PalenQ

Just thinking of what are the tourist magnets for the average American when pondering a European trip - and after talking to friends and reading posts on Fodors for a decade now here is what I would think are the places most Americans want to visit when pondering a European trip - and in order - this is just my subjective ranking - what is yours?

EUROPE'S TOP TEN TOURIST MECCAS FOR AMERICANS

1- PARIS
2- L;ONDON
3- ROME
4- VENICE
5- FLORENCE
6- AMSTERDAM
7- EDINBURGH
8- MUNICH
9- VIENNA
10 - PRAGUE

Again these would not be my favorites - for example I would rank Berlin really high but what I perceive are most folks favorites to visit.

HOW WOULD YOU RANK IT? Curious.

StCirq

Why is this tagged Estonia?

I agree with the list.

PalenQ

Wow - Estonia - flummoxes me too but no doubt my fault.

november_moon

I think it is tagged Estonia because nothing is ever tagged Estonia and that part of the board gets lonely.

I think that list is about right - top 5 definitely. I haven't been to any of those yet, but they are on my list I've been to Amsterdam and Munich though and am going to Prague next month.

Madrid and Barcelona are seem pretty popular too - maybe one of them edging out Edinburgh. I know more people who have gone to Madrid and Barcelona than to Edinburgh anyway - and it seems that there are more posts here about them than Edinburgh too.

Lifeman

Where are Barcelona, Granada and Madrid? Or the Amalfi Coast?

mamcalice

Have been to all and generally am not too surprised by the list except that there are no Spain cities. I would have expected Barcelona or Madrid to be on the list. And I prefer Seville to many of those making the cut. Interesting.

hetismij

If you are talking about cities only then for a good number of Fodorites (though not me) the top 10 would consist of just one city - Paris. ;

uhoh_busted

We've been to the "top" six, and will visit Prague this fall. I want to see the other three, as well. I'd certainly include Barcelona on the list (but don't know which I'd take off if you had to only have 10.)

november_moon

LOL hetismij - so true.

willit

I'm not American, but my opinion based on reading the European board is that the number of Americans with Irish Ancestry pushes Dublin far higher up the list than pure "wow factor" warrants

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Dublin immensely, but it wouldn't make my top 10.

bardo1

Oh come on, hetismij.

Paris is only my #1, #2, & #3 (well, #6 too...)

kerouac

I thought Prague and Barcelona had completely fallen out of favor, but maybe Americans do not know yet. As for Edinburgh and Vienna, I never knew they were on the list.

CaliNurse

Not on the top ten perhaps, but i heard and saw so many Americans in Positano last month, it reminded me of Carmel California!!

PalenQ

. I would have expected Barcelona or Madrid to be on the list.>

Let me be clear - this was only MY list - a subjective list and is in no way fact - it is what I thought I heard Fodorites and friends mention when they first go to Europe - I would definitely put Barcelona and Madrid on it but it seems relatively few posts on this Europe forum at least mention Spain, being too off the main London-Paris-Munich/rome axis.

and personally I would never put Munich on any top ten list though I enjoy my time there it just is too modern, etc to fulfill the dreamy old-world Europe etched in many folks' minds. Bruges indeed would be on my personal list too.


So this was only my opinion and I was asking for other opinions of what the average American would have on their Top Ten Wish List for Europe.

As for small towns yes put on all five Cinque Terre lands, Portofino, Bellagio, Positano and Amalfi towns, Capri, etc.