Your Best Destinations

[Apedemak]

Trying to sift through the huge amounts of museums, churches, castles, and other attractions I have come to the realization that I do not know which ones I should visit. I am going to visit the big tourist attractions while I am in Europe like the Acropolis, the Collesium, the Louvre, Uffinzi, Notre Dame, etc.. but where else should I go??

Anyone have any places that you think I should check out on my travels. I am sure everyone would appreciate a list of best places to visit.

[Kim]

I loved San Sebastian, Spain and Brugges, Belgium.

Also, as far as larger cities go, I really liked Barcelona.

Wasn't a fan of Athens or Brussels.

Kim

[LHR02]

Remind me please Andrew the route/places you are looking at going......old timers have short memories. ;D

[Apedemak]

Greece, Italy, Austria, Germany, Holland, France, Spain, Portugal, England

[rookie]

I hope you're interested in classical Greece and Renaissance art, because I made the mistake of going to the Uffizi while in Florence because it was "the thing to do". Now, if you appreciate Botticelli and Raphael, then there's no better place in the world to be. But don't feel compelled to go anywhere you don't want to.

Now, among the countries you're travelling to, I loved Venice and Munich. If you're a fan of non-big cities, then you'll enjoy ANY Tuscan, Ligurian or Sicilian town.

[Marnie]

San Sebastian, Spain has been the highlight of my journeys so far! In Barcelona, watch you stuff carefully.... pick pocketing central!!!

[NFLqueen]

Hey Andrew

If you're going Germany - Austria route ..... I went from Munich - to Fussen (about a 2hr train ride) which borders austria, I did it just as a day trip and spent about 5 or 6 hours there.

There are several wonderful castles!!!! NEUSCHWANSTEIN & Hohenschwangau, well worth the trip, I have some wonderful pictures, here's a quick site i found so you can see them

When you go up to the white castle there are trails you can hike around out to a suspended bridge between two mountains with the view as seen in the picture here.... it's awesome!

www.sonador.com/campa/kingludwig.html

and don't be forgetting the vatican in there, i'm truly not a big museum fan but i really enjoyed the vatican museum and the sisteen chapel or maybe it was just the fact it was 42 degrees when i was in rome and it had a/c hehe.... no j/k it was fun

Kelly

[emily]

Barcelona was one of my favorites....Gaudi's work is not to be missed.....(i am a huge gaudi enthusiast!)

the Sagrada familia, Caso Milo, Parc Guell, Casa Batilo are alll great.... i met some fun people at our hostel (Gothic Point) ....there was a really fun techno music party in the middle of one of the plazas, as well as a huge percussion party one night.....tons of people having a great time....

every city i've been to in spain, i've loved.....

i love spain =)

[Cil]

In Austria I enjoyed Salzburg. Agree about seeing Gaudi while in Barcelona, castles in Germany.
In Greece I enjoyed both the islands we visited (especially Crete and Santorini) as well as Athens: even though Athens is dirty and noisy, the people were friendly, the archeolgical museum is fascinating, and the Acropolis is well worth it. On Crete, there is a village called Askifou where a man operates a tiny military (WWII) museum--very nice man, very cool museum.
It's good advice to go where your heart pulls you, rather than worrying about the 'shoulds.'
In a country like Italy, I cannot imagine visiting without taking a look at Roman ruins or Renaissance art, but in order to get that communal "I'm-really-in-Italy" feeling, just hanging out on the piazza at evening is satisfying. You can do this anywhere, from Camogli (Ligurian coast) to Amalfi (Amalfi coast)Sovana in the Maremma,to Venice or Rome. You might like checking out the hot springs of Saturnia in lower Tuscany.

[Cynthia]

It's a bit out of the way (dependent on your route) but while in France I suggest you take the train from Paris to some point in the Province of Normany to see Mont Saint Michelle. See pics in the following website (regional so you need look for the fortrified village on a hill)http://www.mont-saint-michel-baie.com/

This is a great place to wander in & will garner spectacular photos! I used the local bus fron Rennes however there are lots of options. I regret not having spent the night here.