Favorite places of rest of the Germans. Where is the best place to stay in Germany? Where are these "mysterious" European hotels located?

Everyone knows that the Germans are avid travelers. Wherever you find them...

The fact that the Germans occupy a leading position among the traveling nations can partly be explained by the weather conditions of this country, but what they are guided by when choosing a vacation spot is not always clear. For example, a family can spend several years on vacation in Turkey, while staying in the same hotel all these years. Someone prefers a round-the-world trip, someone at this time wants to learn something new, learn something. But hardly anyone will be happy to spend their vacation lying on the couch in front of the TV.

Of course, Germans love to travel abroad. But no less popular are traveling around your own country: you can lie on the beach or climb the mountains without leaving Germany. Do you like holidays in the mountains? - the south of the country is waiting for you! On the sea - welcome to the north of Germany! This country impresses with the diversity of its natural landscapes, which you can admire endlessly.

The priorities of the Germans today are arranged as follows:

15% of Germans prefer holidays on the Baltic coast:

7% spend holidays in the Bavarian Alps and their foothills:

For those who love city holidays, good conditions are also created in Germany:

So, the Germans like to spend their free time attending various events. Numerous carnivals and festivals are especially popular. Each German city necessarily holds its own holiday: it can be a Christmas fair, which is held in Bremen, a wine festival that Dusseldorfers are used to meeting, the traditional Oktoberfest in Munich, the Cologne costume carnival, etc. The Germans always take an active part in such large-scale holidays and By the way, they leave decent sums of money there.

Yes, the Germans love to travel. Moreover, many people prefer to break their vacation into several parts. So, for example, you can spend a week of vacation in your native country, take another week for Christmas, leave two weeks for a summer holiday at sea.

And if you add one more day to the weekend at your own expense, then you can arrange a wonderful weekend, for example, in Amsterdam or Rome.

And yet, most Germans prefer to spend their holidays abroad.

What countries are preferred by the Germans?

1. Greece is one of the leading places in the list of favorite holiday destinations for Germans. The most popular islands are Crete, Kos and Rhodes. For the Germans, the cost of rest, without a doubt, plays a big role. They never mind saving. However, they will always choose decent conditions for living at the resort.

No less popular among tourists from Germany are destinations such as France and Italy. Of course, accommodation in hotels in these two countries is not cheap, but the Germans manage to save money on the road. Due to the fact that these countries are located in close proximity to Germany, you can go there by your own car. And it is much cheaper than flying by plane.

It is quite simple to explain such a desire of the Germans to spend holidays in Turkey. This is due, first of all, to the fact that most of the inhabitants of Germany are representatives of the Turkish diaspora. Moreover, some German cities and even districts are completely populated by immigrants from Turkey. Children of Turkish immigrants who were born in Germany automatically receive citizenship not only in Germany, but also in Turkey. Many of them live in two countries: during the cold season they live in Germany, and as soon as it gets warm, they move to their historical homeland. This does not mean at all that only residents of Germany with Turkish roots go to rest in Turkey. A big plus for the Germans is that in Turkey, most of the locals speak German fluently, which means that there is no language barrier problem. Of course, the climate also plays a big role. It is warm here for a long time, so you can relax here almost at any time of the year. Due to the fact that this country is popular among foreign tourists, the prices for holidays here are quite reasonable, which, no doubt, is also appreciated by practical and economical Germans. The most popular holiday destination for Germans is the Aegean coast.

5. Spain and Mallorca

Another favorite holiday destination for the Germans, no doubt, can be called Spain. German travel agencies agree with this. So every year more than 20 million German tourists spend their holidays in this country. Of course, the favorite among the Spanish resorts is Mallorca. It was even nicknamed the 17th federal state of Germany. The Germans are very comfortable to rest here. Almost all service personnel speak German here, both in hotels and in shops. By the way, many wealthy Germans are happy to buy real estate here - apartments and private houses. German students often come here for the summer to earn extra money. It is understandable, because the flight takes only a couple of hours. The Canary Islands are a little less popular for the Germans. Here, rest is an order of magnitude more expensive, and the flight is twice as long. But the main advantage of this resort is the good weather, which lasts here almost all year round. But this is not all popular places in Spain. Today, the continental part of this country, for example, Catalonia, Andalusia, etc., is gaining more and more popularity.

In recent years, such a tourist destination as Croatia has become more and more popular. According to statistics, last year about 3% of all German tourists expressed a desire to spend a vacation in this country. Another interesting observation: the New Year celebration in neighboring Poland is becoming very popular, especially among residents of large cities, where a large number of "black cockroaches" have started up)

Only 7% of Germans spend their holidays in more distant countries: Brazil, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the Maldives, Thailand ... Basically, these countries are popular in those periods when the sea of Turkey, Spain and Italy has not yet had time to warm up to the desired degree.

Every year the number of Germans who choose to travel - a cruise on a ship is increasing. On average, Germans spend 8-9 nights on board, and the most popular destinations are a cruise around Iceland or to the Lafoten Islands.

According to statistics, during the holidays, the Germans try to sleep off and arrange a belly feast. Avid cyclists and hikers, finding themselves in a seaside resort - German citizens are in a hurry to just relax. Although, when choosing a hotel, be sure to specify what active entertainment is on the list and whether there is an opportunity to play sports - so, just in case, after all, 60% of Germans prefer to just lie on sunbeds. They also go for walks in unfamiliar places - but they go to restaurants with great pleasure and just sunbathe, sitting on the sand.

Have you met German tourists on vacation and what impression did they make on you?

Summer is the time for vacations and vacations. Schools are closed, in many enterprises and firms in July-August the atmosphere is much more relaxed than usual. Where do Germans prefer to spend their holidays: far from home or at home?

On the coast of the Baltic Sea

Sea, sun, white sandy beaches, palm trees - this is how many Germans imagine their holidays. Especially if the summer in Germany, like this year, is cool and rainy. But this is not always the case. A year ago, for example, the temperature in July rose to the 40-degree mark, which again annoyed many. But, despite the vagaries of unpredictable weather, Germany is still the leader in the list of favorite vacation spots for Germans. About a third of the country's inhabitants spend their holidays at home.

At home or on Mediterranean beaches?

Hiking in Upper Bavaria, relaxing on the coast of the Baltic Sea or excursions to museums and attractions in Berlin - it is the wide range of offers that makes hundreds of thousands of Germans spend their summer holidays at home. This opinion is shared by Karl Born, professor of tourism management at the Harz Higher School (Hochschule Harz) in the city of Wernigerode, in the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt. But this is not the only reason. For many, geographical proximity to home plays a big role in choosing a vacation spot.

Hiking in the picturesque places of Upper Bavaria is very popular

"The ability to quickly cover distances, change location and speak one's own language are all advantages of Germany," says Professor Born. There are only doubts about the weather. Those who want the sun throughout their holidays choose Spain, Italy or Turkey. These three countries, according to the Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry, are respectively the second, third and fourth place (after Germany itself) among the favorite vacation spots of German citizens.

Politically correct choice?

Many southern European countries are now benefiting from the unstable political situation in North Africa. According to one of Germany's largest travel holdings REWE Touristik, the number of Germans wishing to visit Tunisia or Egypt has dropped sharply.

The riots and mass protests that swept through these countries in February, when Germans are just starting to plan summer holidays, put them on their guard. "Many of our customers have changed their travel itineraries. Demand for holidays in Egypt has now increased, but still has not reached the level of last year," says REWE Touristik's Christian Wessels.

In 2010, Egypt was one of the ten most popular holiday destinations among Germans. This circumstance often led to discussions. Moreover, it was not only about Egypt. The main question was how politically correct it is to enjoy the sun and the sea in countries with authoritarian regimes, thereby providing them with financial support.

Tourism expert Carl Born has an unequivocal position on this matter. In his opinion, one cannot demand from vacationers "greater political correctness than from the federal government." Representatives of government and business circles often fly to countries such as Egypt or Tunisia to conclude deals favorable to Germany.

"Travel as a Fundamental Right"

What, in fact, are the Germans looking for when they go on vacation? According to Carl Born, wanderlust has two main motives: some just want to relax and unwind. Others, on the contrary, seek adventure, it is important for them to meet new people, get acquainted with another culture. In general, the inhabitants of Germany are still avid travelers. And this is no coincidence, the passion for foreign tourism here has its own long tradition.

"Once I ironically remarked that the Germans regard the opportunity to travel as one of their basic constitutional rights," Carl Born smiles. This, he said, was especially noticeable during the unification of Germany. Calls for freedom for East Germans were linked to freedom of movement and travel. And if you look even deeper into history, then it is enough to recall the same nobles who often traveled abroad in past centuries. "The most obvious example is Goethe, who could not imagine his life sitting in one place," emphasizes Professor Born.

Context

Poll: Germans do not want to go on vacation on credit

According to the results of the survey, Germans do not want to get into debt in order to go on vacation. This mainly concerns Germans under the age of 24. (05.07.2010)

Those who have lived in Germany for at least some time know that the Germans are used to working very hard. And for this they are famous all over the world. Diligence, responsibility and punctuality are the main qualities of a typical resident of Germany. At first glance, it might seem that Germans have little to no time to rest on their way to achieving their goals and increasing productivity. Do they not rest at all?

Believe me, the Germans know how to relax! And they do it in a way that others never dreamed of! But let's talk about this in more detail.

How the Germans used to relax

According to statistics, the inhabitants of Germany occupy a leading position in the list of countries that spend large sums on holidays. This can be explained by the terrible weather conditions of this country, the constant dullness and the absence of the sun outside the window. But what the Germans are guided by when choosing a place for vacation is not always clear. For example, a family can spend several years on vacation in Turkey, while staying in the same hotel all these years. Someone prefers a round-the-world trip, someone at this time wants to learn something new, learn something. But hardly anyone will be happy to spend their vacation lying on the couch in front of the TV.

Holidays in your home country

Of course, Germans love to travel abroad. But no less wonderful they can spend time in their own country. So, you can lie on a seaside beach or climb mountains without leaving Germany. Do you like holidays in the mountains? - The south of the country is waiting for you! At sea, welcome to the northern half of Germany! This country impresses with the diversity of its natural landscapes, which you can admire endlessly.

The priorities for today are as follows: 8% of holidaymakers in Germany prefer to rest on the Baltic coast; 7% spend holidays in the Bavarian Alps and their foothills; another 6% rest in fashionable resorts on the North Sea.

For those who love city holidays, good conditions are also created in Germany. So, the Germans like to spend their free time attending various events. Numerous carnivals and festivals are especially popular. Each German city necessarily holds its own holiday: it can be a Christmas fair, which is held in Bremen, a wine festival that Dusseldorfers are used to meeting, the traditional Oktoberfest in Munich, the Cologne costume carnival, etc. The Germans always take an active part in such large-scale holidays and By the way, they leave decent sums of money there. Another 3% of vacationers prefer the Harz, Berlin or the Black Forest in Baden-Württemberg.

Yes, the Germans love to travel. Moreover, many people prefer to break their vacation into several parts. So, for example, you can spend a week of vacation in your home country for Easter, take another week for Christmas, leave two weeks for a summer holiday at sea.

And if you add one more day to the weekend at your own expense, then you can arrange a wonderful weekend, for example, in Amsterdam or Rome.

Research in this area was carried out by employees of the Institute of Demoscopy in Allenbach. The purpose of their study was to find out what Germans most often spend their money on. The results showed that spending on vacations ranks third among other items of expenditure. The first two are housing and food costs. And those who have a higher education and occupy a good position, often put travel in the first position.

What countries and resorts are chosen by that half of the inhabitants of Germany, who nevertheless chooses holidays abroad? To answer this question, it is worth paying attention to the statistics offered by German travel companies, which Germans use when planning their holidays. It is these agencies that have the most reliable information in this area. We offer you a list of countries preferred by the Germans.

Greece

This country occupies one of the leading places in the list of favorite countries of the Germans. The most popular islands are Crete, Kos and Rhodes. Perhaps this can be explained by the fact that, being in a deplorable economic state, the Greek authorities were forced to drastically reduce prices for both the tours themselves and for accommodation in local hotels. The increased number of tourists allowed this country to somehow stay afloat.

For the Germans, the cost of rest, without a doubt, plays a big role. They never mind saving. However, they will always choose decent conditions for living at the resort. Therefore, those who have a rest in Greece not for the first time always choose a hotel 1 star higher than, for example, in Spain.

Italy and France

Türkiye

it becomes warm, they move to their historical homeland. And if some time ago this move was carried out on vans stuffed under the roof, today German Turks fly to Turkey by plane, taking with them a minimum of luggage.

But this does not mean at all that only residents of Germany with Turkish roots go to rest in Turkey. A big plus for the Germans is that in Turkey, most of the locals speak German fluently, which means that there is no language barrier problem. Of course, the climate also plays a big role. It is warm here for a long time, so you can relax here almost at any time of the year. Due to the fact that this country is popular among foreign tourists, the prices for holidays here are quite reasonable, which, no doubt, is also appreciated by practical and economical Germans.

Antalya is the most popular Turkish city for Germans. And if, for example, in Spain, the neighbors on the beach for the inhabitants of Germany are the British, then in Turkey the main "irritants" are our compatriots.

Spain and Mallorca

However, the most favorite holiday destination for burghers, without a doubt, can be called Spain. German travel agencies agree with this. So every year more than 20 million German tourists spend their holidays in this country. Of course, the favorite among the Spanish resorts is Mallorca. It was even nicknamed the 17th federal state of Germany.

The Germans are very comfortable to rest here. Almost all service personnel speak German here, both in hotels and in shops.

By the way, many wealthy residents of Germany are happy to buy real estate here - apartments and private houses. German students often come here for the summer to earn extra money. It is understandable, because the flight takes only a couple of hours.

I must say that Mallorca as a holiday destination is popular not only among the inhabitants of Germany, but also among the British. And the representatives of these two states do not really get along with each other here. There are several reasons for this: this is inappropriate, according to the burghers, the manner of the British dressing (the Germans always make fun of their pretentiousness and bad taste), and a cardinal difference in tastes and preferences in food, and maybe even a long-standing rivalry between national football teams. Whether these are real reasons, no one can say, but one way or another, Mallorca was silently divided. Hotels and even entire recreational areas began to "specialize" in tourists from a particular country. Even representatives of travel agencies are aware of this feature of the resort and make recommendations based on them.

Holidays in Mallorca satisfy the Germans in terms of price and quality. To these clear advantages are added good climatic conditions. Thanks to these and other advantages of this resort, Germans can afford to fly here several times a year.

German youth prefers another Spanish island - Ibiza. As for the representatives of the elite society, they choose the island of Menorca for their holidays.

The Canary Islands are no less popular for tourists from Germany. Here, rest will cost you an order of magnitude more expensive, and the flight is twice as long. But the main advantage of this resort is the good weather, which lasts here almost all year round.

But this is not all popular places in Spain. Today, the continental part of this country, for example, Catalonia, Andalusia, etc., is gaining more and more popularity. First of all, this is due to the cheapness of the flight. But to meet a compatriot in this part of Spain, as in Turkey, is quite difficult.

Other countries

A tourist destination like Croatia is becoming more and more popular. According to statistics from travel agencies, last year about 1.7% of all German tourists expressed a desire to spend a vacation in this country. But countries such as Egypt and Tunisia have lost their significance for travelers.

Some interesting facts about German holidays

Well, I would like to complete the topic of German preferences regarding recreation with a few interesting facts:

* In many ways, the choice of a country for a vacation depends on what the weather is like outside the window of a German at the time of booking tickets. So, in rainy weather, he will definitely choose a tour to a warm sunny country, even if before that he was going to spend a vacation, for example, in Norway;

* Most bookings are made by residents of Germany from 5 to 12 pm;

* Most German travelers (about 60%) prefer to choose their own tour, find out prices for accommodation, flights, etc., the remaining 40% trust travel agencies;

* Two-thirds of Germans try to choose a tour that is covered by some kind of special offer or promotion, since they are always limited in funds. Only 8% of vacationers do not worry about the money issue at all;

* The average amount per person for one day of rest is approximately 83 euros;

* Most often, Germans book 4-star hotels;

* The vast majority of Germans travel to learn something new, to get acquainted with the culture, traditions and way of life of another country, and only 26% plan a vacation in order to spend it with family and friends.

Have a nice holiday!

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Today there are practically no hotels in Turkey that would 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 rest. Some Russian tourists are actively interested in such a holiday.

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, are found. The motives that push tourists to avoid communication 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 situation, up to the language and topics of communication (it is 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 (“language isolation” ) - before the intention to meet a foreigner with a foreigner, or, in the case of family tourists, 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 just this type of vacation.

Finally, since many “European” hotels in Turkey, especially those far from the beach, operate on a “breakfast” or “breakfast-dinner” system, the tourist in such hotels has 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

We note right away 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 for Germans”, now you can easily find it with Russian tour operators. But nevertheless, there are still hotels in Turkey that are mainly oriented to the European market - it's just that there are not so many Russians there, and the main contingent is still from Europe.

Another important note. Do not expect any miracles from the "European" hotels in terms of service or the content of the rest. In fact, hotels oriented to the European market, no different from those, where tourists from the CIS countries are almost 100%.

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

Like Russian tour operators, some European travel concerns like TUI, ThomasCook and others organize their own animation teams or activities for children in basic 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 with children from Europe.

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

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

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

For example, the menu may have more choice of pasta and pizza - where Italians rest, 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 main "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), city itself Kemer(Germany, Holland, Italy), Marmaris And Oludeniz(Great Britain), Bodrum(all Europe), Cesme And Kusadasi(Germany and UK).

Many hotels in these resorts will have significantly more foreign speech, and animation programs will also be held in English or German. But Russian-speaking tourists will still prevail in many hotels on the Antalya coast, especially this year. On the Aegean coast, there are more chances to meet "foreign" hotels.

Price category. Europeans often choose or cheap options 2-4* or vice versa, premium hotels in prestigious resorts. Budget “five” favorites by domestic tourists do not delight them: either save or spend in a big way on a real “deluxe”.

Budget hotels, located not on the 1st line, or our compatriots rarely prefer city hotels in Turkey - 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 just the city - the proximity of cafes, shops, discos. Thus, in city budget hotels the chance of finding themselves in a foreign language environment among Russians who want to take a break from their native speech is very high.

Against, hotelsVIP-level tend to stick in their policies principle of balance of tourists from different countries. Sometimes it can be a maximum of 20% -30% for each of the countries (for example, no more than 20% of vacationers from the CIS countries, no more than 20% from Germany, etc.).

Thus, 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 th. As a rule, in chain hotels RIU, Magiclife, Sensimar, Iberostar- more guests from Europe.

We will separately mention club hotel chain Club Med is a friendly community of tourists from different countries who are attracted by a special "French" style, 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 and orientation to their own, Turkish, tourists is not ruled out).

If for us Türkiye is rather rigidly associated with "all inclusive", then thrifty Europeans believe that not everything is worth paying in advance, and in general it is “unprofitable” to rest on the AI system. Therefore, in Turkey, they choose accommodation with limited food or no food at all.

Season! If you are still determined to relax in Turkey in a foreign language environment, remember that with Europe we usually 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 much more chances to meet a lot of our compatriots in a Turkish hotel.

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

TURKISH HOTELS "MAINLY FOR EUROPEANS": OVERVIEW

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

I. ANTALY COAST

KEMER

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

In autumn, when the tourist season is on the decline, the public changes - hotels become the main contingent elderly guests from Holland and Germany, they do not go to the sea, but relax by the pool, and in the evening they go for a walk around the city.

Another "western" Kemer hotel is Orange County Resort 5 *. Unlike the previous one, it is located on the seashore and he is very fond of European youth- discos and fun in the hotel do not stop until the morning.

BELDIBI

Although 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 communicating with the staff here are German and English.

Even among the "European" hotels in Side, we will 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 Europeans also traditionally choose in Side. So, Barut Sorgun Sensatori 5 * is a calm measured rest among family tourists… from UK.

He offers something so far unusual for Russians, but very interesting the concept of relaxation in two-room suites with a kitchen, while offering a variety of food options - from breakfast to all inclusive.

ALANYA

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

It has a fairly attractive value for money, 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. It has a mild climate, picturesque nature and clear sea. In cafes and restaurants almost only foreign speech sounds.

MARMARIS

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

Interesting animation programs in English and German, entertainment during the day for adults and children, sports games and competitions - there is everything here so as not to get bored. Hotels are quite secluded and far from Marmaris itself.

In the city of Marmaris itself, there are a lot of 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 need more comfort.

And for those who care about the fact that the child does not just sleep in the room during the day, but spends time with his peers in an exciting and useful way, we advise you to read the review of our correspondent following the results of the May trip to Turkey - "".

Well, if, on the contrary, you don’t want to relax in a foreign country, but you think in the summer you will have a great time on the Black Sea, but with “Turkish comfort”, then we strongly advise you to read our review “”.

A Czech acquaintance named Radka recently surprised me by going to the Caribbean for a vacation. Radka is a manager with a rather modest salary, and it seemed to me that she could not afford such exotic voyages. But what was my surprise when the girl said that last year she spent her vacation in Hawaii, and the year before she traveled to India.

You just need to keep an eye on the Internet for promotions on the sale of cheap tours, - Radka explained. - For example, a week-long trip to the Caribbean with air travel and accommodation in an all inclusive hotel cost me only eight hundred euros.

And yet this example is not indicative of most Czechs. Local citizens, both because of their mentality and because of their low earnings, save on everything without exception. They drive used cars, vigilantly monitor the flow of water in the taps, and the lights in their porches light up only when a person appears there, to go out after a minute. And this applies to rest too.

Almost half of the population spends their summer vacations in the immediate vicinity of their homes - at dachas, cycling routes around their native country, rafting on local rivers, excursions to castles and nature reserves. If we are talking about winter, then the ski resorts of Slovakia are in the first place: close, cheap and the language is almost the same. The Czech Republic also has its own mountains, but they are not high, and winters in recent years have been snowless.

Exotic in the form of tropical islands, Australia, Japan or Peru - this is rather the lot of those who belong to the elite. The middle class with the onset of summer is heading for Croatia. About a million Czechs, that is, about a tenth of the population, move to the coast and islands of the Adriatic in July - August. As a rule, families go by car. About a thousand kilometers separating Prague from the coast is not a distance for European autobahns. It's a bit of an annoyance to have to pay tolls on the roads in Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia, but vacationers make up for those costs by loading the trunks of their cars to the top with provisions and beer. On the coast, food and drinks are more expensive than in the Czech Republic, so why spend money? The Croats, of course, do not like this, they even tried to introduce some kind of customs control on their border, but then they spat: let them!

Türkiye, Bulgaria, Egypt and Greece follow in the popularity rating. By the way, before the "velvet revolution" of 1989, Bulgaria was actually the only country where the Czechs massively spent their beach holidays. Then interest in it fell sharply, but now Czech speech is again heard in the hotels of Varna and Golden Sands. And the reason is the same: price attractiveness. If we talk about Egypt, then the understandable risks associated with traveling to the Red Sea are now insured by travel companies.

Interestingly, the Czechs, unlike the Germans, who prefer to book hotels and flights themselves, usually use the services of travel agencies. And this is also from savings, since it is operators and agents who offer the most favorable discounts.

The vast majority of Latvian residents, about 80 percent, spend holidays in their native country. This is evidenced by the data of the Central Statistical Office of the Republic. Thus, in 2014 (figures for 2015 have not yet been calculated), only 19.9 percent of Latvians went on holiday abroad.

And this despite the fact that "abroad" extends to neighboring Estonia and Lithuania. In each of these neighboring countries leaves Latvia for ten percent of lovers of foreign holidays. By the way, a Rigan is closer to Tallinn or Vilnius than a Muscovite is to St. Petersburg. Paris is not affordable for Latvians. Lack of money was named as a reason for refusing such trips by 49.9 percent of the residents of the country surveyed by the Central Statistical Office.

If the inhabitants of Riga, Daugavpils, Ventspils and Liepaja are still able to collect some money for holidays abroad, then the inhabitants of the stagnating Latvian village are practically deprived of such an opportunity. In fact, the only way for them to see the world is to get a low-skilled job in Western Europe. This is how 20,000 people leave Latvia every year with a one-way ticket. Mostly Latvians from farms.

Those who can afford a vacation abroad, mostly city dwellers, try to travel extremely economically. Either by bus across Europe, or by low-cost airlines. Tickets for such flights are purchased in advance. Many residents of Latvia have acquaintances who have already settled in Ireland and Great Britain. Therefore, they often go to rest to them. Free accommodation and minimal food costs reduce the cost of rest.

A very common option for spending a vacation abroad is trips to pick strawberries or other agricultural work. This allows you to travel and earn some money. Even employees of the Latvian police are engaged in such side work.

Not many Latvians fly to the southern seas. Only a wealthy urban stratum of businessmen and private sector workers. By the way, one of the favorite tourist destinations of Latvians is the Russian Crimea. In order to prevent the inhabitants of the country from going to rest on the peninsula, the Latvian security police opened criminal cases against firms selling tours to the Crimea. By the way, every tenth Latvian going on holiday visits our country.

But the true passion of Latvian residents, both Latvians and Russians, is traveling around their own country. According to the Central Statistical Bureau, every year every citizen of the republic, young and old, five times goes on vacation to other regions of the country. The education system contributes to this spread of domestic tourism. At school, studying Latvia and its sights is given a lot of time. Giant maps of this small country with hundreds of monuments of history, architecture and natural sights are hung on the walls in the offices. So the joke about the "globe of Latvia" in local schools is practically implemented in life.

Poles' preferences depend on the time of year. For example, most of them - 72 percent - spend the Christmas holidays with their families.

According to the local travel portal e-holiday.pl, of those who leave during this time to rest, most of all - almost 19 percent of Poles - spend holidays in their native Polish ski resorts, mainly in the Tatra Mountains. And only 2.6 percent are sent abroad. Among the foreign destinations at this time, the UK, Holland and Germany are leading - the countries in which the largest number of immigrants from Poland. At Christmas, many people go there to visit their relatives. Another category of tourists who travel abroad more often than others for Christmas are young, childless people with higher education and income levels above the national average. They prefer exotic destinations like Kenya or Morocco.

Ski holidays are also popular during the winter school holidays, during which many parents take vacations to spend this time with their children. Vacations take place in different regions of Poland at different times - in January and February. And here, according to tour operators, the mountains in Austria and Italy are popular among the wealthier segments of the population - attractive in terms of the quality of routes and the level of service, as well as neighboring Slovakia and the Czech Republic, where the mountains are the same as in Poland, and prices for hotels and other services - twice cheaper.

And, of course, summer is the holiday season. Traditionally, most of the inhabitants of Poland do not see the point in going to the sea abroad. Despite the vagaries of the weather on the Baltic coast, 60 percent of Poles choose their native resorts. The most fashionable are Sopot, Gdynia and Gdansk, where Polish celebrities and show business stars rush during the season. Of the other destinations, according to local publication Fakt, Greece was the most popular destination last year. It was followed in the ranking by Bulgaria and Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Turkey, although the number of people wishing to visit it has decreased due to the warnings of the Polish Foreign Ministry about the unsafe travel to this country. Also, for security reasons, many Poles refused to travel to the traditionally popular Egypt and Tunisia.

Residents of Romania quite rightly believe that in their homeland they can find everything they need for a good holiday - the sea, mountains, historical sights - and at the same time do without significant losses to the wallet. The conventional wisdom is also confirmed by dry statistics: the number of Romanians who go on vacation abroad is declining every year.

According to the Romanian national agency AGERPRES, in 2014, 80 percent of Romanian residents spent their holidays in their home country (although two years earlier, according to Eurostat, only 56 percent of Romanians took a holiday without traveling abroad). When choosing a place to stay, Romanians often prefer the Black Sea resorts. Warm weather, sea, good value for money - this is enough to forget about London, Paris, Berlin and other world centers of tourism attraction.

According to opinion polls, the Carpathians attract no less than Romanians. About 41 percent of the country's residents prefer to spend their holidays and weekends going to the mountains. In winter you can go skiing there, and in summer you can go hiking with a group of friends. Moreover, many Romanians prefer to plan their vacation on their own: they study resorts, routes and hotels via the Internet in advance. On the organization of recreation without intermediaries, it is possible to save a lot.

It is curious that Transylvania, popular among foreigners who come to see the homeland of Count Dracula, is also interesting for young Romanians. But still, more often, the inhabitants of the country go to places that acquaint them not with legends and traditions, but with the historical and cultural past of the country. Trips to the monasteries of Maramuresh and the ancient fortresses of Bukovina are popular.

As most Romanians have admitted, usually the duration of a vacation does not exceed two weeks. But a short vacation is preferable, from four days to a week. Romanians consider it acceptable to spend up to 750 lei (about 200 euros) per person over such a period.

If, nevertheless, the Romanians decide to go on vacation abroad, they choose the neighboring Balkan countries - Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey, where, as in their homeland, you can find offers that provide a decent level of service at affordable prices. Romanians are ready to spend from one thousand to three thousand lei (from 225 to 670 euros) on trips abroad.

Bulgarians, as a rule, prefer to rest abroad. The local Ministry of Tourism has calculated that citizens of the republic fill no more than 20 percent of places in hotels and hotels. Of course, some of the "unrecorded" tourists leave for holidays, weekends and vacations with relatives and friends, but the bulk still goes abroad. Why and where?

The main tourist destinations are Greece and Türkiye. Bulgarians go to the land of ancient Hellas first of all to the sea. They believe that the Adriatic, the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean are cleaner and warmer than the Black. Although in the cost of rest relative to their country, they practically do not win anything. Nevertheless, the monthly flow of tourists from Bulgaria to Greece sometimes exceeds 100 thousand people (the entire Bulgarian population is about 7 million).

Even more Bulgarians travel to Turkey - up to 130,000 people a month. Here low prices play a big role. Even the turbulent situation in a number of Turkish regions does not stop from buying vouchers. Local tour operators after the next terrorist attacks in Turkey did not record any decline in sales. Two more popular destinations for Bulgarian tourists are Macedonia and Romania. Here, as in Turkey, the key point is the cheapness of the rest. But if Greece and Turkey are visited annually by almost a million Bulgarians, then no more than 300 thousand tourists from Bulgaria go to the Macedonians and Romanians every year. In the West, the Bulgarians, despite the openness of the borders, go to rest not so massively. They go to Germany, Italy, France and the UK mainly to work. Few can afford to spend money on vacation there.

After the reunification of Germany a quarter of a century ago, tour operators noted one seemingly strange, but from the point of view of historical events, a very understandable trend: "Westerners" and "Easterners", as the Germans called each other of the two uneven halves of the new country, went on vacation to each other. Some to marvel at the hitherto unseen "beauties" of West Germany, others to look at the landscapes, which, according to the promise of the then Chancellor Helmut Kohl, were to become "blooming" again.

East Germans eagerly embarked on so-called "city trips", satisfying their need for new experiences after decades of sitting behind the Iron Curtain. Recently, however, Germans from the west of Germany have given more preference to this form of vacation. The loyalty of the East Germans to their native shores has remained to this day. Many residents of the so-called "new federal states" still go on vacation to the picturesque islands of the Baltic Sea. Although East Germans have mastered the Austrian ski resorts, winter holidays in the legendary Harz region, located in the eastern state of Thuringia, are still popular with them.

As Ulf Sontag, a representative of the Vacation and Travel Research Society, told RG, East Germans are much more willing to go on vacation within Germany than Western ones. In 2015, 38.9 percent of the inhabitants of the “new federal lands” and only 27.9 percent of the “Westerners” spent their holidays in their native land. The main destination of vacation trips for East Germans is still the land of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where the hospitable beaches of the Baltic Sea are located. West Germans traditionally prefer to bask in the Spanish sun - especially on the island of Mallorca, which has gained fame as a favorite German resort abroad.

Having quenched their passion for learning and curiosity for other countries in the first years after the union, East Germans now prefer a relaxing holiday on the beach - be it the dunes of the German island of Usedom, the palm trees of Mallorca or the azure sea of Thailand. Although East Germans still go to the former socialist countries - Poland, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria, however, their number has decreased over the past ten years. On the contrary, the "easterners" are intensively discovering the resorts of Spain and Italy. It is characteristic that in 2015, seven percent of the total number of residents of the eastern and western regions of Germany traveled to Turkey. The Maldives, India, Egypt, South Asian countries, China, Australia and New Zealand are equally popular with the Germans of the east and west.