10 Best city trips

Geplaatst op 28-12-2021

Categorie: Reizen en recreatie

Looking for inspiration for a fun city trip? In this article I will help you on your way with my personal Top 10 of the most beautiful cities in Europe and its surroundings:

1) Florence
The capital of Tuscany, or as the Italians call it, is Florence. The Renaissance city has impressive sites such as Santa Maria del Fiori or the Duomo (cathedral) of Florence. An impressive church with its marble exterior and the immense Brunelleschi dome. The other main attraction in Florence is the Uffizi Gallery, with many impressive paintings and sculptures. Visit Michelangelo's David at the Galleria dell'Accademia, beautiful palaces like Palazzo Pitti and Palazzo Vecchio, and combine it with many impressive museums. Florence Italy, a city where the true culture lover will run out of time.

2) Barcelona
One visits the atmospheric (and sometimes somewhat touristy) city of Barcelona for the beach, the other for shopping, but many tourists come here for the many Modernist buildings by Antoni Gaudi, among others. The highlight is Gaudí's unfinished church, the Sagrada Familia, followed by the colorful Park Güell and buildings like La Pedrera and Casa Batlló. Discover the pleasant Gothic Quarter with the Cathedral, the evocative squares and the adjacent boulevard of Las Ramblas. Football fan? Then you should not miss a visit to Camp Nou. Few cities in Europe are as versatile for a city trip as Barcelona!

3) Rome
The capital of Italy, Rome, is a large open-air museum. Even when you're not visiting the main sights, you'll pass so many historical monuments and churches that you would stop to think of any other city. As for Roman monuments, the Colosseum with the adjacent Roman Forum should not be missed. Visit Vatican City with the Vatican Museums (Sistine Chapel) and St. Peter's Basilica in the square of the same name. In the evening, visit the pleasant Trastevere district or visit the Villa Borghese park with the Galleria Borghese museum. There is so much to see in Rome that you could easily enjoy it for a week.

4) Edinburgh
The capital of Scotland, Edinburgh, is the most beautiful city in the UK as far as I'm concerned. The Royal Mile runs through the city, in the Old Town district. A historic mile from the impressive Edinburgh Castle to the Royal Palace of Holyrood House. From there you can take nice walks up the hill to Arthur's Seat. Visit the New Town district, the pretty village of Dean, or be scary by visiting Greyfriar's Kirkyard. The city of Edinburgh has an underground history which is best experienced with an underground tour. After your ride, of course, you will find yourself in a pub to finish with a good glass of whiskey.

5) Venice
In fact, over-tourism in Venice is no longer fun, but when you have the opportunity to visit Venice outside of high season, you might just discover the most beautiful city in Europe. Many tourists don't go beyond St. Mark's Square with St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace, but if you make the effort to get out of St. Mark's Quarter, there are other sides to you as well. of Venice. Visit the most cultural district of Dorsoduro with several museums such as the Galleria dell'Accademia and the Guggenheim. In the Cannaregio district you will find the Jewish ghetto with a historical museum. When you take the boat, you can visit colorful islands like Murano, Burano and the small island of Torcello. Venice becomes truly beautiful when you avoid the crowds of tourists.

6) Granada
If you ever visit the Spanish region of Andalusia, a visit to Granada should not be missed. The city has a vast Moorish history that you can discover in the Albayzin district. In the Sacromonte caves district, you will discover a whole different side of Granada Spain, the flamenco of the gypsies. But the main reason for coming to Granada is the Alhambra with the Nasrid Palace. The "Red Fort" is Spain's tourist attraction, a magnificent Moorish-style palace with beautiful surrounding gardens and the adjacent Generalife Summer Palace. Finally, do not miss the royal tombs of the Cathedral of Granada.

7) Dubai
Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is only a little further (six hours) and makes it the crazy thing because the city has little to do with culture. The huge modern change that the city of Dubai has undergone is exactly what gives Dubai its enormous charm. The views here go from one extreme to the other. Visit the Burj Khalifa, the tallest skyscraper in the world, the largest fountain, the largest flower garden, the largest Ferris wheel, and more. During a desert tour of Dubai, you will learn how this city was built in the middle of the desert. In addition to the many theme parks in Dubai, an ideal city trip to go from one surprise to another.

8) Seville
After Granada, another Andalusian city in this list of the most beautiful cities. Seville has captured my heart with the huge and comfortable center with countless old buildings and narrow streets where you can relax with sangria or tapas. This Seville city also has a huge Moorish history with the main attraction being the Real Alcazar of Seville, the royal palace. In front of the Alcazar, you should also visit the huge cathedral with the Moorish Giralda tower. In addition, the city of Sevilla has many monuments that commemorate the World's Fairs. The most famous is the Plaza de España in the Maria Luisa Park. In the evening, visit the vibrant Triana district across the river.

9) Milan
Anyone who has only been to Milan, Italy for a short time, will not learn much about the charm of this Italian city. The sights here are less visible than in other major Italian cities. The absolute main attraction is the Duomo, the cathedral of Milan, where you absolutely must visit the rooftop terrace. Visit Milan's most famous work of art, Da Vinci's Last Supper, in Santa Maria delle Grazie. Nevertheless, the city has a lot to offer culturally with many museums in Milan, as a shopper's paradise or to relax with a Milanese Aparitivo.

10) Napoli or Naples Italy
In the south of Italy lies the beautiful city of Naples, or Napoli in the Campania region. Naples is an authentic Italian town which is best known for the volcano Vesuvius. An excursion not to be missed is a visit to Pompeii, the excavation of the city which was buried under the ash of the volcano.