Friday, October 2, 2009

4 Lesser Known Cities You Cannot Miss When Traveling In Europe

By Morten Elm

There are 50 countries in Europe " so you cannot visit all of them on a trip to Europe (unless you have several months). Instead you should focus your energy on a few large cities. In the following you can read about 4 cities in 4 countries, which have unique sights, food and/or nightlife.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Are you looking for a city with a very liberal minded look at hashish and sex? Then Amsterdam is the place for you. In the so-called coffeeshops you can buy hash and around the corner in the Red Light District you find women in all nationalities and sizes.

If you are more into art, Amsterdam is also the place to go. Here you can find great paintings by Van Gogh and Rembrandt. Or you can visit the fantastic Anne Frank House, which is known from the famous Anne Franks Diary.

Barcelona, Spain. The capital of Spain is Madrid " but the most interesting city is without doubt Barcelona. The city has everything: great food, interesting sights and a very fine nightlife. And then there is FC Barcelona " the famous football club with the amazing stadium Camp Nou.

If you only have time for one sight, it should be the unfinished cathedral Sagrada Famlia by Antoni Gaud. Or you can take a relaxing stroll down the La Rambla to Barceloneta, where you can find great seafood and tapas.

Budapest, Hungary. The Danube (known from the famous The Blue Danube waltz by Johan Strauss) divides Budapest in two: the hilly Buda on the left and the flat Pest on the right. The sightseeing should be focused on the Castle Hill in Buda and the central part of Pest, where the greatest sights are found.

Must see sights are the Royal Palace and the National Gallery. The large parks on Margaret Island are a pleasant place to relax and wander in the afternoon. The best shops are found in Vci Street and in Westend City Center " the largest shopping centre in Central Europe.

Prague, the Czech Republic. If you need a cheap vacation, Prague could be the place to go. Even though the prices have gone up since the Cold War, you can still find cheap accommodation and eating in Prague.

But the best part is the many great sights. Start your visit in the Star Mesto, the old part of Prague, with the famous Astronomical Clock. Then follow the Charles Bridge (where you can buy paintings and souvenir) to the other side of the Vltava River. Here you find the Prague Castle - the biggest ancient castle in the world. Other places to visit are the historical Jewish ghetto Josefov, the Kafka Museum and the Jewish Museum.

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