If you had to recommend five cities...
 

in Eastern/Western Europe, that everyone should definitely see, which five would you choose and why.

Galway. You'll meet people from all over the world.

Rome, Paris, London and Venice.

Yes, all are big cities. But they represent the history and cultures of their countries very well. I've never seen a city built on freshwater the way Venice is.

And yeah, I know I only said 4. The other one is a "everyone likes something different" choice. I could say Florence as easily as Nice.

BC

prague, vienna, venice, amsterdam, london

Really difficult - but probably Edinburgh, London, Paris, Venice and Florence or Rome.

the Why's are waaaay too numerous to list, but esch of these is unique

I agree with BC. They are also my favourite's cities..

Barcelona, Amsterdam, Pais and Rome are musts!

http://plus.xdrive.com/u/37479721/56...21ukIEc1OiNna6

This link is to my public folder. It contains links to my favorite hostels, what you have to do in specific cites and other tips for 1st time backpackers. Its also contains Passport info and other helpful documents.

Thought about this before:

Venice--It is the most unique city in Europe, and one of the most unique in the world. Plus great art, varied architecture, fascinating history, and a different culture from the rest of Italy.

Rome--Such a wide variety of cultural influences over so many centuries still visible to today's visitor. The layers of culture, art, architecture, history are astounding, as well as the influences of both the east and west. All in a vibrant world capital.

London--similar to Rome in the variety of things to see and do. A real effort made to preserve historical sites, balancing the practical need to pull in the tourist dollar while maintaining the historical integrity of the sites. Plus art and architectural masterpieces.

Paris--art, art, art, and food. Not to mention some architectural masterpieces of its own. And that certain something that is just French.

Those are the only definites on my list, and they are not any huge surprise. Droves of people visit these places each year (and have done so for centuries) for a reason.

That is not to say that other places aren't worth seeing--but these are my four imperatives.

And I do love Prague, Vienna, Munich, Strassbourg, Berlin, Bamberg..........

London, Paris, Venice and Rome for certain. The fifth probably would be Florence.

The one everyone's leaving out but should be on the list is Dubrovnik.

Hi
My list of five cities waould include in no particular order:
Rome
Budapest
Prague
Munich
Istanbul
I've been to others such as Paris, London but these are the cities I would recommend for their history, differences etc.
alan

Paris - Because in so many ways it is THE quintessential European city - beautiful, walkable, historic, cultured, sophisticated and grand. It's an incredible mix of old & new - 500 year old bridges and metro lines that operate themselves.

London - Because it's a great world city in addition to a European one. Every color, nationality, creed and lifestyle imaginable walks down Oxford Street or thru Covent Garden on a Saturday afternoon.

Amsterdam - Because its small in size but big in ambition. Its got the museums, restaurants and sights, but in a compact, humanly-scaled area. Plus the canals, bikes and trams give it its own unique atmosphere. and it's laid-back liberalism is to be envied.

Seville - Because Spain is a great country and Seville best exemplifies its spirit. It's festive, beautiful, warm, passionate and colorful. And it has that oh-so-Spanish mastery of the art of living.

Rome - Because its ancient monuments and buildings have to be seen to be believed. Standing in the Colosseum and imagining gladiators and lions is alone worth the trip.

Rome - For amazing history, food, sites

Granada - For friendly people, sites, the general feel of the town.

Vienna - What is there NOT to like!

Hallstatt, Austria - Gorgeous lake town with lots of great Hiking nearby

Gimmelwald, Switzerland - Absolutely the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. Nothing really in the way of night life but the hiking in the alps is the best!

Not sure about a must-see fifth, but I couldn't agree more with the four that BC mentioned.

Possible fifths would be Prague, Vienna, Berlin, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Florence, and Edinburgh.

Fun thread!

I'm not a big city myself, but these would be my choices:

In no particular order of preference:
Prague
Lisbon
Paris

Then a whole slew of other cities:
Berlin
Barcelona
Rome
Florence
Leningrad/St Petersburg
Istanbul
Edinburgh

And, then, there are all those wonderful European cities I haven't been to yet! :)

topping this great thread.

Tough call.

Venice - This is a slam dunk no-brainer.

Paris - Forget the hype. Whatever you've heard before, you still don't know what to expect.

Rome - Ditto. And if you like history, there's no place better.

Florence - Very photogenic town. That's a good thing.

London - This might be bumped off my top 5 cities list when I visit Edinburgh this summer.

My favorite location (not necessarily city) that I've visited so far in Europe is the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland. And a lot of people here would tell you the same thing.

Paris, Dublin, Florence, London and Rome(never been to the last but plan to visit.)

Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Prague and Dublin

London = history and culture and the seat of our (US/Canada/Australia) mother country.

Prague = architecture, Eastern European history, art.

Florence = The Renaissance

Budapest = for the Paris of Eastern Europe and to see the ravaging legacy of communism.

Krakow (which I will visit) = it is reputedly one of the prettiest and most charming cities in Europe, and it is near Auschwitz, which any traveler should see to understand that evil exists.