This falsetto-warbling, chest-baring glampire has haunted more dreams than any Romanian character since Dracula.
Cezar (Romania) —
This falsetto-warbling, chest-baring glampire has haunted more dreams than any Romanian character since Dracula.
Ragnar Singsaas/Getty Images
A more authentic Gothic aesthetic can be found in Transylvania, the central Romanian region of dark forests and captivating fortresses. <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.castelulcorvinilor.ro%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Corvin Castle</a> is where Vlad the Impaler -- the real-life nobleman who inspired Bram Stoker's "Dracula" -- reportedly was held prisoner.
Corvin Castle (Romania) —
A more authentic Gothic aesthetic can be found in Transylvania, the central Romanian region of dark forests and captivating fortresses. Corvin Castle is where Vlad the Impaler -- the real-life nobleman who inspired Bram Stoker's "Dracula" -- reportedly was held prisoner.
Courtesy Romania Tourism
These Russian Grannies stormed the 2012 song contest with "Party for Everybody," a song in which "everybody" means "six elderly ladies" and "party" means "pretend baking."
Buranovskiye Babushki (Russia) —
These Russian Grannies stormed the 2012 song contest with "Party for Everybody," a song in which "everybody" means "six elderly ladies" and "party" means "pretend baking."
VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO/AFP/GettyImages
Those who want a slice of the babushka scene can try the Golden Ring, a loop of 10 picturesque towns northeast of Moscow dotted with classic pre-Soviet iconography like onion domes and ancient churches.
Golden Circle (Russia) —
Those who want a slice of the babushka scene can try the Golden Ring, a loop of 10 picturesque towns northeast of Moscow dotted with classic pre-Soviet iconography like onion domes and ancient churches.
Harry Engels/Getty Images
Yes, Switzerland! The Swiss exploited a Eurovision loophole in 1988 to enter Francophone Canadian Celine Dion in the contest.
Celine Dion (Switzerland) —
Yes, Switzerland! The Swiss exploited a Eurovision loophole in 1988 to enter Francophone Canadian Celine Dion in the contest.
Courtesy YouTube/Eurovision
A similarly international experience can be found in the sunny Alpine resort of St. Moritz. The town is a playground for polyglots -- Romansch, German, Italian and French are all spoken in the region -- and millionaires, too.
St. Moritz (Switzerland) —
A similarly international experience can be found in the sunny Alpine resort of St. Moritz. The town is a playground for polyglots -- Romansch, German, Italian and French are all spoken in the region -- and millionaires, too.
Matthias Hangst/Bongarts/Getty Images
ABBA is Eurovision's success story, the act that made it big, like that one famous alumnus universities like to point to as proof of their graduates' achievements.
ABBA (Sweden) —
ABBA is Eurovision's success story, the act that made it big, like that one famous alumnus universities like to point to as proof of their graduates' achievements.
Olle Lindeborg/AFP/Getty Images
Please don't go to Stockholm's <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abbathemuseum.com%2Fen" target="_blank" target="_blank">ABBA Museum</a> with some stupid cover story about being there just for the irony of it all. You're in the Abba museum. Own it.
Stockholm —
Please don't go to Stockholm's ABBA Museum with some stupid cover story about being there just for the irony of it all. You're in the Abba museum. Own it.
JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images
The undisputed queen of the 2014 contest was a beard-sporting glamazon whose club-ready single "Rise Like A Phoenix" immortalized her journey from a closeted Austrian boy named Tom Neuwirth to a pop diva who <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2F3dki243b60u92u2r1w9k8edep.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F6%2F2014%2F05%2Ftumblr_n5du0gZkln1qhgd0so1_400.gif" target="_blank" target="_blank">weeps flawless tears of gratitude</a>.
Conchita Wurst (Austria) —
The undisputed queen of the 2014 contest was a beard-sporting glamazon whose club-ready single "Rise Like A Phoenix" immortalized her journey from a closeted Austrian boy named Tom Neuwirth to a pop diva who weeps flawless tears of gratitude.
JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images
The Austrian capital has a <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wien.info%2Fen%2Flifestyle-scene%2Fnightlife" target="_blank" target="_blank">thriving nightlife scene</a> whose clubs should provide ample opportunity to hear at least one of the countless dance remixes of "Rise Like A Phoenix.<br />Hot stays include <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.docohotel.com%2Fen%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">DO & CO</a>, a boutique hotel in the heart of the city's attractions. By night, its sixth-floor Onyx Bar is one of the busiest nightspots in town.
Vienna —
The Austrian capital has a thriving nightlife scene whose clubs should provide ample opportunity to hear at least one of the countless dance remixes of "Rise Like A Phoenix.
Hot stays include DO & CO, a boutique hotel in the heart of the city's attractions. By night, its sixth-floor Onyx Bar is one of the busiest nightspots in town.
Courtesy DO & CO Hotel Vienna
The Irish dancing troupe wasn't even an official contestant at the 1994 Eurovision contest, but their half-time show appearance set off a worldwide craze for Ireland's signature business-on-top, party-on-the-bottom style of dance.
Riverdance (Ireland) —
The Irish dancing troupe wasn't even an official contestant at the 1994 Eurovision contest, but their half-time show appearance set off a worldwide craze for Ireland's signature business-on-top, party-on-the-bottom style of dance.
Courtesy YouTube/Eurovision
For those who prefer their Ireland green, rural and pre-Celtic Tiger, it's hard to beat County Clare. Set on Ireland's stunning west coast, the region features amazing scenery and a vibrant music culture.
County Clare (Ireland) —
For those who prefer their Ireland green, rural and pre-Celtic Tiger, it's hard to beat County Clare. Set on Ireland's stunning west coast, the region features amazing scenery and a vibrant music culture.
David Cannon/Getty Images
Fresh-faced Danish singer Emmelie de Forest claimed an easy victory in 2013 with "Only Teardrops," a pop tune so legitimately catchy we still catch ourselves humming it.
Emmelie de Forest (Denmark) —
Fresh-faced Danish singer Emmelie de Forest claimed an easy victory in 2013 with "Only Teardrops," a pop tune so legitimately catchy we still catch ourselves humming it.
Ragnar Singsaas/Getty Images
With 400 kilometers of bike paths and a reputation as one of the planet's most sustainable cities, Copenhagen is as good a place as any to emulate barefoot De Forest's claim of being connected to the earth.
Copenhagen —
With 400 kilometers of bike paths and a reputation as one of the planet's most sustainable cities, Copenhagen is as good a place as any to emulate barefoot De Forest's claim of being connected to the earth.
Courtesy Nicolai Perjesi/Wonderful Copenhagen