What's the best European city break you've been on?

[gretagreengrapes]

I love a weekend away exploring, obviously not at the moment. Our last trip was to Paris in January this year. We've also been to Vienna, Copenhagen & Barcelona.

Where are some great cities you've visited in Europe and why? How long did you go for? Did you travel as a couple or a family?

Barcelona.

I loved Vienna, Copenhagen and Stockholm. Would like to go back to Prague. Was not so keen on Bratislava.

I loved Istanbul, but until Erdogan is gone, I will not go again.

Leuven is my favourite Christmas market. Not as big as Brussels, or on for as long, but the perfect size when you have your elderly mother with you.

Rome, last December. I loved it. So much to see and the food was great.

There are very few European cities that I've found disappointing, they all have something to offer. However, some of them -Amsterdam, looking at you here, andFlorence and Prague too - have really jumped the shark with regard to the number of tourists a city can tolerate without losing its character. But both of those still have magical art, architecture and food.

Ljubljana just blew me away - great little city. Nantes, as mentioned above by a pp, is very livable. I'm going to Utrecht soon - although that's looking increasingly doubtful - and think it will have the charm of Amsterdam without the masses.

Those of you who mention Berlin being so great- what makes it good for you? I have a non-tourist view of the place, would be nice to get a different perspective.

Krakow is next on my list.

Take a look at Tallin too. Small but very lovely

Seville holds a special place in my heart.

I was supposed to go to Berlin and Budapest this year.

Never met a Spanish city I couldn't get along with - Malaga, Seville, Madrid are all amazing. Madrid is probably my favourite.

Did Basle last year for the Christmas markets and that was really special.

Madrid is my place. I have been 7 times in the past 10 years. Usually mid May or September.

Also Bruges, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Vienna, Malaga, Murcia, Bordeaux are high up there to do return visits.

On my list to get to soon is Budapest (family from there but I last visited in the 80s), Porto, Berlin, Reykjavik, New York, Rome, Venice, Florence

So many places to see.

This thread has made me cry actually as we have no idea when we can travel again, and how it will be post Brexit

@LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett

Never met a Spanish city I couldn't get along with - Malaga, Seville, Madrid are all amazing. Madrid is probably my favourite.

Did Basle last year for the Christmas markets and that was really special.

Yes to Basle. I had forgotten that one. Beautiful place. Some good beer too

Paris is special to me to.

I love France in general but its been a few years since we were in Paris.

Does London count?

I always find a new place to visit when I go to London.

Faves are Lucca, Lisbon, Reykjavik, Krakow.

Another vote for Seville. I'm a bit surprised it has been mentioned so much as I don't know anyone else that has been. The only reason we chose to go was as we found some dirt cheap flights, we weren't expecting much.
I loved how laidback it was, you could spend hours just sat outside a bar ordering plates of tapas. There weren't many English there and most of the people there didn't speak English and I remember sitting there with a translation book going through a menu. It was a lovely place and I would definitely go back.

My husband went when the Berlin Wall was still intact and he had to go through Checkpoint Charlie to look round East Berlin.

We went together after the wall came down.
What I love about Berlin:

1. The Brandenburg gate and the ruined Church nearby, memorial to WW2
2. Potsdam and the palaces
3. The museum with the Ancient Greek and Trojan stuff

4.Kurfurstendamm

1. The restaurants
2. The buzz of the place
3. The Berlin Wall (the bit that is left for what it meant)
4. Alexanderplatz (?)
5. East Berlin - then it was still noticeably different from West Germany

10. The old Olympic Stadium from 1936

My apologies if I have got the spellings wrong - it was a long time ago, but we would both love to go again.

DH tells me The Pergamon museum!

@mummyh2016 it really is a very special place isn't it.

Agree with a pp that Spanish cities in general are great but Seville tops the list imo. But then there's the Alhambra, so you need Granada, and Granada is very nice too ...

Also agree with @Mentounasc about places that are a lot less pleasant than they might be. I still think Florence is as lovely as it ever was but Prague has been the wanker's destination of choice for ages now and as a result has a bad atmosphere. Amsterdam also gives off bad vibes for the same reason but then it always did, for me. I guess it's to be expected if you position yourself at the 'get stoned and buy sex' market. Istanbul is awesome in terms of things to do and look at, but the male bullshitness is annoying plus as a pp said there's Erdogan. I quite fancy the sound of Lisbon as it seems similar to Seville but then I think, well, why not just go to Seville ( again) then?

Krakow I agree is lovely plus very friendly on the old purse.

Christ, we need a vaccine.

Copenhagen

Rome and Florence- breathtaking.

I loved Amsterdam, although it was VERY crowded (we went in April). Great food, went on a romantic all you can drink pizza cruise, visited Anne Frank's house and the big swing, and it's just beautiful to wander around.

Other favourites are Berlin and Prague and on my list to visit are Seveille and Budapest.

Istanbul

Found Lisbon very friendly

Tallin.

Fairytale like, wonderful winding, cobbled streets, with lovely people and a fab nightlife 😁

Yes loved Copenhagen, also Barcelona.
But favourite either Rome, or Seville where we spent New Years Day sitting in the park drinking wine. Beautiful cultured city and great weather.

DarkMintChocolate I agree about Berlin. You have described much of the good things to do. Very easy to get around as well.