Once the first free settlement in the Americas, founded by those who escaped slavery during the colonial period, the town of San Basilio de Palenque still stands today, and with it the unique culture of its inhabitants. A portion of the population still speaks palenquero, a creole tongue that emerged from a mix of several European and African languages, now used almost exclusively in San Basilio de Palenque. Music and dance occupy a place of paramount importance in residents' lives, with the Drums and Cultural Expressions Festival held annually in October. The palenque cuisine deserves a separate mention — a culinary tradition upheld by inhabitants of a small Colombian village has garnered international acclaim, with a cookbook written in the town receiving the highest prize at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in 2014. If your schedule happens to be too tight for a dedicated day trip (which earns our highest recommendation), try some of the tropical fruit sold by palenqueras in downtown Cartagena. The village was named Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005.

The small town of Caltagirone, located 42 miles from Catania, is at the heart of Sicily’s ceramic handicraft tradition. The town also offers beautiful architecture, so do not miss the richly decorated walls of the Scala dei Santa Maria steps. The stairs are lined with old historic buildings.

Eger is easily approachable by train, tickets can be purchased even in advance, on the internet. Arriving from the direction of Budapest Trains to Eger start from Keleti Pályaudvar railway station. The trains go directly to Eger in less than 2 hours, without changing. They run frequently, easy to use, tickets are available at the railway station or in advance on the internet. Arriving from other directions of the country When arriving at the town by train from another direction, it is necessary to change. Most often it is in Füzesabony town where there are direct trains from Eger. Journey time from Füzesabony is just 20 minutes to Eger.

The little-known botanical garden is a true godsend on hot summer days when the asphalt melts with heat and shaded areas are few and far between. There is a section of exotic plants and one for Sicilian species, as well as a large greenhouse.