One of the most difficult things about traveling in Europe is deciding where to go. If you only have, say, three weeks of vacation and limited funds to spend on travel, you end up having to narrow it down to just three or four destinations. This is always tragic, since deciding to go to, say, Paris means that you must simultaneously rule out Rome or Prague or Athens. Every choice comes with a downside. But on the other hand, planning a European trip is, to me, one of the most exciting things in the world. Particularly during the early planning stages, I'm always overwhelmingly thrilled by all the choices available to me.
In the end, it's hard to go wrong when it comes to planning a European trip. Still, if you ask me, there are a few places that are even less wrong than others.
My top choice is Paris. Yes, it's a cliché-I know everyone loves Paris, but why fight it? In Paris, both the city and life itself are works of art. The city is safe and uniformly beautiful, the food is top-notch, the museums are inspiring, the local culture is sophisticated, and even the chain hotels are charming. It's almost impossible to visit Paris once without staying under its spell for life.
In Italy, Rome is the perpetual favorite, with its remarkable history and romantic urban settings, but I'd just as soon revisit Milan or Florence, two cities that may not match up to Rome in size and importance, but which have their own special characters. Florence, in particular, was the center of the Italian Renaissance, and the spirit of that age lives on in the architecture and art. Plus, it's in the middle of Tuscany, one of the most naturally beautiful regions in all of Europe. I wish I could recommend the car-free wonderland of Venice, but unfortunately that city is so jam-packed with tourists that it's not really worth the trouble.
Prague, to put it simply, is just a cool place, especially if you like Eastern European architecture and beer. I love to wander through the enchanting cobblestone streets lined with old churches and castles, but the city is small enough that it's difficult to get lost or stray far from your hotel. In this part of the continent, I'd also recommend the equally breathtaking Vienna, as well as the exciting metropolis of Berlin.
And then there's Spain, practically a continent unto itself. If you travel through Spain by car, you're liable to stumble upon many gorgeous small and mid-sized towns whose names you've never even heard of. Granted, most countries in Europe are full of charming small towns, but Spain takes it to a higher level. Meanwhile, of course, there's the large and cosmopolitan capital of Madrid, as well as the historically and architecturally rich coastal city of Barcelona.
Of course, these few destinations are only beginning to scratch the surface of what Europe has to offer, but at least they are a starting point. For English speakers, the U.K. and Ireland have plenty of top destinations, and they can be a welcome escape from the often disorienting experience of traveling through the mainland. And don't forget to consider the slightly more far-flung destinations in Portugal, Scandinavia, Greece, and Western Russia.
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