EU - Tourism in C. Europe: From cultural heritage to spas

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

If you ask Indonesians about their favorite holiday destinations abroad, you will get many different answers. Some may mention Asian countries like Thailand, China, South Korea and Japan; others may prefer the United States, Australia or a European country like France or the United Kingdom.

What about Central Europe?

While this area is not popular among Indonesians, it doesn't mean Central European countries are not worth visiting. On the contrary, this part of the world has many countries with fascinating tourist spots, from rich cultural treasures to breath-taking natural panorama.

"I was in Hungary in the 1970s. It was a long time ago, but I still remember how beautiful it was," senior economist Frans Seda recalled. "I was particularly deeply impressed with their cultural heritage."

"With more promotion, I am sure that Central Europe will draw more visitors from Indonesia," he said.

It's a good time for the promotion as four Central European countries -- Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary -- are making history on May 1, when they officially join the European Union (EU).

Besides these four countries, there are six others -- Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, and Slovenia -- which will become new EU members on the same day, taking the total number of EU members from 15 to 25.

The 10 new members are relatively poorer than the EU average and one of the first priorities of the enlarged union is to raise their living standards. This means that there will be more opportunities for the new members to boost their economic growth and develop themselves in all areas, including tourism.

Tourism is expected to contribute significantly to the economies in these new EU countries, whose tourist industries have already grown since the collapse of the former Soviet Union.

Below is the brief information on four new EU members: Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary:

Poland

The country, with Warsaw as the capital, has a population of 38.2 million and the country covers an area of 313,000 square kilometers.

Poland is by far the largest of the new member countries. The Polish state reaches back more than 1,000 years and has been in the mainstream of Europe's cultural and political development since the Middle Ages. In the 16th century, it was one of the most powerful countries in Europe.

Poland has one of Europe's largest farming populations and is rich in mineral resources, including coal, several metals and rock salts. The Wieliczka salt mine, which dates from the 13th century, is among the world's oldest industrial enterprises still in continuous operation. Cracow, the country's third largest city is home to one of the oldest universities in Europe, founded in 1364.

The Czech Republic

Prague is the capital of the Czech Republic, which covers 79,000 square kilometers area and has a 10.2 million population.

The Czech lands were part of the Habsburg Empire for 300 years. They became independent as part of Czechoslovakia in 1919. The country was one of the 10 most industrialized states before World War II. It split peacefully into the Czech and Slovak Republics in 1993.

Prague is more than 1,000 years old with a wealth of historic architecture of different styles. It is one of the most visited cities in Europe, second only to Paris in the number of foreign tourists. The Czech Republic produces world-famous beer as well as mineral water from more than 900 natural springs, which is a world record.

Throughout the centuries Prague preserved its richness of historical monuments of different styles. Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Art Nouveau and cubism form a unique aesthetic unit.

Goethe called this country a continent within a continent because "it has everything a continent needs except a coastline". With hills, highlands and mountains covering more than 95 percent of it territory, it is ideal for skiing, mountain biking and hiking.

Slovakia

Slovakia has a population of 5.4 million and an area of 49,000 square kilometers. Its capital is Bratislava.

It became an independent state only after its split with the Czech Republic in 1993. At that time it had to build a central administration and separate monetary, banking and tax systems from scratch.

Bratislava, which lies on the Danube, has a rich heritage of medieval and baroque architecture. The fortifications on many hilltops bear witness to Slovakia's long history of invasions. The capital city is undergoing rapid modernization; the old districts offer a wide range of medieval and baroque architecture restored to its former glory. The Gothic style also contributes generously to the great variety of the architectural heritage there.

Deep under the ground, there are bizarre caves and thermal and mineral springs, giving rise to the building of spa towns.

Hungary

Hungary, which has a 10.1 million population covers 93,000 square kilometers with Budapest as the capital.

The two halves of the capital city, Buda and Pest, straddle the Danube, several hundred kilometers downstream from Bratislava. The city is rich in history and culture and famed for its curative springs.

The west of the country is hilly, the east flat and fertile. Lake Balaton, a popular tourist destination, is the largest lake in Central Europe -- it is a highly popular resort, much favored by sailing, rowing and windsurfing enthusiasts. It covers an area of some 600 square kilometers but is only three meters deep on average.

Hungary is a highly musical country and its violinists are particularly celebrated.