1 of 46

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 3

Barcelona is fiercely Catalan (spanish is the second language) and is rightly proud of its heritage. A beautiful coastal town provides all the facilities of a city with a beach holiday. Great Tapas, as you might expect, and a range of spanish and Catalan restaurants to choose from. The colourful ramblas runs through the heart of the city and is lined with stalls selling animals, especially birds. The Sagrada Familia, Anton Gaudi's still unfinished church is the jewel in Barcelona's crown. With the famous mountain funfair, the Tribidabo, the kids will be kept happy too. The old city with its graceful cathedral leads onto the modern marina. A short walk along the beach from there and you reach the olympic village and modern casino area. If you walk in the other direction you come to Montjuic, a hilltop park area with some wonderful specimens of local flora. My tip would be to take the cable car up and walk slowly down.

4. Berlin

Now that the Berlin wall has been taken down and east and west Berlin are reunited, this city is undergoing a redefinition. There is considerable building work and a number of social issues. Nevertheless, Berlin is a great city to visit and worth a trip to Potsdam, just outside Berlin, to see the house and gardens. You must make a trip to both the east and west of Berlin while they still maintain their separate identities. Oh, and if you can try Einstein cafe, nearest subway station is Tiergarten, it is the most marvellous tea shop set in an old manor house. Other exciting and interesting places to visit include the Jewish Holocaust memorial with its underground museum and of course the Pergammon museum on museum Island. For those of you who are happy to bare all your skin to the sun, seek out the naturist sunbathing area in the Tiergarten, not far from the Zoo.

5. Paris

A beautiful city with a lot to offer, magnificent views along the Seine and Rive Gauche, the Eiffel tower, Notre Dame, L'Opera, the Pompidou centre, Sacre Coeur and the Louvre. It has a vibrant nightlife and reputedly the best restaurants in Europe (though I think London surpasses now). The Montmatre is one of the liveliest and most colourful quarters of Paris and well worth a visit. Afraid to say though that the French do not always give Americans the most hearty of welcomes, though I think that is changing. The old Marais area, behind the Pompidou centre, is fascinating, full now with boutique shops. It is also one of the main gay districts in central Paris. If you

• << previous page
• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Top ten places to visit in Europe?
We want to hear your view. Write now!