New city/town suggestions across Europe
 

Hello all,
Ii am looking for suggestions of new cities and towns to visit on vacation that aren't always at the top of the list. We have visited many places in Western Europe that top the list and some moving east (Budapest, Prague, places in Croatia, Istanbul). I have searched the forums and two have popped out that also are consistent with friend reports such as Ljubliana and Sophia that folks seem to have enjoyed. We tend to like places with historic centers that are strollable with a little history, lots of cafes, and and the opportunity just to explore (our favs include Florence, Amsterdam, Brugges, Salzburg, Lucerne, Granada). We love the mix of big cities too such as London and Paris. If you have any suggestions especially in Scandinavia, Northern and Eastern Europe, and Switzerland, I would love to know your favorite finds! Thanks!

We really loved Copenhagen, pretty city with fantastic food scene.

You might want to take a look at my trip report about oour cruise on the Danube. It includes our two week trip to Bulgaria and a brief excursion to Pécs. Click on my name to find the report.

I heard glowing reports from visitors to the Baltic cities of Tallinn & Riga. I have yet to visit but others experiences are as good as mine!

I was going to suggest Tallinn as well, seems to meet the OP's specification to a T.

Have you been to Stockholm ... or Copenhagen as Jamikins mentions? Both are strollable with lots of history and, again, as Jamikins points out... great food in Copehagen.

Mons.

Kraków, Poland, historic city, well maintained, rather inexpensive too.

I was going to suggest Krakow, of course, also Wroclaw Poland, but not as the center of an entire trip (Wroclaw). You could do the 2 on the same trip, even throw in Dresden without too much trouble as you can get there by train (in fact, I did that trip, but in reverse: Dresden to Wroclaw to Krakow.

I just wrote a trip report about this summer's trip to the Baltics. They would fit your description of what you are looking for. http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...nd-vilnius.cfm

I am also writing a report about the next part of this summer's trip was 'off the beaten path' Italy. http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...hern-italy.cfm

I also think Krakow, Ljubliana, Iceland and Greece would be good places for you. If you click on my name I have reports for all these places.

There was a thread here about places to visit once you've done the 'biggies' but the search function doesn't work well and I can't find it right now.

"strollable with a little history, lots of cafes, and and the opportunity just to explore"

Besides those mentioned in posts above. Helsinki, although others may disagree. Dublin for theater and real Guinness. Glasgow for the Art Nouveau of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Loved all three. No one including yourself has mentioned Saint-Petersburg. A number 1 must for all you are looking for except that of having a "little" history.

We loved Stockholm..stayed near Gamla stan the walled old city...right on the harbour there and a tiny walk into the historic centre
I feel like the Scandinavian towns actually feel different..
I loved the ferry routes afforded to us in Stockholm...we went to one island and I so wish to return to that archipelago hiring our own boat and exploring the cute towns on the islands at our own pace

Tallinn is interesting...very touristy and such a mix of cultures and history..felt like it never really had its own identity but maybe that's what makes it Tallinn
a great town for kids I feel

we also loved Oslo..I wish we could've had another chance to go to the sculpture park and just take our time...it was raining and my husbands shoes were drenched making him uncomfortable so we didn't linger as much as I would've liked

st Petersburg...I didn't like it as much as I did Moscow..even though some people said that Moscow was inferior
I guess we enjoyed such beautiful weather in Moscow..it was late may and gloriously sunny
we travelled independently and I think we got in amongst the people more because of that
we did a short tour of st Petersburg and out to peterhof and it was a very different experience with the detached and almost haughty guide who was primping out her best English for us
it felt fake compared to the excursions we made ourselves out to the monastery towns around Moscow where the museum guides took us under their wing and immersed us in a personal way

Russia is funny..if youre into the glitz of the palaces and museums, ballet and high end shopping then it serves a purpose but if youre trying to discover the soul of the land its better to go with someone who speaks the language
I guess that's true of any country..Russia though, in my opinion, has kept its doors closed for so long that its almost as if its not quite ready for them to be flung open

Thank you to everyone for your suggestions. There are a number of places that keep popping up. It looks like two trips to plan around Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. I will definitely give a look to Krakow and Tallinn and the surrounds.

I loved the trip reports as well. They are so helpful!

Gdansk.

History = Teutonic history, start of WWII, start of Solidarity, Pope John Paul II's visit to the shipyards - beginning the process of killing the USSR.

Plus, Malbork is an easy day trip.

Go googling.

Prague

Lots of way big cities. Is this a thing the OP wants?

Just looking at Denmark my favorites are Odense, Aarhus, Roskilde, Rodkoping. Copenhagen is in there but only just.

Similar in say the Netherlands, I much prefer Middleburg to say Amsterdam.

Germany, Trier, Ulm, Magdeburg to say Munich of Berlin.

I think the OP has to give us more, what does she like about cities and town?

The historical Hansa cities in northern Germany, such as Lübeck and Wismar.

well, the OP said one of her favorite cities was Amsterdam, as well as FLorence, Budapest, etc. and is considering Sofia and Ljubijana, so it appears she is fine with larger places, given Sofia has over a million.

Going by train -if so and IMO if going mainly to cities you should - or fly long distances - check out www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com (this one's European Planning & Rail Guide has loads of info on rail itineraries and places to go by train).

When are you going -which month - if winter or early spring or late fall I'd head south - northern Europe can be grim and wet and dank and dark in winter.

"well, the OP said one of her favorite cities was Amsterdam, as well as FLorence, Budapest, etc. and is considering Sofia and Ljubijana, so it appears she is fine with larger places, given Sofia has over a million."

I understand, but she also mentions towns in her question, but gives no names, so maybe she has not done many. I don't know I'm just asking her. :-)