Eastern Europe, ancient and more than romantic.

In fact, geographically speaking, this is Central Europe, but it lies "east of the Berlin Wall." The countries in this region have developed at a slower pace compared to those west of the wall, perhaps which is why they still retain many ancient features and a unique, peaceful beauty.

Photo: Hoang Le Giang

During this trip, I saw different shades of old, romantic, and peaceful scenes. Endless, winding fields, charming little street corners, cobblestone streets, ancient churches, and languid rivers. Eastern Europe, in my eyes, had a melancholic, gentle, and expansive quality. With a touch of aimless wandering, I lingered, observing life and daydreaming about things I hadn't even experienced yet—an Eastern Europe I had known through songs, pictures, and old films.

In my eyes, Eastern Europe has a melancholic, gentle, and expansive quality.

Photo: Hoang Le Giang

A depiction of rural life in the world of "The Lord of the Rings".

I visited a small village in southern Moravia, Czech Republic. Before me was an unfamiliar landscape: rolling fields nestled among rolling green hills against a vast expanse of sky. Even if I strained my eyes to see, the fields stretched endlessly, boundless to the horizon. Occasionally, a few small, isolated houses or a herd of deer would appear, peacefully grazing in the winter fields. The melancholic scenery, tinged with a touch of ethereal mist, captivated me. And so I walked on, gazing at the vast expanse that stretched like rolling waves. Sometimes, selfishly, I resented the wind that disturbed the stillness of nature and all things.

Photo: Hoang Le Giang

Costs for a trip to Eastern Europe

- Drinks: A glass of draft beer costs around 60,000 VND, sometimes even cheaper than bottled water. Most tap water is drinkable.

- Food: A buffet meal costs between 200,000 VND and 400,000 VND. The price is comparable to eating at restaurants in Saigon and Hanoi.

- Accommodation: An Airbnb costs around 20-40 euros per night per room. A 4-star hotel in Brno, Czech Republic, costs 75 euros per night for a 50m² room with a kitchen.

Moravia is like a land from The Lord of the Rings. It's also known as Little Tuscany because its fields resemble those of Tuscany, Italy. Although I visited outside of harvest season, contentment is key. The feeling of finding a chapel amidst the vast, peaceful fields made me forget my dreams of ripe rice paddies. A chapel resembles a small village shrine in Vietnam, but it's actually a small chapel, as most people in Eastern Europe are Catholic.

As we progressed, the landscape before us shifted from vast rice paddies to towering chestnut trees and massive oaks, sometimes even gnarled gorse swaying in the wind. Local farmers often used oak branches as fuel during the harsh winter. Beside the fields and on the hillsides, small villages were frequently spotted. These villages were easily recognizable by the bell towers of churches or the wisps of blue smoke rising from kitchen chimneys.

Photo: Hoang Le Giang

The village often served as a resting place for travelers like myself and a companion. Luckily, that day a new acquaintance took me to see the vintage train entering and leaving the station. The feeling of waiting for the train and trying to capture a picture of it was no different from the scene of the two sisters waiting for the night train in the work of writer Thach Lam. The train arrived quickly and departed quickly, bringing immediate vibrancy and instantly returning stillness.

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Photo: Hoang Le Giang

For me, this unplanned trip turned out to be a fortunate one, hearing the peaceful chime of church bells in the early morning mist, seeing the faint black smoke rising from the kitchen chimney into the sky, and listening to the peaceful breath of a new day. I enjoyed the feeling of completely separating myself from the noisy, bustling world I live in, from the plans for the future. I knew I was here, right in the quiet countryside, preserving the most serene memories. The church bells signaled the time for prayer, awakening the new day, and those bells also brought me peace and warmth in my soul.

Photo: Hoang Le Giang

For me, this unplanned trip turned out to be a very fortunate one, hearing the church bells ringing peacefully in the early morning mist, and seeing with my own eyes the faint black smoke rising from the kitchen into the sky.

A bridge between the past and the present.

For me, Eastern Europe is a tapestry of contrasting colors. One is serene, cool, and dreamy, while the other is ancient, sturdy, and romantic. This trip took me to three major Eastern European countries: the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. The trip lasted almost half a month, which was enough for me. Enough time to let my soul wander in the remote countryside and immerse myself in the ancient and romantic cities.

Photo: Hoang Le Giang

If you've followed my explorations of the Himalayas and the Arctic, you'll be surprised how gentle and unhurried this trip is! But this is exactly the kind of life I'm pursuing. I love Eastern Europe because it's so beautiful and poetic, and also because it preserves so much of the beauty of time, of historical evidence, of the past.

I love Eastern Europe because it is so beautiful and poetic, and also because it preserves many beautiful aspects of time, of historical evidence, of the past.

Photo: Hoang Le Giang

I visited Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic and the capital of the Moravia region. Being a large city, it's full of buildings and skyscrapers, but what's interesting is that it's separated from the old town. They've preserved a distinct area, from its architecture to its colors, keeping the most ancient aspects of Eastern Europe intact.

From the steps leading up St. Matthias Church in Budapest (Hungary) to the wall in Bratislava (Slovakia), from the streets of Brno to the alleyways of Prague (Czech Republic), from the blue Danube flowing through Budapest to the sturdy bridge spanning it… All of these evoke in me a desire to wander, to immerse myself in the cities of Eastern Europe forever. Like someone who has passed the peak of life, these old cities with their quiet corners after the New Year's Eve party possess a strange and tranquil allure. Every corner is imbued with a poetic quality, as if telling a story about a part of life that has passed. I had no specific destination in mind, no map, no landmarks, just wandering around the old town. When I got tired, I would sit and sip coffee, listen to music, and watch people pass by, sometimes just gazing at a lamp, a wall, a corridor like a madman. For me, these are the things that connect the past with the present.

Photo: Hoang Le Giang

In Western countries, it's customary to open small museums to document and preserve artifacts bearing the marks of time. While I visited a matchbox museum in Sweden, in Slovakia I visited a small museum dedicated to clocks. Although small and selective in its clientele, the museum remains operational, even though I suspect they probably don't earn enough to pay the museum staff. Here, records documenting the origins of the first clock are kept. You can find tiny pocket watches or even massive ones hanging in castles. A few decades ago, clocks were the most valuable possessions in a family.

Photo: Hoang Le Giang

My trip was leisurely, day after day, night after night. I wandered the streets, climbed the slopes to reach the Christian church, or admired the bridges illuminated at night. If you've been to Eastern Europe, the architecture is a truly surprising part. You'll be immersed in its ostentatious yet sophisticated style.

If you've been to Eastern Europe, the architecture is a major surprise. You'll be immersed in its ostentatious yet sophisticated style.

Photo: Hoang Le Giang

I was captivated by the ancient Charles Bridge spanning the Vltava River in Prague, Czech Republic. The bridge bears the marks of time and history, serving as a vital link between Eastern and Western Europe. If you have a leisurely trip, don't hesitate to stop on the bridge to take a picture or listen to the locals tell the story of this ancient bridge. These are stories and legends you won't find in books.

Photo: Hoang Le Giang

Continuing my Eastern European journey, I stopped in Hungary. Hungary developed more slowly than the Czech Republic and Slovakia, thus retaining its contemplative and ancient charm. I visited several magnificent landmarks in the capital, such as the Parliament building and the Chain Bridge spanning the picturesque Danube River, which divides Budapest into two parts: the left bank of Buda and the right bank of Pest. While Buda is built on a hilltop with many magnificent castles, Pest is built on a plain with many ancient buildings. Every structure in Budapest is meticulously and exquisitely designed. The Chain Bridge, a historical testament to the city's stunning architecture, features four lions lying sprawled with their mouths wide open, exuding an aura of power.

Photo: Hoang Le Giang

This trip allowed me to enjoy myself more, relax more, and nourish my soul more. Partly because Eastern Europe is so quiet and peaceful, my trip was also gentle and tranquil.

Additional information

+ Visa: Some European countries are relatively inexpensive and only require a single-entry Schengen visa: Greece, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Slovenia. To enter Croatia or Romania, you need a multiple-entry visa or you must enter and then fly back to Vietnam from there (without re-entering the Schengen area). As for the Baltic states: Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, their economies have improved in recent years, so they are no longer as cheap, but prices are still more reasonable than the Netherlands, Italy, and Austria, and certainly cheaper than Northern Europe.

+ Safety: Eastern Europe is quite safe for me, even when I spend a night in a remote countryside. Visit a few places you like, a few famous landmarks, a few magnificent structures, not to keep up with the Joneses, but because it's worthwhile.

+ Explore: If you travel at a leisurely pace, spend a few extra days in a small village in Moravia, listening to the church bells at dawn or watching the locals prepare to go to the fields. And don't forget to visit the charming little museums in the city, which will provide interesting knowledge to add to your travel experience. If possible, write down a few things that impressed you in a small notebook.

+ Experience: To make sure your Eastern European trip isn't wasted, you absolutely must take the train from Prague (Czech Republic) to Bratislava (Slovakia) and back to Budapest (Hungary); the time spent on the train will feel like slow-motion film. But if you love the modernity of industrial cities, head to the wind turbine fields in Slovakia and visit the Hyundai car factories located there.

+ Cuisine: The food here isn't difficult to eat. There are over 20 types of sausages and a dozen types of beer to choose from. If you like wine, try a sip of bull's blood wine in Hungary. And try the cheese from the vending machine, as most dishes in Slovakia are made from dairy.