The tangerines are eaten, the Olivier is defeated, the goals are set – the new year begins! If you did not manage to make all the wishes during the chimes, do not despair, because this is another reason to go to unknown places where everything intimate will come true. We hope that this year we will continue to travel freely, but for now, you can choose places where, according to legend, all dreams come true.
1- Montserrat, Spain
- How to get there: by FGC commuter trains from the Plaza de España station (line R5) to Montserrat – Aeri or Monistrol de Montserrat stations. Next take the cable car or the Cremallera (cog railway) next to the station. The bus goes straight to the monastery, leaves once a day all year round.
- What to do: touch the sphere.
The sacred mountain of Montserrat is part of the most famous mountain range in Catalonia. The eponymous monastery on the mountain is a place of pilgrimage for believers from all over the world. It is here that the main shrine is kept – the Black Madonna (La Moreneta) – the official patroness of Catalonia.
According to legend, one Saturday evening in 880, the shepherd boys saw a bright light and heard a magical melody emanating from the mountains. They ran home and told their parents everything. The next Saturday, the children went to the same place, but with adults – and the miracle repeated itself. The adults were convinced of the reality of what was happening, and so a rumor spread throughout the village: the residents came to see the unusual phenomenon every now and then.
When the news reached the bishop from the city of Manreza, he visited the place of illumination and dared to enter the cave, where he found the statue of the Black Madonna. The bishop gave a decree to lower the sacred relic into the city church, but nothing came of it: the lower the shepherds descended from the mountain, the heavier the small wooden statue became. The bishop understood that this was a sign: it was necessary to build a temple on this very place – and so they did.
It is still unknown who created the image, how he ended up in the mountains of Catalonia and why the statue is black. But the Catalans believe in the miraculous properties of the Black Madonna. To make a wish, you need to touch the gilded sphere in the hand of the Madonna (some even kiss her, but we do not recommend it – you understand).
2- Cathedral of St. Barbara, Czech Republic
- How to get there: at the Praha Hlavni Nadrazi station in Prague, take train 965.1, get to the Kutna Hora Hlavni Nadrazi station, change to the Re.1 train, get off at Kutna Hora Mesto.
- What to do: toss a coin.
Kutná Hora is a city that has fought for the title of the capital of the Czech Republic for many years and is famous for its silver mining. It is on this craft that the main legend of the country is based.
For many centuries, work on the extraction of silver has been carried out in the city. Once a mine collapse occurred, as a result of which three workers were underground. Waiting for help, the workers made one wish: the first wanted to see the sunlight again; the second is to see the family again, and the third is to live another year.
The workers were saved, but their wishes came true: the first died as soon as he saw the sunlight, the second – when he met his wife and children, and the third – exactly one year after the salvation. Just before her death, Saint Barbara appeared to the third miner and indicated the place where it was necessary to build a temple in memory of those who died in a blind passion for silver.
A harsh legend teaches you to formulate desires accurately and thoughtfully. It is believed that the Cathedral of St. Barbara always fulfills requests related to material well-being. Making a wish is simple: you need to go to the chest in the cathedral and throw a coin there, giving the exact amount that you need. We are serious: the amount must be called up to a penny!
3- Greenwich Park, London
- How to get there: by buses No. 139, 177, 180, 188, 286, 386, N1 to the National Maritime Museum stop.
- What to do: get on the meridian.
A walk through Royal Park in Greenwich is an opportunity to get acquainted with the lands of the royal family: the place keeps the memory of all dynasties. Previously, the royals were engaged in hunting here, now it is an incredible English park, where there is a real place of power – the Greenwich Meridian.
Fans of geography will appreciate: Greenwich Park divides the planet into two hemispheres. The silver monument with the meridian line emanating from it has been the starting point of all earthly distances for more than 130 years.
In 1884, a vote was held in Washington to choose the prime meridian. During this period, railways and communication lines were actively built, which is why it became necessary to establish a world standard of time. Thanks to countries whose ships traveled according to the position of the Greenwich meridian, he won.
There are two ways to make a wish on the meridian:
- stand with both feet on the line and say the cherished request;
- stand so that one leg is in the Western Hemisphere, and the other in the Eastern, close your eyes and imagine how the meridians divide the planet’s surface, only then make a wish.
4- Tunnel of Love, Ukraine
- How to get there: the most convenient way is by car along the H22 highway, then turn off at the intersection with Central Street leading to the entrance; You can also get there by train Rivne-Lutsk and get off at the Klevan station, the entrance to the tunnel is located near the railway station.
- What to do: Make a wish in the tunnel.
In Ukraine, there are many places with untouched nature, beckoning with beauty. One of them is the Tunnel of Love, which was included in the top 10 most romantic little-known places on the planet according to the Daily Mail. Moreover, this place grants wishes.
The tunnel was formed by intertwined branches of trees and bushes that surround the section of the railway line between the villages of Klevan and Orzhev. The tunnel did not appear by accident – it had an important mission: once this section of the railway led to a military unit, so it had to be camouflaged. For this, trees were planted along the path – later they formed such an arch. Now the tunnel is rarely used, only occasionally there is a train to the local factory. On the way, it breaks overgrown branches and thereby maintains the shape of a 4 km long tunnel.
There is also a more romantic version: a young Polish engineer created the shortest path from Orzhev, where he lived, to Klevan, to his beloved woman – he built a separate branch of the railway straight through the forest. After some time, the beloved settled in the same house, and the tunnel became a symbol of true feelings.
The tunnel is one of the most popular places for lovers and newlyweds. It is believed that a kiss in a tunnel will seal love for life, and if you stand on the rails and lean your hearts against each other, you will never part. Moreover, lovers can simply make a wish here: if love is sincere, it will certainly come true.
5- Bridges in Suzhou, China
- How to get there: go for a river walk.
- What to do: Swim under the bridge.
Suzhou is a city in China, which rightfully bears the name of Asian Venice: there are about 200 bridges and many canals!
Such a number of bridges appeared in the city for a reason: according to legend, Emperor Yuan He was so proud of the first bridge built that he wanted the fame of the beauty and rich decoration of the bridge to spread throughout the state. For this, the emperor donated his most expensive belt made of the rarest jade for decoration. Since then, the first bridge is called the Precious Belt Bridge
The next emperor did not want to lag behind his predecessor and also ordered to build a bridge. This is how the tradition arose – every emperor or wealthy nobleman built a bridge and gave it a name. The Bridge of Fortune, the Bridge of Career, the Bridge of Prosperity, and the Bridge of Peace have appeared. All human aspirations and desires, both good and bad, have been embodied in the names of Suzhou bridges over the millennium.
Each bridge fulfills the wish that symbolizes its name – it is enough to simply swim under the bridge in a boat on a river trip. Attention: it is in this city that you can make about 200 wishes! However, on the Bridge of the Precious Belt – the first and most important – it is necessary to perform a ritual: standing on the bridge, you need to ask for material well-being and success in financial affairs and throw a coin or object into the water of the canal. There is only one requirement: you should be a little sorry to part with money or a thing.
6- Stone of Speech, Ireland
- How to get there: the easiest way is from the Irish city of Cork. From the bus station (Cork Bus Station) to the castle there is bus 215, get off at the Blarney Village stop.
- What to do: kiss the stone.
Perhaps the most extraordinary place where your dreams will come true is in Ireland, because this particular attraction has received the title of the most unhygienic in Europe.
The magic stone was built into Blarney Castle, which was built in 1446 by order of Dermot McCarthy, the king of one of the historical provinces of Ireland. Dermot believed that stone endows people with oratory. According to legend, King Robert the Bruce of Scotland bestowed a stone on General Cormac McCarthy and kissed him (the stone, of course) before an important battle.
McCarthy returned victorious and, believing in the miracle stone, took it with him. It is not known for sure whether the matter is in stone, but Cormac’s descendants were indeed excellent orators.
One interesting story is connected with their gift: once Elizabeth I sent the Earl of Leicester to storm Blarney Castle, but McCarthy chatted him so much that the Earl did not succeed. Since then, poets, statesmen, actors and pilgrims have climbed to the top of the castle to kiss the Stone of Eloquence and receive the gift of persuasion.
If you also want to become a great orator, be ready to step over disgust: for the ritual you need to lie with your back on the iron reinforcement, and, holding onto the handrails, kiss the stone. We advise you to perform this ritual when the pandemic is over, and still use a mask – remember your health!
7- Scarab monument, Egypt
- How to get there: from the center of Luxor by taxi or horse-drawn carriage.
- What to do: walk around the monument.
The scarab beetle is one of the most revered insects that exist on Earth. That is why the inhabitants of Luxor decided to honor the sacred insect by erecting a statue of it. The reasons for its popularity lie in ancient Egyptian mythology.
The Egyptians believe that the movement of the sun across the sky is controlled by the invisible god Khepera – he pushes the luminary in a circle, like a beetle pushes a ball of dung, so the statue of Khepri is depicted with the head of a scarab beetle. Moreover, the scarab beetle is an integral part of the mummification of the pharaohs: a small statue of an insect was placed in the place of the heart as a symbol of rebirth after death.
An unusual statue of a scarab beetle was installed in Luxor during the reign of Pharaoh Amenotep III. Since then, people have come to the temple of Amun to perform a miraculous ritual. To do this, you need to walk around the scarab monument in Luxor counterclockwise several times: to get married – three times, to fulfill any dream – seven times, to give birth to a child – nine. A prerequisite is that, going through all the circles, think only about the desire, otherwise it will not come true.
8- Pont Marie, France
- How to get there: You need a metro station – Pont Marie on line 7.
- What to do: Kiss under the bridge.
The city of love could not do without a magical place for lovers: the wishes of all couples will be fulfilled by the Marie Bridge in Paris.
Surprisingly, such a romantic place does not have the same romantic legend: no Marie participated in the legend, and the bridge was named after the engineer and entrepreneur Christophe Marie, who built this bridge in the first half of the 17th century.
Immediately after, 50 houses were built right on the bridge, but as a result of the flood in 1658, 20 houses and two arches were demolished by a stream of water, but this did not teach Parisians anything – houses on bridges were forbidden to be built only after 100 years.
If you want to always be with your soul mate and live happily ever after, you need to kiss under the Marie Bridge: you can swim under it on a river tram or walk under the arches of the bridge overlooking the embankment. It is important that this is your first pass under the bridge.
9- Money oak, Scotland
- How to get there: from Edinburgh train station, take a train to the coast, from where you can take a boat to the Isle of Marie, in the central part of which there is the Mael Ruva chapel – next to it you will find the famous Money Oak.
- What to do: Slip a coin.
If you are a little (or a lot) in your soul Uncle Scrooge and want to swim in gold, feel free to go to Scotland! It is here, on Loch Marie, that there is an oak tree that, according to legend, will make you rich.
The bark of oak has long been reminiscent of dragon scales: travelers from all over the world come here to leave a coin. Scientists have discovered that there is an 1828 coin in the tree!
However, the tree became a popular destination for tourists only in 1877, when Queen Victoria came here to make a wish and leave a coin in the magic tree. It is believed that the area around the oak tree is also saturated with a special energy: earlier there was a well, drinking from which, it was possible to heal mental disorders.
To make a wish, you need to slip a coin into the crack in the bark so that it does not fall out.
10- Pillar in Delhi, India
- How to get there: Take a taxi from the old center of the Indian capital to the Qutub Minar (about half an hour).
- What to do: Touch the post.
Not far from Delhi, in the town of Shimayhalori, there is a huge iron pillar-column: its height is 6.7 m, and its diameter is 1.37 m. To this day, the column remains one of the many iconic engineering creations of ancient civilizations
here are various hypotheses about the origin of the column: many argue that the never-rusting column is made of meteoric iron – for 1600 years it has not corroded at all. Some are convinced that this is the work of the aliens themselves. If you believe the researchers, then the Iron Pillar in Delhi was erected at the beginning of the 5th century in honor of King Chandragupta II (this is indicated by the engraving in Sanskrit on the surface of the column). The true origin of the column, as is often the case, is still unknown.
But it is known for sure that the pillar is able to fulfill dreams. Previously, to do this, you had to grab the column with your hands and make a wish, but now the column is fenced off from vandals, so you just need to touch the pillar and ask for the very same.
