Aniva Island and its stately lighthouse were involved in a custody battle between Japan and Russia for around a century. The island flip-flopped many times between Russian ownership, Japanese ownership, and even a shared ownership. The Soviets finally took full control after WWII and added radioactivity to the lighthouse. Nuclear generators and mercury lubricants helped the structure operate partially by itself, but it faded due to abandonment after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Europe
Varosha Beach Resort – Famagusta – Cyprus
Once a popular beach destination for stars like Brigitte Bardot, the resort town of Varosha was abandoned during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. Inhabitants never returned to the beach-side resort, which stands just two miles away from the United Nations Buffer Zone separating Greece and Turkey’s administrative areas. The city of Famagusta is currently experiencing a meteoric rise in tourism, but Varosha has remained abandoned since it was hastily evacuated back in the 70s, with model cars still sitting in garages and clothing still hanging in shops. The only visitors today are members of the Turkish military, journalists, scientists, and the occasional UN official.
Nicosia International Airport – Cyprus
Nicosia International Airport was a busy, successful airport from the time it opened in the 1930 until it was abandoned in 1974, due to—you guessed it—the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. In the past 40+ years, planes have turned to rust outside, while the airport’s check-in counters and boarding areas have accumulated thick layers of dust and bird droppings.
Power Plant IM – Charleroi – Belgium
Originally built in 1921, the Power Plant IM used to be one of the largest coal burning power plants in Belgium—its massive cooling tower (pictured) was able to cool down 480,000 gallons of water per minute in its heyday. But with great power comes great pollution, and this particular plant was responsible for 10 percent of the total carbon dioxide emissions in the entire country. Greenpeace protested, and the site was shut down in 2007. And while they may no longer provide any electricity, the abandoned towers still provide plenty of eerily beautiful vistas.
Haludovo Palace Hotel – Krk – Croatia
Haludovo Palace Hotel is clearly not of our time, but it’s hard to tell exactly when it is from. The design and modular shapes feel futuristic, but the state of decay places it firmly in the past. In reality, the hotel complex was built on the island of Krk in 1971, in a style typical of Communist-era architecture (the asymmetrical concrete, the brutally modern facades) and spent a few golden decades hosting actors and world leaders visiting former Yugoslavia. When war hit in the 1990s, tourism dwindled, and the hotel hosted its last guests in 2001 before closing its doors for good. The casinos, saunas, and tennis courts have fallen into disrepair, but visitors can still appreciate the hotel’s skeletal buildings—and let’s face it, any day spent on a Croatian island is a good one.
Beelitz-Heilstätten Hospital – Germany
If this old German hospital looks disturbing, well, it is. Just check out its chilling resume: Between 1898 and 1930, the Beelitz-Heilstätten complex served as a tuberculosis sanatorium. It also housed mustard gas and machine gun victims during World War I, including a young soldier named Adolf Hitler. The hospital later went on to be a major treatment center for Nazi soldiers during World War II, and it was used as a Soviet military hospital from 1945 until the fall of the Berlin Wall. Today, a few wards are used as a neurological rehabilitation center, although the majority of the complex is abandoned. The surgery and psychiatric wards have both been left to decay and give way to nature (and vandals), and the result looks like something straight out of American Horror Story: Asylum.
Łapalice Castle – Poland
Imposing and ornate, Łapalice Castle resembles many of Eastern Europe’s legendary spooky castles. Only Łapalice Castle was built in 1979—and it’s not even technically a castle. The grand building was originally built as a studio for artist Piotr Kazimierczak, which for some reason needed a swimming pool, ballroom, ramparts, and a dozen towers. Unfortunately, Kazimierczak had to abandon his project before it was ever completed, thanks to the double threat of not having enough money and not having necessary permits for the land. Now, the “castle” is merely a shell of what could have been, with graffiti adorning the crumbling walls.
Best Wine Destinations: Eger – Hungary
Eger is the home of Hungary’s most famous wine route, called “The Valley of the Beautiful Lady”. It is quite unknown outside of Hungary, and this definitely gives an extra charm to it. There are about 200 authentic wine cellars in the valley engraved in rhyolite tuff caves.
Eventhough the entire place looks like a bit of a time travel to the 80s’, there are many cellars that are quite trendy in style. You find special vintages and award winning wines from the Bordeaux Wine Olympics – all in a very affordable price. Do not miss the opportunity to taste these treasures, and become a self-nominated sommelier. Once being in Eger, taste “Egri Bikavér” (Bull’ Blood), which is a ruby red cuvee wine with rich aromas and “Egri Csillag” (the Star of Eger), an elegant light, emblematic, cuvee wine of the region.
Best Wine Destinations: Champagne – France
The Champagne-Ardenne region is known worldwide for the quality of its vineyards and cellars. They cover more than 30,000 hectares and mobilize the talents of thousands of farmers. The Champagne-Ardenne region also has a cultural heritage waiting to be discovered without moderation.
Champagne Cellars & Vineyards are indeed an original way to discover the richness of the Champagne-Ardenne. Located in villages or in cities, these are highlights of the wine tradition of the region. It is possible to visit museums devoted to champagne to flow in farms, enjoy the many guided tours, etc … With most of the time, a tasting at the key!
Best Wine Destinations: Tuscany – Italy
Tuscany is located in central Italy and stretches from the Apennines to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its landscape, artistic heritage and stand-out cities – first among them Florence – make Tuscany an unquestioned protagonist of international tourism. In this region, nature has many different facets, starting from the coast that alternates long and sandy beaches, like the Versilia beach, with rocky cliffs and steep headlands. The islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, surrounded by Mediterranean vegetation, a crystal-clear sea and rich seabeds, are peerless.
You can admire sceneries of uncontaminated nature in the Apuan Alps and in several protected areas, such as the Orbetello Lagoon, home to many species of migrant birds, including pink egrets.
However, the most typical sceneries of the region are those that merge the beauty of nature with the millenary work of man. The amazing Gulf of Baratti and the sites of Vetulonia, Vulci and Pitigliano guard necropoli and vestiges of the Etruscan civilization, while Roselle and Cosa evoke memories from the Roman Age.
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