What's your favorite European city and why?

[Larissa]

My parents and my 22 year old sister are going to spend 1.5 weeks travelling in Europe and can't decide where to go. They will be landing in and departing from London. My sister wants to go to Florance, but no cheap tickets from LON to there. My parents want to go Prague. And since I've been all three are looking to me for input. But I'm not sure that they will like what I like.

My sister wants some nightlife. My parents want relaxing and easy to get to. They are planning to see 2 cities plus London. So about 4 days each in the two cities they haven't decided on yet.

Where have you been that you liked? Why? Any suggestions as far which cities to avoid?

[Sevilla]

I personally like Spain. Barcelona, Madrid and Sevilla are all awesome cities. I lived there for a semester in college a few years ago.

[HeatherFL]

Brussels, Bruge and Amsterdam. I also loved Dublin. It's so hard to narrow it down. Paris wasn't for me...

Amsterdam has just about something for everyone. It's really lovely. I'd highly recommend it.

Belgium has great food and some good nightlife too in Brussels. Bruge is just a beautiful town there.

Dublin, well if there are people who know how to party it's the Irish. But the castles, culture and history are awesome too.

My ex-husband just got back from 7 weeks in Europe. He wasn't impressed with Brussels while I loved it. He also wasn't too impressed with Barcelona while I hear people rave about it. He really liked Paris and I don't. He also really liked Amsterdam and Madrid. We both loved Ireland to include Dublin. I guess part of it depends on personal tastes.

Good luck deciding!

H.

[wander_woman]

Prague is by far my favorite. But I'm biased b/c I spent a whole summer there. I also really love Amsterdam, Rome and Barcelona. If they want to see 2 cities, I'd do either Rome/Florence or Mardid/Barcelona or Prague/Budapest. All of those have good lightlife. But they're not necessarily relaxing. If your parents really want relaxing, maybe they should go to wine country in Italy. They could do a few days in Rome for the nightlife/touristy stuff and then go to Tuscany to relax for a few days. Or they can spend 2-3 days in Amsterdam for the nightlife and then 3-4 days in the Dutch/Belgian countryside for relaxation. I've heard great things about Ireland and Scotland (those would obviously be easy to get to from London), but have never been.

[msnicolea]

Paris, Florence and Prague-- I can't pick just one! They are three of the most beautiful, amazing places I have ever been!

[Larissa]

This morning we talked Cardiff, and Prague. I adore Cardiff. Has anyone else been there that can help confirm or deny?

My easy favorites are Munich, all of Ireland, Cardiff, Prague, and Florence. I've also been to Rome, Venice, Paris, Berlin, Pisa and while I'd go back to all of them they just aren't up there on the list of top places. And attempting to help my family, who have never stepped foot out of the US, plan what they consider their once in a lifetime trip is not working.

Nicole - those cities are the ones my parents think they have narrowed it down to!! But then they change their minds again. Like Heather, I don't really like Paris so then that sways them even though I don't mean for it to.

[Sevilla]

Cardiff is a cool city--i have friends who live there.

[AusMarchBride]

I've been to Europe quite a few times. My fave cities are:

London. I really love it, but that's possibly due to the fact I have friends living there. But every European trip for me involves London, without fail.

Rome. First time, really didn't like it but I'm sure that was mainly because I was staying in a hideous hotel, miles from anywhere and anything. Second time was for part of our honeymoon, DH and I had 8 days in Rome and loved it. Last time I was there (earlier this year) we had 5 days with other family members also there at the same time and that was good fun.

Prague. Been there on 2 trips now and loved it. Beautiful picturesque scenic city.

Vienna. Also beautiful.

Paris. Been once and you couldn't pay me to go there again.
Venice. Pretty but hideously expensive.
Munich and Frankfurt. Wouldn't rush back to either of them.
Zurich. Very business oriented.

My one piece of advice would be to try if possible not to stay in the big "chain" hotels which all look exactly the same no matter which city/country you are in and where you are just a number. Much better to stay in a typical local hotel.

[QT Pie]

I second Amsterdam. I find it so charming and friendly. It's small too, so walking is super easy.

[tlew12778]

Actually there are cheap tix from London to Florence. Ryanair flies btwn London and Pisa. Then you take the train from Pisa to Florence (short ride).

My fave city is Bruges.

[Vishenka69]

I really liked Bruges too. But it's tiny and I think a day is more than enough to explore it in great detail. My other favorites are Venice, London and Prague. Paris was very pretty too but I found Parisians to be very rude and that kind of ruined the experience for me. I also liked Madrid but found Barcelona rather disappointing. I also didn't like Milan (from the tourist prespective there's isn't much of interest there althought he city itself is very pretty), Vienna and Brussels.

[MrsSmith]

Brussels is by far the best city I've ever visited. I just had an all around great time, the people, the food, the culture...I loved it all. I felt welcome and there was never a lack of things to do.

I also enjoyed Amsterdam.

[BSBC]

Galway on the West Coast of Ireland.

Palma on the Spanish Island of Mallorca.

[meatpie]

I love all that is Italy so Rome and Florence would get my vote. But the South of France is amazing (and can be very relaxing - Aix en Provence, for ex.) with Nice as well. Barcelona was another favorite of mine.

You could go to www.go-today.com and take a look at some of their three city packages, and see if anything really jumps out at you.

[bookworm]

London is my all-time favorite (I lived there for a year). In the "not London" category, Rome and Prague are my favorite.

Rome: so much history, cosmopolitan, great food.
Prague (at the time I went): old-world, amazing architecture, very "different" from other places (though changing...and this was 10 years ago).

[funky$meg]

*bumping this thread*

Staying in England from late September to December and I'm looking for fun places to visit in Europe while I'm there...

Any other recommendations out there for European cities to visit?

[LIZNKEITH]

If you like small towns, I'd have to say my all time favorite is Rothenburg, Germany. It's an old walled city dating back to the middle ages. Very small and cute. You can even walk the wall around the city. I honestly prefer the small towns to the larger cities. Anywhere in southern Germany or Switzerland has my vote.

[emmjay]

My favorites are Sevilla and Granada in southern Spain. I absolutely love the architecture and the food in that region. You can get an inexpensive EasyJet flight from London (Luton) to Malaga and go from there.

[Ohana]

I'd go back to Istanbul in a heartbeat. It's a beautiful city with so many interesting things to see and do, plus yummy food and it's not very expensive.

Other nice places are the areas surrounding Lake Constance in Switzerland, London and the surrounding areas, and Stuttgart was pretty nice too.

I'd stay away from Athens. What a dump.

[Amuse Bouche]

I love Paris. I would want to live in London but always visit Paris. I don't get all the negative Paris comments here at all!


After Paris (which I think is a must do, really, and might be great for both your sister and your parents) I'd probably go to Venice, though it's not super easy to get to. It's just so incredibly unique -- unlike anything else. Then maybe Rome. I think Florence is overrated.

[fats]

I've got to agree with Amsterdam. One of my all time favorite cities in Europe. It really so charming, the people are wonderful, the museums are great and there really is so much to do there (even if you're not into drugs or prostitution ;) ).

I can't post here without giving a plug for the South of France - Provence. Having lived there during college I've definitely got a bias, but it's such a wonderful area. Not too much of a nightlife though, unless you're on the Riviera.

Finally, I don't understand all of the votes for Brussels. I lived there as well and it was horrible. I hate, hate, hate that city. Good beer, great frites, but other than that, I'd be happy to never go back. Brugges is beautiful, but not worth more than a day.

[HeatherFL]

Finally, I don't understand all of the votes for Brussels. I lived there as well and it was horrible. I hate, hate, hate that city.

Gee, tell us how you really feel. :p

It's funny how we each have our own preferences. Since you lived there maybe you saw it in a different light than a tourist who usually just does the fun and light stuff.

~H.

[LoveandLaw]

I love Paris. I would want to live in London but always visit Paris. I don't get all the negative Paris comments here at all!

Ditto all that. I found the people in Paris to be extremely nice and helpful. We were treated wonderfully everywhere we went. But, we did make an effort to speak a little French (as in most countries, they really appreciate the effort, even if you read from the phrasebook and mangle the language like we did). Also, we read up on the customs before we went. For example, when you enter a shop or cafe in France, you should always greet the owners/workers with "Bonjour" or the like. It is considered rude not to, and they may not make an effort with you if you don't.

I think attempting the language and familiarizing yourself with local customs is advisable for wherever you visit.

[HeatherFL]

I actually took some French before leaving to Paris. I attempted to speak French while there and always greeted everyone with Bonjour/Bon Soi. I used my thumb to indicate I wanted one of something, my pointer for two, etc. I just didn't find the city overall to be that impressive. Yes, there were impressive things there. But I thought it was overrated (and dirty). And the people weren't that great to me. And as for the awesome shopping, I'd personally rather shop on Magnificent Mile in Chicago any day.

NOW that written, it's not to say that there aren't nice things there. Good food (though a waiter was shocked that I, as an American woman, ordered raw oysters for lunch b/c Americans apparently don't eat them?), good wine, cheese, or nice people, etc. It just wasn't for me.

~H.

[KK812]

Bump!

[Mrs. M.]

Vienna. Tons to see and the best cake anywhere in the world. Great public transport and everything is easy to reach. Lots of art and history.

Istanbul. Amazing sights, great food and the people are super friendly.

Amsterdam. Pretty city, nice and compact, you can walk everywhere, as long as you don't mind stoned Americans. Easy to see a lot in a day or two.

[Rosebud]

Paris, no question. Beautiful, beautiful-- the architecture, the parks, the Seine, all so gorgeous. The food is amazing, there's more art and culture than you could experience in a lifetime, the people are wonderful IMO (never encountered anything but polite, helpful people in Paris), great daytrips nearby, I could go on and on. I am really hoping to live there later in my life.

[Myra]

Paris and Edinburgh

[Oakley]

I haven't been to too many places, but I loved Amsterdam and Paris. I didn't encounter any rude Parisians!

[am_81]

London, Florence and Amsterdam. I love Paris as well, but I dont think I was really there long enough (compared to my visits to the other places) to make a fair judgment. Just long enough to fall completely in love and not see a single bad thing about. ;)