost nothing to spend on. A few cities, meager in entertainment, are surrounded by a silent desert, and the descendants of the nomads exchanged their passion for travel for the burden of wealth. Therefore, they can only watch satellite channels and dream of the unaffordable luxury of foreign millionaires.

The storm front of American fighters that caused Desert Storm swept away every single oil rig in the kingdom, but over the past 25 years, Kuwait has literally been rebuilt. The tastes of Arab architects are approximately similar to the Russian nouveau riche’s concepts of aesthetics, which is why mall cities are all
as one resembles the business districts of the Moscow City or the mirage of the St. Petersburg Okhta Center. Motorcades of expensive cars pass along streets thickly paved with asphalt; descendants of sheikhs from the Arabian Nights stroll between boutique windows, hotel entrances and VIP rooms of restaurants. The recent military conflict is reminiscent not only of the photograph of fighter jets over a scorched field of oil fields, which made the US Air Force Flickr account famous, but also of periodic military operations and retaliatory terrorist attacks. It is understandable that tourists prefer to spend their holidays in calmer neighboring countries, especially since obtaining a tourist visa to Kuwait is not so easy.

Luxembourg - 2 tourists

A dwarf state in the shape of a wooden galosh has been kicking Belgium into the North Sea for a hundred and fifty years. Luxembourg is a geopolitical monument to French arrogance and German tact. The dispute between the two empires over a dozen castles in a tiny principality, squeezed between rocks, rapids and oak thickets, was magically resolved in favor of the local residents when the Prussians granted them independence in defiance of the whims of the Napoleons. Luxembourg received a clear profile of state borders and freedom of foreign policy, giving in return only a few tons of stone. It was necessary to raze the fortress walls of the main castle of the principality, which had been worn down by the steel of dozens of armies, but had never been taken by storm. Quite soon, albeit without powerful walls, Luxembourg again became a stronghold. This time - more money and even more politics. One of the villages in Luxembourg gave its name to the entire Schengen zone of open borders, the Adolf Bridge connected the countries of Europe into a single union, and UN secretaries in the capital can be found more often than street musicians.

According to the law of mass attraction, tourists often neglect Luxembourg in favor of their rich, famous neighbors. That's why not everyone still knows
that it is in this microcountry that two Europes meet - the star of the Latin quarters and the hostess of the beer tavern. In Luxembourg, Spanish and German cultures are so densely dissolved that they appear like shining crystals in city squares, under the arches of train stations, at cafe tables and between the rows of benches in churches. The Alzette River divides the capital into an Upper and a Lower City - quite in the spirit of magical realism or intellectual mysticism. The colors of paintings and ceramic tiles are visible in the array of brick facades, stems and buds break through the slabs of the parade grounds, and the southern sun is clearly felt in the taste of the wine. Stay in Luxembourg for more than a day on duty to explore the casemates and Place d'Armes, and the city will emerge as the most underrated European capital.

Faroe Islands - 1 tourist

A theme park for those stung by the north - 18 islands in the navel of the Norwegian Sea, 350 days a year covered in fog, thick and fragrant, like steam over a mug of hot ale. This is how the Vikings drank it, and the Faroe Islands were their northern Tortuga - a refuge on the routes of sea voyages. Local residents respect their origins and, despite the unspoken title of outcasts of Europe, remain faithful to the honest pagan way of life. They speak a dialect of Old Norse - the language of the ancient sagas, spend their leisure time doing the arts, slaughter sheep and whales for food, and fundamentally do not participate in pan-European political games. Two crown currencies are still in circulation in the country - Danish (formally the Faroe Islands are part of Denmark) and Faroese - equal in value, but incomparable in beauty.

There are almost no trees growing on the archipelago - sea winds blow right through the Faroe Islands. One of the islands was nicknamed Flute because of the network of underground caves and galleries in which water meets wind secretly for many hundreds of years. But even without trees, there seems to be too much nature here - Faroese people walk on grass and water more often than on asphalt, and in order to distinguish the trickle of the highway on the green pasture areas, you have to look with all your eyes. Waterfalls run from city to city and fall into the sea, mixing crystals of glacial water with shreds of sea foam, rocks grow above the fog and low clouds in the Faroe Islands, birds argue with dolphins and seals near the shore, and the boardwalk walls of houses are painted in the colors of pine sawn timber, lingonberries and moss. On the outskirts of the archipelago there are islands where only a few people live - a family, an elderly couple, a hermit. Tourists are greeted with dignity, without honeyed smiles, especially since people of a special character usually decide on a difficult journey for the romance of the Faroe Islands.

There is no set of routine attractions, as in a computer strategy, but there is beauty to the horizon and unbeaten roads open in any direction. Don’t be surprised if, while daydreaming over the flight paths of hatchet birds, you don’t notice a solar eclipse or Aurora borealis - this happens all the time in a country where haste is not honored, and conversations begin at low tide and end with the arrival of the first frost.

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