Hi Fodorites,

It's been awhile since I have been here!
I have 8 days vacation in May that I must use. DH and I thought it may be an idea to slow down and do a city in some depth. We are travelling from the west coast of Canada so flight considerations are at play. Ideally a direct flight with maybe a short train connection if necessary. The main hubs accessible from YVR are FRA, CDG, LHR, AMS and MUN.

We have already spent time in Rome, Paris, Barcelona, Madrid, London, Lisbon and Dubrovnik so those would not be on our list of preferred cities. We have extensively travelled in France, Spain Portugal and Italy, and Croatia top to bottom.

Any suggestions would be welcome. Preliminary choices include Berlin, Vienna, Prague....

So you are looking not only for a new city but a new, to you, country? A good possibility could be Athens since you haven't been to Greece. Athens is filled with antiquities, archaeological sites, interesting neighborhoods, markets, museums, and delicious Greek food.

Another good choice would be Edinburgh with its museums, botanical gardens, parks, history, and old neighborhoods with medieval and classic architecture. There are some easy and interesting daytrips, too, such as Roslyn Chapel, Stirling Castle, and St. Andrews, to name a few.

Yes we have been to both Athens and Edinburgh within the last two years-8 days in Edinburgh and 5 in Athens ....loved both!

IIMO, two of your preliminary choices -- Berlin and Vienna -- easily lend themselves to stays of a week in length. Much as I love Prague, I don't think I would spend a week there. That said, it really depends on your interests, about which you have not written.

I second this. With Berlin you can go to Potsdam using their same S-Bahn system, they're so close. Leipzig and Dresden are relatively short train trips away and Wittenberg also is close... Depends on your interests, of course. And then, Vienna is a beautiful city... hard choices.

Switzerland around Geneva and Montreux. Should be warmer temps the south and less crowded in May.

Tri-City area of Poland (Gdańsk, Gdynia, Sopot)
Good flight connections to GDN from FRA and MUC, especially with Lufthansa.
Good local transport, never more that a 20 minute walk from a commuter train station to the Baltic Sea.
HIstory, old and recent, museums, nature walks, good hotels and restaurants.

N.B. May 1st and 3rd are national holidays in Poland, the so-called "majówka' is one of the busiest and expensive times to be in Poland as a tourist.

If you wish to stay in one city, I agree with others suggesting
Berlin or Vienna . Very different cities. Depends on your interest.
Day trips possible …from either.

Does it have to be a city?

And now for something completely different . . . I suggest Malta.

Flights from FRA, LHR, MUC, AMS.

I spent a couple of weeks there staying in 3 locations, old city, ancient city & fishing port & loved it. Kind of a fluke, it happened to be the first stop in Europe after being on a container ship from Singapore. I’ll let you google it to see if it sounds interesting to you but I suspect it’s unlike anyplace you’ve been as it was for me despite having seen much of the world.

Have you been to Amsterdam? It's a lovely and very walkable city, with museums, coffee houses, canal boat rides, markets...

Plus easy day trips to the likes of Haarlem, Delft, tulip and windmill country, the coast... It's a terrific May destination.

I think Prague would be wonderful! Add a day trip to Terrizin and an overnight in Cesky Krumlov. Prague is my favorite European city.

Both Berlin, Vienna, and Prague are excellent choices, and each offers a unique European experience.
Berlin is a vibrant city with a rich and complex history. You can visit historical sites like the Brandenburg Gate, the Berlin Wall Memorial, and the Reichstag building. The city also has a thriving art and music scene, with numerous galleries, museums, and live music venues. It's also known for its diverse and delicious food culture, from traditional German cuisine to international street food.
Vienna is a city of imperial grandeur. The Schönbrunn Palace is a must - visit, with its magnificent architecture and beautiful gardens. The Vienna State Opera is world - renowned, and even if you're not an opera buff, attending a performance there is a great cultural experience. The city is also famous for its coffee houses, where you can relax and soak in the local atmosphere while enjoying a cup of coffee and a slice of Sachertorte.
Prague is like a fairytale city. The Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, and the Old Town Square with its astronomical clock are iconic landmarks. The city is filled with beautiful architecture, from Gothic to Baroque, and the narrow cobblestone streets are perfect for aimless wandering. There are also many beer gardens where you can sample the local Czech beers.
If flight connections are a big factor, Berlin might be a bit more convenient as it's well - connected with major European hubs. But all three cities are accessible by train from the main airports you mentioned. Another option could be Amsterdam, which has a direct flight from YVR. It's a charming city with its canals, beautiful houses, and world - class museums like the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum.

Berlin or Amsterdam for me, Amsterdam needs booking now though as prices can be high, but you can commute because public transport is so great

If it doesn't have to be a major city then look at other areas in the Netherlands. Maybe spend a few days at the end near Amsterdam, but not in Amsterdam which is stupidly expensive, and maybe a few days somewhere like Zwolle, Deventer or Groningen. Easy to get to by train then rent bikes/car/use buses to visit the area around them.
If it has to be a major city then Rotterdam, and do day trips from there.
Get away from the usual tourist suspects and experience a bit more of the country, wherever you decide to go.

You can easily split a week between Vienna and Prague. We did that years ago as our daughter was studying abroad in Vienna, flew into Vienna and out of Prague and took the train from Vienna to Prague. Much to see and do in each place and I would indeed recommend the day trip to Terezin. We chose that over going to Cesky Krumlov.

I really liked Berlin, and loved Leipzig, so I'd vote for that if you want to stay in one city (Berlin, doing some day trips). I love Poland also, and Gdansk, but haven't been to Sopot, etc. Given you already had some other good options on your radar, I'd probably choose them. I really like Prague but don't think I'd spend 8 days there, either. THe issue is the return nonstop flight you want. You obviously can't do that to any of your choices, at least you don't say so.

None of your choices are a direct flight and then short train that I know of. I presume you know how far Berlin is from FRA or MUC by train. Berlin is about 4 hrs. Prague is farther from either FRA or MUC (like 5-7 hrs probably). Vienna is about a 4 hr train from MUC. IS that your idea of a short train? I wouldn't want to do that both ways. If you are coming from YVR that is a heck of a long flight for both ways for 8 days. So I presume you'll do a flight transfer as the flights won't be that long, of course. You can't win, with layover time, that will end of being 4 hrs probably, anyway.

Maybe that doesn't bother you, though.

Of all those places mentioned to visit for a week, I would go to Vienna..A vast number of stunning, exciting things to see. And within Vienna, you even have the heurigen (taverns in a wine growing area) to visit. Thriving, sophisticated modern cuture too. You would not have to split this with any other city.

Thank you to everyone for the great suggestions. At this point it looks like the choice will be Munich. Lots of history, culture and day trips. More importantly, it is a direct flight. Having just survived a 30+ hour journey in economy from the Seychelles to YVR with a horrible stomach virus last month a direct flight is more appealing.

We are hoping to do a River cruise at some point in the next few months. Hopefully Vienna will be part of that itinerary.

Thanks for letting us know your choice! Münich should work well for you. Enjoy!