Built around a royal hunting lodge, the village of Bialowieza sits in the heart of the Bialowieza Forest, on Poland's border with Belarus. This is Europe's last primeval, untamed forest, straddling the Polish-Belarusian border. Home to large herds of Europe's largest land animal, the European bison, this UNESCO-listed forest also hid Soviet and Polish partisan bands during World War II. Locals take protection seriously, and visits to the most primeval portion are limited to scientific expeditions, and guided tours of up to 20 people led by official guides.

With its isolated location, Bialowieza doesn't exactly lend itself to day trips. Fortunately, the park is a dream for fans of the outdoors. Less ancient parts of the park have extensive bike trails, as well as plenty of wildlife, including wolves, lynx, deer, boar, pygmy owls, and elk.