Help me plan - Your favorite country/City and Why
 

I am planning a European vacation and am unsure of which countries to visit. I want to visit most of them, but obviously that isn't possible. I've been to France, and for each visit, most of my time was spent in Paris. So going to Paris is not on my list. The same applies to London. I've been there 3 times and seen everything I wanted to see in London, plus did some day trips to other areas of England. The countries I do want to visit are Italy, Greece, Spain, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Turkey, and Poland. My question is which countries are your favorite and why? If you have a favorite city, please tell me about that.

Krakow, Prague, Cordoba, Siena, Le Puy, Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo, Kastraki. Armenia, Tbilisi, Ushguli.

Too much to say about all the above.

Without knowing what you would like to see in those countries it's difficult to answer. My favorite city is probably Rome, but that is because I have a deep interest in ancient Rome (also, the food ain't bad and some of those Renaissance guys could really sculpt and paint).

I don't have favorites -- they are all different and to be treasured for what they offer.

Our favorites may very well not be your favorites. I suggest you just postpone your trip until it becomes clear to you, by whatever means, where you really want to go. My favorites have often been places I may never have considered or even heard of until something I read or saw compelled me to go.

These types of open ended questions without context of you and your interests make it difficult to answer. Everyone travels for different reasons.

Best suggestion: pull up a map of Europe in Google and poke around on a city/country and build from there.

I'll be honest, and maybe I am a skeptic, but these types of questions from new posters always make me suspicious of potential content farming. So, OP, welcome to this community, but please participate in the discussions you start.

Edited to add: recently you posted about going to Central Europe in this thread: Languages Spoken in Eastern Europe so I'm confused as to why you need additional ideas.

You're asking the wrong question.

Ask yourself what sort of trip do you want?

What do you like/dislike?

When?

I agree with kja that they are all different and to be treasured. I guess it all depends on what YOU like and what time of year you will be going. Do you like hot weather? Do you prefer cold weather? Do you want to see snow on the ground? Visit Christmas markets?

The Mediterranean countries are very, very different from the northern European countries. Do you want to be surrounded by olive groves, vineyards, and cypress trees? Do you want some coastal ambience? Mountains and lakes? Are you interested in art? What kind of food do you prefer? Or is food not important to you?

As much as I have enjoyed every country we have visited, I admit that I do have a slight preference for the Mediterranean countries. One of my most favorite cities is Venice, which we visited for the first time last May. Venice really is like no other with its canals, architecture, no roads and no cars, but boats and gondolas! And amazing sights! We fell in love with Tuscany and wish we had more time there, as well as the Dolomites. Northern and Central Italy would give you a combination of coastal ambiance (Cinque Terre), gorgeous countryside with olive groves, vineyards, and Cypress trees (Tuscany) and stunning mountains (the Italian Alps and Dolomites). Plus some amazing art and architecture (think Florence and Venice).

Greece and Spain are amazing, too. Andalucia boasts some gorgeous cities with important historical and cultural sights (Cordoba, Granada, and Seville). Greece is filled with antiquities. You could have an awesome trip that includes Athens, the Peloponnese, and one or two Greek islands.

Another favorite city that we visited for the first time last September is Budapest. Gorgeous architecture, beautiful location on the Danube, and such interesting and brutal history. And amazing food! You could combine Budapest with Vienna and Prague, a very common itinerary.

I agree. Suspiciously similar to a couple of other new posters on here asking such questions.
Apologies to OP if that is not the case, and if it is not the case you need to do your own research before you come here.

Not to seem rude -- but this is a pretty 'lazy' question. (and it does seem a bit mining for content) You'e listed fifteen countries. Each of those will have multiple cities that are favorites of someone on here.

How about this . . . Why not tell us what sorts of things you like to see/do and we could suggest cities that fulfill some of those wishes?

What I especially love is that every city has its own character Barcelona is a mix of beach and architecture, Madrid is more classic and cultural, while the southern part Andalusia is something completely unique with its atmosphere, music, and traditions.In June, I’m planning to visit Andalusia and do a tour: Granada, Cordoba, Gibraltar, Malaga, Seville, and Barcelona. I’ve already been to Barcelona, Costa Brava, Figueres, and Mallorca, but I’m definitely going again – Spain is a country where there’s so much to see, and you always discover something new

See Naples and die.

Thanks for your reply. Italy is definitely top of my list. I will be starting in Florence and working my way south, including a ferry to Sicily. I love Renaissance art. Will spend some time in Rome, and looking forward to seeing The Vatican.

I completely understand. For many years Ireland was on my Husband's bucket list. When we went to Ireland, we also went to England for a few days. It turned out that he liked England mor than Ireland. His all time favorite day was when we went to Hampton Court. Many cities in Italy have been on my bucket list for years, but maybe when all is said and done, Oslo Norway will be my new favorite place. Right now we are in the very early planning stages, so I'm looking for all the information I could get. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

I like Alsace, Strasbourg down to Guebwiller.

The old city and the ancient towns are very special while the monoculture on the Vosges and walking in the Vosges is glorious. The closeness to borders also attracts me.

my personally favourite place in europe is barcelona because it is famous for its unique architecture, beautiful beaches, vibrant streets. If you visit to barcelona try its famous food Paella. And if you are travelling from Uk remember one thing you should have visa for spain.

you don't need a visa to visit Spain from the UK

Karen, Thank you for your informative reply. The Mediterranean countries are definitely toward the top of my list, with Italy being in first place. Yes, I'm a fan of warm weather. I'm from Wisconsin, so definitely don't need to see snow on the ground while I'm in Europe. I'm planning on being there during the summer months, that way Northern Europe will have good weather.

Sorry to have appeared to post a lazy question. I'm doing a lot of research, and posted this question to see if anybody had any "definitely don't miss" cities or attractions. The things I like to do are museums, renaissance art, architecture, churches, history, tips on seeing the major attractions.

I asked about languages in a different post because I want to be able to communicate in the various countries I will be visiting. I was asking if English is spoken in the countries I will be visiting. If it wasn't I wanted to start trying to learn some of these languages. After the responses from this post I learned that in major cities English is spoken by many, especially younger people. Hopefully I will be lucky enough to find English speaking locals, but am going to learn the basics of each language. That way I can at least say hello and other basic phrases.

Thank you for your response. Barcelona is on my list. I've had Paella in Puerto Rico and loved it. I will definitely try it in Barcelona.