There’s no denying my coronary heart is in some ways in Europe. From the second I stepped foot on the continent to my first time biting right into a croissant in Le Marais, there are such a lot of occasions I’ve scattered items of my coronary heart round this continent. And I’m satisfied Europe is at all times calling me house. However as for essentially the most lovely cities in Europe, I can’t decide just some.
Europe is filled with fascinating cities. From capital cities like Budapest and Prague to the smaller cities of Alesund and Bruges. There are such a lot of defining moments and “aha!” moments I’ve had on my solo adventures throughout Europe. In case you’re something like me and hunt down the perfect, you’ve come to the correct place. That is my definitive checklist of essentially the most lovely cities in Europe.
Submit up to date June 2022.
Probably the most lovely cities in Europe
1. Florence, Italy
The capital of Italy’s area of Tuscany is usually considered one of the lovely cities on this planet. After visiting a handful of occasions through the years, I’ve gotta say I wholeheartedly agree. Florence is house to a lot residing historical past from the Renaissance interval. You’ll be forgiven for giving your self whiplash as you attempt to look in each path and soak all of it in! Past the Cathedral and the Ponte Vecchio, make sure you enable time to get off the principle vacationer thoroughfare. As quickly as you stroll throughout one of many many bridges, an entire different world awaits. Exterior of town centre, you may uncover public parks, libraries, and smaller artwork galleries.
2. Vienna, Austria
There are few cities I can say examine to the fantastic thing about Paris however Vienna is one such metropolis that comes shut. It has been described to me as a cleaner model of the French capital and having visited each a lot of occasions, I can’t argue with that. The espresso home tradition is nevertheless my favorite side of Vienna. It has a means of transporting you to a earlier period with how stuffy and old-fashioned it’s. However by some means it is usually affectionately welcomed with open arms. Even for the youthful era, espresso homes are on pattern!
Learn extra: The central European trifecta: Visiting Vienna, Prague and Budapest
3. Edinburgh, Scotland
I’ve mentioned it earlier than and I’ll stand by it time after time, Edinburgh must be one of the underrated cities in Europe, if not essentially the most. There’s one thing so magical and ethereal about this metropolis that wins the hearts of many (myself included) nearly immediately or in my case, earlier than you even arrive. Bonus: there are a bunch of Harry Potter areas within the metropolis. That is the place J. Ok. Rowling herself wrote a lot of her work in cafes, drawing inspiration from areas all through Edinburgh.
4. Prague, Czech Republic
Prague is undeniably one of the charming cities to go to the world over. With a singular mixture of gothic, romanesque and renaissance architectures, this metropolis has limitless magnificence. The Outdated City is abuzz with guests any time of 12 months. Due to this fact in case you are attempting to flee the crowds, get off the overwhelmed path. A lot of my favorite finds in Prague can’t be present in guidebooks.
5. Munich, Germany
Visiting Germany for the primary time is a feast for the senses. However for those who’re searching for essentially the most lovely German metropolis to go to, look no additional than Munich. This romantic metropolis within the South of Germany is characterised by its beer halls, cafe tradition and charming structure that makes town lovely regardless of the altering seasons. 12 months-round that is certainly one of our prime picks for essentially the most lovely cities in Europe.
6. Bruges, Belgium
Bruges is a metropolis so lovely, you’d be forgiven for pondering you had been in an actual life story ebook. Generally regarded to as the most lovely metropolis in all of Europe, Bruges’ outdated world attraction has an authenticity that isn’t typically mimicked in cities when hoards of travellers discover out about its’ existence however – by some means – it’s managed to retain its’ attraction.
7. Verona, Italy
Whenever you arrive in Verona you may move out in sheer disbelief of how a metropolis could be so darn lovely in such an off-the-cuff, cool-girl kinda means. Verona is alleged to be the birthplace of Romeo and Juliet (contentious), nevertheless you’ll quickly see how the hearsay began whenever you spend greater than 5 minutes within the place.
8. Annecy, France
Annecy is the sort of postcard city you suppose wouldn’t exist in actual life however talking from expertise I can say with certainty that it’s much more lovely in individual (arduous to consider, I do know!) Positioned within the southeast of France, town overlooks Lake Annecy, has its’ personal system of waterways and isn’t removed from the alps, leaving it with a pinch-me backdrop to make it much more ethereal.
9. Budapest, Hungary
A metropolis as beautiful as Budapest, it’s no marvel the Hungarian capital has change into a scorching spot for travellers doing the loop round Europe. Only a three-hour prepare experience from Vienna, Budapest is an important cease in central Europe not just for its distinctive and engaging historical past but additionally for its grandeur and sweetness that might rival even Paris. Town is sprawling however largely walkable, as a lot of the points of interest are centred across the Danube. Remember to enterprise over the river to Buda and go to Fort Hill and Fisherman’s Bastion for the perfect views of town from above.
10. Barcelona, Spain
It didn’t take me lengthy to fall in love with Barcelona, certainly one of Europe’s most vibrant cities. Filled with color, magnificent Gaudi structure and among the greatest meals you’ll discover throughout Europe (patatas bravas anybody!?), there’s a lot to like about this metropolis. So far as magnificence goes, you may’t beat the limitless architectural marvels in Barcelona – its an image good postcard ready to occur.
11. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam is certainly one of Europe’s most visited cities and for good motive. As soon as often called the weed capital of the world (California’s legalisation and people who adopted go well with has kinda dulled it down), Amsterdam has a vigorous attraction that draws younger travellers with magnetic power. With its canals and well-known canal homes, that is simply one of the lovely cities in all of Europe.
12. Paris, France
In case you’ve been on this weblog earlier than, you’ll know first hand that my obsession with Paris is actual. As actual because it will get. In case you can see Paris by way of the lens of the 1950’s, you’ll fall much more in love with town of sunshine – filled with tradition, artwork and a residing literary historical past by way of its many cafes, bars, streets and sidewalks which have appeared within the works of the misplaced era.
13. Mykonos, Greece
Mykonos is a type of cities I knew I’d fall head over heels in love with however for one motive or one other, it took me a while earlier than I lastly visited Greece. This occasion centre is as enjoyable as it’s lovely – however for the perfect of Mykonos, make sure you discover within the early hours of the morning earlier than the crowds take to the streets.
14. Valletta, Malta
I didn’t spend sufficient time in Malta however I’m itching to return. This nation is filled with lovely structure, a powerful historical past, and among the loveliest locals you’ll meet – they’re proud to name Malta house and so they can’t wait to share it with you. Valletta, the capital, is on the coronary heart of this nation and having been established in 1500, is as outdated because it appears to be like.
15. Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen is without doubt one of the prettiest seaside cities and as basic as Nordic cities come. Nyhaven, the gathering of vibrant homes by the ocean, is certainly one of Europe’s most photographed spots and for good motive – it appears to be like too lovely to be actual! Nevertheless there’s rather more of this metropolis to find whenever you enterprise in to town streets – castles, whimsical gardens and Danish pastries are only the start.
16. Stockholm, Sweden
After I visited Stockholm for the primary time I knew it wouldn’t be the final. The capital of Sweden is so charming and quaint that you simply’d be forgiven for forgetting it is a metropolis of virtually a million inhabitants. Town encompasses 14 islands and thus a lot of it’s surrounded by water – related by bridges and illuminating effortlessly within the setting solar.
17. Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn is Europe’s fairytale city: the one and solely metropolis the place you easy can not, at any flip throughout the Outdated City Partitions, be surrounded by what seems like magic. There’s an unique chemist promoting unicorn mud, for a begin.
18. Alesund, Norway
Whenever you hear folks speak of the prettiest metropolis in Norway you by no means actually hear them say Alesund. I’m altering that. Having had Bergen on my bucket checklist for fairly a while, I used to be stunned to see the unimaginable Artwork Nouveau structure of Alesund. And fairly frankly, I used to be shocked that I had not stumbled upon it sooner. Having rebuilt after a fireplace in 1904, town has managed to retain its authenticity and attraction with ease.
19. St Petersburg, Russia
I used to be obsessive about St Petersburg earlier than I even stepped foot on Russian soil. Having studied Russian Historical past in my first 12 months of college, I had loads of appreciation for the East of Europe – the trials and tribulations it confronted as Peter the Nice regarded towards the West for change and evolution. I might go as far as to say that St Petersburg is my favorite metropolis in all of Europe and filled with a lot imperial and imposing magnificence that I consider everybody ought to see it no less than as soon as. The Hermitage Museum, Peter’s Summer time Palace and the canals that give this metropolis the nickname “Venice of the North” are only the start.
20. Zurich, Switzerland
Zurich is without doubt one of the most lovely cities in all of Switzerland and simply by pictures alone, it isn’t arduous to see why. This metropolis if charming with an consideration to element like no different.
21. Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon remains to be certainly one of my favorite cities in Western Europe, regardless of turning into one of the well-liked and trending cities im Europe over current years (thanks partly to how reasonably priced it’s!) Town is bursting with color and life at each flip, particularly within the neighbourhood of Alfama.
22. Strasbourg, France
I wasn’t anticipating to like Strasbourg practically as a lot as I did and as such, thought-about it a stopover metropolis en path to Colmar within the Alsace area. Nevertheless this must be certainly one of Europe’s most underrated, prettiest cities. Bordering Germany, the French metropolis has a singular mix of structure that you simply gained’t discover elsewhere.
23. Ghent, Belgium
Ghent will steal your coronary heart right away. This college metropolis is an attention-grabbing one: outdated in appears to be like however younger at coronary heart, with a thriving scholar inhabitants that make this a extremely enjoyable metropolis to go to. Solely a brief prepare experience from Bruges, I might argue for those who’re visiting one you need to go to the opposite: they’re each so comparable however but so completely different!
24. Rome, Italy
I’ll always remember the primary time I visited Rome. It was with my father at 17 years of age and maybe the single-most metropolis I bear in mind most: each element. We had been each visiting Europe for the primary time and had been in awe of the historical past – a lot in order that it nearly seems like a dream wanting again. We spent per week exploring the sights and consuming our means right into a carb-induced coma and I can say with certainty there’s just one factor I might do in a different way: put on higher strolling footwear.
25. Dubrovnik, Croatia
Dubrovnik grew to become actually well-liked round 5-6 years in the past and has solely elevated in reputation since turning into one of many important taking pictures areas for HBO’s Recreation of Thrones. This metropolis is as fairly as a postcard with an idyllic location on the seaside – a mixture that may’t be overwhelmed!
26. Warsaw, Poland
Regardless of being the capital, Warsaw is just not the primary metropolis many travellers consider when visiting Poland. I too had fallen into this entice and thought of Krakow the one metropolis I desperately wished to go to on my first time within the nation some ten years in the past. Because it seems, Warsaw is simply as (if no more) lovely to discover and has an exquisite outdated city that involves life over the Christmas interval.
27. Reykjavik, Iceland
Reykjavik was a lot smaller than I anticipated but additionally extra lovely than I might have imagined. The folks particularly are extraordinarily pleasant and pleased with their nation, desirous to study the place you might be from and what introduced you to Iceland. Wandering the streets on foot is one of the simplest ways to get round, simply make sure you enable your self to get misplaced – as that is the place the magic occurs!
28. Venice, Italy
This checklist wouldn’t be full with out Venice, certainly one of Europe’s most visited and wanted cities to go to. The sinking metropolis is alleged to have a time restrict in place, so make sure you make it a precedence if you wish to see it earlier than it goes!
29. Antwerp, Belgium
After I arrived in Antwerp I wasn’t positive what to anticipate as a result of fairly frankly, I hadn’t heard a factor about it. Because it seems this was certainly one of my favorite cities to find in Belgium: filled with younger folks, extraordinarily modern and enjoyable to experience a motorbike round. Town centre is gorgeous to walk round and you may spend no less than a few days doing simply that.
30. London, United Kingdom
London will at all times be one of the lovely cities in Europe and there’s no denying it has earned its title as one of many world’s most visited cities 12 months after 12 months. For the royal followers (myself included) there’s a lot to see and do in assist of the royal household, or you may merely spend a couple of hours strolling the streets of Mayfair pretending to be posh (not a nasty strategy to move time for those who’re so inclined!)
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