Favorite European Cities and Why

You've been to most of the places in Europe I've seen, except apparently Moscow and St. Petersburg (now there's a new idea!). Have you been elsewhere in Britain or Spain? After London, I think York is just about one of my favorite places. I'd recommend a trip to the north of England and then perhaps Edinburgh and the rest of Scotland. Or, if you enjoyed Barcelona, consider other parts of Spain. It's been years since I was there, but I really enjoyed Madrid and especially Sevilla and Granada.

Excluding the ones you have visited, I would say Budapest, Oslo, Edinburgh and maybe Madrid (but not on the same trip!) are my faves that I have visited.

Krakow,Poland is wonderful, Venice is not to be missed, Berlin is fascinating, Segovia is spectacular but Paris isunparalleled.

Venice is our favorite but you have there. Next down the list would be Berlin and Copenhagen.

Budapest is a real gem. Krakow (and a side visit to Wroclaw) is also a beautiful place to visit. But for the fall, you can't beat Madrid (with side helpings of Toledo, Segovia, and Avila...)

I truely love London and we have included it in almost every trip we've done in the past 20 years. Salzburg and Vienna are also among my favorites. Not only ofr their beauty and culture and history, but for the atmosphere/tone of the places and people. Oslo, Norway is a great place (though rather expensive). Unbeatable scenery. But Scotland- especially the area around Aviemore and Inverness- tops everything. The history, the myths and legends, and the people. Hubby would really like to up and move there! There is something timeless in the Highlands- the lochs, moutains and valleys, the rambling burns (streams) with their lovely waterfalls. And a good single malt whisky with a piece of shortbread as you watch a late summer sunset over the moutains.... as close to heaven as you can be on this earth.

If we exclude the places you've already been, I'd put Budapest, Krakow, and Istanbul on top of your list of possibilities. Istanbul in particular is just so interesting and different, one of our favorite places of all.

For me it would depend on when in the Fall and what type of weather you would hope to have. We toured Norway in early September and it was just about perfect: stunning scenery, nice people, beautiful towns. In the later Fall when it's colder I might choose Sardinia. We rented a car and traveled in a big loop around the island. Or I might choose southern Spain around Seville, Gibraltar, and a quick trip into Morocco.

The first time I visited Amsterdam, I felt like I was home. The people are very nice, the architecture is beautiful, and the museums are fabulous. The many canals and few cars give the city a feeling of fantasy. I also like Amsterdam's long (and hopefully continuing) history of tolerance, once of religious differences and now of marijuana and prostitution.

For big cities, I would choose Berlin. For medium sized cities I would choose Edinburgh and Frankfurt. For small towns, I would choose Büdingen and Bayeux.

Nice, tucked between the Alps and the blue Mediterranean. Beaches set up for lounging in a chair sipping a drink while feeling the breeze blowing in to the shore. Beaches in whichfor a fee,yes...you have lockers to store your street clothes, hot showers, towels, and a cafe for a lovely Salade Nicoise or Pan Bagnat. The Old Town, narrow alleys shaded from the bright sun and pastel buildings. The smell of wood-fired pizza on every corner. A dazzling flower market in the Cours Saleya mornings. Some of the best gelato you will ever taste at Fenocchio's...imagine flavors like lavender, rose petal, dark chocolate. Two great museums (Chagall and Matisse). Easy bus access to enchanting hilltop villages like Eze or St Paul de Vence, and even easier train service down to the coast to Monoco, Antibes, or Villefranche.
Not far behind would be Provence...Arles, Avignon, Isle de la Sorgue, Roussillon, et al....especially in lavender season (June-July). The view of purple lavender fields stretching to the horizon from up on the ridge near Mt Ventoux....wow.

The Luberon in Provence has everything we love - beautiful scenery and perched villages, lovely architecture, history, wineries and orchards, and excellent food. It is also close to other places in western Provence for day trips, such as the Camargue. For a great trip, you could fly into Nice, spend a few days then head to the Luberon. Watch the Russell Crowe film, A Good Year, for a preview. A website with lots of information http://theluberon.com/

A list of my ten favorite cities in the world (for persepctive and in no particular order): Beirut, Paris, Istanbul, Marseilles, Buenos Aires, Shanhgai, Hong Kong, Charleston, Saigon, Marrakech. That leaves Istanbul and Marseilles in Europe which you haven't seen yet. Belfast is an almost-made-it, so you might want to consider it as well.

My votes would be Krakow, Poland; Bruges, Belgium; and all of Normandy in France, particularly Bayeux.

Our two favorite places in Europe are Croatia and Greece. Both countries offer a wide range of things to do and see, from museums and ancient ruins to hiking to island hopping. Fall is a great time to visit either place.

I would second or third Edinburgh. It's a lovely small city and there is more to it than the Royal Mile. I also like Berlin. It's a very exciting city and has lots of contemporary cultural activities. Also, if you're interested 20th century history it's an amazing place. Many years ago, I visited Athens I would have to put it as one of my favorite cities. Pam

My top two favourites are Paris and Berlin, without a doubt. The other top favourites without any specific order are London, Vienna, Strasbourg, Lübeck, Potsdam, Amiens, Fontainebleau...these places I never get tired going back. As for the US, San Antonio is the place to go!

You have not been to either of my two favorite European cities Edinburgh and Stockholm. They are both stunningly beautiful. Edinburgh is full of history, as well as scenery. It's got a castle sitting on top of a volcano and the Royal Mile, an old medieval lane that winds slowly down a hill from the castle to the Palace. It's also got beautiful Georgian architecture in the new town section. When the fog roles in at night, it's the most romantic place on earth. Stockholm is built on 11 islands. My favorite island is Gamla Stan, the old town - from the middle ages. It's a vibrant city with some beautiful architecture and lots of water.

After our trip to Germany last summer, Berlin is my new favorite city. So much to see and do there, i have to go back!

My favorite cites: Krakow, Lisbon and Gent. I really loved Gent (Belgium) great town with beautiful canals, chuches, museums and great beer! Lisbon I felt was the most beautiful city and Krakow vibrant and transporting. In PortugL also out towards Evora. Neat home base to see the area.

For beauty, Venice and Salzburg. For culture Rome, Florence. London for choices of activities. For great people, small town Ireland. There are a lot of close seconds to these, and others that are great but maybe not "favorite". I still have a lot of places to visit.