Visitors to Europe usually have on their itinerary the capital cities of the countries they are visiting. These cities all have a great deal to offer and are without exception, richly endowed with history and culture. Who could visit England and not seek out London's sights? There's the grimly forbidding-looking Tower, the life streaming down Oxford Street, Trafalgar Square and the British Museum - all memorable.
In England, however, there are many other great cities, each with its own distinct character and each worthy of a visit. All have ancient history. Bath, for example. This city, 100 miles west of London has been pronounced a World Heritage Site and is undoubtedly one of the great cities of the world. There, during their occupation of Britain the Romans constructed baths that are still well preserved, together with other buildings. The famous Bath Terraces always impress, the best known being the Royal Crescent, a beautiful facade. This jewel of a city has a splendid Abbey, a strongly Georgian architecture including the Pump Room and traceable connections to Jane Austen.
Winchester has many features to draw the visitor - Jane Austen again; she died and was buried here, in the perfect gem of a Cathedral, the longest in Europe and dating from the 11th century. Winchester Castle is famed for its Great Hall of 12th century origin and which holds King Arthur's Round Table. People have gazed upon it there since 1463! The river Itchen flows through the old city, where recently otters have reappeared after many years absence.
All the old cities of England have ancient cathedrals. They are all redolent with history, few more so than Canterbury. The magnificent cathedral was the first built in England, founded by Augustine in the 6th century. It has been an important pilgrimage site since 1170, when Thomas Beckett was murdered in his cathedral. The medieval streets bustle with modern life but the sense of history is inescapable. Great museums bring the past to life: one of them is devoted to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, whose story-telling pilgrims are known worldwide.
Maybe from England, the visitor will cross the Channel to France and of course, to Paris where so much awaits. All the familiar landmarks must be seen: the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Champs Elysees, the Louvre Museum [the Mona Lisa] the Arc de Triomphe. It will be hard to leave the City of Light but in France too, there are many other fascinating cities to explore.
The city of Tours, for example, is captivating and less than one hour's journey from Paris on a TGV - the exciting train that smoothly attains speeds of up to 180 mph. Tours itself is charming with its wide boulevards, well-preserved historic central city and the old city with medieval buildings and Great Square. Near to Tours are some of the region's famous chateaux of the Loire, including Chenonceau, the jewel of them all. This spectacular castle, built in 1515, spans the river Cher and is renowned for its Long Gallery. Many other medieval and renaissance castles are in the vicinity of Tours.
When you are visiting France, don't leave without visiting the region of Provence in the south where there are a number of very picturesque cities. Avignon was the residence of the 14th century popes and is today, a city of immense charm. On the Mediterranean coast there are the Riviera playground cities such as Nice and Cannes in their stunningly beautiful settings. But of all the southern cities, Aix-en-Provence should never be missed off any itinerary as it is one of the loveliest in all of France. It is noted for its architecture, the markets, the tree-lined avenues and sidewalk cafes - not forgetting the many old fountains that splash everywhere you go!
Are you planning to visit Italy? Spain? Is Greece on the list? Remember that all the countries of Europe, as well as having unforgettable capital cities, also have other great cities. History and ancient architecture pervade them all and all are surely worthy of appreciation.