What Was Your 1st European City?
 

I often think back to the very first time i set foot on European soil- in my case European volcanic pumice as on my first trip i took Icelandair and landing in Reykyavik and did their Hotel Loftleidir flight/hotel stopover package.

Iceland was a shock - no trees on the long bus ride from the U.S. militlary airbase at Keflavik and the terrain was bleak - piles of volcanic rock - a college student from the mid-west had never seen nor imagined such a desolate landscape.

Reykyavik thus was my first European town - and it too was memorable - kind of an outpost in the Arctic but surprisingly warm for early May, 1969. I learned that it rarely got below freezing and the temps were a fairly stead 40 low - 55 high most of the year.
What surprised me most in Reykyavik were the many young men with very long hair - even though it was the 60s everyone young here looked like a long-haired Beatles clone.

The airline's hotel, Hotel Lofteidir was my first European hotel - really a modern motel but with a great breakfast buffet - lots of fishy stuff, etc.

Two days later i took the bus back to Keflavik to fly to Luxembourg, my first really Continental European city and i thought, with its deep gorge, it was the most beautiful city i had ever seen.

Of course it would soon be eclipsed by many other places but still remains dear in my heart.

What was you first city - how did it strike you and when was it?

HI PB,

Helsinki in 1967.

Lovely town.

My first European experience was in landing in Brussels at the start of a month long architectural tour of Western Europe during college in 1992. We spent no time in the city but simply got in our rental vans and headed toward Paris seeing a few cathedrals along the way. What an experience that trip was.

Munich. First trip, landed and somehow figured out to take the train into town. We didn't know which stop to get off, so just randomly picked one. After wandering around to find an "exit" sign, we walked up the steps and we were in front of the glockenspiel! We couldn't have picked a better stop. It was the first of many sites that brought tears to my eyes and made me thankful that I am able to travel.

My first was in 1993, landed in Amsterdam on the way to Zurich! Will never forget how overawed I was!!

My first European city was Le Havre, because we used to come on the boat. I was 2 years old. I actually have crossed the Atlantic by ship 9 times.

London, 1997. We were met at Heathrow by a dear friend we had not seen for a few years and it made it all the more special to share it with him (and for him to share his city with us). We have since returned a couple of more times and added many more cities to the places we've been but that will always be special.

My first one was London, 1969. Then flew to Paris. 1969 was not a good year for Americans to visit Paris.... I've been back a few times since then - MUCH better now!!!

Florence, Italy late 1966, at the time of the Great Flood. An experience of being confronted with great beauty in the throes of a disaster.

Provence was the first foreign soil outsite Italy that I have visited when I was a teen.
I Spent the summer in Avignon at my cousin house.

I was so happy that after all these years studying French in school I was able to practice the language.

Naples - 1952. Overturned and sunken ships in the harbor. Ragged kids. Miles and miles of bombed-out ruins south of the city alongside railways yards.

Chamonix in France, January 1999. I had wanted to go to Europe since I was little, and I was so excited to finally be there. Well, England was my first choice, but they don't have much for skiing. :) The most important thing I learned was that the French really aren't rude or mean or evil in general. I admit I was a little leery of that but my fears were pretty much unfounded.

Athens in 1979. And I hated it. Although I'd wanted to go to Greece ever since Grade 5, I underestimated how dirty and noisy an ancient city can be. And the language barrier was enormous in those days - it was 'all Greek to me'! We loved Corfu tho' and Paxos, and seeing Knossos on Crete. Have never returned.

An 11-hour layover in Amsterdam, then on to Munich before heading to several more cities/countries. I was 15 years old and immediately smitten. :)

Paris, December 2000. I'll never forget the feeling of "I'm really here!"

Johanna

Dublin, 19**. Born there.

First city after that: Glasgow, 19**+4. Abiding memories: playgrounds locked on Sunday; the underground; a big placid dog that scared the shit out of me.

Paris...and it was this past April! I adored it and was so happy that it lived up to my expectations (Paris had been my dream destination for as long as I can remember!). That same trip we were also able to travel a bit in Switzerland - although I loved Paris, Switzerland had me in awe! Since then we have been to Edinburgh and London...however, I don't think anything can compare to my first trip. :)

Limerick, Ireland - 1967. I remember being taken by my traveling companion's uncle to a jewelry store to buy a "cross and chain." I don't remember much else about Limerick (and after reading Angela's Ashes, maybe it's for the better). :)

We continued to travel to 8 other countries and many cities on that trip, but nothing compared to that day landing at Shannon for the very first time.

Waldsassen (sp?)Germany on the way to Prague in 1999. We landed in Milan, got in a car and drove non-stop to that tiny town for the night before heading into Prague.

Naples in 1961 - I was 14 and on a "round-the-world" trip with family (space available via my Air Force dad) - after that on through Europe and home.

As an adult more appreciative of things (not that I wasn't when I was 14 - after all I studied then but couldn't enjoy the wine :) ), Vienna in 1988 (not counting Frankfurt airport layover).

KC

1970, Malaga, Spain. Actually Easter week in Torremolinas with a charter group of Ohio teachers for $199 per person, including deluxe hotel, airfare, and 2 meals a day.

Paris. 1981. Long two-stop AF flight from Hong Kong (HKG-BOM-DXB-CDG).

CDG T1 was so modern and exciting at that time. Saw the Concorde there too.

Paris, more than 40 years ago. Had a six or seven hour layover at Orly and in those days with no security, a trip into Paris was doable. Another gal I met on the plane who was also alone and I somehow figured out how to go into the city and ended up near Notre Dame. I was blown away that I was actually there and that it looked like pictures I had seen. We went in hesitantly. Mass was going on and we took seats quietly and tried to be unobtrusive. It was the also the first time that I realized how selfish tourists could be. Many were walking around, talking, taking pictures with flash, and just generally unobservant that it was a religious site. We stayed to the end of mass and then went out to find a small cafe where we had breakfast. An elderly (or at least I thought elderly then; my criteria for elderly has risen considerably over the years) French woman sat down with us. We chatted and I was amazed that I actually understood much of what she had to tell us and that I could make myself understood. I have been lucky enough to be able to revisit Paris at a more leisurely pace since then, but still have barely scratched the surface.

The first city I actually stayed in was Salzburg (same trip). I was there to study German at a 6 week course. Salzburg was incredible. I have been back several times since then.

That whole summer I think I went around with my mouth open with the wonder of actually being there after years of wanting to go. When I was growing up, my mother had posted a map of the world on our kitchen wall and she would tell stories about all the wonderful places in the world. As soon as I could read, I was fascinated with maps and the idea of travel.

Even though I grew up in a small New England town on a farm and went to a small NE college, I knew that somehow someday I would go. I was so lucky to be able to get my first taste the summer between my junior and senior year in college. I am truly grateful to my parents for encouraging this interest.

My mom and dad got some traveling in during the 70's and 80's, but Dad was not too thrilled with traveling. When he came home after WWII, he just wanted to settle down and get to know the family he had been away from for three years and mom would not travel without him.

We landed in Munich in October '91, picked up a rental car, started driving and didn't stop until we were across the alps and in Merano (gorgeous town, but not really a 'city').

I proceeded to bolt out of the car, walk up to the car park attendant, and ask (in my best phrase-book Italian) "can we park here overnight?" Of course, he didn't speak a word of Italian...or English for that matter. Awkward introduction to Europe.

A couple of nights later, we stayed in Verona...so that would qualify as my first actual Euro city experience. And I loved it. Terrific city to explore on foot!

London, 1971 -- a semester abroad. I loved the medieval remnants in the City -- the effigies in Temple Church particularly. Also bangers and mash and the Wimpy egg burger (gone . . . gone forever). Given the state of American beer at the time, Watney's Red Barrel was a revelation! Oh, and you can get a buzz from the cider! Returned 16 years later as a Foreign Service Officer.

At the end of that semester I took the train from London to Rome. Stopped in Paris for a n hour or two and walked a few blocks. Took 17 years to get back. Fell asleep in the train and woke up coming through the Alps. Arrived at Rome's Termini at night and found a pensione from a friendly tout . . . but that's a second city . . .

Neo Patrick, I think I took a similar tour during the same time but as a high school student. I drank alot on that 10 day trip so I remember very little.

So 30 years later I now count as my first trip because I can remember and appreciate so much more.

I landed in Rome spent a whirlwind 2.5 days and then went on to the Amalfi coast. Ever since this trip I believe I should have been born in Italy.

I have been back to Italy 5 times since and don't plan to stop!

Gail

April 2001, PARIS! I couldn't believe I/we were there. My husband planned and booked it as a surprise for our 10th Anniversary! We took the Air France bus to the Gare du Nord (I think) and while wandering looking for our hotel we got our first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower between some buildings and I was hooked.

1961: London via Southampton, where I disembarked from my 7 day voyage across the ocean.
I was a college student and was pretty much in awe of the whole experience that summer--8 countries in 8 weeks. I was on a tour with 10 other young people from all over the country. Not many from my college had ever been to Europe, but I was so impressed that my tour-mates, mostly from New England, were running into friends all over Europe. It was an eye-opening experience for this "girl" from W. PA. I've had wonderful trips since then, but there's nothing like going to Europe when you're young!

1987, Milan -- part of a whirlwind 5-day business trip to Milan/Rome. I'd been to the UK several times, but never to Europe. I'll never forget standing, jet-lagged, on a cobblestone street with a Roman arch, and thinking, "Oh God, I'm in Europe." In my mind's eye I had an aerial view of myself standing in Milan on a map of the world. Next time in Italy was a long vacation -- and there's another one coming up in October!!

Angers, France, 1974...our first overnight stop on a student tour (we landed at CDG, then boarded the tour bus straight for Angers). The 2* hotel where we stayed is still in business.

The attitude toward (American) group student travel in Europe sure has changed from the 1970s. My group, all kids aged 14-17, included two winery tours and most nights we were encouraged to try a glass of the local wine with dinner. Now group student tours are full of "no alcohol" rules.

Anyway, loved Angers then, still love it now!

London, 1992. And, it's always been my favorite! Heading there in 8 days, too... =)

My first european city was London.
i've gone back numerous times, and still love it.

Cortina d'Ampezzo, March 1996 - arrived in the middle of the night, got a couple hours of sleep and threw open the shutters at dawn. Jaw-dropping, spectacular view of the Dolomiti with the snow pink from sunrise.

Braunschweig, Germany in 1966 when I was born.

Munich - 2007 :)

Spring 1985, Rome. I was with a group from my high school and it was definitely a "If it's Tuesday it must be Belgium" type of tour.

It was my first taste of Europe and traveling and I was bitten hard by the travel bug on that trip! Since then have made several trips to other parts of Europe and the world...there's is always a trip being planned in my head! :)

June 1969 - Paris - 16 years old

The song that plays in brain from that trip is Zager and Evans "In The Year 2525." It seemed to be playing everywhere (at least that's how I remember).

The first afternoon in Paris I had a Wimpy's hamburger. At dinner my dad, wanting me to be adventurous in my dining, bet I wouldn't eat a plate of snails. Always competitive, I took his dare, and learned that trying new foods was not only fun, but delicious.

On that trip, we also visited Lucerne, Interlaken, Basel, a castle somewhere in Northern Germany, Copenhagen, all my relatives in Oslo, Bergen and other parts of Norway and ended in London.

Europe has been in my blood ever since, and I still love escargot.

((H))

Like the OP, Reykyavik was my first in 1996.

London in 2002. I snagged an excellent deal because travel was still staggering from the aftermaths of September 11 and London, like many places, saw a decrease in travel so they were offering specials. I loved London and have been hooked on Europe since.

Tracy

Barcelona--2000. Had just finished college and went to visit my best friend who was finishing up her study abroad program. After the 1st big lunch complete with wine and followed by a siesta, I remember thinking: "I could get used to this." I was hooked on Europe right away and have been steadily adding to the list ever since.