London, Uk

The British capital is one of the largest and most influential cities on the continent, and it has a wonderful variety and diversity that makes it a great destination.

You can see buildings such as the Houses of Parliament or Buckingham Palace, or explore the wealth of art galleries and museums, before enjoying the great range of restaurants and night life in the evenings.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

This city of canals is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and the center is a UNESCO World Heritage site (dating from the seventeenth century).

There is a beautiful range of historical buildings as well as a famous museum dedicated to Van Gogh. The relaxed atmosphere and friendly locals make it a great place to unwind.

Istanbul, Turkey

Lying on the Bosphorus, Istanbul is on the cusp of Europe and Asia, and these influences can be seen in most aspects of the architecture and life of the city.

Christian buildings such as Hagia Sofia stand confidently beside Muslim architecture such as the Sultanahmet Mosque. In the spring, the bold colors of the tulips across the city are a stunning sight worth savoring!

Reykjavik, Iceland

Two-thirds of the Icelandic population live in the capital, and despite being a large city, it also has some beautiful green areas, including several parks and the botanical gardens.

Nature lovers can go whale watching or spotting puffins, while the Northern Lights are best viewed a short distance outside the city. To warm up afterward, the vibrant live music scene makes for a great night out!

Porto, Portugal

The ‘Invincible City’ is Portugal’s second city and the location on the Douro River Estuary makes it a nice place to explore. Porto has given its name to Port, the fortified wine, so visiting the Port Wine Cellars in the Ribeira riverside district is a highlight.

The center of Porto is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you’ll find delicious seafood, including hundreds of different types of salted cod available at the city’s restaurants.

Stockholm, Sweden

The cosmopolitan Swedish capital is set over three main islands and has a good balance between a modern city center and historic sights, many of which date back centuries to the heyday of the Swedish empire.

The old town is filled with narrow cobbled streets that are great to explore, while the Royal Stockholm Palace and Drottningholm are grand buildings, and you can see the maritime history on the restored warship at the Vasa Museum.

Costa Brava, Spain

To the northeast of Barcelona, the Costa Brava region is a lovely tourist area with a beautiful coastline and some wonderful beaches. It’s an ideal destination for those looking to relax in the sun!

Scuba diving is a popular activity with many great diving sites, while the wonderful inns and bars offer delicious traditional food and the chance to enjoy the local wine and beer.

Author: Sebastian from Budgetizer

1. Las Ramblas!

Never mind that a lot of locals shun this sequence of promenades that runs from Plaça de Catalunya down to the Columbus Monument at the waterfront.

If you’re a tourist it’s one of those things that you have to do.

In summer you’ll be under the shade of the tall plane trees and shuffling through the crowds that pass living statues, street performers, bird-sellers and flower stands.

Occasionally you’ll catch the whiff of waffles (gofres) being baked.

Once you get to the water you can keep going along the boards to visit the Maremagnum mall or Barcelona’s Aquarium.

2. Casa Battlo

Another of Antoni Gaudí’s most postcard-friendly creations, this apartment block wasn’t created from scratch but was a remodel undertaken at the turn of the 20th century.

You won’t need to have visited Barcelona to recognise the building’s roof, the tiles of which are the scales of a great dragon.

Like all of his work the inside and outside of Casa Batlló has that sinuous quality, with few straight lines, and dazzling attention to detail.

Take the mushroom-shaped fireplace on the noble floor, which like a cosy grotto was designed for couples to warm up in winter.

3. City Beaches

Barcelona’s beachfront boardwalk stretches for miles. It will take a good hour to get from Barceloneta to Diagonal Mar on foot, but it’s a walk that really helps you understand the city.

The westernmost beaches like Sant Sebastià are busier and more touristy, but are backed by Barceloneta’s tight lattice of trendy shops and bars with terraces and outdoor seating.

As you move along the waterfront after the Olympic Port you’ll find a bit more room and more Barcelona locals.

Finally, just up from Platja de Llevant is the massive and new Diagonal Mar mall, revitalising a former industrial part of the city.

4. Park Güell

Round off your Gaudí experience with a trip to this garden complex on Carmel Hill.

Many make the trip to this part of Gràcia for those gorgeous panoramas over Barcelona from the park’s main terrace.

You’ll have seen these serpentine benches and their mosaics on postcards and in movies.

Elsewhere there are colonnades, fountains and sculptures, all in the architect’s distinctive style.

If you still haven’t had enough Gaudí you can enter his House-Museum, where he lived from 1906 to 1926, with furniture and decorative items designed by him on display.

5. Montjuic

This city district was developed for the 1929 International Exhibition and features several high-profile museums including the National Museum of Catalan Art, the Museum of Archaeology and the Ethnology Museum.

Of those the art museum is particularly recommended, and the views of the city from its steps are stunning.

Below this, and also built for the exhibition was the Magic Fountain, which puts on light and music shows ever half-hour on the weekends. This is best seen at night of course.

At the very top of the hill is the 17th-century fortress, which saw action in the Catalan Revolt in the 1600s as well as during the Civil War in the late-1930s, after which it was a prison.

Author: Sebastian Weber form Budgetizer!