Your favourite cities in Europe?
 

I have been posting really regularly until about a fortnight ago, when I embarked on this journey touring 6 countries, 13 cities in 16 days.

Well, I just got back from my so named 'whirlwind europe backpacking tour', I'm in the process of completing my trip report, but for now-

Which are your favourite cities in Europe?

After all the countries I travelled to, my favourite has to be Lucerne, Switzerland. The view there was to die for! Not too touristy and the weather- simply balming. It was sunny even up till when we took the cogwheel train up to Rigi (again- breathtaking panoramic views).

Venice and Berlin comes close. But is Venice really dying? More than half of the buildings there are unoccupied, some alleys were dank and dark and dirty, others bustling with life (it was the weekend before Carnavale). But I loved it nonetheless. Berlin is just this impeccable, neat town, really tourist friendly, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves (though it snowed half the day we were there).

Least favourite was probably Rome (No offense, Rome lovers!), just maybe because I had expected a much more... pleasant city, only to find a very crowded, slightly dirty (literally dozens of dog poos on the street) metropolitan. We had originally planned to stay 3 days in Rome? But finished all the major sites in 2 (Castello Saint Angelo, Vatican City, Colosseum and the Palatine Hill, Spanish Steps, Piazza Venezzia and Novona, Pantheon, Fontana de Trevi etc etc). All the while, this friend of mine was citing, 'lame lame lame'.

I'm certainly glad I stuck to my plans, as hectic and as exhausting as it sounded, for the short time I had, it turned out to possibly be the best experience in my life. And I'm looking forward to next year- who knows where I'm heading next?

Oh, and thanks to all fodorers who helped me out! I wouldn't have known half the things you told me here. The tips and suggestions were all deeply appreciated.


Link to the thread I started a few weeks ago:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34929868

and links to some pictures I took in Europe (I took in total 8 gigabytes worth of pictures...)

http://www.friendster.com/aleckii

I'm just glad you're still alive. That schedule was hectic. Well done.

Racing from place to place and packing 10 " sites " in one day can hardly be the way to see Rome ( " lame" ???), Venice, Paris etc.
Lucerne, maybe.
No wonder it came on the top of your list.

Why did you spend so much time in Rome? Surely you could have also visited Naples and Pompeii with the second day.

Leave him alone. I think he has great spirit. People all have different travelling styles. I am a lazy traveller - perhaps because I travel too often, but I really admire the more energetic breed.

Chacun à son goût.

that sounds like an intense trip, I went on a Contiki trip and made the trip through europe all worry free but my favorite top 3 cities while on that trip were, Florence, London, Venice. if you want to go on another trip but without all the hassle check out contiki.

Thank you. lawchick. I was going to say the same.

To answer the question:

Venice, Copenhagen, and London.

>>Racing from place to place and packing 10 " sites " in one day can hardly be the way to see Rome<<

In all honesty, in no way during the trip did we feel like we needed to rush. We took our sweet time just wondering around, trying to enjoy what each cities had to offer, but it was hard to do so what's with the trafic zooming by, hundreds of tourists chattering in the background, etc. We spent 1.5 days in Venice, instead of a day like I originally planned. By 2nd day, we really couldn't decide what else to do than to wander off aimlessly amongst the maze that is Venice, getting lost, then asking directions again, to get lost again and then to find directions again. I didn't feel the need to rush to all the sites, like you mentioned.

I spent 3 days in Paris last year, and felt it was enjoyed myself better. I don't know, just from my point of view.

I really felt like if I had spent another day in Rome to enjoy it like you suggested, it wouldn't really have made any difference.

>>Surely you could have also visited Naples and Pompeii with the second day<<
The plan was to originally visit Naples and Pompeii as a daytrip, but as in every other trip, you have to leave some room for improvisation. I had all the sufficient information, where to catch the train, where to rent to audioguide, what to expect, but we decided against it at the end because we felt we had had enough of ancient ruins for the day, or the year for that matter. I mean, I can't be expecting to visit everything in one go. I will visit Italy again in the near future, and this time, I will be sure to visit Pompeii and Naples.

Thank you Enzian,

Ja, ja,
so blau, blau blau blüht der Enzian Wenn beim Alpenglüh’n
wir uns wiederseh’n

My favourite city is Vienna

Thanks guys!

Vienna was great too! Schloss Schonbrunn! The view from Danauinsel was really great. I think the funniest thing was probably finding the 'musical toilet', where for 50 euro cents, you can answer to nature's calling to the tune of Johann Strauss' Danube. Which I didn't take of course- I get 'stage frights'. A little too intimidating for my taste.

lawchick---you're the first to understand what my name means!

I'm not familiar with that song, though---I'll try googling it.

Übrigens, bin ich auch Rechtsanwaltin.

"just wondering around"
LOL

I am the Queen of Schlager.

It's a Heino hit.

It seems the ancient disconnect between Latins and Barbari . . . excuse me, I mean Teutonic peoples, has a modern face. I think that is fine and understandable, and wish only that it would result in a less crowded Italy.

Glad you enjoyed your trip and just want to say thank you in case your report has discouraged at least one future visitor who'd be happier in a more orderly environment. Best.

If we're talking cities then I'd have to say Vienna, Salzburg and Edinburgh.

On our last 2 trips, though, we've tried to get away from the big cities and concentrate on the smaller towns and countryside. As Aleckii alluded to, there's just too much traffic and too many people zooming about!!

I went on a 11 weeks trip of Europe a few years ago. My favorite city is actually Barcelona, Spain. The Gaudi architecture is very appealing to me.
I also like Interlaken, Switzerland - great outdoor place, incredible views.

Enzian, sind Sie eine Rechtsanwaltin in Amerika oder Europa? Mein Deutsch ist nicht so gut. Ich erlerne. Mein mann ist österreichisch.

http://tinyurl.com/3ynhgc

I don't do spelling checks, 'wandering about', sorry... Why do I feel like I'm back in my kindergarden years?

Yes, exactly my point. I will try to spend more time in smaller cities next time. Salzburg would have been great if it wasn't drizzling the whole time we were there. Despite the weather, the sights were amazing!

We didn't take the 'Sound of Music' tour though, read too many reports saying it was quite 'tacky'.

It was lucky I bought my mozartkugeln there! When I came back to Moscow, a supermarket sold the same thing I bought for 10 euros (I spent only 2.6 euros?).

lawchick---in the US. Thanks for the link!

Favorite city is Paris, but that is the only place I've been.

Pausanias---was your potshot directed at the OP, or at the German-speakers? Either way, it was rude.