Hi All - I am trying to decide where to go on my next vacation in Europe. I've scratched the surface with some of the "core" places in Europe and am looking for some recommendations on where to visit next...I love quaint European towns with windy cobblestone streets and beautiful architecture, great food and culture, beaches and the outdoors - so essentially, I'm pretty much up for anything. My husband and I are in our early 30's and we will be travelling for 7 - 14 days this summer - probably somewhere between July and September.

To give you an idea of where we've already been, here goes: London, Rome/Florence/Siena/Venice, Barcelona/Madrid/Toledo, Prague, Paris, Athens/Mykonos/Santorini/Crete...

Clearly, MANY more places to visit, I am just not sure where to go next!! Would love some recommendations from those on this forum. THANKS!!

You have not gone to Germany at all and it is one of my favorite places to visit. Beautiful small towns, exciting big cities, and wonderful country.

Portugal? When I am choosing locations, I like to read trip reports. Here is mine: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm

I am with KKukura. Go to Munich, Rothenburg, Neuschwanstein, Salzburg and Vienna. Not much for beaches but it certainly fulfills your "quaint towns with windy cobblestone streets and beautiful architecture" requirements

How about Villefranche-sur-Mer on the French Riviera. With a car you'd have your fill of stunning towns from Antibes to Monaco.

How about northern Italy? Lake Como, Lugano, etc? Or The Amalfi Coast?

Amsterdam? Brugges? If it were me I might go through that book Places to See Before I die. You are lucky to be able to do this at a young age!Have fun and I can't wait to bookmark this thread for myself!

I recommend the Lausanne, Vevey, Montreux area about one hour outside Geneva, Switzerland. It has *everything* on your list, beautiful scenery, quaint towns/cities, local farmers markets, wonderful food, plenty of outdoor walking/hiking... even "beaches" if you count the shore of Lac Leman!

Isn't this part of trip-planning fun!

You said you like quaint towns, but the places you mentioned are all cities - which do you prefer? Especially if you like great food, it seems like you haven't spent a huge amount of time in France. How about southern France - Provence or the Cote d'Azur, or the southwest Dordogne area?

If you're travelling more in the July-August time frame, then the cooler areas of Germany and Austria might be a better choice. If more in September, then consider France.

Austria. Croatia/Slovenia. Czech Republic/Slovakia. I'd head for the bookstore and just browse the glossy guidebooks (the ones with lots of pictures rather than logistics info) to see what takes your fancy. Or borrow some from the library.

I would go with the Cote d'Azur/St. Tropez/Provence areas.

I've put this on my list of places I need to return!

Bernese Oberland is always on my list of places to return (and this year will).

Good luck with your decision.

I keep seeing some folks tell people to "hit the bookstore." A whole world of information is sitting right at your fingertips. You can look at videos, images, maps, other peoples opinions, etc. on the good old "World Wide Web!"

Must be bookstore owners!

Nice little towns.

Puglia/Basilicata
Tuscany
Nimes, Arles, Avignon,
Seville, Cordoba, Grenada
Porto
York, Lincoln, Cambridge
Soave, Villefranche, Venice, Verona

"Must be bookstore owners!" I wish! (Well, maybe not, only the chains are really doing well these days.) Call me old fashioned, but I still like actual books, and I think it may be easier to come across somewhere you like but weren't thinking of looking for there.

I think many places in Scandinavia would fit the bill.

Considering the lack of postings and/or questions on Fodors, you could have the countries sans-Americans.

I also second the suggestion for Germany and Austria. You would love Salzburg - so walkable, and beautiful.

thursdaysd..

Sorry.. my wife collects cook books!! My house is beginning to look like a library! I tell her she can find every recipe she wants on the internet.

She insists on books!!

The nice thing about life is we get to make our own choices!!

All the best!

Phil the Librarian

You can check travel books out of the library. You don't have to purchase them. In the early stages of planning it's a great resource, because you can request a big pile of 'em for all kinds of places with no cost or commitment!

Just a commewnt on borrowing travel books from the library.

Don't take offense, suze.

Smaller libraries will have but one copy of most books so if you borrow all the books on one subject at one time you may be denying someone else the ability to plan.

Just be nice and return as soon as you are finished.

My last trips have been Salzburg, Colmar region, Almafi Coast and Cinque Terre, and last Sept. French Riviera. I loved them all and don't have a favorite. They are all wonderful and have quaint little towns to visit.

Germany and/or Austria would be my suggestion(s). We are planning our 8th or 9th trip for September.

Germany:

Mountain towns: Mittenwald, Berchtesgaden, Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Rhine River towns (Bacharach, St. Goar, Boppard)
Mosel River towns (Trier, Bernkastle-Kues, Beilstein, Cochem)
Lake Constance towns (Meersburg, Lindau, Mainau Island)
Romantic Road towns (Wurzburg, Rothenburg, Noerdlingen, Dinkelsbuehl)
Bad Wimpfen near Heidelberg
Schwaebisch Hall

Austria:

Vienna, Salzburg, Graz, Klagenfurt
Wolfgangsee (St. Gilgen)
Hallstatt
Hall in Tirol near Innsbruck