Let’s cross a few European frontiers – and here are some of the best places to do so.
There’s always something poignant about crossing a border. You reach the end of a journey through one country, only to begin a new journey through another.
In this article I show you some of the best border towns in Europe – and a few cities – that I’ve visited during my travels around the continent. Some, like Trieste and San Sebastian, are rightfully quite widely known. Others, like England’s Chester or Esztergom in Hungary – are less obvious.
And having lived in Central Europe for several years, we’ve also come across a few more hidden gems along the way, including magnificent Mikulov and sleepy Slavonice.
I hope this gives you some inspiration to get exploring some of these fascinating places.
Best Border Towns In Europe To Visit
Mikulov, Czech Republic
Borders: Austria
Why Visit: Stunning wine-making town with churches and Castle, and gateway to South Moravia
As you drive north from Vienna, Mikulov makes an amazing introduction to the Czech Republic. Its Castle and Old Town dominate the border area, visible from miles away, floating on the plain like Mont Saint Michel does on its bay in Normandy. The first time we saw it, we were caught unawares, and decided we had to return.
And so we did, discovering a beautiful wine-growing town built below an imposing Castle with views for miles in all directions. We just happened to be there just before the harvest, when you can stop by at one of the many bars or wine cellars for a glass of burčák, cloudy juice from partly fermented grapes that is unique to the Moravian region.
Also known by its German name Nikolsburg, Mikulov also has a rich Jewish history, with a fascinating old synagogue, cemetery and museum.
Beyond the town, it’s only a short bus ride or drive to the Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape World Heritage Site. Lednice Castle and Valtice Castle were owned by the ultra-wealthy Liechtenstein family, who also added a series of monuments between the two. There’s also a small Iron Curtain Museum in Valtice, a reminder of the time when this border had far greater political significance than it does now.
Where To Stay: Hotel Tanzberg Mikulov – great 3-star hotel in historic Jewish Quarter
Görlitz, Germany
Borders: Poland
Why Visit: One of the most beautifully preserved (i.e least-damaged) old towns in Germany and Central Europe, and a trail of film locations around the city
When we recently visited, trains to the German border town of Görlitz were advertising Görliwood. The town has become a prime location for movies over the last 15-20 years, with many filmmakers drawn there by the unspoilt streets and wonderfully preserved architecture. Hundreds of towns and cities had to be rebuilt after the destruction of World War Two. Görlitz was one of a tiny minority to escape all of this.
Görlitz once straddled the river Neisse, which now forms the border with Poland. What was the eastern part of the town is now the Polish town of Zgorzelec. You can walk freely across the pedestrian Altstadtbrücke – there’s just a painted border post (pictured) on either side of the river.
Many of Görlitz’s treasures are from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, including the magnificent Untermarkt square and the Barockhaus on one corner of it. One of its more recent buildings is the Kaufhaus, a former Art Nouveau department store that was the setting for the 2014 movie The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Where To Stay: Romantik Hotel Tuchmacher – 4-star in 16th-century townhouse in the Old Town – a wonderful way to step back in time
See Also: 17 Best Places To Visit In Eastern Germany
Menton, France
Borders: Monaco, Italy
Why Visit: The most beautiful Old Town on the French Riviera and the Jean Cocteau Museum
I’ve never understood why Menton has been one of the quieter resort towns on the Cote d’Azur. It occupies the small stretch of coast between the Principality of Monaco and the border with Italy. Until 1848, it was part of Monaco but seceded. France and Italy later disputed the town, but France won out, while Italy only extended as far as the nearby border town of Ventimiglia.
Menton’s Old Town is gorgeous, up there with Vieux Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer a few miles down the coast. It looks beautiful from across the harbour, especially first thing in the morning, and it’s well worth climbing the steep narrow streets to the Baroque Basilica of St Michel l’Archange.
Menton is also renowned for its lemons, and every February it hosts a Lemon Festival. The highlight of this is a series of themed sculptures of lemons around the town, from animals to world landmarks like the Taj Mahal and Moulin Rouge.
Where To Stay: Hotel Riva Art & Spa – 4-star luxury on the seafront
Trier, Germany
Borders: Luxembourg
Why Visit: The oldest city in Germany, with the most complete Roman remains north of the Alps
The German-Luxembourg border – with the greatest of respect – may not be one of the great frontiers of Europe. But Trier is one of the continent’s great ancient cities, and the starting point for some amazing onward journeys.
Trier, founded as Augusta Treverorum, was one of the most important cities of the Roman Empire, capital of the province of Belgic Gaul. By the 4th century AD it was one of the four most powerful cities in the Empire, with a garrison to match.
Its Roman monuments range from the imposing Porta Nigra, a city gate that later became a pilgrimage church. There is also a large amphitheatre and several Roman bath complexes. Christianity also began to flourish in Trier by the late 3rd century AD, and the outstanding Trier Cathedral is the oldest – and one of the finest – in Germany. Trier also has a beautiful old town, with some lovely half-timbered houses around the main Marktplatz.
As well as the Grand Duchy a few miles to the west, Trier is also the gateway to two of Germany’s most beautiful river valleys. The Mosel Valley (also spelt the French way, Moselle) is just to the east, with gorgeous late medieval villages, steep vineyards and ruined castles around every river bend.
And don’t forget the Saar Valley, with the beautiful town and castle of Saarburg, the magnificent Saarschleife river bend and hike, and the remarkable Völklingen Ironworks near the regional capital, Saarbrücken.
Where To Stay: Romantik Hotel Zur Glocke – beautiful historic hotel near Cathedral with some wonderful timber-framed rooms
See Also: 21 Best Things To Do In Trier
San Sebastian, Spain
Borders: France
Why Visit: Stunning city beach, old town and amazing Basque food
The southeast corner of the Bay of Biscay has long attracted royalty and other wealthy visitors wanting to recharge their batteries by the seaside. Biarritz, a short distance away on the French side of the border, attracted the likes of Napoleon III, while San Sebastian (Donostia in Basque) was the favoured summer retreat of the Spanish royal family.
It’s also one of my favourite places to visit in this article. Its setting is breathtaking, at the western edge of the Pyrenees, and a short walk from the superb sandy La Concha beach and promenade. The old town – la parte vieja – is wonderful, with narrow streets, many outstanding pintxo (Basque tapas) bars and three glorious churches – two from the Gothic period, and one from the exuberant, florid Baroque.
My strongest memory of San Sebastian is its food, particularly its sidrerias, or cider houses. There are many of these places in the hills and villages around San Sebastian, and they all have fairly similar menus. They usually start with chorizo cooked in cider, then it’s cod omelette and cod fried with peppers. Then it’s a thick, whopping T-bone steak followed by cheese and quince jelly for dessert. An unmissable experience.
Where To Stay: Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra – Belle Epoque beauty by the beach
Passau, Germany
Borders: Austria
Why Visit: One of the most beautiful Baroque cities in Europe
Passau has picked up a few epithets in its long history, the best-known of which are the City of Three Rivers and the Venice of Bavaria. It’s also the last German port of call along the Danube before the great river continues into Austria.
The three rivers which converge at Passau are the Ilz (which flows from the north), the Danube (which flows from the west) and the Inn, which forms the Germany-Austria border for much of its course to the south. So Passau is spread across three sections of land.
The most beautiful part of the city is the central section, especially around the Baroque Cathedral (Dom St Stephan). Part of the tourist ritual is the walk to the Dreiflüsseeck, the meeting point of the three rivers, but you get a much better view – of the Cathedral and Altstadt (Old Town) from the opposite bank, the Innstadt part of town. In this area you can also climb the 321-step covered staircase to the Mariahilf pilgrimage church.
You also get superb views from the northernmost part of Passau. The Veste Oberhaus fortress overlooks the old town and meeting place of the rivers, and it’s also one of many castles to stay in Germany, housing a youth hostel.
Passau is one of the most popular stops on Danube River cruises. If you’re heading into Germany, the next major city (and very much worth a stop) is Regensburg. And if you plan on heading into Austria, with the city of Linz around 50 miles (80 km) downstream to the southwest.
Where To Stay: Altstadt-Hotel Passau – 4-star luxury on the bank of the Danube
Elvas, Portugal
Borders: Spain
Why Visit: The impregnable star-shaped Fort, town walls and the amazing fortified Amoreira Aqueduct
The Portugal-Spain border is one of the most rewarding remote parts of Europe to explore. Portugal’s Alentejo and Spain’s Extremadura provinces are both well off the beaten path, but are dotted with stunning villages and castles guarding the frontier between Iberia’s two powers. And then there’s Elvas, the biggest border fortress of them all.
Elvas is only around three miles from the border with Spain, and five miles from the (much larger) Spanish city of Badajoz. Its fortifications – most of which date from the 17th century – are immense. The star-shaped fort of Nossa Senhora de Graça and the castle-fort of Santa Luzia withstood several Spanish attacks, and were only finally conquered by Napoleon’s forces, under the command of Marshal Junot, in 1808.
The town and its walls were designated a World Heritage Site in 2012, along with the formidable Amoreira Aqueduct (pictured) on the outskirts. If you’re travelling from Madrid to Lisbon, many trains stop at Elvas. Otherwise, if you’re driving in the region, Elvas is within reach of the likes of the Castle in Marvão, the gorgeous town of Castelo de Vide, and Monsaraz, one of the most beautiful villages in Europe.
Where To Stay: Vila Gale Collection Elvas – great luxury choice in the fortified old town
See Also: Portugal Road Trip – Alentejo – 5 Days In The Borderland Backwoods
Trieste, Italy
Borders: Slovenia, Croatia
Why Visit: the ‘last’ city in Italy, the Habsburg Empire’s gateway to the sea, and outstanding coffee
Trieste has only been part of Italy since the end of World War I – a little over a hundred years. And for me it’s the least Italian place in the country. This port city in the northeast corner of the Adriatic was the vast Habsburg Empire’s main seaport for centuries, almost a Vienna-on-Sea. Nowadays it’s an intriguing mini-melting-pot right on the threshold of Slavic Europe.
The city’s charms aren’t as obvious as those of its near-neighbours like Venice, but it’s worth at least two days of your timer to dig around. I’ve visited four times, always on a few hours’ stopover, and have sought out some of its historic cafes like the Caffe San Marco, frequented by the likes of writers (and friends) James Joyce and Italo Svevo a century ago.
Trieste’s most recognizable landmark, the Castello Miramare, is just outside the city. The seaside mock-castle – with sublime views of the Gulf of Trieste – was built in the 19th century by Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian, who later became Emperor of Mexico.
There are plenty more layers of history to uncover around the centre of the city. These range from a long-forgotten Roman amphitheatre and triumphal arch to the humble but beautiful Cathedral of San Giusto, next to the Castle of the same name.
Trieste is a natural stopover if you’re travelling from Central Europe or Italy towards the Adriatic and the countries of the former Yugoslavia. Slovenia is only a few miles away, and the Istrian peninsula, the northwestern corner of Croatia, is 20 miles away across the Gulf of Trieste. A fascinating city.
Where To Stay: Aquila d’Oro Trieste – great 3-star near the railway station and seafront
Esztergom, Hungary
Borders: Slovakia
Why Visit: The Basilica is the largest church in Hungary, and the town is a good base for exploring the Danube Bend area to the north of Budapest
Esztergom is sometimes called the ‘Hungarian Canterbury’, as its Basilica is the mother church of the Roman Catholics in the country, even surpassing the Cathedral in Budapest in status.
The small city overlooking the River Danube preceded Budapest as the capital of Hungary, remaining so from the late 10th to 13th century. Its Castle was built during this period, as was an earlier version of the Basilica.
It has had a turbulent history, declining in the 16th century after Turkish occupation and several sieges. The domed Neoclassical Basilica was rebuilt between 1822 and 1869, and it’s the biggest church in Hungary. It reminds me a little of St Peter’s in Rome, and Sacre Coeur Basilica in Paris, in that it’s enormous but unimpressive and somehow soulless.
The most beautiful part of Esztergom is the riverside Vizivaros, with its Baroque churches, houses and the fascinating Christian Museum, one of the best of its kind in Central Europe.
Esztergom is linked with the Slovak town of Štúrovo by the Maria Valeria Bridge. This didn’t exist the first time I visited back in the 1990s, but it’s well worth the short walk across. Štúrovo isn’t the most inspirational introduction to Slovakia (try its capital Bratislava, an hour upstream, instead) but the view across the river to the Basilica is superb, as is the Zlaty Bažant beer in the bar next to the viewpoint.
Esztergom also makes a great entry point into Hungary. From there you can follow the river down to one of its most beautiful and famous sections, the Danube Bend. Visegrad Castle, the Pilis Hills and Szentendre all await before you reach the capital, Budapest.
Where To Stay: Hotel Adalbert Szent Tamas Haz – great 3-star central option close to the Basilica and Danube
Chester, England
Borders: Wales
Why Visit: The unique Chester Rows, medieval covered passageways with shops, and its superb Cathedral
Chester has been a frontier town for around 2,000 years. It’s where the Romans built Deva Victrix, next to the lands of the Ordovices and Brigantes. In Welsh, it’s simply known as Caer, which means Fort. It wasn’t just A fort, it was THE fort to its neighbours, the ancestors of today’s North Walians.
The Roman ruins aren’t on the scale of Trier, but they’re impressive all the same. But the main reason people flock to Chester is to explore The Rows, a kind of medieval forerunner of the modern shopping arcade. They’re all one level up from the street, and you’ll find everything there from collectors’ shops to cafes and restaurants.
The Rows are a few minutes’ walk from wonderful Chester Cathedral, dedicated to Anglo-Saxon St Werburgh. It dates back a thousand years, but much of what stands today is from the late Gothic period (15th and early 16th centuries). And don’t miss the landmark Victorian Eastgate Clock, which stands on a bridge that’s part of the Roman-built circuit of town walls.
Chester is an excellent gateway to North Wales, as it’s very close to the A55 Expressway that runs across North Wales and Anglesey. The Snowdonia National Park (now known by its Welsh name, Eryri) and the World Heritage Castles of Conwy, Caernarfon and Beaumaris are between an hour and 90 minutes’ drive away.
Where To Stay: Chester Grosvenor Hotel – 5-star luxury, perfect location right next to the main sights
See Also: 21 Best Things To Do In Chester
Edirne, Turkey
Borders: Bulgaria, Greece
Why Visit: It’s home to one of the great late medieval mosques of the Middle East
If you’re travelling overland from Europe to Istanbul, the first Turkish city you’ll reach is Edirne. Also known as Adrianople, and named after Roman Emperor Hadrian, it’s in the northwestern corner of Eastern Thrace, the 3% of Turkey that’s in Europe. But it’s also a taster for the wonders of what lies ahead in Istanbul and across the wider Middle East.
The main reason to visit is the sublime Selimiye Mosque, built in the 16th century by master architect Mimar Sinan. He also built the famous Süleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul, but this amazing 16th-century mosque was his masterpiece.
The four minarets dominate the small city, and the Mosque – along with its precincts – has been a World Heritage Site since 2011. And don’t miss the older Üç Şerefeli Mosque, which is around a century older than the Selimiye.
To give you an idea of how Edirne is at one of the crossroads of Europe, take a walk a mile south to the elegant stone-arched bridge over the Meriç river. This is known as the Evros river in Greek, and Maritsa in Bulgarian. It flows from the Rila Mountains in Bulgaria to the Aegean Sea, and at Edirne is only two miles from the Greek border. Further south, it forms the border between Greece and Turkey.
Where To Stay: Hotel Edirne Palace – great option close to Selimiye Mosque and Ali Pasa Bazaar
Slavonice, Czech Republic
Borders: Austria
Why Visit: Stunning Renaissance-period houses decorated with sgraffito
There’s a real end-of-the-line feeling about Slavonice. It’s less than a mile from the border with Austria, which, pre-1989, was the Iron Curtain. The trains still terminate there – this was, after all, behind the Iron Curtain, under Communist controi, so why build a track any further if you weren’t going to allow anyone to travel on it?
Slavonice is in sleepy South Bohemia, close to the Česká Kanada (Czech Canada) forested area. Known in German as Zlabings, it was an important medieval trading town, on the main route between Vienna and Prague, but when this changed, Slavonice was rather left behind.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Around ten superbly decorated houses from the 16th century have survived, more than anywhere else in the Czech Republic. The facades are adorned with sgraffito, intricate portraits and cartoon-type friezes scratched through layers of plaster or stucco.
Nearby: Slavonice is an hour’s train ride from the gorgeous World Heritage town of Telč, one of the most beautiful small towns in Europe.
Where To Stay: Hotel U Růže – the one luxury option in town, right on the main square
The Best Border Towns In Europe – Final Thoughts
I hope you have found some inspiration in this article. These towns and cities are all great destinations, and bases or starting points for further travel around Europe.
You’ll also find other Europe inspiration articles on the site. Here are a few for you to investigate further:
Most Beautiful Villages In Europe
Most Beautiful Streets In Europe
Most Beautiful Landscapes In Europe
Most Beautiful Beaches In Europe
Most Beautiful Castles In Europe
Most Beautiful Islands In Europe
Best Unexplored Regions In Europe
Most Underrated Cities In Europe
Most Beautiful Squares In Europe
Most Beautiful Churches In Europe