Right now, the Dollar to Euro exchange rate is at a rate that is nearly the lowest it has been for over 5 years. 5 YEARS people! The dollar that used to get you only about €0.75 now gets you nearly €1 (€0.94 to be exact). Add to that the British Pound dropping to a historic low of $1.22 ($1 = £0.80), the dropping flight prices, and beautiful scenery, and you’ve got yourself several excellent reasons to travel abroad!

So let’s talk destinations. I’ve made a list of my top 5 interesting places to travel in Europe for 2017:

5. St Petersburg, Russia – 

With the centennial anniversary of the Russian Revolution and flights starting in the $790’s, it’s a great time to go explore what Mother Russia has to offer. Start by going to the Museum of Political History, in the historic Kschessinska Mansion – once home to Tsar Nicholas II’s mistress, ballerina Mathilda Kshesinskaya. Later turned into the Bolshevik’s headquarters, the museum now houses an objective look at Russia’s political history. Take a stroll through the streets and byways to get a feel of what Dostoevsky wrote about in his novel, Crime and Punishment. Imagine yourself a dissenter like Raskolnikov, and think upon the living situation of the poor in the novel. Get a taste of the borscht and pelmeny in some of the many delicious restaurants in the city.

4. Wittenberg, Germany –

For the many Midwesterners who were brought up Lutheran, this would be a trip of a lifetime. Explore Wittenberg in the quincentennial anniversary of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses. Walk up to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church and imagine pounding your disputation to the doors just like Luther did. Starting in April of 2017, English services will be held in the evening in this historic church, as well as the town church. Walk over to see Martin Luther’s home and visit one of the medieval faires (hosted in June and late October each year). Flights to Berlin (40 min train ride away) start at $1000 and flights to Frankfurt (scenic 5.5 hour train ride away) start at $460.

3. London, England –

While London is always an excellent place to travel, flights are as low as $650 roundtrip to this historic city. For those interested in shopping, check out SoHo and while looking for deals, try to locate all seven of the secret noses that artist Rick Buckley created and mounted in the area. Legend has it, good fortune and infinite wealth follow those who find all seven. If you enjoy scouring the SoHo district, look for the Thames Lions. The lions were placed on the sides of the Thames as a precursor to modern day flood warnings. “If the lions drink, London will sink.”

2. Stockholm, Sweden –

Tucked about 1 hour northwest of Stockholm is one of the most unique hotels in the world. Utter Inn’s sole guestroom is located 3 meters below the water’s edge. Guests can look out the window to view a school of fish swim by, and fall asleep to the gently rocking sway of the water. The inn is really a whole island resort – where the island is a pontoon boat that is brought out to 1 kilometer into the lake for you. Reservations can be tricky, and rates can be as much as $500/night for this unique adventure. Flights to Stockholm start in the $700’s.

1. Inverness, Scotland –

If castles are really your thing, you should consider checking out Inverness. Considered the capitol of the Highlands of Scotland, it is the northernmost city in the United Kingdom. The Gaelic king Mac Bethad Mac Findláich (or for Shakespeare fans, better known as Macbeth) held a castle within the city and ruled as Mormaer of Moray and Ross, a lordship later destroyed in the 1100’s. Inverness has lately garnered more attention as it is featured in Diana Gabaldon’s series Outlander. Flights to Inverness start at lower than $500 roundtrip!

So what do you think, will you be taking a trip to Europe this year? Where would you go?