Europe has its fair share of those little tiddler states – you know the ones, territories like San Marino, Monaco and Liechtenstein which, if you cut a decent pace, you can walk across in a day.

Vatican City is the tiniest of the bunch. You can stride from one end of this theocratic state to the other in the time it takes to mumble two Hail Marys. In addition to those well known microstates, there are places like the Faroes, the Åland Islands and the Bailiwick of Guernsey which function to all intents and purposes as independent states while retaining a nominal political link to another entity. Then there are the places that aspire towards independence, but whose secessionist aspirations have not yet been internationally recognised: Abkhazia, Transdniestr and – certainly one to watch in the weeks ahead – Kosovo.

Oddest of the bunch is surely Sealand, an upstart self-styled principality on an abandoned sea fort in the North Sea. No-one really takes Sealand seriously, except for the retired British army officer who ‘occupied’ this unprepossessing lump of concrete in 1967. He and his family (all now royals of course) really assert Sealand’s right to independence, and in this fortieth anniversary year of Sealand life, devoted (or gullible) fans of Europe’s quirkiest polity can purchase souvenir mugs and T-shirts.

Last year life on the offshore statelet took a turn for the worse when a fire in a generator room destroyed what few home comforts Sealand ever possessed. Unsurprisingly, the Sealand Royal Family are minded to quit and return to the English mainland. So Sealand is up for sale. If you have 750 million euros to spare, now is the chance to splash out and buy your own (presumably slightly singed) statelet.

This is the six in a series of fortnightly blog posts by the editors of hidden europe.

photograph courtesy of Libär

If you’re like us, the accidental Swiss invasion of Liechtenstein last week reminded you yet again of that single afternoon you spent exploring Vaduz, eyes wide open.

The tiny Alpine microstate occupies just a sliver between Switzerland and Austria. In addition to being a very small country, the principality has a striking tourism site, outfitted in an attractive pairing of plum and strawberry hues. Check it out. It’s really a very nice color palette.

As you might expect, the site devotes a lot of time and energy to winter sports activities, primarily skiing and snowboarding. Summer activities aren’t neglected, though, and neither is the principality’s wine. The Swiss “Gastronomy and Wine” circuit itinerary makes one of its eight stops in Liechtenstein, which has a remarkable 178 wine growers among its 35,000-strong population.

Liechtenstein’s charms aren’t just physical. Modern architecture fans in particular will find the striking cube of a structure that houses the Museum of Fine Arts in Vaduz very pleasing.