Europe is a continent offering cities with important architectural buildings and beautiful landscapes. The best cities to visit in this continent depend on the interest of the traveler. Some visitors may want to discover the cities with the most famous, historical and important buildings in Europe and others search the best cities for a beach or mountain vacation.
Discovering the rich culture and beautiful views of all of Europe is impossible in one trip. Chances are if you have visited some cities in different parts of Europe; you will plan as soon as possible a next vacation in another city in Europe which you never visited before
Here are some suggestions of cities you may want to consider visiting:
* Florence
Florence is one of the richest cities in Europe with art and architecture. This city is located in the capital of the region Tuscany in Italy and situated on the Arno River at the foot of the Apennines. The cathedral "Santa Maria del Fiora"(also called the Duomo) is the most important building in this city and the third largest cathedral in Europe.
The facade of the Duomo is impressive and made in white, green and red marble from the cities Carrara, Prato and Siena. This cathedral built by Filippo Brunelleshi forms together with the Campanile tower and the Baptistery (well known for the Paradise door) the highlights of Florence.
Piazza del Signora is another important area in this city and also called the political heart of Florence. Palazza Vecchio (the town hall) is the most impressive building in this piazza and built in a gothic style and created by architect Arnolfo di Cambio (before called Palazza del Signiora). The piazza is L-shaped and makes Palazza Vecchio with its 94m height tower "Torro d'Arnolfo more impressive. There are many important sculptures in this piazza and probably are the David of Michelangelo (copy), the Neptune Fountain and the statue of Persio holding Medusea's head the most impressive ones.
The Piazza Michelangelo is a breathtaking place in Florence where you can walk and enjoy panoramic views of the entire city. This piazza is located on the top of the hill on the opposite side of the Arno River. You can admire a replica of Michelangelo's David if you should miss the original one in the Academia. You can compare Piazza Michelangelo with a beautiful park above the city where you can view the cathedral, the Campanile, Ponte Vecchio and all the highlights of Florence.
* Paris
Paris is the capital of France and called the city of love. This city offers romantic places and a lot of wonderful buildings with beautiful architecture. A boat trip on the Seine shouldn't be missed; a good time for a ride is in the summer evenings; the most preferable time because the main buildings are all lit up.
There are many impressive buildings in Paris in different styles. The Notre Dame, the Louvre museum, Montmartre and of course the Eiffel Tower are some of the most popular ones. If you are in Paris, the nightlife of Paris can't be missed and most everyone will enjoy an evening in the Moulin Rouge.
* Vienna
Vienna is the capital of Austria and called "the city of music". This city is the largest one of Austria and located on the Danube River. Music lovers who love classical music will enjoy some of the concerts with music of Mozart, Strauss and other classical composers in the many concert halls in this city. The Wiener Staatsoper and the Volksoper are the places for opera lovers.
Vienna is famous for its Palace of Schonbrunn which is one of the most beautiful baroque Palaces in Europe. This palace was the summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph and Sissi who reigned from 1848 to 1916. This Palace collects many memories of them and most everyone knows them from the movie "Sissi" or the musical "Elizabeth". There is also a beautiful garden with beautiful flowers and during the summer there are many outside concerts.
There are many tourist attractions in this city for different interests. The St. Stephans Cathedral is a baroque church from 1688 which most tourists like tol visit. The Spanish Riding School with the Lipizzaner horses, the Donauturm, the clockmuseum, the Hofburg and the Prater with its popular Riesenrad (Giant Ferries Wheel) are some places which you may want to visit. During your visit you will likely taste the Sachertarte which is one of their most delicious desserts and popular worldwide.
* Oslo
Oslo is the capital of Norway, a country which is especially popular for its fjords and certainly "a must" for nature lovers. The fjords in Norway offer breathtaking views and from Oslo you can tour around in this beautiful country and compare the different contrasts of every fjord in this Scandinavian country.
The Vigeland Park can be considered as one of the highlights of Oslo. It is a sculpture park which features 212 bronze and granite sculptures created by Gustav Vigland. The park is divided into 6 sections which represent The Main Gate, The Bridge, The Children's Playground, the Fountain, The Monolith Plateau and The Wheel of Life.
* Venice
Venice is also one of these typical romantic places in Europe which most travelers visit at least once in their life. It is a city in northern Italy and famous for its bridges and the gondolas. The Piazza San Marco, the Bridge of Sighs and the Palace of Doge are the most popular attractions of this city.
The Bridge of Sighs is the perfect place for lovers and if you throw something over this bridge you can do a wish and it is a legend that lovers will ask to stay together forever. The Bridge of Sighs connects the Doge's Palace with the old prisons.
The Saint Mark's Basilica is the most important church in Venice and you can see four horses in bronze of Constantinople above the main entrance of this Byzantine church. Also the Clock Tower of San Marco is impressive. This tower has a height of 99 meters and shows the time and different phases of the Moon. Venice is also a perfect place for shopping and eating the popular Italian ice-cream in one of the gelatos in this city.
There are so many beautiful cities to visit in Europe and you may want to visit also London, Lisbon, Rome, Salzburg, Athens, Madrid or even some cities which are near the popular beaches of Europe. Traveling to Europe will enrich your interest for their culture but you will discover the best cities for a break after a time of hard working. Once you have visited one city in Europe, you may want to plan a next travel in another city of this continent.