Places to Visit in Europe: Top 10 Places to Visit in Europe

 Based on here are my top recommendations for places to visit in Europe:

1. Paris
2. Vienna
3. Kraków
4. Venice
5. Prague
6. Milan
7. Monaco
8. Florence
9. Rome
10. Avignon

A lot of you guys are probably thinking, “Where is Barcelona or Madrid?” “Is London not in the list?” I know. It’s a bit embarrassing, but I haven’t actually been to Spain or UK yet. Personally, I’m quite sure I would’ve included London into the list. It’s not hard to imagine including Barcelona into the list considering all the good stories that I’ve heard. These are just the top 10 cities that are right on top off my head (and sometimes we say that spontaneous emotional link is the key). I’ll say a few words why they are. ÂBasilique du Sacré-CÃ…ur, Paris, France

1. Paris

Eiffel tower - ehef.id

This is hands-down the city to visit in all of Europe. Why? It’s got everything most people seek after when they go on a travel. There are the most famous tourist attractions in the world here such as the Eiffel Tower, the Notre-Dame de Paris and the Louvre Museum with the Mona Lisa inside. It’s the most romantic city in the world. It has beautiful architectures all over the place and many beautiful parks. Televisions . It’s modern, so people have no problem looking for electronic gadgets, sim cards, shopping malls (or as they call it, the grand magasins) or the world’s best restaurants. The Moulin Rouge and Amelie Poulin make the Montmartre very popular. Many come to visit Napoleon’s tomb in Hôtel Invalides. longboards . And, if Paris isn’t enough, there are plenty more nearby cities to visit such as Fontainebleau, Versailles, Chantilly, Chartres and Pierrefonds. For those who love to see modern architecture, there is Centre-Pompidou to visit. For those who love classical art, be sure to visit Musée d’Orsay besides Musée du Louvre. Also, for those who bring children, there is of course, Euro Disney. The only one in Europe.

 Schloß Schönbrunn (Schönbrunn Palace), Wien, Ãsterreich

2. Vienna

Mozart, Strauss, Schubert. Who are still strangers to these names? Of course, some people may immediately interrupt me and say that Mozart was born in Salzburg, not Vienna. That isn’t why I put his name in Vienna, though. Vienna is the centre of classical music for a very, very long time. Even Mozart traveled to Vienna to develop his music. The point is that this city is one of the highest  cultural centres in the world. 

Vienna - Austria's

If high-end music isn’t your cup of tea, you’re welcomed to enjoy the daily concert in historical costume for the sake of novelty. Here is where you can find the graves of Beethoven, Suppe, Spohr, Schubert, Brahms, Strauss (Jr), Salieri, Schönberg. There is also of course, the Schönbrunn palace, where the Habsburgs lived. Be careful not to miss the Schatzkammer museum, housing the most valuable treasures from the Habsburg family, including the world’s largest emeralds. The best concert halls in the world are also right here, whether aesthetically or acoustically. Be sure not to miss Wiener Staatsoper.

 

KoÃ…›cióÅ‚ Mariacki (St. Mary’s Basilica), Kraków, Polska

3. Kraków

Where is Kraków? What country is that in? Many of you may be unfamiliar with Kraków, and to many, it may seem strange that this city should be placed above other cities like Venice. Admittedly, there isn’t a lot of pop media that feature Kraków, so very few people go here because of something that they had seen in films or read in books. 

Kraków is in Poland, and it’s not even the capital city. However, I kid you not, this is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s also a high centre of culture. Just head to the square, and I guarantee that you’ll be able to see people performing all sorts of things. For those who wish to revisit the world war II experience, Auschwitz is not far off. However, the best world war II museum to visit in Poland is in Warsawa (The Warsaw Uprising Museum, Polish: Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego). Also nearby, there’s the Wieliczka mine, one of the world’s oldest salt mines still in operation. It is part of the UNESCO world heritage sites. Most of the salt sculptures were sculpted by the miners themselves, which is rather amazing, considering the fact that there is an imitation of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper and a whole chapel carved out. 

 

Piazza di San Marco (St. Mark’s Square), Venezia, Italia

4. Venice

Gondolas. The most serene republic of Venice. The sighing bridge. A city that is founded on the sea.  Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese. Whatever you know of Venice, I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed. This city is a city unlike any others in the world. Go to Murano to watch how a glass is blown into perfection. Go to one of the best basilicas in the world, the Basilica di San Marco. Spend sometime admiring the beautiful square Piazza di San Marco. Indulge yourself in some pastas, pizzas or gelato. Venice used to be one of the strongest and richest Italian city-states. Apparently, it used to have thousands of traders as rich as Rockefeller. 

Venice - italia

Do not miss the art galleries and the Palazzo Ducale. Enjoy getting lost in Venice, looking at all the great merchandises that they sell, such as the festival masks and costumes. If you’d like, you can do your own homage to Shakespeare by recalling the play Merchant of Venice and visiting places like the Rialto bridge.

 

Václavské námÄ›stí (Wenceslas Square), Praha, ÄŒeská republika

5. Prague

The capital of the Czech republic is usually known for the beautiful women (generally true of the eastern Europeans) and the great beer. These are all true. Be sure to visit the Charles bridge and the castle. I think that is unfair to judge Prague just by the women and the beer, because the city itself is probably the closest city in the world to give a Parisian impression that I know of.

Prague castle

I was here traveling with two Swedish guys who had been to Paris, and they agreed that this did feel a bit like Paris, just without the French that you must hear all the time. The Wenceslas Square in the middle of the town is the biggest square in all of Europe. This is another city that you shouldn’t worry too much about getting lost because there are beautiful goods all around, such as the paintings, the crystals. Be sure to eat some goulash whilst here. Those who love classical music will not forget about DvoÃ…™Ãƒ¡k, Smetana and Janáček. Naturally, it’s easier to find classical CDs of these composers here.

These are the top 5 cities to visit in Europe that I decide to recommend. Mind you, it’s extremely hard to recommend the best places to visit because there are so many wonderful cities in Europe, each with its own characteristics. This shouldn’t be considered a definitive or objective list. I’m just here to share my experiences to you and hope that it’d help you with your traveling choices.

6. Milan

Duomo di Milano, Milano, Italia

Milan is famous, no doubt, but I feel that it should’ve been in the word-of-mouth more often. It is one of the world’s fashion centres today. A city filled with extremely important museums such as the Pinacoteca of the Castello Sforzesco, the Pinacoteca di Brera, the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana and Leonardo da Vinci Science and Technology Museum (Muzeo Nazionale della Technologia Leonardo da Vinci), the best place to learn about da Vinci’s inventions. The transportation here is very cheap! It costs only 3€ for a whole day, and 5.50€ for two days! Can you get a better bargain than that elsewhere? Hardly! The Duomo here is very iconic and impressive, and the Galleria Vittoria Emanuele is a pleasure to be in.

Duomo di Milano

For those who are fans of classical music, or just Placido Domingo, be sure to check out Teatro alla Scalla. The vibe here feels different from Florence, and even though I haven’t been to Barcelona or Valencia, I would think that Milan is more like Barcelona and Florence more like Valencia. There are plenty of side trips here, so be sure to check the local tourist office. Some of the famous side trips include a trip to Serravalle, Milan’s best area for shopping, Foxtown, crossing the border to Switzerland to shop in the outlets, and trips to Lake Garda (usually coupled with a trip to Verona) and Lake Como. Extremely important is to book online to enter the Santa Maria del Grazia church to take a look at the original painting of the Last Supper by Da Vinci because you have to book a minimum of two weeks in advance!

7. Monaco

Monaco

The world’s second smallest country, only slightly bigger than the Vatican City, Monaco is an extremely wealthy nation. Comcast Packages . It houses the legendary Monte Carlo casino, and is often remembered as the site for F1 racing, the Monaco Grand Prix. When I had a quick glimpse of Monaco, I was suddenly bombarded by luxurious tall buildings and the sight of mountains and the Mediterranean sea. The castle is worth a visit to get some ideas just how rich the royal family in Monaco is. I saw semi-precious stones carved into perfection in the shape of an eagle and a castle. Everywhere you go, you taste the exclusive flair in the air.

8. Florence

Firenze, Toscana, Italia

Florence

Florence (Firenze) was the centre of Renaissance, the home of the Medicis. Banking originated from this city. Florence used to be easily one of the wealthiest cities in the world because of its banking industry. Besides that, Florence houses many great holy sites, such as the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella and the Duomo. Most people come here for the Duomo, Baptistery, the Uffizi museum, and the Galleria dell’Accademia, where the original statue of David by Michelangelo is conserved. Be sure to book online to skip the lines at the museums in Florence, and still be mentally prepared to line up. Also, the world’s renowned gelato store, Vivoli, is right here! A quick tip when buying gelato is to make sure that the pistachio is dull green, the banana is gray and the cream is yellow. Otherwise, the gelato is dyed. For food hunters, you may indulge in pizzas while you are in Napoli, but please seek after the steaks instead in Florence. Oh, and Gucci originated from Florence.

9. Rome

Roma, Lazio, Italia

rome-italy

The Roman empire, one of the world’s greatest empires ever in the world. Even though its size isn’t comparable to the British empire, it remained to be the world’s most admired administrative system achievements. Rome was the seat of power, the whirlpool of scandals, the admiration and the fear of other nations. Visit the Colosseum, Galleria Borghese, Roman Forum and the Pantheon as the number one priority. Also, you could consider visiting the Vatican museum and the Basilica di San Pietro in the Vatican City. 

I would recommend spending at least three days in Rome because there are other great attractions, such as the Capitoline Museum, the Trevi Fountain, the Imperial forums, Piazza Navona, Piazza Venezia, and many more. Everything is crowded here, though, and that was why I had a less enjoyable experience here. Not only the attractions here are historically significant, but they received a high media coverage throughout the world. Nevertheless, be prepared to visit a modern city that is filled with historical landmarks and swarms of tourists.

10. Avignon

Palais des Papes, Avignon, Vaucluse, France

The capital of Vaucluse department, Avignon was an extremely religious city in all of Europe. It used to be the residence for the “Anti-Popes” from 1309 to 1423. The Palais des Papes still stands today with all its gothic splendors. Two other main attractions from this city are Pont d’Avignon, the oldest and only bridge across the Rhône for a long time, and Musà du Petit Palais, which contains some of the most beautiful art works. Avignon is often bustling with life as the city is rich with culture, reminding me a bit of Kraków. 

Avignon

There were myriads of performing troupes promoting their programs in their costumes parading across the city. The surrounding fortification makes the city look impressive even right before you enter. Avignon is lined everywhere with beautiful streets, squares and parks. There is a belvedere point beside the Palais des Papes, with a view overlooking the area around Avignon, including the Pont d’Avignon on the river Rhône.

This is a small list of the top 10 cities I would recommend now so far. It’s tough. I had a really good time in other cities such as ReÃrms, Rouen, Nice, Verona, Trieste, Taormina and Siena. Don’t take this list too dearly, but take it as an opportunity for me to recommend some cities right off my head and list at least 10. Have a pleasant trip!