Budapest, as seen from the Avalon Waterways View river cruise ship. JIM BYERS PHOTO
11 of the Best Places to Visit in Europe:
|
City |
Country |
Average Hotel Price (per night) |
Recommended Length Of Stay |
|
Rome |
Italy |
€70-€200 |
5-7 days |
|
London |
England |
£100-£300 |
4-5 days |
|
Paris |
France |
€100-€300 |
4-6 days |
|
Amsterdam |
Netherlands |
€80-€200 |
3-5 days |
|
Prague |
Czech Republic |
€60-€150 |
3-4 days |
|
Barcelona |
Spain |
€80-€150 |
5-6 days |
|
Santorini |
Greece |
€150-€300 |
3-5 days |
|
Budapest |
Hungary |
€70-€150 |
4-5 days |
|
Reykjavik |
Iceland |
€100-€200 |
3-4 days |
|
Berlin |
Germany |
€70-€150 |
3-4 days |
|
Vienna |
Austria |
€80-€150 |
3-4 days |
LONDON
The Thames River and St. Paul’s in London. JIM BYERS PHOTO
AMSTERDAM
A canal in Amsterdam. Adrien Olichon/Unsplash Photo.
They’ve been working hard to fix up formerly seedy areas in the city centre. Last time I was there, a beautiful chocolate shop called Puccini Bomboni had opened up near the Old Church, an area previously known as a place where the homeless slept on benches. I took a nice boat tour of the city’s famous canals when I visited. The commentary was a little dull but we passed the Anne Frank House and glided past beautiful homes and bridges burnished with bright red geraniums and brilliant green deck chairs where folks sat and sipped coffee – or something stronger. The city is filled with richly decorated “brown cafes,” some of them dating back hundreds of years. The Rijksmuseum was given a wonderful makeover several years ago. You’ll find Rembrandt’s masterpiece, “The Night Watch”, as well as great works by the likes of Monet and Vermeer, including his famous painting “The Milkmaid.” Exquisite. The Van Gogh Museum is equally impressive.
VIENNA
Hundertwasser House in Vienna, Austria. JIM BYERS PHOTO
This is a city with a great mix of old and new attractions, including rooftop bars and funky architecture. Hundertwasser House might be the most Instagrammable building erected before Instagram existed. The project was designed by eclectic architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, an inveterate traveller and artist who came up with a wavy, organic, wildly inventive building that features trees growing out of balconies and groovy colours that the Crayola crayon people never dreamed of.
The building, completed in 1986, features all sorts of odd touches; random splashes of deep blue tile, parts of a chess or checkerboard. I look up and see a patio drainage hole fashioned to look like a grinning face. His style reminds many visitors of Antoni Gaudi, but I think Hundertwasser takes things to a level the Spanish/Catalan architect never considered. A great place to stop and rest is Cafe Landtmann, which dates to 1873 and is one of three historic cafes on the Ringstrasse or Vienna Ring Road. “There are I think 25 types of coffee here,” my tour guide told me when I visited last year. “Some have whipped crème, some have whiskey or, yes, Mozart liqueur. One specialty is a Viennese coffee called a melange, with espresso and hot milk, which I’m told is stronger than a coffee latte but not quite as powerful as a cappuccino.
BONUS CITIES TO TRY IN EUROPE
Ljubljana, Slovenia: A beautiful city centre with pastel-coloured buildings and a pretty river.
Lisbon, Portugal: Lovely neighborhoods and a series of hills that provide outstanding views. Great beaches, too!
Bratislava, Slovakia: A beautiful city centre, very walkable, with pretty shops and friendly locals. Your dollar goes a long way here, as well.
Brussels, Belgium: Fab museums, great beer, and perhaps Europe’s most striking city square.
